Advice for setup

[MusicLover33]

Hi all,

I'd really appreciate any advice. I have an old Technics SUA700 MK2 amp and generally play music wither from high quality CD or, more often from high quality (haha) Spotify.

I have a pair of Bose speakers that I don't really like because I find the bass big but flabby and the treble almost non existant.

I love all music from classical to trance. I'm really looking to tweak my setup to get the best of both worlds - a really punchy, big bass like you get in a beach club and also some refinement for when I'm listening to classical and blues!

Are there any easy tweaks or specific changes anyone could recommend?

Thanks in advance, Ben

 

[plastic penguin]

Hi all,

I'd really appreciate any advice. I have an old Technics SUA700 MK2 amp and generally play music wither from high quality CD or, more often from high quality (haha) Spotify.

I have a pair of Bose speakers that I don't really like because I find the bass big but flabby and the treble almost non existant.

I love all music from classical to trance. I'm really looking to tweak my setup to get the best of both worlds - a really punchy, big bass like you get in a beach club and also some refinement for when I'm listening to classical and blues!

Are there any easy tweaks or specific changes anyone could recommend?

Thanks in advance, Ben

This is really tricky because you're trying to achieve the unachieveable. Your Technics is fairly low wattage and to get deep extended bass think you'll need to make wholesale changes.

Very deep bass can sound flabby with the best budget/midrange set-up, so somewhere down the line there needs to be a compromise. By the shear nature, hi-fi is a compromise.

 

[MusicLover33]

Thought that might be the case! Any recommends on the best option to achive what I'm looking for by any chance please? Thanks!

 

[rainsoothe]

Thought that might be the case! Any recommends on the best option to achive what I'm looking for by any chance please? Thanks!

Hi. Of course there's options, but it depends on your budget. What's the rest of your system and roomsize?

 

[MusicLover33]

Thanks! I guess the roomsize is about 25ft x 12ft, it's a large kitchen diner, those are the smallest measurements but it's an l-shape so probably expands to 25ft x 20ft ish.

Budget - I don't really know what I need to spend to achieve what I need. I'd really like it to be sub £2K but if that's not achievable, I'll have to save. Equally, if I can achieve a good result for less, that's welcome

 

[rainsoothe]

wow, that's a pretty big space to fill

Personally, I would try to find a used Naim Supernait 1 + Martin Logan Motion 40 (or, if you can audition and think will be enough, Motion 20) or maybe Sonus Faber Venere 2.5. Alternatively, you could try to find a used Naim Nait XS2 + Neat Motive SX2, or, for cheaper, Naim Nait XS + Focal Aria 926, but for your room and bass needs, the Supernait would be the way to go - and it has the added benefit of a DAC, which means you could use any CD player with digital out just as a transport, and the DAC in the Supernait will make great great music. Check ebay or pinkfishmedia for good deals on Naim stuff. Or maybe a local dealer that has old stock

Good alternative for the Martin Logans that go well with Naim are Sonus Faber Venere 2.5, Sonus Faber Toy Tower and Focal Aria 926 - take a look at those if you can audition.

 

[steve_1979]

AVI DM10 (£1500) together with the AVI subwoofer (£800). Job done.

 

[radiorog]

If you can, check out a roksan k3. Clarity and nice big but not out of proportion bass. I don't know if it can utilise a sub but I personally don't need one. Dance music has very big bass, but classical sounds refined. Add a half decent CD player and speakers in the £600+ category and you could be onto a winner

 

[rainsoothe]

If you can, check out a roksan k3. Clarity and nice big but not out of proportion bass. I don't know if it can utilise a sub but I personally don't need one. Dance music has very big bass, but classical sounds refined. Add a half decent CD player and speakers in the £600+ category and you could be onto a winner

Actually this is a very good suggestion, can't believe I forgot about the K3. The Roksan should be awesome with Focal Aria 926 (which, I might add, should do better soundstage then Martin Logans, even though the ML's might have bigger bass - which is not to say that the Focals are thin or anything). Definately add this to your audition list, especially since it's even cheaper than a used Naim, and it is really powerful. And good.

 

[MusicLover33]

Wow, what a fantastic lot of advice, thank you all very much.

That gives me some research fodder! Having taken a look, the Naim looks amazing and the Roksan also looks very interesting.

