£1500 to spend on speakers

[matengawhat]

I am looking to upgrade my speakers shortly and wondered if people could recommed some for my short list.

My current system is a MF xray v8 CDP and Dac and a roksan kandy amp and power amp - i currently own a pair of RS8s. I actually like the way my system sounds but I sometimes think it lacks a little excitement.

I am happy to consider either standmounts or floorstanders but they must be bi-wireable.

With thanks

 

[John Duncan]

Sure it's not the CD player? I loved my X-ray but it was smooooooth.

 

[Anonymous]

matengawhat:I am looking to upgrade my speakers shortly and wondered if people could recommed some for my short list. My current system is a MF xray v8 CDP and Dac and a roksan kandy amp and power amp - i currently own a pair of RS8s. I actually like the way my system sounds but I sometimes think it lacks a little excitement. I am happy to consider either standmounts or floorstanders but they must be bi-wireable. With thanks

I take it they have to be bi-wirable so that you can bi-amp?

 

[matengawhat]

i love the CDP such a massive step up from the Kandy I had - could be though my system is amazing with vocals but lacks excitement with rock everything just seems to clear. Don't really want to swap the CDP and DAC as only had for about 3 months and i do love it - and yes still want to be able to bi-amp the speakers because if i do change amp i will get either a pre and power or another inter and power set up

 

[John Duncan]

Keep it in the family and try the (gorgeous) GS60?

 

[matengawhat]

They are a bit out of my price range unless you know of a really good deal somewhere!

 

[John Duncan]

Sorry, meant GS20. £1700 minus 10% haggle room.

 

[Anonymous]

matengawhat:and yes still want to be able to bi-amp the speakers because if i do change amp i will get either a pre and power or another inter and power set up

I have a pre/power combo into single wired speakers. It's pure power for hf and lf. If you dont mind doing this, Id check out Dynaudios range. Some great deals on the Audience range which are being phased out (still get support/parts from Dyn should anything go wrong though)

 

[matengawhat]

i spent about £500 on my Chord odyssey 4 speaker cable 2x5m and yes i could just use it as a single wire but paid for it so feel i should get the best from it

 

[Anonymous]

I use Rumour 4 bi-wire as single and it sounds good.

£500 - crikey, I would want to get the most out of them too. Although they're currently worth > 60% of the value of your speakers, so I can see why you feel the need to upgrade them!

 

[fr0g]

matengawhat:i spent about £500 on my Chord odyssey 4 speaker cable 2x5m and yes i could just use it as a single wire but paid for it so feel i should get the best from it

I am amazed you are letting the cables you own dictate the speakers you'll buy. You are severely restricting your choice for no reason. If you get single wired speakers, they will have been designed that way, and you can ebay your cables.

Whether or not it is worth spending mega money on cables, the differences are negligible compared to that between speakers... In fact, spending £50 on the cables instead of £400, and an extra £350 on speakers would almost certainly give more bank for buck!

 

[matengawhat]

well as said i can just use the single run but currently also bi-amp so would then be buying new cables, new amp and new speakers so have to restrict somewhere!

 

[fr0g]

Ah but what fun 😉

 

[matengawhat]

frog - only yesterday you were giving me advice on ear phones - i would really be pushing it changing my whole system yet again - would prob be easier to change the gfriend!!! Now theres a thought..........

 

[fr0g]

matengawhat:frog - only yesterday you were giving me advice on ear phones - i would really be pushing it changing my whole system yet again - would prob be easier to change the gfriend!!! Now theres a thought..........

Did you get them yet?

(And I am looking for yet more headphones too... for hot sweaty nights listening 😉 )

 

[matengawhat]

awaiting delivery was hoping they would arrive today but they didn't - so prob monday - although wish they has as just been asked to turn it off!!!

 

[fr0g]

matengawhat:awaiting delivery was hoping they would arrive today but they didn't - so prob monday - although wish they has as just been asked to turn it off!!!

I hope they are ok for you... but £1500 for speakers, and £40 headphones... when £100 would get you serious quality... :|

I guess I am coming from a different angle (listen 80% on headphones)

 

[matengawhat]

you could be right bit of a trial at mo depends on how often i find myself using them - i like to feel music as well as hear it - kind of relaxing - earphones just don't do it for me. if they start getting some serious stick will prob invest in better ones and pick up a headphone amp as well.

 

[Ajani]

JohnDuncan:Sorry, meant GS20. £1700 minus 10% haggle room.

I'll 2nd that suggestion.... The best stereo setup I've heard was a pair of GS20s driven by a Musical Fidelity X-T100 & XRay V8 combo...

 

[fr0g]

I am on a Beresford DAC (which has a headphone amp) (£120 with cable), and HD595. The sound is very sweet.
The HD485s are perfect iPod etc IMO. Very comfy though...

But as you get into headphone listening you realise what 'bang for buck' you get in terms of quality. I am very tempted to upgrade again... maybe HD650, or maybe a closed back design such as the DENON AH-D5000

 

[matengawhat]

i noticied you mentioned the gx200 in your other thread i have a pair of them for my ipod but find that evey step i take i hear through my whold body and into my ears and really bugs me - great for trains planes etx but a pain for walking and running is this just me?

 

[fr0g]

matengawhat:i noticied you mentioned the gx200 in your other thread i have a pair of them for my ipod but find that evey step i take i hear through my whold body and into my ears and really bugs me - great for trains planes etx but a pain for walking and running is this just me?

No I think invasive, designs like this are better for sitting. But then I cant run or walk (or cycle) in headphones... I just get paranoid!
(I even dislike wearing earplugs in my motorbike, but do it in order not to balls up my hearing)

 

[SHAXOS]

I had pretty much exactly the same amount to spend on my speakers and here are the speakers i heard. Although i must mention that i was looking at both new and exdem deals so some here might be out of budget in rrp terms.
GS20 - too bright.
Kef XQ30 - too bright and very flabby bass.
Totem Hawks (bit over the budget)- Very underwhelmed - the sound stage wasnt there for me (very 2d) and very loose bass.
Neat motive 1 - excellent but a bit too forward and didnt like the design (bland looks).
Spendors SA1 - Very expensive for what they were - but they were good just not as good as (imo)...
Bowers and Wilkins 805s - Heard these and these were spot on - very detailed without being bright and good solid and fast bass. Vocals were especially good for me. Oh and they look stunning. So id recomend you try these. I wanted to hear the wilson b. square ones but never got round to it. Never wanted to after hearing the B&Ws.