For once, I too ask for advice. It's about small cheap loudspeakers. Thanks.

Elac Debut B6 are probably the best speaker I have heard that is really inexpensive, they sell for $279.00 in the States. They embarrassed some much more costly stand mounts at the Axpona show. Also check out the Elac 4 and 5, smaller and even less expensive. They are rear ported but are made for shelf mounting, as they come with port plugs if needed.

Lanesra posted:

I'd suggest getting a second hand pair of Heybrook HB1's.

They are a sealed box design and were designed to be installed close to a wall.

Wilmslow Audio make an updated kit version.

I don't know why there are so few new sealed box speaker designs. 

I think Kevin-W on here still uses a pair of HB1s.

MDS posted:

Lanesra posted:

I'd suggest getting a second hand pair of Heybrook HB1's.

They are a sealed box design and were designed to be installed close to a wall.

Wilmslow Audio make an updated kit version.

I don't know why there are so few new sealed box speaker designs. 

I think Kevin-W on here still uses a pair of HB1s.

I had a pair for about 20 years. They were fantastic. I only replaced them because my wife thought their stands were ugly. 

Perol posted:

Friendly smooth sound, Not a bad combination indeed but guess easy speakers are preferred, ideal and perhaps developed together, would be bookshelf Linn Kan 3, Tukan, Katan etc but some are rear ported though guess they will, as RS1 work close to rear wall.

System Audio are great as are the affordable Dali Pico, Q acoustic 2010, older Royds, Wharfedale Diamonds, Monitor Audio etc, plenty of choice out there on the cheapskate.

I agree on the sound of the Linns and on their good pairing with the brand's affordable models. I have had a strange experience with Q Acoustics, but all your suggestions make rather sense, safe that I'd prefer not to go too many generations back, technically. Elac B6s and Monitor Audio intrigue me, and I may probably have a demo of the Elacs on Monday. Again, thanks to all. I'll gather all the suggestions in a list, and see what comes up mostly.

M. 

My Beolab 8000s are NOT my favorite speakers, but they meet logistical requirments for me in the bedroom, and they sound better when fed from Naim sources.  I enjoy nice surprises, and they have been exceeding my expectations for 22 years.  Sometimes low expectations are good!

Nick

Second hand Neat Petites?? They can boogie with the best of them from a small box...

Hi Max,

In a heartbeat...

Davis Acoustics Eva (about 150 euros), distributed in Italy through audiomondo dot com.

There is also the Davis Acoustics Balthus 30 (about 550 euros), rear ported though. Comes with a  black grill that hides the yellow kevlar driver.

All of the Davis speakers that I've heard so far have been very musically satisfying. They're generally quite efficient, 90 dB for the Balthus 30, for example. The Eva clocks in a bit less at 88 dB.

Davis is a small French company (15 employees), one of the few who design and build their own drivers, the heart of any speaker.

They're huge in France (over 200 sale points) and virtually unknown outside the country.

Well worth discovering,

Jan

Arnsider posted:

Second hand Neat Petites?? They can boogie with the best of them from a small box...

It's one of the options I had thought. I should check the size, but I know they are good, very good. 

Jan,

I know the Davis Acoustics well: my dealer has them (or has had, for a while) in regular stock. The guy who distributes them in Italy is also a very nice, educated and kind person (which makes me wonder how long will he resist in the audio distribution arena). I know that they have a very good VFM ratio, or some models at least, and you are the first who has the idea of suggesting them. I had completely overlooked this chance. Later today I'll go to my dealer and will check the whole Davis catalogue. BTW, for some reasons I don't dislike yellow Kevlar..

Thanks for the reminder. I notice that nobody, or so it seems to me now, has mentioned any of the R1s by rega; a guy I am in touch with is selling a pair of the RX series, brand new, at a very seducing price, but they don't seem to get great reviews. For sure, they have great looks but I don't know how they sound, unless I drive one hour to their distributor.

Anyone?

M.

Petites are great (on the end of a 250)

Not sure a Lk85 will be enough tbh

I prefer the Rega RX over RS as they are more full, complete, natural and civilized, much more expensive though but any of the little Rega's will need a small amp only, never heard them on Linn electronics though.

Max, 

I would strongly suggest an audition of the Dali Menuet, the latest iteration of the Danish manufacturer. It ticks all the boxes, completely unfussy as regarding placement, and furthermore, intended to work close to a wall (rear ported, but the port is tuned purposely, to work in a confined environment), They can be placed on an actual bookshelf, on stands or placed on wall. 

Have a pair of these, they are absolutely stunning and very dynamics. This is the only bookshelf speakers that actually incarnate that moniker...they sound huge and at the same time very convenient to use. 

Only 1 drawback : the latest version is priced at 1000 euros, but the previous ones can be bought at around half price on the second hand market. 

