Budget speakers-anyone done critical listening of DALI Zensor or Wharfedale Diamond??

[Meghan54]

So I'm looking to replace my older than dirt Mission M71's with something a bit more "robust" in the low end but don't want to empty the wallet completely doing so. The cost ceiling is roughly $500 or so, and this pretty much makes the landscape bookshelf/stand mount speakers, most likely two-ways.

Let me admit a bias here....I absolutely love a good two-way bookshelf speaker, esp. a Brit two-way.

I've been using a pair of B&W 685 S2's, but I've found them to be a tad too bright for my tastes and they're going back this week.

I'm considering these:

Wharfedale Diamond 10.2
http://www.wharfedale.co.uk/product.php?pid=50
http://www.whathifi.com/wharfedale/diamond-101/review (10.1 review, but cannot imagine the 10.2's are horribly worse.)

DALI Zensor 3
http://www.dali-speakers.com/en-US/Loudspeakers-1/ZENSOR-3.aspx
http://www.whathifi.com/dali/zensor-3/review

Both can be found for at $500/pair shipped.

Oh, and the KEF Q300 in black is popping up at $500/pair, too.

Ideas?

 

[NutBucket]

My initial thought is bookshelf + robust low end are kinda like oil and water.

 

[Meghan54]

My initial thought is bookshelf + robust low end are kinda like oil and water.

You'd be very surprised what can be accomplished. My Paradigm Studio 20's, a smallish 2-way with a 7" mid/woofer, rarely fails to surprise with the low end depth it reaches. Not saying they'll approach what a floorstander can do, physics pretty much dictates that. But smallish bookshelf speakers, well done, can do pretty darned well in the low end.

 

[Howard]

Can't add a sub?

 

[richardycc]

check out musicdirect.com, they have a few nice ones under $500. The EPOS EPIC 2 looks promising.

http://www.musicdirect.com/c-612-bo...sortdirection=DESC&perpage=24&BrandFilterID=0