Best bookshelf speakers with a natural and mellow sound under 1 lac

[Venkyrenga]

FYI, I have already bought Elac ubr62 and dbr62. And I have Marantz pm8006 and audiolab 6000a.

The ubr62 seems power hungry so the audiolab cannot drive them. With Marantz it sounds fantastic except for the treble sharpness.
The dbr62 is great with the audiolab except for some low frequency areas. With Marantz it sounds good. But again there is treble sharpness.

So with both I am only trying to fix the harshness I experience. The graphic eq in wiim pro helped to some extent but did not solve the problem completely. So I have a few more options now to try,
1. I am going to put the grills on and use cotton wool to cover the tweeter.
2. I can add a resistor of certain value to the tweeter but I don't have the technical expertise do this. I have tried this with Denton and it was very effective with taming the treble. But the difference is Denton is biwirable so I simply added the resistor to the binding post of hf.

And I have a question, by any chance can the midrange also be responsible for the harsh sound?

 

[Nitin K]

FYI, I have already bought Elac ubr62 and dbr62. And I have Marantz pm8006 and audiolab 6000a.

The ubr62 seems power hungry so the audiolab cannot drive them. With Marantz it sounds fantastic except for the treble sharpness.
The dbr62 is great with the audiolab except for some low frequency areas. With Marantz it sounds good. But again there is treble sharpness.

So with both I am only trying to fix the harshness I experience. The graphic eq in wiim pro helped to some extent but did not solve the problem completely. So I have a few more options now to try,
1. I am going to put the grills on and use cotton wool to cover the tweeter.
2. I can add a resistor of certain value to the tweeter but I don't have the technical expertise do this. I have tried this with Denton and it was very effective with taming the treble. But the difference is Denton is biwirable so I simply added the resistor to the binding post of hf.

And I have a question, by any chance can the midrange also be responsible for the harsh sound?

If I am not mistaken, the Marantz PM8006 has bass/treble controls which you can use as per your liking. Or you can try adjusting the speaker position slightly.

 

[Venkyrenga]

If I am not mistaken, the Marantz PM8006 has bass/treble controls which you can use as per your liking. Or you can try adjusting the speaker position slightly.

Those are the most basic options which I have tried. And it didn't solve the problem.

 

[gurujee]

FYI, I have already bought Elac ubr62 and dbr62. And I have Marantz pm8006 and audiolab 6000a.

The ubr62 seems power hungry so the audiolab cannot drive them. With Marantz it sounds fantastic except for the treble sharpness.
The dbr62 is great with the audiolab except for some low frequency areas. With Marantz it sounds good. But again there is treble sharpness.

So with both I am only trying to fix the harshness I experience. The graphic eq in wiim pro helped to some extent but did not solve the problem completely. So I have a few more options now to try,
1. I am going to put the grills on and use cotton wool to cover the tweeter.
2. I can add a resistor of certain value to the tweeter but I don't have the technical expertise do this. I have tried this with Denton and it was very effective with taming the treble. But the difference is Denton is biwirable so I simply added the resistor to the binding post of hf.

And I have a question, by any chance can the midrange also be responsible for the harsh sound?

does it mean PM8006 is brighter sounding amp than audiolab ? I heard marantz is mellow and audiolab is neutral?

 

[Venkyrenga]

does it mean PM8006 is brighter sounding amp than audiolab ? I heard marantz is mellow and audiolab is neutral?

Different models of Marantz have different tonal qualities. The 7000N is slightly warm and mellow. The 8006 is very neutral.
The 6000a on the other hand is on the lean side of neutral and it's presentation is more held back rather than a forward projection so the treble becomes less forward.

 

[Phew]

Different models of Marantz have different tonal qualities. The 7000N is slightly warm and mellow. The 8006 is very neutral.
The 6000a on the other hand is on the lean side of neutral and it's presentation is more held back rather than a forward projection so the treble becomes less forward.

Why would a brand do different tonalities in its lineup? Don't brands go for the 'House Sound'?

 

[Venkyrenga]

Why would a brand do different tonalities in its lineup? Don't brands go for the 'House Sound'?

