Best speakers for Cyrus 6XP

[ErwinC]

I am looking for a pair of compact bookshelf speakers to go with my Cyrus 6XP amplifier. My budget is £1000 and the speakers may not be wider than 8 inch and need to be placed close to the rear and side walls. I currently own a pair of Monitor Audio BX2 which i think are really great sounding speakers for the price but i would like to have a bit more detail and a larger soundstage. I mainly listen to jazz and pop.

Some bookshelf speakers I owned or heard the last two years are:

- Dali Mentor Menuet: very musical speaker but bass output too limited for my taste.

- Dynaudio Focus 110: very good speaker but needs a very powerful amplifier to sound at it’s best. Even the Cyrus 8XP was not really up to it. Bass output sometimes too overwhelming in my setup.

- Dynaudio Excite X12: very neutral sounding speaker with a better midrange than the Focus 110. Will be on my list.

- Monitor Audio GX50: transparent and ‘fast’ sounding speakers. Midrange perhaps a bit missing. Also on my list.

- Proac Tablette Reference 8 Signature: great speakers but very difficult to find.

- Dali Mentor 1: not the most exciting speakers

At this moment the following speakers are on my list:

- Monitor Audio GX50

- Dynaudio Excite X12

- KEF R100 (only heard the R500 and I liked the sound a lot)

- Proac Studio 115 (I like all Proac speakers )

Are there other/better alternatives or does anybody has experience with the speakers on my list?

 

[wbarr]

If you can stretch your budget a bit, I'd highly recommend the PMC 21s. Work very well with the 6XP (see my kit list). I also auditioned the PMC DB1is, which are closer to your budget and are also great speakers.

 

[moon]

It appears the Neat Iota s's should be on your list!

 

[Frank Harvey]

Dynaudio and entry level Cyrus have never got on, so I would leave the X12's. The ProAc 115's, KEF R300's or 100's, and Monitor Audio GX50 will be a good place to start. You should add to that either of PMC's bookshelf models - the DB1i or the Twenty.21, which are both fairly easy to drive, with a lively, detailed sound, particularly the 21's.

Stick to higher efficiancy models to make the most of the power from your 6xp.

 

[Keirik]

I was audtioning speakers last week for my second cyrus based system, and ended up buying the Neat Petite's

Can get a bit out of control on over energetic music but sounded awesome

The Neat motive 3 was a very close and cheaper second choice

 

[bluedroog]

I was going to suggest stretching your budget to the PMC 21's too. Given your budget I would've said DB1i's but their transmission line is ported to the rear so will be fussier over close wall placement.

Perhaps also consider the B&W CM1's.

 

[MUSICRAFT]

I am looking for a pair of compact bookshelf speakers to go with my Cyrus 6XP amplifier. My budget is £1000 and the speakers may not be wider than 8 inch and need to be placed close to the rear and side walls. I currently own a pair of Monitor Audio BX2 which i think are really great sounding speakers for the price but i would like to have a bit more detail and a larger soundstage. I mainly listen to jazz and pop.

Some bookshelf speakers I owned or heard the last two years are:

- Dali Mentor Menuet: very musical speaker but bass output too limited for my taste.

- Dynaudio Focus 110: very good speaker but needs a very powerful amplifier to sound at it’s best. Even the Cyrus 8XP was not really up to it. Bass output sometimes too overwhelming in my setup.

- Dynaudio Excite X12: very neutral sounding speaker with a better midrange than the Focus 110. Will be on my list.

- Monitor Audio GX50: transparent and ‘fast’ sounding speakers. Midrange perhaps a bit missing. Also on my list.

- Proac Tablette Reference 8 Signature: great speakers but very difficult to find.

- Dali Mentor 1: not the most exciting speakers

At this moment the following speakers are on my list:

- Monitor Audio GX50

- Dynaudio Excite X12

- KEF R100 (only heard the R500 and I liked the sound a lot)

- Proac Studio 115 (I like all Proac speakers )

Are there other/better alternatives or does anybody has experience with the speakers on my list?

Hi ErwinC

If you're not after constant disco like levels then ATC's SCM11 monitors are also worth a look. SCM11's with their closed box design, flat and honest presentation enable them to be placed close to walls without the LF in particular getting itself into a twist.

All the best

Rick @ Musicraft

 

[ErwinC]

If you're not after constant disco like levels then ATC's SCM11 monitors are also worth a look. SCM11's with their closed box design, flat and honest presentation enable them to be placed close to walls without the LF in particular getting itself into a twist.

Unfortunately they are wider than 8 inch.

 

[ErwinC]

Dynaudio and entry level Cyrus have never got on, so I would leave the X12's. The ProAc 115's, KEF R300's or 100's, and Monitor Audio GX50 will be a good place to start. You should add to that either of PMC's bookshelf models - the DB1i or the Twenty.21, which are both fairly easy to drive, with a lively, detailed sound, particularly the 21's.

Stick to higher efficiancy models to make the most of the power from your 6xp.

Thanks for the feedback. Dynaudio X12 removed from the list, PMC added.

 

[ErwinC]

Perhaps also consider the B&W CM1's.

I heard the CM1 on several occasions and i really don't like them. They also need a powerful amp to sound good due to their low 84dB sensitivity.

 

[MUSICRAFT]

If you're not after constant disco like levels then ATC's SCM11 monitors are also worth a look. SCM11's with their closed box design, flat and honest presentation enable them to be placed close to walls without the LF in particular getting itself into a twist.

Unfortunately they are wider than 8 inch.

Hi ErwinC

Just Really that critical?

All the best

Rick @ Musicraft

 

[Anonymous]

I would add Vienna Acoustics Haydn Grand to your list. They match beutifully with Cyrus amps and this model will fit. Would love to know what you think when you hear them. I am an absolute convert - the VA's I have are the best speakers I have ever heard.

 

[Mikew13]

Hi, anyone got an opinion on the Totem Arro with Cyrus 6 kit? Saw them at the Bristol Show - haven't considered floorstanders before but they're so compact they would fit well in my small listening room.

 

[ErwinC]

If you're not after constant disco like levels then ATC's SCM11 monitors are also worth a look. SCM11's with their closed box design, flat and honest presentation enable them to be placed close to walls without the LF in particular getting itself into a twist.

Unfortunately they are wider than 8 inch.

Hi ErwinC

Just Really that critical?

All the best

Rick @ Musicraft

Indeed. When i watch a movie via my Panasonic projector, i need to be able to place the projection screen between the speakers. When the speakers are wider than 8 inch, this is not possible.

 

[ErwinC]

I would add Vienna Acoustics Haydn Grand to your list. They match beutifully with Cyrus amps and this model will fit. Would love to know what you think when you hear them. I am an absolute convert - the VA's I have are the best speakers I have ever heard.

Thanks. Vienna Acoustics added to the list.

 

[ErwinC]

If you're not after constant disco like levels then ATC's SCM11 monitors are also worth a look. SCM11's with their closed box design, flat and honest presentation enable them to be placed close to walls without the LF in particular getting itself into a twist.

Unfortunately they are wider than 8 inch.

Hi ErwinC

Just Really that critical?

All the best

Rick @ Musicraft

Below you can see an older picture of my room without the Cyrus, Vincent and MA BX2 speakers. The new speakers need to be placed where the left and right KEF3001 speakers are placed. As you can see, this is critical.

 

[MUSICRAFT]

Hi ErwinC

Thanks for your reply and fair enough.

All the best

Rick @ Musicraft

 

[ErwinC]

Forgot to mention the Proac Tablette Anniversary.

So the list at this moment is:

Proac Tablette Anniversary

Proac Studio 115

Monitor Audio GX50

Kef R100

Vienna Acoustics Haydn Grand

PMC 21

PMC DB1i

Neat Iota

 

[Frank Harvey]

By all means give them a try, but I think the Tablettes would ideally benefit from at least an X Power.

 

[datay]

I partnered the 6XP with PMC DB1i a couple of years ago; within 3 months I had bought a repro X Power - even DB1i's were clearly going to benefit from more power.

The list of speakers is a good one, but I feel you are aiming a bit high for this amp (as others have pretty much said). I heard the Tablette Aniversary recently and they really are superb, for a small room, but a speaker like that actually needs a more powerful amp to sing (again, I'm repeating what others have said).

The list also represents speakers with very different qualities (e.g. MA vs Proac vs Dynaudio), perhaps settle on what you really like, then get demoing - or just just demoing in order to rule out a few candidates (that really helps). You said you like Proac and the Studio 115 have a decent sensitivity, see if you can hear them with your 6XP somewhere (at least the little box is easy to take to a dealer if they don't carry Cyrus!). They are also quite traditional looking if you like that, and will more likely work in your confined space with their front port (I haven't heard them by the way, it's just a suggestion).

 

[hoopsontoast]

In that layout, I really would think you would need a sealed speaker like the SCM7 or S3/5R2, but I would have thought the Spendor would by far be a better match for the 6XP.

I think you would be getting a lot of bass boom resonances if you use a rear ported speaker there, although saying that, the Rega RS1 might work, they are designed for near rear wall placment.

The Proac Tablettes tend to need a good bit of space around them to sound their best, but I have not heard the Aniversary models enough TBH, this is based on the older 1SC and Reference 8 models.The Studio 115 might work, tend to have tighter and faster bass, and being front ported, may work better in that layout.

The Neat Iota look like a good option, but two things, they are rear ported and also designed to be used on their side, would they fit under the projector screen? if so could be a good option for a centre as well.

 

[Frank Harvey]

The Neat Iota look like a good option, but two things, they are rear ported and also designed to be used on their side, would they fit under the projector screen? if so could be a good option for a centre as well.

At the manchester Show, Neat were using the Iota right up against the wall. I'm assuming they've been designed that way, as it is a small bass driver and low cabinet volume, so probably uses the wall to do some of what they're capable of.

 

[hoopsontoast]

Cool, heard nothing but good things about them so far, not really what I would be after, but look good for a small room system!

 

[ErwinC]

Ok, thanks for the info.

 

[ErwinC]

The Neat Iota look like a good option, but two things, they are rear ported and also designed to be used on their side, would they fit under the projector screen? if so could be a good option for a centre as well.

They would not fit under the projector screen.