Lost some 30yo treasured Tannoy speakers when my house flooded a few years ago and speaker stands went rusty so I threw them. I moved back home only 6 months ago and been making do with some cheap shelf speakers from a Sony mini hifi someone gave me. I’ve decided I’ve no desire to take up floor space with standing speakers anymore, so just want good quality bookshelf speakers that sound crisp and with nice base, they’ll have to be no more than 6″ from the wall and sat on a cupboard. To go with 30 yo Turntable (Michell Eng.) and 20yo cd/amp (Cambs Audio/Musical Fidelity) all of decent quality in their day. Altho I mostly like to just plug in the phone and spotify these days.

What have you got that you love, must be less than £200 or likely to come up on ebay 2nd hand for that sort of money.

Gale mini motors gold? I have a couple of pairs and to me they sound almost as good as my mission 770s

Well cheaper than your price as well.

Waaay below your budget, but my qacoustics 2010’s have always impressed with their taut punchiness.

Maybe something further up their range?

Bit over budget but I like my Monitor Audio Bronze 2 speakers. Think the Bronze 1 speakers may be in your budget.

Happy with my 2010s too!

Anybody know what are they like compared to wharfdale diamond 9.0s?

They get good reviews but I’m loathe to buy a pair if it’s not a step up.

I’ve previously made a list of 8 from somewhere (presumably made up of trawling best of/5 Stars etc), 3 of them are Q Acoustics as it turns out, 3020, 2020i, 2010.

I’ll check out those Gale and the MA 1 as well thanks. I’m not going over £200, nearer £100 would be preferable.

Denon scm 50 by mission – very cheap second-hand and very good

Can hardly believe you can get a pair of Linn Kans for less than £200. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/linn-kan-speakers-/302501088829

Best bookshelf speaker you’re ever likely to come across.

Does mean going into Shipley to collect them, though.

Rachel

These look nice
https://www.richersounds.com
Get very good reviews
https://www.whathifi.com/dali/spektor-2/review

allthegear – Member
Can hardly believe you can get a pair of Linn Kans for less than £200. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/linn-kan-speakers-/302501088829

Best bookshelf speaker you’re ever likely to come across.

Does mean going into Shipley to collect them, though.

Rachel
I live in Bingley, about 3 miles away, they were already saved to my watch list. Only reservation I have is it’s the Linn Kan MkI and II that’s massively raved about, can’t find much info about these mkV which also go for significantly less on ebay than the I/II. They look nice and I expect sound nice, but I’m put off as I can’t find out much about them (the mkV).

There’s some Kef Coda 7 speakers on eBay for £15, which are great little speakers.

B&W DM601s also seem to be going for a good price.

Those Dali look good, added to the list. I think Richer Sounds in Leeds are due a visit.

Full on opposite to the normal STW recommend what you own. I listened to the Amp I did buy demo’d with a pair of those Dali’s and thought they/it were superb.

Its still good with my own speakers but I have this nagging suspicion the Dali’s may be better.

I’ve just sold a set of Totem Dreamcatchers which were amazing little things

How far are you willing to travel?

May be of no interest but I have some MA Bronze 2’s that I keep meaning to advertise but haven’t got round to. Excellent condition Have stands too.

Mordaunt short ms20i pearls. I bought some for £30. Got good reviews. Good sound to my ears.

I haven’t heard them, but the shop that I trust the most (and who normally sell super-high-end kit) put these into their budget system:
Monitor Audio MR1

They certainly don’t play the What Hi-Fi card of every slight update being the ‘best budget speaker ever!’.

I used Linn Kan MkIs and Rega Kytes, and even though they can be superb, I do find their lack of bass prevents me from truly falling in love. I use the Kytes as rears now as they match my Rega ELA II fronts.

Another vote for Q acoustics here, pair the 2020i’s up with a separate sub and you have a winner!

@retro83

I haven’t heard the wharfedale 9’s for comparison, but you won’t be disappointed with the 2010’s.

Compared to my very first ‘proper’ speakers (monitor audio 1’s from 2005), the qacoustics are way more responsive and managed to complement my denon mini hifi.

I’d put it down to the qacoustics having a much stiffer cabinet.

The ma1’s are still in use, albeit with a much more powerful amp, as they need a good ‘skelp’ to overcome their inherent mellowness.

B&W 601s3’s or old CM2 offer great value and can be picked up for between £1-200 S/H. Not too fussy about pairing / placement too.

greatbeardedone – Member

@retro83

I haven’t heard the wharfedale 9’s for comparison, but you won’t be disappointed with the 2010’s.

Thanks GBO 8)

2020i’s up with a separate sub and you have a winner

The sub is essential IMHO. Nice speakers though.

A tip I was given on the Linn Kans was to drive them with a serious amplifier. Now using a Linn LK280 and there is certainly no issue with lack of bass at all.

Rachel

Don’t know if they’re still available, but I love the sound of my KEF iQ1.