[aamefford]

I am building a speaker rig after many (many) years of absence from a good rig.  My source / preamp / amp will be a Peachtree Nova streaming from a mac mini and/or an airport express, a DVD player (lowish end) via digital coax, and a DIYMod via analog input.
 
The contenders so far:
 
ERA Design 5 (not the LCR's) as mains:
I like the sound a lot.  Nice detail without being bright, a laid back, warmish sound, good bass response from a smallish speaker.  Not that great with rock, and relatively power hungry.  Roughly $800ish new.
 
Paradigm Studio 10 V5's - I like them.  More detailed than the ERA's, upper end seemed a little drier.  Seemed they might be more fatiguing.  Seemed a bit less engaging.  Bass response did not seem to go as low as the ERA's.  They did seem a bit more detailed, and possibly less colored.
 
Paradigm Studio 20 v4's.  I haven't heard them, but I'm thinking they might be more of the good parts of the studio 10 v5's.  Nice used price.
 
Budget:  ~$1000.00 or less, new or used.
 
Standmount / bookshelf much preferred, floorstanders considered.
 
No Sub for now.
 
Music:
Acoustic
Prog rock
classical
Bluegrass (sometimes)
Female vocals
Male vocals
Jazz
Blues
Reggae
 
Headphone rig - Denon D7000's (love the sound) Cambridge Audio Dac Magic, MisterX Dynalo.
 
Given the above, are there any other usual suspects I should be considering?

 

[oldskoolboarder]

I liked the Paradigm sound.  Someone suggested Axiom for a 'similar' sound and I ended up w/ an HT system based around the M22's. 
 
I also have a pair of Von Schwiekert VR1's that I use for my tubed stereo system.  LOVE them and they are pretty power efficient.  I also like the Monitor Audio GR10's.

 

[Lenni]

aamefford,
 
the new Paradigm S1 v3 (G-PAL gold-plated, pure-aluminum) are just $200 over your budget.
 
Give yourself (and your ears) a favour find a dealer that has a demo, and go listen to them before spending that $1k on anything else

 

[Shike]

If you're not totally adverse to floor standing speakers I'd consider demoing some Magnepan speakers if you can.  For $1000 you could get some MMG's (or a higher model used) and a really nice amp to power them.

 

[aamefford]

 
Quote:

aamefford,
 
the new Paradigm S1 v3 (G-PAL gold-plated, pure-aluminum) are just $200 over your budget.
 
Give yourself (and your ears) a favour find a dealer that has a demo, and go listen to them before spending that $1k on anything else

Well now, don't those look interesting?  And perhaps a sub?  Or not?
 

 

[aamefford]

Quote:

aamefford,
 
the new Paradigm S1 v3 (G-PAL gold-plated, pure-aluminum) are just $200 over your budget.
 
Give yourself (and your ears) a favour find a dealer that has a demo, and go listen to them before spending that $1k on anything else

I had to chime into my own thread again - I just re-read the part about "just $200 over your budget."  I swear - do we all make/justify decisions this way????

 

[9pintube]

Many choices out there,,,,,,If your not sure what you want or what your dollars can buy you go listen......Also check audiogon.......But  what Shike said is true about the maggies, if you have the amp for them to really kick ass........great value for your dollars..........  

 

[sonq]

If you listen primarily to vocals and acoustic materials and hardly any heavy rock, do try the Harbeth range as they are legendary for their realistic midrange. Good resale value as they take years to change model and have a cult following.
 
Their latest is the revamped P3:
http://www.harbeth.co.uk/uk/index.php?section=products&page=p3esr&model=P3ESR

 

[Lenni]

ok let me convince ...  I mean, elaborate a little further.
 
I've audition the Studio 10v5, and owned the Studio 60v5 for awhile. both are amazing speakers. I found the 60's very powerful - I couldn't bring myself go past the 12 o'clock on the amp without feeling I was damaging the apartment structure. not speakers to be played at low volume - it's like owning a Ferrari and only using it in city traffic at 15mph. I would've loved to keep them if I had the place and space for them. I also enjoyed listening to the 10's - didn't have the low end of the 60's (obviously), and weren't quite as smooth, but SQ wise were pretty much on the same level.
 
to me the S1v3's are on another level. I'm not gonna go into details about what or why they are. what I'm saying give them a listen before making any decisions - $200 here could make the difference between high-end audio or not. I'm really, really enjoying mine, and I haven't heard their full potential yet. I'd never thought I'd afford speakers that would compete with headphones SQ - to me the S1's so far have surpassed every HP's I've heard/owned in every single aspect, by a long shot.
 
they don't have the same bass impact of the 60's, but personally I find it quite adequate to my taste. still a sub could be beneficial- but it's the last of my priorities.
 
 
having said that, I must add that I've got a big improvement when first: I upgraded the cables, and second: even more so the amp. if you're gonna audition them I'd say bring the Peachtree Nova along and try it with both the S1's and Studio 10's. 

 
Quote:

I had to chime into my own thread again - I just re-read the part about "just $200 over your budget."  I swear - do we all make/justify decisions this way????

 

[Get_Zwole]

Look into Ascend Acoustics a little, they are awesome for the price been running mine for years and still love them. Ascendacoustics.com 

 

[GouldPhoto]

I'll throw in my 2 cents. After listening to Paradigm Studio 20, PSB Image B, Totem Rainmaker and Rega R1 bookshelf speakers, I ended up with a pair of Totem Rainmakers for my desktop speaker rig. I am using them nearfield and they sound wonderful. I also tried them out in a larger room which they handled very well. Decent bass response, very fluid mids/highs. They are currently placed further apart which really opened up the soundstage and depth.
 
http://www.stereophile.com/budgetcomponents/1104totem/
http://www.totemacoustic.com/products/compact/rainmaker/
 

 

[Jon L]

I highly recommend bookshelf speakers from SP Technology and Amphion.  They both use tweeter waveguides to extend the tweeter's low-range extension and control directivity.
 
<a target='_blank' title='ImageShack - Image And Video Hosting' href='http://img217.imageshack.us/i/timepiece.jpg/'><img src='http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/1180/timepiece.jpg' border='0'/></a>
 
<a target='_blank' title='ImageShack - Image And Video Hosting' href='http://img442.imageshack.us/i/prio5102.jpg/'><img src='http://img442.imageshack.us/img442/9889/prio5102.jpg' border='0'/></a>

 

[Jon L]

Aarrg.  HATE this new HTML-only Head-Fi.  Anybody know why those embedded HTML links did not embed pics?

 

[Lenni]

@GouldPhoto: did you make the stands yourself? nice placement. 
 
@Jon L: if I'm not mistaken both of those recommended speakers are nearly $3k! OP required budget = $1000 

 
 
my basic html guess why the links didn't embed pics is because they're not the same. I mean they don't point at the same page. just a guess
 
time to refresh on that HTML skill. pretty cool

 

[GouldPhoto]

Yes, with my basic DIY skill set and a few blocks of wood, some felt, and silicone pads from Michaels craft store. Total cost about $14.
 
Quote:

@GouldPhoto: did you make the stands yourself? nice placement.