Q. I’m looking to get a pair of powered speakers to play Spotify/Qobuz from my phone and iPad, as well as CDs from my TEAC PD-301 CD player/FM tuner. It’s a midsize room (so thinking bookshelf speakers) and I really don’t have the space for a receiver and speakers, which is why I am looking at the paired powered speaker options as there seems to have been an audio improvement in these over the years. I would want it to be able to play Bluetooth and also have a connection for the CD player. I have flexibility in price, but am looking in the $300 to $600 range.

—G.V., Minneapolis

A. I would check out the new Cambridge Audio L/R S speakers. These high-tech powered bookshelf speakers combine cutting-edge industrial design with high-end sound. I saw and heard them at several audio shows this year and the visual and sonic impact are impressive, and besides the typical wood and black finishes there are also colorful choices such as orange, white, blue and green. (If it was me, I would be daring and get one of the bright colors as they stand out and are beautiful, but you will have to decide upon that yourself.) Cambridge has reported that the colors have been big sellers, so they are obviously on to something.

The speakers have multiple inputs, including optical digital. You can connect your TEAC CD player/FM tuner to this digital input and enjoy both CDs and FM.

The Cambridge L/R S speakers are $549. Given the size of your room, you might want to supplement them with a subwoofer, which is easily done since the L/R S has a connection for a powered subwoofer. I would try them without first to see if you need it, but if you do a $199.98 Dayton Audio CS1000 10-inch powered subwoofer would be a good match. That would bring up the price by about $200, but would give you fantastic full-range sound with a small footprint. Cambridge also has larger L/R speakers that are even more impressive, but starting at over $1,500/pair they are well outside your price range. I will have more about them in an upcoming column, but for now the Cambridge L/R S speakers will serve your needs perfectly. cambridgeaudio.com

Q. You recommended an upgrade to the AT3600L cartridge, by adding the $39.98 CFN3600LE stylus. Is there a similar upgrade for an AT91R cartridge?

—J.T., San Jose, California

A. I checked and the CFN3600LE stylus is compatible with your AT91R, which apparently shares the same cartridge body as the AT3600L. Go ahead and buy the CFN3600LE stylus, you will be very happy with the sonic improvements. The CFN3600LE also requires only 1.8g to 2.5g of tracking force, much less than the 3.5g of the AT91R and AT3600L. Less tracking force means less wear, so your records will last longer.

Something else that came up when I researched your answer is there are literally hundreds of cartridges and turntables that use a variation of the AT3600L, under many different brand names. A full list is found on the CFN3600LE page on lpgear.com. If you own a turntable that is due for a new stylus or you simply want an inexpensive and very meaningful sonic improvement, it's worth checking out to see if your turntable or cartridge is on the list.

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