Hello, I'm looking to buy some good quality bookshelf speakers that will suit a room measuring 4.4m x 3.1m. The ceiling has a high stud of 3.4m. The speakers will need to be in close proximity to the rear wall as they will be sitting on built-in cabinetry (depth = 410mm, height from floor = 575mm) that runs the full length of the 4.4m wall. There are no issues with corner placement as I can have them at least 1m from both corners if necessary. The cabinetry is very solid. Listening position is directly opposite with the speakers firing across the 3.1m room dimension. I am based down in New Zealand so relative pricings between competitive products may be slightly different to the UK, etc. Very keen on your opinions on the following with respect to the contraints noted above: ATC SCM7 ($1,499) ATC SCM11 ($2,499) ATC SCM19 ($3,999) PMC DB1i ($3,170) PMC TB2i ($2,995) - currently an ex-dem pair for sale Spendor SA1 ($2,900 - $3,700 depending on vendor and availability) Dynaudio DM2/6 ($1,499) For comparison the Wharfedale 10.1 retails for about $800 here. The wife would definitely prefer smaller rather than larger. I'm quite keen on the ATC sound so views of the SCM7 vs SCM11 would be good...are the 11s worth $1,000 more? I could stretch the the 19s if needed but again are they worth the extra and would they work in the room? I was very taken by the DB1is as well though quite a different sound. Haven't heard the TB2is but seem like quite a good price (for NZ) but would they like to be only 7cm from the rear wall? I have a REL Stadium III that I can use for the bottom end but I haven't tried it in this particular room. Note: I currently have Mission 752Fs and 782s driven by a Marantz PM7200 amp. The amp may not suit some/all of the above speakers judging from other threads on this forum? Happy to change but wouldn't look to spend silly money (e.g. NAD gear is well priced here but Arcam/Naim, etc definitely has a premium price tag.) Any and all suggestions welcome! Cheers Matt
-
Do you stream hi-res music or download hi-res tracks? We want your opinions!
Bookshelf Speaker Recommendations
- Thread starter admin_exported
- Start date
plastic penguin
Well-known member
- Apr 28, 2008
- 6,579
- 3,190
- 36,570
Welcome to the forum...
This sounds like a very case for Neat Petite SX. I've not heard them, but the reviews they've received seems, within your brief, to be ideal. They are compact, not bass heavy and are very flexible in terms of placement.
http://www.whathifi.com/review/neat-petite-sx
As you've mentioned, though, a sealed cabinet would seem logical solution: The like of Spendor SA-1, ATC or possibly EB Acoustics EB2s; one issue with the EBs are delivery times in the UK. Whether they could ship them or not I couldn't tell you.
Another suggestion would be Rega RS1s. They are considerably cheaper than the brands mentioned, certainly in the UK.
This sounds like a very case for Neat Petite SX. I've not heard them, but the reviews they've received seems, within your brief, to be ideal. They are compact, not bass heavy and are very flexible in terms of placement.
http://www.whathifi.com/review/neat-petite-sx
As you've mentioned, though, a sealed cabinet would seem logical solution: The like of Spendor SA-1, ATC or possibly EB Acoustics EB2s; one issue with the EBs are delivery times in the UK. Whether they could ship them or not I couldn't tell you.
Another suggestion would be Rega RS1s. They are considerably cheaper than the brands mentioned, certainly in the UK.
John Duncan
Well-known member
- Jan 8, 2008
- 2,034
- 30
- 19,720
Putting anything in shelves will be to their detriment, but some will handle it better than others. Db1s are more forgiving than most, but I'm finding more and more that they like a foot or so behind them to breathe. PP is right that Petite SXes are well controlled in the bass and have exceptional clarity, but not sure they qualify as compact.
Whilst your budget is much higher, you may wish to consider AVI Neutron Vs, which are exceptional value and gorgeous. Anything they may lack in the bottom end will be bolstered by their positioning and you have a sub on hand. AVI sell direct and ship worldwide.
Whilst your budget is much higher, you may wish to consider AVI Neutron Vs, which are exceptional value and gorgeous. Anything they may lack in the bottom end will be bolstered by their positioning and you have a sub on hand. AVI sell direct and ship worldwide.
Welcome to the forum Matt
Whilst I have heard some PMC and Spendor, I'd be best confining my advice to ATC.
