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Advice please: speakers for chamber music.

B

Brian S

pfm Member
I am assembling a second system. I am looking for recommendation of small standmount or bookshelf speakers that lend themselves to chamber music, Baroque, and human voice recordings. Also, small group jazz. My amp/dac will be Audiolab M integrated. Price for speakers: not more than £650, new or used.

Current system, whith which I am well pleased, consists of 300b amp, Audionote J speakers.

Any recommentations gratefully received.
 
What do the Audionote J speakers do wrong? Chamber music is a really interesting proposition in terms of reproduction. I love it and would love a pair of Audionote Js!

Do you want more refinement, realism, sense of space? It also depends so much on your room. I think the obvious choice may be some form of esl. I’m also playing with some 8 inch Tannoys atm, they’re great with chamber music. My little AVI neutrons are also excellent, but in a very different refined way. How big’s the room? What placement options do you have?
 
I would think that something with natural tone which images well would suit chamber music nicely. You might like to have a listen to the Amphion Helium 410 or Argon 0. Your M-One should drive them quite happily.
 
lordsummit said:
What do the Audionote J speakers do wrong? Chamber music is a really interesting proposition in terms of reproduction. I love it and would love a pair of Audionote Js!

Do you want more refinement, realism, sense of space? It also depends so much on your room. I think the obvious choice may be some form of esl. I’m also playing with some 8 inch Tannoys atm, they’re great with chamber music. My little AVI neutrons are also excellent, but in a very different refined way. How big’s the room? What placement options do you have?
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i think the op is keeping the audionote but wants a second system . my suggestion would be the mighty harbeth p3esr which are brilliant and i know bourney has some , maybe you could meet in the middle with a deal
 
Plenty of pre loved Spendor stand mounts available or if you have room floor standers. I'm biased but they would be good.
 
One of the BBC LS3/5A monitor inspired designs (Falcon do one, I know) would suit this sort of music. Maybe not with a 300B though unless only near field listening anticipated.
 
Thanks everyone for response. I am very happy with 300b and Audionote set up. That will remain. The Audionote Js are excellent. I have had two pair. I find the Js to be faultless for my kind of music.

I wish for something more modest to complement the Audiolab M amp/dac. Separate system. I have been looking at Focal Aria 906s.

lordsummit said:
What do the Audionote J speakers do wrong? Chamber music is a really interesting proposition in terms of reproduction. I love it and would love a pair of Audionote Js!

Do you want more refinement, realism, sense of space? It also depends so much on your room. I think the obvious choice may be some form of esl. I’m also playing with some 8 inch Tannoys atm, they’re great with chamber music. My little AVI neutrons are also excellent, but in a very different refined way. How big’s the room? What placement options do you have?
Click to expand...
 
A pair of used ProAc Tablette Anniversary would go very nicely in my experience. Good projection of instruments into the air & decent enough bass to get the best out of a cello. They excel on my Handel operas & would not be disgraced on some Bach organ Toccatas & Fugues.
 
Brian S said:
Thanks everyone for response. I am very happy with 300b and Audionote set up. That will remain. The Audionote Js are excellent. I have had two pair. I find the Js to be faultless for my kind of music.

I wish for something more modest to complement the Audiolab M amp/dac. Separate system. I have been looking at Focal Aria 906s.
Click to expand...
Just started reading this thread, I was going to suggest JR149's which I think would be a great choice for chamber music. I recently picked up a nice pair off eBay for £240. Then I got to the post where you mention Focal 906 which are the speakers the JR's replaced. I think these would also be a great match for chamber music, they have a lovely midrange, can go surprisingly deep & aren't to fussy about positioning if you are tight for space. Best of all I haven't got round to selling them yet if you want to discuss a deal (I also have the stands). Wasn't really looking to replace the Focals, the JR's were an impulse buy, I had read on other threads that they are a nice match for the Leak stereo 20 if you don't have the space for vintage Tannoy's (they are).
 
As well as Harbeth and Spendor, both excellent, I would also look at ATC - the SCM7s are well within your budget s/h. All three companies are highly regarded for speakers with uncoloured, accurate midrange and natural speech,
 
The little Spendors will be great, but you might also consider some Snell K since you enjoy the sound of that family of speakers.

They come up for between 2 and 3 hundred pounds. You would probably want to use your change for a switch of amp though - a Sugden A21a would be ideal.
 
ESLs?

Edit: missed the ‘small bookshelf or standmount’ requirement. Neither of which these are. But probably close to perfect in every other regard....
 
TonyScarlett said:
Just started reading this thread, I was going to suggest JR149's which I think would be a great choice for chamber music. I recently picked up a nice pair off eBay for £240. Then I got to the post where you mention Focal 906 which are the speakers the JR's replaced. I think these would also be a great match for chamber music, they have a lovely midrange, can go surprisingly deep & aren't to fussy about positioning if you are tight for space.
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Agreed. I’m a big fan of chamber music and tend to play it on the 149s rather than the giant Tannoys downstairs as they are just so good across the mid and so good at soundstaging. They do much of what ESLs do but in a far smaller and more room friendly package IMO. Same obviously goes for LS3/5As, albeit not for £650! There are actually many mini-monitors I’d happily recommend for chamber and jazz, e.g. small ProAcs, Spendors, Harbeths etc. I heavily lean towards a ‘BBC balance’ for this type of music and there is actually a lot of choice here second hand and within budget. For something at the newer end I’d be looking closely at say Spendor 3/5Rs.
 
AndyU said:
As well as Harbeth and Spendor, both excellent, I would also look at ATC - the SCM7s are well within your budget s/h. All three companies are highly regarded for speakers with uncoloured, accurate midrange and natural speech,
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Don't ATCs need a load of volume before they start to work in their operating window? That's why I've always steered away from them at least.
 
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