Bouba posted:

<snip>

This is the only bookshelf speakers that actually incarnate that moniker...

<snip>

That's an EXCESSIVELY bold claim.  Dali aren't the ONLY competent speaker manufacturer.

I know but that's my own opinion and frankly I don't think that are many speakers you can actually place in a cupboard/bookshelf and that'd still sound that good. 

I'm not saying Dali is the only competent speaker manufacturer, I'm saying they are amongst the rare ones manufacturing speakers that still sound good despite less than optimal placement to say the least.

Bouba posted:

I know but that's my own opinion and frankly I don't think that are many speakers you can actually place in a cupboard/bookshelf and that'd still sound that good. 

I'm not saying Dali is the only competent speaker manufacturer, I'm saying they are amongst the rare ones manufacturing speakers that still sound good despite less than optimal placement to say the least.

In-wall need not be less than optimal, actually having potential to be better than anywhere n front of a wall, even some distance in front.

Meanwhile I’m curious to know how the Dal rear port work if either against the wall, or the speaker sitting with books tightly packed around it...

Innocent Bystander posted:

<snip>

Meanwhile I’m curious to know how the Dal rear port work if either against the wall, or the speaker sitting with books tightly packed around it...

You're right  - it can't, and it won't.

Dali sells an optional wall-bracket that allows speciically designed for the Menuet, that allows for the optimal distance between the wall and the speaker's port. I tried it and at least in my room, it worked perfectly. 

Acoustically and mechanically speaking, wall brackets are very different from bookshelf mounting.

Bouba posted:

Dali sells an optional wall-bracket that allows speciically designed for the Menuet, that allows for the optimal distance between the wall and the speaker's port. I tried it and at least in my room, it worked perfectly. 

Surely if Max was considering this approach, he would be going for his 6th set of N-Sats?

badlands posted:

Elac Debut B6 are probably the best speaker I have heard that is really inexpensive, they sell for $279.00 in the States. They embarrassed some much more costly stand mounts at the Axpona show. Also check out the Elac 4 and 5, smaller and even less expensive. They are rear ported but are made for shelf mounting, as they come with port plugs if needed.

I was going to recommend the Elac Debut range - but I had doubts about wall/shelf mounting.

Good to hear that they can be adapted. Worth looking at a lot of Andrew Jones designs - Elac, Pioneer and TAD.

With the Debut range (if any good) he's introduced speakers at a cost that allows us, finally, to stop harking back to the usual old suspects - Diamond, MS20, Royd, JPL, Heybrook and other golden memories.

ChrisSU posted: 

Surely if Max was considering this approach, he would be going for his 6th set of N-Sats?

I wasn't at the time you posted this, but I am now... 

M.

Not sure how big your room is but I’d also highly recommend the System Audio Aura 1s.  Slight problem is that they seem to be discontinued.  Very musical speaker and mine sing very well from the end of a UQ2.  But, I think they do appreciate a reasonably powerful amplifier, so your Linn should be more than adequate. 

+1 Totem Dreamcatchers. Incredible imaging and detail.

alan33 posted:

Hi Max -

The B&W 6xx bookshelf speakers (in many incarnations over more than a decade) are front ported and often have brackets for direct wall mounting... Given their low price new (200€ for the smallest current model 686S2) (...)

Good luck and have fun!

Regards alan 

Hi Alan, 

I saw a pair yesterday in a big electronics store, they were the 686s and costed €460. It seems to be their price in Italy; we have the best, most honest importers in Europe. Jokes apart, for around €200 I'd have bought them on the spot, but then read an independent review which destroyed them... Too bad, the look wasn't bad at all. Thanks anyway, M.

Johnell posted:

Neat Iota

Listened to.... Excellent and impressive apart from a vague lack of telluric bass. Joking. Really impressive, but €1000, and I very much doubt that anyone sells theirs. Thanks.

Ok, I have had 23 recommendations, three of which (Monitor Audio, Dreamcatchers and System Audio Aura 1) twice. The Debut 6s by Elac have been endorsed by Adam M. too. The Heybrooks HB1 travel like a ghost hint across the whole thread.

Since I hate options and choices, there's no doubt that I asked for it... But now I want to try and listen to the greatest possible number of these options. And yes, I have contacted a guy for a pair of Sats, but in spite of my vague sympathy for them (they would be my 6th pair), I am not sure they'd work well in a bookshelf and I'd hate to waste my preferred speaker ever in an under than optimal setup.

I add one last option by myself, that seems to tick most boxes but has a problem. The Quad S-2s, ribbon tweeter, solid build, average very good reviews. The problem is that they cost £595 in the UK and €1600 in Italy. I am more tempted to cast a Molotov in the importer's offices than to demo a pair, but I may manage to do both.

Again, thanks to all for their replies.

Max