Bookshelf speakers for Audiolab 6000A amp (with sub)

simesa

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Hi.
I’ve recently got an Audiolab 6000A amp to replace my aging Arcam Alpha 5. Currently using Mission 780SE bookshelf speakers also from 30 years ago on sand filled stands, plus a Q Acoustics 3060s sub (more to help the Missions than produce masses of thudding bass).

It feels like the Missions are getting a bit old (!) and want to replace them which will work well with the Audiolab.

So far the KEF Q150 or Q350, klipsch rp-600m, and Elac Unfi 2.0 all seem to get good reviews for the £400-800 price i‘m looking at (appreciate the Kefs are available at a lot less than their list price).

I tend to listen to indie, rock, alternative and a bit of pop plus use them for PS5 gaming, TV and movies (possibly more for the TV/gaming etc than music nowadays). The room is roughly 5m x 5m but might move house in the next few years. I quite often end up listening slightly off-axis.

Due to neighbours I can’t listen at too high a volume so am looking for speakers which don’t have to be driven really hard to get the best out of them.

Any recommendations? Thanks, Simon
 
Monitor Audio Silver 100 - 6g or 7g. I used the 100 6g's with my 6000a extremely good speakers imo:


The 6g's might be hard to get now as the 7's have replaced them. Oodles of controlled bass, but the metal C-cam tweeter isn't to everyone's taste!

Here's a review of the 6g 100's:


Dali opticon 2 Mk2 are also worth considering. Above all, try to get any speakers you're considering on home demo.
 
A pair of speakers that are easy to drive and sound great at low volumes, too, which is not always the case at all.

And certainly a useful upgrade on the ageing Missions.

 
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Monitor Audio Silver 100 - 6g or 7g. I used the 100 6g's with my 6000a extremely good speakers imo:


The 6g's might be hard to get now as the 7's have replaced them. Oodles of controlled bass, but the metal C-cam tweeter isn't to everyone's taste!

Here's a review of the 6g 100's:


Dali opticon 2 Mk2 are also worth considering. Above all, try to get any speakers you're considering on home demo.

I have the silver 50 6G that I use as surround speakers, however having briefly tried them with my hifi amp just see how they sounded on their own, I have to say I was very impressed with them for their size, especially with a surprising deep yet even and well controlled low end (driven from a Yamaha A-S2100 amp) and they seemed quite happy going relatively loud without any sense of being strained. If they are anything to go by, them I can imagine the silver 100 is even better especially with current discounts. (My mains are the 300 which I definitely think is the sweet spot in the whole range).

As ever the problem with bookshelf speakers often is not the speaker, but rather the bookshelf you place them on can seriously compromise the tone of the resulting sound. You have to avoid placing on/near anything resonant. Even half squash ball type isolators don't really help that much (these are very solid and have a good weight anyway) and ideally then need small stands or a proper solid surface.
 
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I suggest Quad S2s, currently £649 (but £599 when I bought them), which I can personally attest sound wonderful using my own 6000A, even at lowish levels. If you want an impression of their sound, take a listen to one of Tharbamar's several reviews of them, on this occasion comparing them with Kef LS50 Metas (sound demo starts at c. 9:15):



Whatever, I hope you find your perfect speaker!
 
Thanks for the advice.

I ended up buying the Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G speakers.

As their handbook says, it’s taken quite a while for them to loosen up, but they are great.

The bass is impressive but controlled and I’m hearing things I’ve not experienced even with decent headphones. I’ve turned off my sub for now, have a feeling I won’t be needing it!
 

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