1000-1500 euro bookshelf speakers for rotel ra 1520 amp

    If your going to look at b&w, try the cm1's they should match the sound your looking for.

I ran my RA1520 and Audiolab 8200CD through some 685's for a while. It sounded fine, although the bass seemed a bit muddled and wooly at times. They're very good speakers for the price. I now run PMC DB1i mounted on Soundstyle Z2 stands (as were the 685s),  and this has been a total transformation. There is great detail and dynamic range, a superb bass which suits both contemporary and classical music, and a good broad soundstage, at least in my listening room. You'll obviously have to listen for yourself, but I find this system to be quite stunning, and a huge improvement over the B&Ws. As usual, it's virtually impossible to audition the mix of equipment you want at one dealer, unless you  bring your own amp in. I seem to remember the PMCs were widely available at Sevenoaks Hifi, but they don't do the Rotel amp. I didn't audition the Spendor or Elac speakers so can't comment.

Just to throw a spanner in the works.

Get the DAC first and take that with your amp to audition speakers.

The reason being, the ability of a system to produce the kind of holographic soundstage you describe depends not just on the speakers, everything upstream has to be spot on as well. 

I think to get that kind of sound won't be too cheap -- but good luck!

thanks for the replies - defenately keeping the PMC on my shortlist then - and btw, I don't live in the UK, so I'll have to take my amp to the showrooms anyway, since no hi-fi store has rotels for auditioning. also gonna look into the B&W CM1's.

@paradiziac - so basically, it would be ideal to try both speakers + dac on the spot, in order to save a trip and hastle carrying speakers around i guess? since, i guess, speakers and no dac = dac and no speakers - i mean i'll have to do the matching accordingly no matter the order i purchase them in

thanks again, and keep it coming please

True, it's almost the same thing.

However, you might get more of the sound you're after by feeding your current speakers with a better source than the other way around. The system is only as good as the weakest link...which I suggest might be the source in your case, though it's only a guess as I haven't heard it! But generally it's pretty hard to get good sound from a computer cheaply, been there done that!

It's also easier to home demo a bunch of dacs as they're cheaper to post out. 

Consider this as an additional option: AVI ADM9T (based on my experience of direct compariosn of the 9Ts and PMC DB1i

In my experience - 9Ts will sound clearer than the PMCs and will have faster bass. PMCs will sound as if they have 'more' bass. The 9Ts will have a bit higher dynamic range so will sound excellent with classical. You will get lots of clarity. 

If you go for this option you do not need to buy a DAC and can get rid of the amp. This can give you some budget towards a sub if you want it. 

Just an option. I recommend trying the 9Ts. Take a complex dynamic loud track - you will be impressed. 

I do not have experience of the other speakers you listed.

Edit: re the matching aspect: With 9Ts, especially if you use digital input, you will not have to worry about matching the source/amp/speakers. There is no need to match with digital and the amp/speakers are ideally matched by design. 

You won't get the sound your looking for from the Rotel 1520 - hate to be negative, but it just does not have the power to liberate the music from the confines of your speakers in my experience with the amp. The more demanding the speakers the higher up the price scale you go the more it'll struggle.

Saying that the PMC's may be your best choice with its enhanced bass tech or maybe a pair of dynaudio  with similar talent - its a clear sounding amp that favours the upper frequency range noticeble with voices too. So that speaker trait may give you what you desire without the holographic bit.

Speakers with an 85db sensitivity ....... NAAAAH.

How about second-hand? I've seen these for sale via the company's Facebook page today and they seem to fit your requirements pretty well - http://www.moorgateacoustics.co.uk/used-and-x-demo-equipment/kef-reference-201-speakersstands-2217767-169901-835518.php

Not sure if I'm allowed to post sales links here so please remove if not.

hey and thank you for the additions.

@ almaata kz - i've actually read about that, but i'm not planning on ditching the rotel anytime soon, since i just got it and i like it's sound a lot. also i'm a bit of a separate fan, so it's not really what i'm looking for.

@ thompson uxb - don't worry, it's not bad news. i know i'm describing a very high level sound, and i don't have the illusion of being able to obtain 20000k euro sound with my budget and amp, but that's the direction i'm aiming for, so i wanna get as close to that as possible with my budget and amp. so i'll defenately check the PMC's then. can you also elaborate on the 85 db sensitivity thing please? i'm newbie to this stuff, and i don't really know how that works - the only conclusion i've been able to draw so far is that the lower the sensitivity, the lower volume my amp will produce with them? or is it less detail? etc. thanks

@ exshopguy - thanks, but although i read good stuff about them, they're a bit too big for what i'm looking for - space in my room is somewhat of a concern as well.

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that being said - anyone know anything about KEF R300? was thinking about adding that to my list. i'm just concerned that they might sound too bassy for my room and placement possibilities, and also a bit too bright - considering my amp and what i've read about the cheaper Q300?

Hi rainsoothe

I think you should also consider ATC's SCM11 monitors. SCM11's with their closed box designs and importantly low distortion, flat and honest prentation help them to be placed closed to walls without the LF in particular getting itself into a twist. No bloom, gloom, boom or bling but instead the SCM11's reproduce (amongst their other qualities) the stability and the power of the sound in a highly detailed, controlled, uncoloured and natural manner.

All the best

Rick @ Musicraft

+1 for ATC SCM11s btw 

I am not a huge fan of your speakers, but what you are looking for needs to be addressed with the amp. As someone else said, the limitations you are hearing are the Rotel, not the speakers. See if you can audition a much nicer amp at home with your system - the difference will surprise you. It isn't the speakers!

Check out the Benchmark DAC1 as a source - I have one and it's very much the sound you are looking for.

As far as speakers, +1 for the ATC's (although I am not a huge fan - not because they don't sound great, but because I still listen to a lot of bootleg recordings, and nothing sounds worse than a bad recording through ATCs). Also +1 on the PMC DB1is (in fact I just ordered a pair, which I will review when I receive them). I agree with a previous poster that a sealed box would be best, but IMO the Spendor SA1s are hideously overpriced. They are good but not 50% better than the ATCs or the PMCs.

But to get what you say you are looking for, buy a DAC and upgrade your amp. Then later you can get some nice speakers that match your new amp. Buying new speakers now will not give you what you are looking for.

Hi SpursGator

I am going to differ with you as on the contrary and in my experience i've found bad recordings to sound listenable through ATC monitors. Because ATC minimize the compromise on their monitors then when high quality music and movie soundtracks are used, ATC's low distortion monitors in turn enable these quality recordings to breathe much further

Studio Control Monitor

All the best

Rick @ Musicraft

If you like the PMC sound, try the Twenty.21's. I've always found the i-Series a little on the warm side as far as the bass is concerned, and this does have an effect on the overall sound. The 21's are still the usual lively, easy to drive speaker that PMC are known for, but the Twenty series sounds a little more like a studio monitor (their background is professional studio monitors) than the DB1i's, and bring out much more detail because of it. I find their tonal balance to be much more even too, so bass doesn't take over - its still deep as they use PMC's Advanced Transmission Line, but it doesn't 'make itself known', so to speak. Another big difference is that I find them much more three dimensional, or holographic, as you mention. You really can hear further into the mix than with many other speakers at a similar price point. Listen to rough stuff like Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, and it's scary the detail you can hear! 

Worth giving them a try, and while it's a personal preference whether you like the DB1i or the Twenty.21, the 21's definitely sound a better match to what you're looking for.

Hi Ben

I think i should Copyright this

All the best

Rick @ Musicraft