In terms of price, a quick UK google says you can get 7s for around £500, 11s for around £900, and 19s for around £1600, although the RRPs are somewhat higher. That equates in NZ$ to 1,035 v 1,863 v 3,312. So I think you're looking at a markup for export, but a fairly consistent one.
If you like the ATC sound, then all of them will do it for you, they're all tonally consistent. The big jump in quality will be from the 11s to the 19s, as the 19s use the SL mid bass driver. Hence the extra price. IMO all the price jumps, while sizable, are worth it.
IMO all will work fine in your size room, at all volume levels. However, probably only the 7s could be called 'compact' (the numbers are the volume size in litres, to illustrate). The 19s in particular are very big and heavy. I think you would have to balance up SQ with price with practical issues of size (basically why I have the 11s at the moment).
I would have though ATCs will be ideal for the setup you describe. They are sealed boxes, so are unfussy about positioning. They benefit from a stable base, but I understand you to say you're putting them on cabinets rather than in them, which is not ideal but should work fine. Proximity to a rear wall and to a side wall should be no problem. They also have very good dispersion if you do happen to listen to them off-axis.
In terms of price, a quick UK google says you can get 7s for around £500, 11s for around £900, and 19s for around £1600, although the RRPs are somewhat higher. That equates in NZ$ to 1,035 v 1,863 v 3,312. So I think you're looking at a markup for export, but a fairly consistent one.
If you like the ATC sound, then all of them will do it for you, they're all tonally consistent. The big jump in quality will be from the 11s to the 19s, as the 19s use the SL mid bass driver. Hence the extra price. IMO all the price jumps, while sizable, are worth it.
IMO all will work fine in your size room, at all volume levels. However, probably only the 7s could be called 'compact' (the numbers are the volume size in litres, to illustrate). The 19s in particular are very big and heavy. I think you would have to balance up SQ with price with practical issues of size (basically why I have the 11s at the moment).
I would have though ATCs will be ideal for the setup you describe. They are sealed boxes, so are unfussy about positioning. They benefit from a stable base, but I understand you to say you're putting them on cabinets rather than in them, which is not ideal but should work fine. Proximity to a rear wall and to a side wall should be no problem. They also have very good dispersion if you do happen to listen to them off-axis.
All bookshelf speakers you listed are nice but your current amp is not suitable for most of them. You're in New Zeland, so it's worth auditining Plinius amps. Morever, if you Japanese you might go to Japan and purchase an amp like Luxman L-505u.
I'm not expert on New Zeland's brands but Plinius is a respectable brand.
Anyway, in fact, by purchasing local brand's equipment we can get better cost-benefit products.
Anyway, in fact, by purchasing local brand's equipment we can get better cost-benefit products.
there used to be a regular poster on here who had a nad amp with scm40s and was happy with the combo. is there anywhere near by you could demo? as has already been said, there shouldn't be a problem putting atcs that close to a wall. when i had the scm19s i had them about 20cm from the back wall and the bass didn't suffer at all, that was a solid brick wall - if yours are wooden like a lot of nz homes you might be able to place them right against the wall with no bass boom.
Are Totems available in the land of the long white cloud? If so, have a listen. Some of their bookshelf models are exceptionally good.
I've heard them and some of the options you mention with the Nait5i, which is a particularly good all-rounder.
I've heard them and some of the options you mention with the Nait5i, which is a particularly good all-rounder.
The other respected NZ brand is of course Perreaux but if you're after something more affordable, then you might consider the NAD C356BEE integrated amp whose 80 WPC is more than enough to drive the likes of either the Spendor SA1 or PMC DBI1i.
Alternatively, you could pair those same speakers with the 150Wpc NAD C165BEE/C275BEE pre-power combo. I've tried this with both the mentioned speakers with great results.
Hope this helps. Good luck!
Alternatively, you could pair those same speakers with the 150Wpc NAD C165BEE/C275BEE pre-power combo. I've tried this with both the mentioned speakers with great results.
Hope this helps. Good luck!
Apart from M Series, I'm not particulary keen on NAD's products. Anyway, althought products of the referred lines do sound fine (real high-end), their built quality lets them down. Nad's product are likely not to last as much as McIntosh, Krell, Accuphase, Classé, ATC or Luxman's products.
By the way, Plinius and Perreaux play don't play in the same league as NAD.
By the way, Plinius and Perreaux play don't play in the same league as NAD.
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram