Amp/Speaker advice

[GBroo]

Hi guys,

I am looking to upgrade my amp and speakers in the near future and am looking for some advice, please. Unfortunately, I moved home (and country) a few years ago and my geographical location now rules out auditioning components as I have done previously, and so it's a little "uncomfortable" figuring out what I want.

The system I am looking too replace is quite old and on the lower end of the budget scale - Yamaha A-S500 and Monitor Audio BX2 Bronze bookshelf speakers. This combo has that "sparkle" which I didn't get from the others I auditioned, and so I am looking to keep that kind of sound.

I am running a Cambridge Audio CXN (V2) as my source and am interested in pairing it with a CXA81 MkII.

I had considered the Arcam A15, but I just can't stand the way it looks - this might sound ridiculous to some, but there's definitely a visual asthetic that I am looking to go for (I'm a bit OCD), and the Arcam is just not for me... the CXA81 MkII matches the CXN (V2) and I am keen to go with that for that reason (and it still sounds to be a great amp in it's own right).

Onto the speakers... I am looking for some floorstand speakers this time around. Would the Cambridge pairing work well with the Q Acoustics 5040 or 5050? I note they can be tricky to pair with components and I couldn't find any specific reviews online. The room the current system is in is fairly large, so shouldn't be any issues there.

Or would I be safer going with the Wharfdale 12.3s...? Am I right in thinking these are lower on the budget scale to pair with a £1k amp?

If people don't have any experience of the above combinations, would anybody have any other speaker recommendations, please?

 

[Integralista]

Hi GBroo, I think you have preselected a very good system including your CA streamer. This is natural partner for CA amp CXA 81mk 1 or 2 with Q Acoustics 5040 or 5050. If your room is larger, take version 5050, you will not regret.

 

[ijohn]

In that $1,000 integrated amp price range, I can say I've been very pleased with my Yamaha R-N800A. I cross-shopped it against most of the major players, including Cambridge. The difference maker for me was the loudness feature (which I didn't end up using) and YPAO (which I use every time). With my very challenging room set-up, the YPOA is a game-changer. If your current room is compromised, or if you may be moving again soon to a who-knows-what listening environment, I'd take a hard look at the Yamaha. Particularly since you already like the Yamaha sound.

The Q Acoustics sounds like a great choice. In that range, I'd also consider the KLH Model 3. (Like the 5040, a Stereophile Class B 2024 Recommended Component.) Especially if KLH puts the pair on sale for $999/pair like they did last Christmas! Again, depending on your room, or what may be your room in the future, the KLH may have an advantage as their acoustic reflex design is likely going to be more forgiving than the rear-ported 5040's if they have to be positioned close to the rear wall.

Cheers and happy shopping!

 

[Fandango Andy]

Hi guys,

I am looking to upgrade my amp and speakers in the near future and am looking for some advice, please. Unfortunately, I moved home (and country) a few years ago and my geographical location now rules out auditioning components as I have done previously, and so it's a little "uncomfortable" figuring out what I want.

The system I am looking too replace is quite old and on the lower end of the budget scale - Yamaha A-S500 and Monitor Audio BX2 Bronze bookshelf speakers. This combo has that "sparkle" which I didn't get from the others I auditioned, and so I am looking to keep that kind of sound.

I am running a Cambridge Audio CXN (V2) as my source and am interested in pairing it with a CXA81 MkII.

I had considered the Arcam A15, but I just can't stand the way it looks - this might sound ridiculous to some, but there's definitely a visual asthetic that I am looking to go for (I'm a bit OCD), and the Arcam is just not for me... the CXA81 MkII matches the CXN (V2) and I am keen to go with that for that reason (and it still sounds to be a great amp in it's own right).

Onto the speakers... I am looking for some floorstand speakers this time around. Would the Cambridge pairing work well with the Q Acoustics 5040 or 5050? I note they can be tricky to pair with components and I couldn't find any specific reviews online. The room the current system is in is fairly large, so shouldn't be any issues there.

Or would I be safer going with the Wharfdale 12.3s...? Am I right in thinking these are lower on the budget scale to pair with a £1k amp?

If people don't have any experience of the above combinations, would anybody have any other speaker recommendations, please?

A lot depends on your room size. If you have a larger room consider the 5050, if a little smaller the 5040 would be better.

Between the two in price is the excellent Triangle Borea BR08. Like the 5050s they need a large room to shine.

If you can't audition, buy online. In most countries you have a right to return online purchases within 30 days.

 

[gasolin]

Q Acoustics has a horrible frequency responce LOW bass, not in bass extention, in the level under 200hz

Measurements for speaker Q Acoustics 5040

www.spinorama.org

 

[gasolin]

Active speakers and a streamer

Your streamer and speakers like neumann KH 80 DSP

 

[nopiano]

Q Acoustics has a horrible frequency responce LOW bass, not in bass extention, in the level under 200hz

Measurements for speaker Q Acoustics 5040

www.spinorama.org

View attachment 7613

The 5000 series is definitely balanced brighter than the 3000 series, perhaps to make them more impressive in a showroom.

That said, this type of balance shown in the sweep would, in my experience, lend itself well to the typical boundary reinforcement we get in a normal living room, with the front wall not too far away.

 

[Steinwaytune]

I'm afraid my quest has not completely come to an end...
Although I wanted to go for new speakers, moneywise I had to decide to go to a subwoofer. I chose the SVS SB-2000 Pro after hearing it with Dali Oberon 5's (my speakers). I could not listen to it with an Arcam A15 amplifier (which I have), but with a Cambridge CXA81 (yes, the one I started this post with...)
At home with the subwoofer I did not find a dedicated 'sub out' on my Arcam A15... Is it still possible to connect a sub while maintaining quality sound, or do I... have to switch back to the Cambridge CXA81 once more? (I still can return the Arcam).
Thank you again for your help here!

