So I was finally able to scrape together enough cash for a long overdue stereo upgrade. I've been using a pair of Gemini GSM3200 professional speakers, because when I was younger and dumber it was all about volume. I powered them with an Onkyo stereo receiver and had a Cerwin Vega powered sub. The amp in the sub went bad a year or two ago.
The tricky part is that my old stereo is downstairs, where I rarely am, and I wanted everything upstairs, but there just isn't room for tower speakers. After much measuring and discussions of rearranging with my wife, I resigned myself to the fact that towers simply weren't an option.
So the search for audiophile level bookshelf speakers began. I narrowed it down to Bower and Wilkins 606 or 706, or Golden Ear Aon 2 or BRX. The 706s or BRXs wouldn't have allowed room in the budget for a powered sub, so I was thinking the cheaper 606 or Aon 2 would be what I'd end up with. My local audio store carries both brands so I headed down to see if they had some I could listen to, or see if they had other recommendations. I told him what I was looking for in a stereo and which models I was thinking about. The last model I mentioned was the BRXs and this guy just about melted. He had their demo pair at home for a couple months and did NOT want to give them back, he just raved about them. He turned on a pair for me and I heard why he had such a high opinion of them.
I ended up buying a Yamaha A-S501 integrated amplifier and a pair of Golden Ear BRX speakers.
These speakers sound phenomenal! They have pretty good bass extension so I probably won't need a subwoofer. Crystal clear, full, rich sound. This upgrade was LONG overdue and I'm very pleased.
The tricky part is that my old stereo is downstairs, where I rarely am, and I wanted everything upstairs, but there just isn't room for tower speakers. After much measuring and discussions of rearranging with my wife, I resigned myself to the fact that towers simply weren't an option.
So the search for audiophile level bookshelf speakers began. I narrowed it down to Bower and Wilkins 606 or 706, or Golden Ear Aon 2 or BRX. The 706s or BRXs wouldn't have allowed room in the budget for a powered sub, so I was thinking the cheaper 606 or Aon 2 would be what I'd end up with. My local audio store carries both brands so I headed down to see if they had some I could listen to, or see if they had other recommendations. I told him what I was looking for in a stereo and which models I was thinking about. The last model I mentioned was the BRXs and this guy just about melted. He had their demo pair at home for a couple months and did NOT want to give them back, he just raved about them. He turned on a pair for me and I heard why he had such a high opinion of them.
I ended up buying a Yamaha A-S501 integrated amplifier and a pair of Golden Ear BRX speakers.
These speakers sound phenomenal! They have pretty good bass extension so I probably won't need a subwoofer. Crystal clear, full, rich sound. This upgrade was LONG overdue and I'm very pleased.
