Q. I have a Pioneer SX850 stereo receiver and Pro-ject Debut Carbon turntable with the Ortofon 2M Red cartridge (a recommendation from you that I am very happy with). I'm looking for a recommendation for quality bookshelf speakers. I currently have Bose 201 Series III speakers connected, but would like to upgrade to something in the $500 per pair range. The system is primarily to be used for my vinyl records. I listen to a wide variety of rock, country and Americana, occasionally some big band jazz.
_ T.H.
A. The speakers are definitely the weak link in your system and upgrading them will bring you into an entirely new level of musical satisfaction.
You don't have to spend the entire $500 to get some really super speakers. I've loved the Polk Signature S20 bookshelf speakers since I first heard them. There is a detailed review on my website, but in short they have the sonic character of a classic, high-end American Hi-Fi speaker but for $299 per pair. (polkaudio.com.)
For $339 you can get the Chane A1.4 bookshelf speakers. I wrote about these speakers years ago when they were sold under the Arx brand. The A1.4 is the latest iteration, sold under a new brand name. The Chane A1.4 use exotic technology in plain black boxes to provide incredible sound at an affordable price. They tend to sell out as soon as a shipment hits the country, so at times they can be hard to get because of the demand. I checked and they are in stock right now, so if you want a pair it is best to strike fast! (chanemusiccinema.com)
At $548 per pair the Axiom Audio M3v4 is hard to beat. Handmade in Canada, they have crisp sound with tremendous clarity and make a fine addition to a vinyl-based system. You can also customize the finish to match your decor. (axiomaudio.com)
