Wanted: Small'ish floorstanders: Rega, Acoustic Energy, Monitor Audio etc

[hifilover]

My brothers after a set of small floorstanders for their living room...

He's got my Neat Motive 2's and NAD C352 integrated amp currently, which he's loving, so he'll be keeping the amp and wants some decent small speakers to partner with them.

He listens to stuff like Jethro Tull, Tom Waits, Bonzo Dog, Bellowhead and sometimes along the lines of System of a Down, Iron Maiden, Wolfmother etc... So a good bass kick, but details midrange/top end is needed for the vocals!

Ideally he's looking for c£300 or under, but will stretch to £400 if necessary, but that must include shipping!

Thoughts are:

Rega RS3's
Monitor Audio BX5's or the older RS6's
Acoustic Energy AE109's or 509's etc...

Speakers, if not local to Preston, MUST be boxed for a courier collection; ideally their own boxes, but well packaged is fine

They must have their floor spikes as well as they've a fairly deep carpet pile that they'll sit on

Black oak, gloss black or light/natural oak in colour only please, no cherry/brown etc...

I know he can get the Rega RS3's from eBay for £399 currently, but would prefer to go 2nd hand if possible!

Cash waiting; what have you got?! :)

Thanks

[Xapito]

Not sure about the heavy metal part as I gave a break from that a couple of years ago, but why not something more vintage in the likes of the terrific (in the good sense:)) Jim Rogers JR149? To me they sound about perfect with everything and can't grow tired of them, they're very musical and Tom Waits seems to be in my living room!

[hifilover]

Not interested in vintage stuff...

I've shown him the speakers mentioned and their reviews, so that's what we're sticking with :)

[walpurgis]

Did you see these:

Totem Arro speakers. One grille needs repair, but they are superb little floorstanders and a bargain at that price. The grille should be easy to fix. I dare say Paul at RFC could sort it.

Quite near too.

[hifilover]

They're not of interest

Having demo'd them when I was shopping for small floorstanders myself, they're just too bass-shy and a little lacking at times IMO

[hayche]

Ah :) I demoed them in a smaller room and the arros were fine. About 10' x 8'. My room is larger at 14' x 13' with 9' ceilings and they do appear lost with certain recordings but not all music. I do love the tone and imaging, they do amazing things compared to anything else I have had, far more positives with just the 1 negative. I think I will just add a sub at some point hence me not bumping them. They are available at what I paid for them £400 if you change your mind. No worries tho I am not planning on selling them unless somebody puts out a wanted.

Howard

[Gazjam]

Think Rega RS3's are what your looking for.

[hifilover]

Yeah, think so too!

I've actually got some RS5's with me as we speak on 'demo'... I may keep them as their price is just daft (from a dealer I've bought quite a lot from). They're their ex-demo set; a few bumps and scrapes, but I've already sorted that for him as a favour with some decent black filler furniture wax!

Unfortunately they're too big for my brother; his wife popped round before to collect a few parcels and she poo-poo'd them straight away haha...