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B&W 603s gone; I'm lost down the rabbit hole

Howdy, All.

When I moved to a small apartment a couple weeks ago, I sold my enjoyable old B&W 603 S1s and began looking for used bookshelf speakers at around $600. Now, after bleary nights of research and days of auditioning, I've lost focus.

Should I invest in Totem Mites? Or just buy an inexpensive pair of Paradigm Atom speakers? Or upgrade the receiver but keep my SACD player and…? Or maybe I should just sell it all and start over with something simple, like a Peachtree and a ? In my darkest hours, I want to know if I should just give up and accept my girlfriend’s offer of her old Bose computer speakers.

Any tips or advice would be much appreciated.

My current set-up is…

* Marantz PM 7000 integrated amp (95W, 8ohms)
* twice refurbished (but running surprisingly glitch free) Marantz SA 8001 SACD player
* $100 interconnects and maybe $50 speaker wire

My listening room is also my living, roughly 15’ x 15’ with standard ceilings and essentially wall-to-wall carpet. I can place the speakers anywhere…near a wall.

I listen to jazz 80 percent of the time at a volume just louder than a normal speaking voice, and adore my handful of SACDs, including Ella and Louis and Jazz at the Pawnshop.

My budget is $600. I could wait and save more, I guess.
emhans
timrhu
2,778 posts
 
The responses you have received so far are a perfect example of why listening in your system is the only way to find your way out of the rabbit hole. While I agree with James63 about your amp, I disagree concerning the PSB speakers. I owned the PSB Stratus Minis and did not care for them at all, way too bright for my taste. I also owned the newer PSB Platinum M2. They were an improvement over the Status Minis but were underwhelming to me.
Also owned the Totem Model Ones. At the time I was comparing them to the Silverline Audio SR-11s. In my system the SR-11s were much better.
This is all opinion from people who's ears don't really matter to you.
pdn
431 posts
 
If you enjoyed your 603's but need to move to bookshelf units, definetely consider the B&W 685's. Audition them if you can. I believe you won't be disappointed and you should be able to negotiate a price for a pair of brand new 685's for around $600.00. I believe they list out at $650.00/pr.
pep21
59 posts
 
I think the Usher S520's would serve you very well for what you are asking.
tiggerfc
150 posts
 
You can get Monitor Audio GS10s for around $700-800 now. Mine have done me great justice and have nailed every kind of music I could throw at them (nine inch nails was a little taxing but they survived). However, I mostly listen to acoutic guitar and piano. They aren't bright at all. Very smooth and mellow but have an attack that'll knock you socks off if you turn 'em up a little. And your amp is perfect. I run a Bada amp at 95wpc @ 8ohm and the monitors just sing. the RS1s are even cheaper but a bit bright. Still sound great though. Not quite the inviting mid-range of the GS.

Good luck with your search and with whatever you get.
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