Stewart Pinkerton wrote:

Personally, if the poster likes the BC1, I'm sure that he'd find the
current Spendor and Proac ranges to be 'more of the same', but
generally cleaned up and with tighter bass.

I do like the BC1's. I selected them 20+ years ago after agonizing
comparisons involving competing models form KEF, B&W, B&O, Rogers,
Canton, and several American companies. (Since then I have been happy
enough not to search any more. My trips to audio shops have been for
other components, or with friends on their listening sessions. This did
expose me to several very good and very expensive speakers, but nothing
I would/could consider for myself.)

I appreciate your response, this is just the kind of recommendation I
need.

Do you have any opinion on the Dynaudio and new Quad range?

In any brand, what would be the expected price range for a speaker that
would be "a step up" from the BC1's, if the concept makes sense to you?

I envy the schedule I had during my earlier purchase. Schedule of
classes often left entire days "free". I lived in NYC and had to travel
to England a couple of times for family reasons. Chicago is not exactly
wilderness but it does not match the "NYC + London" combination. That
and time make it essential for me to work much more systematically,
with a short list of brands to explore.

PS. Given that speakers are one thing the British (Japanese) have the
reputation of doing (not doing) right, I find it interesting that a
British audiophile should have owned Yamaha speakers; they must have
been quite good!

RPS