Amp - speaker combo for refined thump a di thump.

[Vladimir]

Note of caution: the JBL LS80s are massive. Bigger than anything close at that price.

@Matt

That is a shame. It was ther best integrated amp you could buy in the UK.

HK990 still being sold worldwide.

 

[Pyramus]

Hmmm, not sure I have expressed myself properly here.

I had an HK JBL set up for several years in the Middle East. Punchy for sure.

Kef r700/ BMW CM9 and Roksan Kandy?

 

[Vladimir]

KEF better for HT, B&W better for music.

 

[CnoEvil]

KEF better for HT, B&W better for music.

Kef is just better. :shifty:

 

[Native_bon]

Those BAs don't fit a suitcase. Any other smuggling technique to recommend?

As for amp I'm thinking a thick boxy Onkyo...

Mr know it all.. & thats not the picture of the M340s.. :doh:

 

[Vladimir]

KEF better for HT, B&W better for music.

Kef is just better. :shifty:

Agreed for clearer upper midrange, stronger more distinctable dialog and louder maximum output. The B&W is a more balanced package for music, suited for longer listening without fatigue at large SPLs and better build quality.

However, what I find painfully bright and screetchy, some feel as clear, transparent and exciting. Best to lend your own ear and decide which one is it for you. Both awesome speakers, no doubt.

 

[Vladimir]

Mr know it all.. & thats not the picture of the M340s.. :doh:

Never seen a BA speaker in my life since there is no dealership here. I wouldn't recommend or criticize a brand I'm unfamiliar with. I just liked that shape in google images.

 

[Native_bon]

Mr know it all.. & thats not the picture of the M340s.. :doh:

Never seen a BA speaker in my life since there is no dealership here. I wouldn't recommend or criticize a brand I'm unfamiliar with. I just liked that shape in google images.

Yes there are loads of dealers. Were do you go shopping or may i say window shop for your hifi.. :?

 

[CnoEvil]

Agreed for clearer upper midrange, stronger more distinctable dialog and louder maximum output. The B&W is a more balanced package for music, suited for longer listening without fatigue at large SPLs and better build quality.

However, what I find painfully bright and screetchy, some feel as clear, transparent and exciting. Best to lend your own ear and decide which one is it for you. Both awesome speakers, no doubt.

The R series are voiced quite differently from previous Kefs (IQ / XQ), so I'm amazed you found them fatiguing, screechy or bright.

 

[Pyramus]

So....

Kef r700/ BMW CM9 and Roksan Kandy is then a good listening choice for audtition.

I shall add the Rotel 1570, as both Dave and B&W themselves suggested this for the CM9.

I think the Naim and Musical Fidelity may fall by the wayside as it appears that 100wpc is more likely to do the trick with these speakers - especially for refined thumpatdithump.

Any opinions on the NAD 375BEE? I once owned a 302 - am I being overly nostalgic? Some people are raving about it - WHF isn't.

I will need to run a fair lengh of cable - 5m each. Any suggestions?

HOoooooold on a second!!!!! What's this? http://www.dynaudio.com/int/xeo/XEO_Xeo5.php

Pyramus

 

[sublime]

Earlier in the thread I stated that floorstanders were the best option but would like to through in a pair of standmounts that would hit the spot - ATC SCM19 would be a good speaker to audition. They are very large and heavy standmounts but amazing none the less - you can crank them up very loud to with practically zero distortion

 

[Pyramus]

Thank you sublime. I have been looking at these lovely ATC speakers, and although very appealing, I am not sure they will do the Bass I am looking for. So, recently I have been obsessing over the Dynaudio Xeo 5. Floorstanding - active - wireless... amazing! The niggle is, the wireless bit - if I am going to spend two grand plus on a HiFi system, the last thing I want is MP3 quality - but just loud. From what I have read, this wirelessness does mean conceessions in fidelity.

Does anyone have any experience with the Dynaudio Xeo 5? Can they also be wired?

Are there any active floorstanders our there that are NOT wireless? Does the signal require a pre-amp - or can it come straight from my DAC?