Any thoughts on other Naims like the Nait 5si or the Rega Elex-R?

Much appreciated.

Ben

 

[MusicLover33]

P.S Any thoughts on how the Roksan V2 pairs up to the V3 - you can pick the V2 up quite cheap

Cheers

 

[rainsoothe]

Wow, what a fantastic lot of advice, thank you all very much.

That gives me some research fodder! Having taken a look, the Naim looks amazing and the Roksan also looks very interesting.

Any thoughts on other Naims like the Nait 5si or the Rega Elex-R?

Much appreciated.

Ben

Hi. The 5si is a good amp, but the XS is a significant step up (imo), and you can also upgrade it later with a Teddy Pardo Teddycap, should the upgraditis bug bite. Also, I'm not sure the 5si's power is enough for a room that size, but auditioning won't hurt. The Elex-R is also a good amp, so you could also add that to your list - but it has a more relaxed presentation, and won't have the forward rhythmic drive of the Naims or the K3.

As for your P.S., the K3 is quite different to the K2 - the K2 is smooth and relaxed, and some even find it a bit dull or flat. The K3 seems to be more in line with what you seek. BUT again, feel free to audition

 

[MusicLover33]

Thank you, and sorry for asking so many questions but it's hard to know where to start and I would very much like your opinion on how the supernait (mk1) you originally mentioned may stack up against the less expensive Naits we talked about later, or indeed, the Roksan.

Sadly, I won't be able to audition the Supernait as I can't find it available anywhere. I will eventually find on ebay if I wait but I'd need to decide that was the thing to do - if you feel it's way better than these others, I could be persuaded but otherwise I'll audition some others.

Thanks again, Ben

 

[MusicLover33]

the B&W 682 S2 floorstanders?

 

[MusicLover33]

*683!

 

[radiorog]

If you can, check out a roksan k3. Clarity and nice big but not out of proportion bass. I don't know if it can utilise a sub but I personally don't need one. Dance music has very big bass, but classical sounds refined. Add a half decent CD player and speakers in the £600+ category and you could be onto a winner

Actually this is a very good suggestion, can't believe I forgot about the K3. The Roksan should be awesome with Focal Aria 926 (which, I might add, should do better soundstage then Martin Logans, even though the ML's might have bigger bass - which is not to say that the Focals are thin or anything). Definately add this to your audition list, especially since it's even cheaper than a used Naim, and it is really powerful. And good.

 

[rainsoothe]

I think that if you like it when you hear it, it's enough - so you might even be satisfied with a 5si or whatever other brand - auditioning is crucial, at least if you're not buying second hand. Naim has a particular sound, but if you manage to arrange for an audition with a Nait XS2, you could imagine that a SN 2 sounds bigger, gutsier, but at the same time more refined and nuanced. The Supernait 1 resembles the SN2, but it's a bit warmer - it can really drive a rock tune/dance tune - that's why it was my first recommendation, the SN2 is more detailed.

If I were in your shoes, I would audition stuff first and take it from there. The Roksan K3 should really be on your list as well, as it might provide better soundstage (which is not a Naim strongpoint, musical as they are), and you'll get an idea about the different house sounds. In short, the supernaits will be like turbocharged Nait XS2, with the SN1 sounding warmer but also rougher then SN2 (just a bit though), which has a slightly better soundstage. Roksan seems to strike a balance, and you'll, of course, have the luxury of auditioning.

 

[radiorog]

Yep, the k3 is an improvement on the already decent k2bt. It has noticeably more clarity,detail and sparkle, but still retains a natural and non fatiguing sound. It has even more power and I believe more in the power stage of the transformer which makes the sound even bigger and a little more organic (which to improve this at all over the k2bt is a huge credit as the organic sound was the k2's strength). I would recommend spending that bit extra and look at the k3 if you can afford it. It's an amp you could live with for many many years, so a a few extra hundred pounds is a sound investment.

 

[rainsoothe]

oh, one more point, if you like the Naim sound over Roksan (or whatever else your dealer might suggest - let them make suggestion, you might find out you like something else), and after the description decide to take a punt on a SN1, don't stress too much, as Naim have very good resale value. And remember to check pinkfishmedia for used Naims (besides the bay).