Can anyone recommend any small speakers up to £500?

[mattc76]

Hi.

Due to room size constraints 3m x 4m with a lot of "stuff" and also needing speakers to "blend in" I'm after some small but amazing speakers! I have b&w 686's at the moment but fancy an upgrade. My budget is up to £500 so my list so far includes:

B&W CM1
AVI neutron 4's or 5's
.....

Cheers,

Matt

 

[d_a_n1979]

Get yourself some B&W 685's and Partington Dreadnought stands and youll have a very noticeable difference there and then.

The 685's vs the 686's are night and day and the 685's will work oh so well with your NAD amp 🙂

If not the B&W 685's have a nosey for some 2nd hand M/A GS10's if you can find them. Superb speakers

 

[the record spot]

Seek out AVI Neutron III or IVs, or if you can, Quadral Pico on a deal. Small speakers though, but very, very good ones.

 

[mattc76]

d_a_n1979:Get yourself some B&W 685's and Partington Dreadnought stands and youll have a very noticeable difference there and then.

The 685's vs the 686's are night and day and the 685's will work oh so well with your NAD amp 🙂

If not the B&W 685's have a nosey for some 2nd hand M/A GS10's if you can find them. Superb speakers

Hi thanks.

I am very tempted by the 685's but fear they might be a bit big and imposing in my room. The speakers need to be recessed against the back wall as much as possible and in the corners. They do have a front-firing port so should be able to do this more easily than any rear-firing speaker - is that correct??

Cheers,

Matt

 

[d_a_n1979]

Yes the 6856s are forward firing but that doesnt mean theyre find when placed against a wall or in a corner 🙁

Really speakers shouldnt be placed in corners at all due to the boom that will happen etc...

Are you using speaker stands currently?

 

[drummerman]

Epos M5i or Rega R3. The Epos are relatively bass light/thight so the rear port should be fine against boundaries but you'd have to try at home. Regas have a very small footprint and are front ported.

regards

 

[Anonymous]

I don't think the 685 are a real upgrade, since they are from the same series; they will give you more soundstage and bass, but not more resolution.

A CM1 would be a good choice. They are small and you can get an excellent performance out of them when upgrading the amp and CDP. I have a friend who has them with a Moon I5 amp and NAD Master CDP and the result is incredible.

Maybe you can find a used PMC DB1+. They are very small and are very refined.

Also try the Epos M12i.

 

[d_a_n1979]

Fully agree with DM (as above) that the Rega R3's would be good. Theyre not the best out there for bass but they a superb sounding speaker and will fit into a corner good enough.

Currently there are some Rega R5's on eBay. They may be worth a look at.

DM - What's your opinion on those and what is their bass like?

 

[John Duncan]

Can recommend Neutron Vs, but really fancy the gorgeous Dali Lektor 1 - much cheapness, and no rear port (unlike the Neutron).

 

[d_a_n1979]

God yeah! Forgot about them too...

JD's spot on there re the Dali Lektor 1's. Great little speaker and will rival the 686's, if not better them

BUT...

I would say theyre not an upgrade, more of a sideways step and a completely different sound

 

[John Duncan]

d_a_n1979:they're not an upgrade, more of a sideways step

Tuh. A change is as good as a rest, I say

Must hear the Lektors actually. I wish they'd made the floorstanders the same width as the 1s, I'd have them like a shot.

 

[mattc76]

Have the WHF team reviewed the CM1's - I'd be interested to know what the experts think??

 

[d_a_n1979]

Haha thats what i say as well until i start to get fully looks off the other half...

 

[Gerrardasnails]

mattc76:Hi.

Due to room size constraints 3m x 4m with a lot of "stuff" and also needing speakers to "blend in" I'm after some small but amazing speakers! I have b&w 686's at the moment but fancy an upgrade. My budget is up to £500 so my list so far includes:

B&W CM1
AVI neutron 4's or 5's
.....

Cheers,

Matt

I reckon you might have to up the ante a smidge - Leema Xero at £645 - to get a decent upgrade, unless you go second hand - MA gold range.