Active floorstanders? Any around at sensible money?

[AlmaataKZ]

shooter69:How about Meridian DSP5000 in cherry with 12 month warranty. £1700 old shape not new.

Thanks, shooter69, these may have difficulty passing the wife acceptance stage. The challenge faced here is tough. Sound, looks, finish. And no stands will be accepted. Big(gish) size OK though.

 

[AlmaataKZ]

Andrew Everard:

AlmaataKZ:As for B&O, I have never been a fan. No reason, just never got interested in those glossy stuff. Are they as serious in sound department as on style?

You've been missing out. Not glossy style, but solid anodised aluminium enclosures, and yes, every bit as serious, with development facilities most speaker companies would kill for.

Thanks, Andrew. Well, will have to pop into one of the shops. I wonder if they would demo with other kit (are B&O always exclusive shops?).

 

[Andrew Everard]

There are B&O shops, which are all B&O, but there are also some independent retailers selling B&O. The site I linked to before is a specialist in pre-owned BeoStuff, hence the more affordable prices.

 

[AlmaataKZ]

Noted. Tank you.

 

[shooter]

AlmaataKZ:
shooter69:How about Meridian DSP5000 in cherry with 12 month warranty. £1700 old shape not new.

Thanks, shooter69, these may have difficulty passing the wife acceptance stage. The challenge faced here is tough. Sound, looks, finish. And no stands will be accepted. Big(gish) size OK though.

That narrows it down.

B & O.

 

[Thaiman]

AlmaataKZ:Thaiman, where did you manage to hear the Adams?

I have own a pair of Adam Pencil in the past and a long home demo of massive pair of Tensor series. They both supplyed by Jordans Acoustic in Scotland (ask for Paul). If you want to hear a pair of ATC active then ask Mark at AudioEmotion, he can send a pair down for you to try although I think there are plenty of ATC dealers everywhere in UK....even in Norfolk!!!

 

[AlmaataKZ]

shooter69:AlmaataKZ:

shooter69:How about Meridian DSP5000 in cherry with 12 month warranty. £1700 old shape not new.

Thanks, shooter69, these may have difficulty passing the wife acceptance stage. The challenge faced here is tough. Sound, looks, finish. And no stands will be accepted. Big(gish) size OK though.

That narrows it down. B & O.

another strong preference (almost a requirement) from the other half's side is wood, not metal, and definately not anything shiny, silver-coloured or plastic (even if it is only a trim!). . .but I am very happy that big size is not a problem. this definately makes things easier.

 

[jaxwired]

Andrew Everard:

AlmaataKZ:As for B&O, I have never been a fan. No reason, just never got interested in those glossy stuff. Are they as serious in sound department as on style?

You've been missing out. Not glossy style, but solid anodised aluminium enclosures, and yes, every bit as serious, with development facilities most speaker companies would kill for.

Andrew, I've noticed you've recommended B&O on other occassions also. I always thought it was a little tongue in cheek. But no, it seems you have a soft spot for B&O. I guess B&O does get unfairly dismissed by the hifi community. People assume they are all about style, not function. I have to admit, I find it hard to believe they would offer sound quality competitve with the more traditional brands...

 

[AlmaataKZ]

Andrew, I would appreciate an elaboration on this too.

And while you are at it, would you look at the sub/active connection question psoted above? or is the week too busy with the Bristol show? (I am heading there too, btw!).

 

[Andrew Everard]

Nothing much to elaborate: Bang & Olufsen make some exceptional speakers, designed and engineered to amazingly high standards, with the support of a world-class research and development facility and manufacturing able to take raw materials in one end and turn out superb products at the other end.

As for the active speakers and subwoofer question, it will all depend on the inputs available on the speakers and the subwoofer, and the outputs on the device to which they are to be connected. There are too many variables to give any simple advice: it really will vary from case to case.

 

[AlmaataKZ]

Thanks! Fair enough.

 

[Messiah]

Have a look HERE

 

[Andrew Everard]

That'll be the one...

 

[chebby]

And all designed by a Welsh bloke for the last 20 years.

If you get a spare hour or two the B&O virtual factory tour is well worth watching.

I visited the Chichester showroom last week and it was superb. Their gear never fails to suprise me.

Yes, their biggest active speakers are about £11,500 a pair (!) and I am sure in a blindfolded ABX test that that sort of money could be spent squeezing a bit more pure audio quality out of another system. But a lot of comparably priced gear could only be enjoyed blindfolded!

 

[Andrew Everard]

Designed, yes, but there's a very talented audio engineering team behind the products, too.

 

[Clare Newsome]

And the support is fantastic - helped by the fact they've engineered almost every part of what they sell. We inherited some @15-year-old B&O speakers and had them fully refurbished for sensible money; they arrived back looking pristine, in brand-new boxes. They look and sound superb:

 

[Anonymous]

LEVITATE !
LEVITATE !
LEVITATE !

 

[Andrew Everard]

Neon K:LEVITATE !
LEVITATE !
LEVITATE !

No, it's on an ultra-precise computer controlled gantry. And that's another fine B&O active speaker, by the way...

 

[the record spot]

Active floorstanders? Apologies firstly for my AE22 suggestion which are of course standmount speakers!

If your secondhand option still stands, check out Linn's Keilidh speaker. A hefty floorstander from a few years back, cost around £900 new back then, was passive, but they produced an Aktiv module you could have added. I think this resulted in the speaker becoming an active one. Worth checking out as they're still good now. Expect to pay around £300 for a standard pair, but active ones do come as do the modules separately.

 

[shooter]

AlmaataKZ:
As I look into my hifi upgrdade I am more and more inclined towards computer - dac/pre - active speakers configuration.

The problem is I am struggling to build a shortlist of active floorstanders at sensible money.

I know ATC has a range of actives that are highly respected - but these are 5 - 10 grand range. I think PMC does active versions (with Bryston packs?) but these would not be much cheaper, probably.

Does anybody know of other options for active floorstranders?

Just trawling the internet and found a pair of ATC SCM50A with MK2 amp packs (looking for something else but found these). Not SL but upgradable for about £500 per speaker.

Cost £2350.