Arcam Solo Movie speaker advice please

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Hi All,

I am in need of some expert advice and guidance... I have just bought an Arcam Solo Movie (ex-display) and I am looking to pair it up with some new speakers. Due to space and style constraints I am currently considering a 2.1 setup. I will be using this system primarily for listening to music and having auditioned various surround packages I have come to the conclusion that I am unwilling to sacrifice the use of floorstanders.

I have auditioned the Dali Ikon 6 series, but these don’t fit my musical preferences. I have also listened to a pair of Dali Royal Towers – again ex-demo @ £450 – which do fit my preference, but seem to be slightly out-of-date should I wish to add other speakers at a later date. I have also listened to a pair of Epos M22’s that really impressed me, but they were linked to a different Arcam setup.

And now the questions:

• Are the Dali Royal Towers a good option given the price (I cannot find any other prices to compare) and should I be worried by the fact that they appear to be outdated? (are they?)
  
• Does the Arcam Solo have enough power to drive the M22’s? I am looking to bi-wire and bi-amp using the available channels. Having considered the specs it should just be enough (the Solo provides 50 watts per channel and the M22’s require 50 watts as a minimum), however this is all theoretical.
  
• Any other suggestions – including a sub?

Thanks a lot!

T_H

 

[Anonymous]

I dont know that I can give you expert advice, but I am in a similar position and can share my thoughts.

I am in the process of either buying the solo movie 5.1 or the new 2.1. I primarily want to listen to music including sacds which is why Im going for one of those over the solo, although I wonder if they sound as good for music as the solo - did you compare?

As for a 2.1 setup, I was considering Monitor Audio RS6 and a B&W PV1 sub. If I had a little more cash, the ProAc Studio 140. And if pushed for space, the Leema Xero.

What was your impression of the audio quality of the solo movie and why did you like the Epos M22s in particular?

 

[Anonymous]

Hi T_H,

Firstly - good choice going for the Solo Movie. It's a great all-in-one, and will work nicely in 2.1.

With regards to speakers you have some tough choices. We've never tested the Dali Royal Towers, but there's nothing wrong with going for speakers that you personally enjoy. However, if you do decide to upgrade to a 5.1 package at a later date, you may find it quite a challenge to find a centre speaker that will integrate properly. I would suggest giving Dali a call on this to see if they still manufacture a matching centre or if they can recommend a suitable partner from their current range. If that doesn't work you'd be left with the painstaking task of having to audition a large number of centres with your Towers to find a good match.

Alternatively you could certainly go with the M22 speakers. The solo isn't the most powerful of units but we reckon it will do fine here.

We would perhaps be able to offer one-or-two alternative speakers if we knew what your priorirties were. What was it about the Ikon 6s that you weren't keen on?

 

[JoelSim]

I'm surprised that you didn't like the Ikon 6s, as I have this set up with Arcam kit and love the sound. Are you looking for more bass?

The midrange and detail is fantastic for music on what I have.