Thanks in advance,

Pyramus

 

[davedotco]

Thank you sublime. I have been looking at these lovely ATC speakers, and although very appealing, I am not sure they will do the Bass I am looking for. So, recently I have been obsessing over the Dynaudio Xeo 5. Floorstanding - active - wireless... amazing! The niggle is, the wireless bit - if I am going to spend two grand plus on a HiFi system, the last thing I want is MP3 quality - but just loud. From what I have read, this wirelessness does mean conceessions in fidelity.

Does anyone have any experience with the Dynaudio Xeo 5? Can they also be wired?

Are there any active floorstanders our there that are NOT wireless? Does the signal require a pre-amp - or can it come straight from my DAC?

Thanks in advance,

Pyramus

Hi Pyramus.

The XEO 3 and 5 models stream at 16bit, 48khz standard, so CD standard files should be transmitted intact. There are newer models that handle higher res files but do not have the superb piano finish of the originals.

These are Dynaudios, and sound typical of the brand. The wireless setup is not totally transparent but it is damn close, you would need to try it and see if the whole package works for you.

The controler has a digital input, toslink on the original, toslink and RCA on the newer version so you dac is redundant.

All in all, very realistic value.

 

[Vladimir]

The Xeo 5 seem perfect for your needs but bare in mind they are an integrated system and there won't be upgrades with amps, DACs etc. You have to sell them if you want to upgrade.

Another thing, they are quite small. The photos give impression they are larger in size but they are basically tall as a bookshelf on a stand. Some of the cabinet volume goes to the amp, as well. They are excellent for small to medium sized living rooms.

 

[Pyramus]

Thank you Dave, thank you Vladimir.

If the Dynaudios are indeed for a mid sized room, then perhaps the coventional plan is bet after all: here a picture of my room. You can see the tiny little speakers I have are simply dwarfed. The room is open on both sides.

I would be very curious to know how the Roksan K. matches with the CM9, the KEF R700, or the Dyn excite x32.

BW have suggested I use this Rotel. Some part of me has a (possibly only romantic) attachment to Naim.

I am thinking now two options, and here I may need your advice:

Purchase CM9, the KEF R700, or the Dyn excite x32 with the above amps or

Purchase the BW 683, KEF Q900 with a phat BW sub and the above amp.

In the first option I can see how the sound works, and perhaps then add a sub when I get leave at Christmas. In the second, I have big sound from the get go, but might wish I had gone for the higher-spec.

What say you?

 

[Vladimir]

What a fantastic room dude! I would be tempted to get big electrostats in there. :silenced:

More candidates for that room:

ProAc Studio 140 Mk2 + Electrocompaniet Prelude PI-2

 

[CnoEvil]

I agree with The Impaler.

FWIW. I wouldn't drop from the R700 to the Q900s + Sub.......In fact I'd go up to the R900!

 

[Esra]

:doh: thats a big nice room.Forget Kef Ls50 ,look out for max db floorstands at least 89db with good bass something like Focal Aria 948 and Roksan K2 or a big NAD ex..

 

[Vladimir]

Yes there are loads of dealers. Were do you go shopping or may i say window shop for your hifi.. :?

Speakers, stands and cables from here. Amplifier from here. Audio interface from here. Local ads as well.

 

[steve_1979]

Nice room! 8)

Big though. Those speakers are far too small. Get something bigger with enough power to drive them properly.

 

[lejockey]

Buy these for 1500 then buy 3 amps, and an active crossover with the other 1500

you will have the best system for miles around

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Quested-215-ATC-monitors-speakers-RARE-/261486782068?pt=UK_AudioVideoElectronics_HomeAudioHiFi_HiFiSpeakers&hash=item3ce1d3a674

 

[davedotco]

Buy these for 1500 then buy 3 amps, and an active crossover with the other 1500

you will have the best system for miles around

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Quested-215-ATC-monitors-speakers-RARE-/261486782068?pt=UK_AudioVideoElectronics_HomeAudioHiFi_HiFiSpeakers&hash=item3ce1d3a674

Ha, Eden Studios.

