kevinsullivan
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- Dec 27, 2022
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I'm helping my older women friends upgrade from a 1980 "college" stereo system to recently accessible near-audiophile quality equipment. Their new set-up is a new Wiim Pro streamer then to a SMSL higher-end DAC, then to their legacy 80W NAD amp (fine for now), and finally into cheap, old Kef "C-series" speakers.
The speakers are the prime candidates now for replacement. I brought over a pair of recently $1500 Polk LSim 703s 3-way speakers to let them hear some much better speakers. Even the friend who'd said she wouldn't be able to tell a difference confessed to being impressed at that *greatly* improved sound.
Alas, those speakers didn't quite work. They *must* fit on their bookshelves. The 14-1/2" deep Polks were 2+" too deep for the shelves, even pushed all the way back.
So what I'm hoping to find are suggestions for alternative speaker solutions. Here are some of the main parameters. 12" deep is about it. I'm open to sealed, rear-ported with plugs, front ported, or whatever. There's no room for a sub, so the main speakers will have to get down into the 50s or preferably even 40s @ -3db. The Polks were good that way. And the room isn't small--basically a family room 12' or so wide, open into a dining/kitchen room maybe 20+' deep. Sonically diminutive speakers are out. The Polks played plenty loud enough. The shelves are adjustable up and down. Budget dictates that we stay within the range of speakers that might have recently listed for $1500-$2500/pr. Sound is the goal, finishes are irrelevant.
These are people who know and love the sound of real orchestras and operas and jazz thingies but who are not even 1% of the way to accommodating speakers on stands or anything like that. The room wins, but given that, what's the best they can do?
Thank you!
The speakers are the prime candidates now for replacement. I brought over a pair of recently $1500 Polk LSim 703s 3-way speakers to let them hear some much better speakers. Even the friend who'd said she wouldn't be able to tell a difference confessed to being impressed at that *greatly* improved sound.
Alas, those speakers didn't quite work. They *must* fit on their bookshelves. The 14-1/2" deep Polks were 2+" too deep for the shelves, even pushed all the way back.
So what I'm hoping to find are suggestions for alternative speaker solutions. Here are some of the main parameters. 12" deep is about it. I'm open to sealed, rear-ported with plugs, front ported, or whatever. There's no room for a sub, so the main speakers will have to get down into the 50s or preferably even 40s @ -3db. The Polks were good that way. And the room isn't small--basically a family room 12' or so wide, open into a dining/kitchen room maybe 20+' deep. Sonically diminutive speakers are out. The Polks played plenty loud enough. The shelves are adjustable up and down. Budget dictates that we stay within the range of speakers that might have recently listed for $1500-$2500/pr. Sound is the goal, finishes are irrelevant.
These are people who know and love the sound of real orchestras and operas and jazz thingies but who are not even 1% of the way to accommodating speakers on stands or anything like that. The room wins, but given that, what's the best they can do?
Thank you!
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