+1 for the REGA R1 or successor RS1 preowned.
I had the R1’s in my office system …terrific without reservations
I’m a REGA speaker fan … I’ve owned R1’s, R3’s, R9’s and RX1’s in prior systems… so I know their considerable strengths and their warts very well.
REGA R1 review
http://v2.stereotimes.com/post/the-rega-r1-loudspeaker
“ … The Rega R1 becomes my new budget reference speaker. In addition of its ability to get the fundamentals of music right, it adds clarity and resolution, and an ability to lay out a vivid and coherent 3-dimensional stereo image. In small room applications, what more could you want?…”
BUT … a new dark horse contender at a not-insignificant discount = TRIANGLE ELARA LN01’s
I now run the TRIANGLE ELARA LN01’s
(the passive bookshelf speaker model, not the other current LN01A active self-powered bookshelf speaker model which I also now have as my “C” system), along with a 10” subwoofer, and all driven by an ARCAM SOLO NEO unibox receiver amp as my TV 2.1 channel “B” system
They pleasantly surprised me during a dealer ad hoc browse to the point that I had to buy them. I am thrilled
(… equally so, - and in a “boogie” performance context - even actually more so…) when compared to the legendary REGA R1 and it’s fine successor and improved RX1’s, AND …AND ITS A BIG “AND” ….. at a fraction of the price.
IMO, they are highly recommended. The following review is a fine précis summary statement:
“ … One of the best looking loudspeakers, if not the best, for anything like this kind of money. Wonderful rhythm and bass really creates the boogie factor. Cons: Slightly reticent treble output but nothing else at this price point…”
https://www.hifipig.com/triangle-elara-ln01-loudspeakers/
With their exemplary premium high-gloss finish
(choice of black or white ) = WAF checked off …. they are well worth an audition and they do perform with ARCAM …. full stop. Buy them preowned and they are in your budget ballpark with the requisite WAF.
PS
I am a REGA electronics fan (REGA OSIRIS & REGA ISIS VALVE upstream stablemates) The REGA BRIO integrated amp upgrade is a killer contender and no pretender at its price point. But you may first consider a proper test-drive with your current ARCAM integrated amp, and be pleasantly surprised at what kicks out.
FWIW… I was running the ARCAM/TRIANGLEs initially with REGA FSC QUATTRO speaker cable (but split down in half from a 4x4 to a 2x2 configuration) with yeoman duty good results.
I recently upgraded them on a whim to a pre-owned pair of a doubled-up “shotgunned” cable configuration run
(4x4 to a 2x2 “doubled up” configuration) of
CHORD RUMOUR, with an ethereal step-up in clarity and slam that my normally agnostic wife immediately noticed .
A doubled up CHORD RUMOUR = proxy for CHORD ODYSSEY …. they are an identical build other than the more expensive ODYSSEY is twice the diameter thickness of the thinner RUMOUR.
Q: Why did I do this ?
A: I followed the advice of Alan Shaw ( owner and designer of HARBETH) because I run HARBETH 30.2XD’s in my “ A” system and he parroted what I’ve been already doing for the last 10 years: using shotgunned double runs of speaker cables as a proxy for a thicker diameter single run.
his take as extracted from the HARBETH forum:
“ … Speaker cable
So, the moral of the story is this: the most important factor of the loudspeaker cable that you should select is the amount of metal in the cable core. More metal means lower resistance. If the core is round (as most are) then the correlation is simple: the fatter the diameter of the metal core the better because the electrical resistance between amp and speaker will be lower. Thin and really thin cores should be avoided regardless of how exotic the metal material is claimed as the lack of metal in the core conductor will increase resistance. That will reduce amplifier damping, effect the frequency response of the speaker and give unpredictable results that will vary from amp/speaker combination…
Do not be fooled by the diameter of the external plastic sheath: what matters is the metal content of the core. The more the better, without exception...”