They were just around the corner from my wharehouse premisis when I was running my live sound production company, literally about 100 yds away.

Used to know the lads quite well, drinking in 'The Swan' in Chiswick Park, could get a bit out of hand on occasion, depending on who was about.

My sound engineer did some work for them on occasion, this was a while back, circa 1980, so predates the monitors in question. I'm struggling to remember what they used in those days, probably Tannoys, not JBLs, I would have remembered that.

The Quested/ATCs could be quite brilliant, but they are a bit of a 'project' and really only for the enthusiast, the studio closed about 7 years ago, wonder where they have been?

Given the size of the room I would use a moderm monitor, something simple and all in one, Event Opals perhaps....... :?

 

[emperor's new clothes]

Ref: the Xeo 5. The DAC won't become redundant or obsolete because there isn't one. Based on the Excite 34 and improved amplifiers, the new Xeo 6 should be an interesting listen. I suspect that it will be adequate for most rooms with the added benefit of some room compensating DSP

 

[Pyramus]

The room, yes! We are very happy with it - a wonderful space for a family. At least as far as non-musical things go.

Those proacs look like they mean business. Big and heavy though,but I am getting the feeling that is where we are headed with this. The amp is somewhat exotic - nicely priced though. Any particular reason you matched these two toegether?

I must admit, it is all rather frustrating not being able to actutally go and listen to any of this stuff. This is of course a down-side of expat life where I am. Up-side is decent remuneration, so mustn't grumble.

Dace, I remember another HIFI forum colleage made a very effective case for monitor speakers. They were slightly bigger and had a dancing matchstick man on the side. Mackeys! That was it! Apparantly a super set up. Only, you see my room, it is set up for easiness, not over detail...

Darn... I wish i could listen rather than conceptualise - but still, thanks everyone, this makes it a lot easier to narrow things down. I will have at most an afternoon in England to listen, and 'er indoors will spend the time working on a facial expression will wither daffodils, and cause premature greying, so, I really need to get the right choices into the listening room before I place her, three childen, and the hire car, somewhere in England to get on with it while daddy listens to HiFi.

Thanks everyone.

 

[CnoEvil]

I must admit, it is all rather frustrating not being able to actutally go and listen to any of this stuff. This is of course a down-side of expat life where I am. Up-side is decent remuneration, so mustn't grumble.

Dace, I remember another HIFI forum colleage made a very effective case for monitor speakers. They were slightly bigger and had a dancing matchstick man on the side. Mackeys! That was it! Apparantly a super set up. Only, you see my room, it is set up for easiness, not over detail...

Darn... I wish i could listen rather than conceptualise - but still, thanks everyone, this makes it a lot easier to narrow things down. I will have at most an afternoon in England to listen, and 'er indoors will spend the time working on a facial expression will wither daffodils, and cause premature greying, so, I really need to get the right choices into the listening room before I place her, three childen, and the hire car, somewhere in England to get on with it while daddy listens to HiFi.

Thanks everyone.

If you can't hear that much, then what you can manage to listen to, has huge importance....as you have to get it right, or you will be buying blind.

In order that the good folk on here can give appropriate and relevant suggestions, it would greatly help it you can you give the following info:

- Can you describe in as much detail as possible how you like your music to sound eg. Smooth, refined, yet detailed; or more forward, exciting and neutral / revealing.....I know you did touch on this in your first post, but this is key to getting the sound you like first time.

- Have you heard any more expensive systems that you really liked?

- What is your maximum budget (sorry if this has been mentioned), and what is now the maximum size of speaker you can bring?

IMO. You should be looking at speakers in the £2k - £3k bracket (Kef R700/900 and Proac D20R might work), and a quality (gutsy) amp to drive them.

Be careful with studio active monitors as they "can" be a bit neutral and revealing ie. for analysing music rather than enjoying it.....put it this way, i wouldn't buy them blind.