To serve for different customers I believe. For instance the 7000n and 40n being an all in one system is aimed at general consumes, hence they have a warm and smooth sound. The 8006 and model 30 on the other hand is aimed at audiophiles going for separates hence a more neutral and detailed sound.

 

[Saiganesh]

I want a speaker that is mellow, easy to listen to for a long time and natural sounding. I listen mostly to orchestral and instrumental tracks. Please give your suggestions.

I am bitten by 'kef' bug...compared them with a lot and found it to sound just right!

 

[Phew]

To serve for different customers I believe. For instance the 7000n and 40n being an all in one system is aimed at general consumes, hence they have a warm and smooth sound. The 8006 and model 30 on the other hand is aimed at audiophiles going for separates hence a more neutral and detailed sound.

This thought can get a lot of unwanted heat towards the brand from the customers I think. Raises alot of questions if this is the mindset marantz follows
Can't audiophiles use/like all-in-ones?
Detailed/neutral sound = Audiophile?
Warm and smooth sound = Not an audiophile?

Hope this is not the reason or direction they follow for however they sound their equipment.

Anyways back to your question, Isn't there any store in the city you stay where you can audition a few speakers to make things easier for yourself because everyone's hearing differ's. Whats mellow for me might not be the same for you, whats bright for you might be the perfect high's someone else is looking for. Its very tricky to get it right this way. What is the source in your chain?

 

[Venkyrenga]

This thought can get a lot of unwanted heat towards the brand from the customers I think. Raises alot of questions if this is the mindset marantz follows
Can't audiophiles use/like all-in-ones?
Detailed/neutral sound = Audiophile?
Warm and smooth sound = Not an audiophile?

Hope this is not the reason or direction they follow for however they sound their equipment.

Anyways back to your question, Isn't there any store in the city you stay where you can audition a few speakers to make things easier for yourself because everyone's hearing differ's. Whats mellow for me might not be the same for you, whats bright for you might be the perfect high's someone else is looking for. Its very tricky to get it right this way. What is the source in your chain?

Wiim pro →Dacmagic 200m →Marantz pm8006/ Audiolab 6000a →Elac Dbr62/ Ubr62

My room is acoustically treated at the first reflection points and with bass traps and rugs.

 

[Venkyrenga]

I am bitten by 'kef' bug...compared them with a lot and found it to sound just right!

What do you have in kef? I considered the q350 for a while but I was told that it's tweeter is bright and that it doesn't sound good at low volumes. So I just left it.

 

[Saiganesh]

What do you have in kef? I considered the q350 for a while but I was told that it's tweeter is bright and that it doesn't sound good at low volumes. So I just left it.

What else you are considering?? Kef 350 can be tamed with eq (4khz and 8khz -3db or simply straight is also good). Audition 350 personally...they are good. ! Am not sure about its low volume performance...bought them home for aidition and liked it. For the price the build isnt justified, but every other speaker in the market today is so....
Loved the q950 balance in mids, highs and lows...perfect for my taste!

 

[Phew]

Wiim pro →Dacmagic 200m →Marantz pm8006/ Audiolab 6000a →Elac Dbr62/ Ubr62

My room is acoustically treated at the first reflection points and with bass traps and rugs.

The easier options seem to be toe-ing them out if that improves anything, also let the speakers settle in. There is nothing in your setup that stands out as the trouble maker. Try running the setup for longer and see what sound the system settles at, then see whats lacking.

Still if you wish to know of a suggestion the Fyne F500 is what I found to be a good speaker in its price range, fantastic imaging, very wide soundstage,very open sounding, not fussy about placement, very wide sweetspot with regards to MLP, very nice for passive listening aswell. Being a bookshelf it doesn't dig very low, doesn't have the fuller sound of a floorstander(in similar price bracket)

 

[Venkyrenga]

The easier options seem to be toe-ing them out if that improves anything, also let the speakers settle in. There is nothing in your setup that stands out as the trouble maker. Try running the setup for longer and see what sound the system settles at, then see whats lacking.

