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Small room, "budget priced" speaker advice, please

Hi,

I recently sold my dearly beloved, old Vandersteen 2C's here on Audiogon (and I hope SgtPeppers is loving them at this moment!) :-) I did this because in our remodeled house, my new listening room (which will double as a guest room) is just too small for the 2C's. The Spousal Acceptance Factor was just too low. ;-)

I have a PS Audio Elite-Plus integrated amp for power (around 70 W/Ch) and a soon-to-be-shipped-off-for-a-refurb Sota Sapphire for an analog front end (I have "miles" of vinyl)! I will also get a CD player at some point.

For now, I need to find a pair of best-of-breed, truly "budget" speakers. By "budget," I'm talking upper limit of $850/pair. (Gone are my free-spending, single days... I'm a dad now...) :-)

Listening habits: lots of 60's and 70's folk and rock, some jazz, Donald Fagen/Steely Dan, a little classical. Listening volume: not too loud. Sonic preferences: I value transparency and imaging/soundstage. Bass should be accurate above all, as opposed to chest-pounding powerful.

I've looked at Paradigms, which I know are highly regarded at lower price points. Trouble is, our one, local dealer is primarily a TV/home theater outfit, so you're trying to hear them in a showroom crammed with other stuff... you know the drill. I've also hit a high end shop. Listened to a pair of PSB small towers and disliked them; they sounded muddy and veiled to me. Listened to a pair of the smallest Rega's and liked them quite a bit, but would want to go back to listen again. I even wrote to PS Audio for advice; they recommended the "baby" Epos monitors, but they're out of my price range.

Thanks if you've read this far. Knowing how subjective all this is, I'd still welcome any advice you have to offer about what I should try to audition.
rebbi
audioconnection
1,015 posts
 
Small room, "budget priced" speaker advice, please
Greetings Rebbi
Why not just look into a pair of the latest Black Vandersteen 1Cs
They can work with the best of em, easy to drive,are still Phase/Time aligned and disappear like your 2CE.
Later you can add a powered 2WQ in the corner and have a superb world class quality system that runs with the Vandy level 2 series
Best John Rutan
rebbi OP
1,319 posts
 
Mapman,

This is all very useful and you are very generous and patient to lay it all out in such detail. Thanks! You nailed it on the head: clearly, this is quite a different listening experience than one would get with a box design, and question is whether I have the nerve to try it or not! :-) I'll look for your audiogon review, too.
rebbi OP
1,319 posts
 
Audioconnection,

You know, oddly enough, I'd never considered the 1C. My old speakers were the very original Vandy 2C's (not CE or any of the later versions). My wife never liked the Vandy "look," though, and I'd have to see if she'd tolerate these smaller models! LOL! But it's an interesting suggestion. Thanks.
asa
626 posts
 
Well, guys, if he likes Totem (and I do too) I don't think mating Triangles with a SS PS Audio amp is such a good idea. If it was me, and I know no one is asking, I'd dump the PS Audio pronto and get a PrimaLuna 70W KT88 based integrated, mate that with Totem Model One speakers, maybe some Audience wire, keep the Sota, etc. Everything off the used market. Just an idea...BTW, Rebbi, what is your entire system, wire included?
mapman's avatar
Ag insider logo xs@2x
mapman
15,679 posts
 
Rebbi,

My pleasure. Again, as I stated earlier, Ohms are not for everyone, which is a shame.

Was at my favorite local dealer yesterday auditioning CD players. Heard a pair of nice Usher monitors ($2-3 grand I believe) on Cambridge Audio 840c, Audio Research tube pre, Rogue Tube power amp. My toes were tapping. Very full soundstage + very fine performance overall.

The dealer also sells Maggies and Totems. I think I saw the Arros but didn't have a chance to listen.

My recollections of Totem monitors when I heard them years ago is that they were one of the best small box designs in regards to overall performance, sound stage and imaging though.

I heard a pair of small VAndy's loosely in NYC recently at low volume only. My impression was that the presentation was not unlike what I hear with Ohms.

They are not omnis or even pseudo-omnis, like the Ohms, or a box design, but am I correct thinking they are somewhat unique in how they do their imaging from most dynamic box designs?

I'm speculating a bit here because I have not really investigated the Vandy design, only heard them briefly.

I'd also go out on a limb a bit and say that Vandy users also often take well to Ohms and omni designs and vice versa, which leads me to believe that you might as well.

Maybe some other Ohm or Vandy owners could chirp in here?
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