 

[gasolin]

you have a preout

 

[Steinwaytune]

Do you mean the Trigger out? And the earth to the screw above the Phono?

 

[gasolin]

 

[Steinwaytune]

Oh, I feel a bit stupid here... . Thank you!
Than now I'm going to unbox the sub!

 

[Steinwaytune]

@nopiano So this sub interface is not the right one?
Wrong on both sides, I see.
Is a more expensive new cable really better for a sub than a medium priced cable?

 

[nopiano]

View attachment 7768
@nopiano So this sub interface is not the right one?
Wrong on both sides, I see.
Is a more expensive new cable really better for a sub than a medium priced cable?

I’d read up on the very helpful SVS site as to their recommendation.

The quick start guide shows a stereo pair and no earth. I’d use a plain cable with the right connections as that is fine in my book, and certainly not silly branded ones. About £/$5 on Amazon I would expect, or a bit more for a nice finish and longer length. https://amzn.eu/d/j2Nyym4 for example.

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0921/3560/files/sb-2000pro_qsg_07192019_spread.pdf?645210

 

[Steinwaytune]

@nopiano Thank you. I'll get a stereo pair. Couln't get any sound out of the sub with the mono cable from the pre-out. Try again when I've got the stereo pair.

 

[GBroo]

Thanks for the earlier replies - weirdly I didn't get any email notifications.........................................

@Integralista thank you for the response

Thanks for the recommendation for the Yamaha R-N800A, @ijohn - my main issue with this is it does a lot of the work the CXN (V2) I recently bought does, so I would be sort of killing one bird with two stones, if you see what I mean? The reviews I have found online are very favourable, though! I'll look up the KLH speakers as suggested.

@gasolin - I hadn't considered active speakers for my main set up................... I had a quick look at the Neumann KH 80 DSP, they're less than I was intending to spend, but gives me a good idea at other speakers higher up in the budget range. Thanks for the info on the frequency response as well (and to you too @nopiano for your thoughts).

@Fandango Andy - it's a reasonably large room, approx 5 x 8 m, so the 5050s could work. I'll check out the Triangle Borea BR08 as suggested and see what's what.

I am eyeballing the black friday early sales and will see if anything juicy comes up. I am also considering the PCM prodigy5, although that's a bit of a hike in budget...!

@Steinwaytune I think you've hopped onto another thread, but it was useful for me for the Sub info, too

 

[GBroo]

https://petertyson.co.uk/bowers-wilkins-formation-duo-active-speakers?clickref=1011lzSiDDAd £3999 down to £1799

Ooof!

 

[nopiano]

@nopiano Thank you. I'll get a stereo pair. Couln't get any sound out of the sub with the mono cable from the pre-out. Try again when I've got the stereo pair.

Check your amp handbook too to see if you need to select something to send a signal to the ‘pre out’ sockets. You should have heard one channel using your mono cable.

 

[Juzzie Wuzzie]

Check your amp handbook too to see if you need to select something to send a signal to the ‘pre out’ sockets. You should have heard one channel using your mono cable.

And that the other end was plugged into the RCA in (as the SVS also has RCA out)

 

[Steinwaytune]

@GBroo Sorry for having hopped to this thread...

@nopiano But to conclude that: the stereo RCA interface does the job and finally the sound of the set Arcam A15 / Dali Oberon 5 / SVS SB-2000 Pro is great now for both classical as for rock music!
The concise instructions supply recommended settings for nearly every speaker on the market. Mine were there too and (although for the SB-3000 Pro) it needed practically no tweaking for my room anymore. Thank you once more for all the help you've given me!

 

[nopiano]

…and finally the sound of the set Arcam A15 / Dali Oberon 5 / SVS SB-2000 Pro is great now for both classical as for rock music!

Great news! Enjoy! 🙂

 

[Fandango Andy]

@Fandango Andy - it's a reasonably large room, approx 5 x 8 m, so the 5050s could work. I'll check out the Triangle Borea BR08 as suggested and see what's what.

I am eyeballing the black friday early sales and will see if anything juicy comes up. I am also considering the PCM prodigy5, although that's a bit of a hike in budget...!

The BR08 are floorstanders, I recommend them when I thought that was what you were looking for. From another comment, it looks like you need standmounts/bookshelf speakers. I revised my recommendation to BR03, that probably fit your room size better too.

 

[GBroo]

The BR08 are floorstanders, I recommend them when I thought that was what you were looking for. From another comment, it looks like you need standmounts/bookshelf speakers. I revised my recommendation to BR03, that probably fit your room size better too.

Hi - I am looking at floorstanders to replace the standmounters I have, but I was open to ideas.

Things escalated somewhat after some serious googling, watching and reading and I've just bought a set of Monitor Audio Gold 300 5G https://www.monitoraudio.com/en/support/past-products/gold-series-5g/gold-300/ on which I got the deal of the century. They've just released the 6G, so a great time to snap a set of 5G up.

Means I will have to up the amp budget once I have saved up a bit more next year, but hell, I just couldn't ignore it!

 

[ijohn]

I've just bought a set of Monitor Audio Gold 300 5G

"Well, that escalated quickly."

Hot damn! Congratulations! That's a hell of a loudspeaker. And yeah... now you're gonna need some serious, high quality power. (Though needing something to measure up to those Monitors is great problem to have.)

 

[GBroo]

Thank you!

I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the price and after thinking about it for a day or so, it was (an expensive) no brainer. A proper lifetime investment, I feel.

Now begins a lot of reading and watching about suitable amps, but it will likely be March/April next year before I can afford something suitable.

Thanks for all the input, guys.