Still if you wish to know of a suggestion the Fyne F500 is what I found to be a good speaker in its price range, fantastic imaging, very wide soundstage,very open sounding, not fussy about placement, very wide sweetspot with regards to MLP, very nice for passive listening aswell. Being a bookshelf it doesn't dig very low, doesn't have the fuller sound of a floorstander(in similar price bracket)

How about the tonality of f500 and the treble sharpness? Is it natural sounding and mellow?

 

[Phew]

How about the tonality of f500 and the treble sharpness? Is it natural sounding and mellow?

Its not a neutral sounding speaker, its musical inclination is evident with the vocals and strings really shining through and engaging the listener, midrange is where it shows its prowess, I didnot hear any treble sharpness or midrange forwardness. toe-ing a pointsource to the MLP can many times make the speaker sound bright/beaming, its better to toe them out. It can be made to sound bad when partnered with the wrong equipment which stands true for all speakers. So it all boils down to the synergy in your entire chain

PS: No one did point source better than tannoy

 

[Venkyrenga]

Can anyone guide me with how I can add resistor to the tweeter?

 

[Venkyrenga]

Is there a difference between adding a resistor to the tweeter and using an equalizer to reduce brightness?

 

[sachinchavan 15865]

Since you mentioned natural and mellow, have a look at the Castle Knight 2. I’ve been having these for over 7 years and they fit that description exactly. One can listen to them without fatigue for any amount of time. Most modern listeners would not like that politeness in a speaker, but those who don’t need sharp transients, but put a premium on natural tonality and melodiousness would appreciate them. Hifimart has them on sale at 50k. If you are looking at something more resolving, but in similar sound category, the higher priced (still well under a lac) Denton 85 from the same stable might interest you. Both these, as the 1.5 lac Linton heritage (if you want to buy for once by extending your budget) have great classic looks with real matched veneer.

P.S. I read your second post in this thread after penning the above and realise that you already possessed the 85’s and didn’t like them. The problem with wanting speakers that are natural and mellow sounding on one side, as well as not coloured is that your need to look for in significantly higher price range. Below a lac one has to chose between neutral sound which could feel strident, or mellow sound that can feel coloured.

 

[Venkyrenga]

Since you mentioned natural and mellow, have a look at the Castle Knight 2. I’ve been having these for over 7 years and they fit that description exactly. One can listen to them without fatigue for any amount of time. Most modern listeners would not like that politeness in a speaker, but those who don’t need sharp transients, but put a premium on natural tonality and melodiousness would appreciate them. Hifimart has them on sale at 50k. If you are looking at something more resolving, but in similar sound category, the higher priced (still well under a lac) Denton 85 from the same stable might interest you. Both these, as the 1.5 lac Linton heritage (if you want to buy for once by extending your budget) have great classic looks with real matched veneer.

P.S. I read your second post in this thread after penning the above and realise that you already possessed the 85’s and didn’t like them. The problem with wanting speakers that are natural and mellow sounding on one side, as well as not coloured is that your need to look for in significantly higher price range. Below a lac one has to chose between neutral sound which could feel strident, or mellow sound that can feel coloured.

Isn't Castle Knight 2 a discontinued product? I can't find them in the international market when I searched for the UK or US price. And in what way is the CK2 colored.

With Denton 85 it is not the treble or bass. It is a fantastic speaker. But it just makes all music sound pleasant. I wonder why they had to do that or in what way it helps or costs not to do that.

 

[sachinchavan 15865]

Isn't Castle Knight 2 a discontinued product? I can't find them in the international market when I searched for the UK or US price. And in what way is the CK2 colored.

I have no idea if it is discontinued. Hifimart restocked it recently and put up a thread here. One’d think they’d mention that it is a discontinued model if it is so.

With Denton 85 it is not the treble or bass. It is a fantastic speaker. But it just makes all music sound pleasant. I wonder why they had to do that or in what way it helps or costs not to do that.

Polite/ mellow speakers usually do that. They make most recordings sound pleasant to the ears. On the other hand, brighter speakers are intolerant towards poor recording and amplify the flaws. Of course, more resolving speakers, whether mellow or bright will expose poor recordings than their less resolving counterparts.