Bookshelf Speakers with "welly"

[chris geary]

on the list

If you can find a pair of Totem Mani 2's , grab 'em. Small bookshelf speakers with an isobarik woofer set up. The low end that comes out of those boxes is astounding!

 

[mikechadwick]

I‘ve owned both Dynaudio (Contour) and the Kef LS50 Metas and can agree that the Dyns will stomp all over the Kefs for bass. That includes both depth and punch. You’ll also get shedloads more detail! There’s a used pair of Focal Kanta no1s on eBay for £2,800 (RRP £5,000) and these are fabulous (if I do say so myself but maybe not in baby blue).

Can't live with that colour scheme! I'll put the Kanta no1's on the list to audition

 

[mikechadwick]

Are you using them for near field listening?

not really

 

[mikechadwick]

My Tannoy System 1000’s have a ten inch woofer and really fill up this rather large room nicely. They replaced ATC-SCM7’s which would be another recommendation if size is more a concern. The Tannoy’s are fuller sounding and more efficient than the ATC’s but I always enjoyed listening to the ATC’S in that room.

I cut a space in the sheetrock wall so that I could mount them to the concrete wall and get them more out of the way in the room. They kind of blend unobtrusively and stay out of the way of pool cues. Love spinning tunes with friends while shooting 8 ball!

probably a bit too large

 

[mikechadwick]

Is the Kef R3 too big for you?

a bit too tall

 

[mikechadwick]

So far - speakers I want to audition:
Dynaudio Special Forty
Neat Majistra
PMC - not sure which model yet
that'll keep me occupied for a while - I can always refer back here for more ideas.

Thanks to everyone for your suggestions

 

[Allan Probin]

How about Buchardt S400 Mk2? These are well known for providing a good quantity of weight and richness from a fairly compact bookshelf enclosure. They’re not much larger than LS50’s really. Direct order from the manufacturer only, but I believe they offer a 45 day home trial.

 

[G.smith310]

Neat Momentum SX3i

Sounds like a (good) floor stander

 

[daytona600]

Opera Callas , Unison Research Max mini & Genelec G3

 

[Tigerjones]

How about Buchardt S400 Mk2? These are well known for providing a good quantity of weight and richness from a fairly compact bookshelf enclosure. They’re not much larger than LS50’s really. Direct order from the manufacturer only, but I believe they offer a 45 day home trial.

Never heard of this company but those S400s are really nice looking speakers, especially in the Rosewood. Decent price by modern standards.

 

[Big Tabs]

I have some pmc db1i’s. Rear ported, so no use to you I think - but the sound delivered is very nice. Fast and I like the tweeter, which is non-fatiguing.

The twenty5 21i is front-ported so might be worth a listen if there are any close to you.

maybe a unobtrusive, hidden subwoofer would provide the kick you are after? I am of the impression that you dig a bit of bass…

 

[ex brickie]

Dynaudio Special 40 bass is massive! They come with bungs if you need to tone down a bit.
Try as many as you can, just having decent impact does not mean you will like them.

@Bronzeage is right but in practice the really special speakers are either old and secondhand (Mani-2) or have very few dealers (Boenicke)

I’ve heard the Dynaudio Special 40 he mentions and they are very nice. But they are ((IMO) completely outclassed by Totems or Boenickes.

 

[Bronzeage]

Opera Callas , Unison Research Max mini & Genelec G3

Those Opera speakers are bee-yoo-tiful. How do you rate them?

 

[daytona600]

Had them for 7 years Homage to Maria Callas. Outstanding with Opera to Metallica
Look as good as they sound

 

[booja30]

These strange looking powered Sony near field monitors are intriguing enough that I'd love to find a demo. I don't find them ugly (like Wilsons), they just look like really high end surveying or cinematography equipment. And the frequency range is supposedly 10 Hz–100 kHz (-3 dB) which seems like witchcraft.

Edit: Sorry, they're about double the OP's budget. But they're still interesting!

 

[mikechadwick]

I have some pmc db1i’s. Rear ported, so no use to you I think - but the sound delivered is very nice. Fast and I like the tweeter, which is non-fatiguing.

The twenty5 21i is front-ported so might be worth a listen if there are any close to you.

maybe a unobtrusive, hidden subwoofer would provide the kick you are after? I am of the impression that you dig a bit of bass…

Currently trying out a REL T5x - early days

 

[mikechadwick]

@Bronzeage is right but in practice the really special speakers are either old and secondhand (Mani-2) or have very few dealers (Boenicke)

I’ve heard the Dynaudio Special 40 he mentions and they are very nice. But they are ((IMO) completely outclassed by Totems or Boenickes.

Totem’s are too big for my space unfortunately but may well try the Boenickes.

 

[mikechadwick]

Never heard of this company but those S400s are really nice looking speakers, especially in the Rosewood. Decent price by modern standards.

They only seem to sell direct to consumer? As they are a Danish company that introduces all sorts of hassle selling to the UK. Shame as they do look interesting

 

[wainwj]

And the frequency range is supposedly 10 Hz–100 kHz (-3 dB) which seems like witchcraft./QUOTE]

Not even the might of Sony can extract 10Hz from a 4" woofer.
Looks like that spec is for the inbuilt amp.
System as a whole is specced as: 51 Hz–100 kHz (-10 dB)

 

[booja30]

Yep, found the specs on Crutchfield and the -10dB part makes it even less impressive.