choices-choices *speakers*

[bigfish786]

H All.

having sold my mission M35i speakers recently, i am now in the position to buy some replacements.

i thought i'd made my mind up, but typically every time i think i've nailed it i find another bargain to consider.

so, i'm looking for some help and guidance here, and opinions on price and performance on the 5 i've narrowed it down to.

the list is as follows.

B&W 683, for sale at £899 at moorgate acoustics Sheffield.

Rega RS7 for £999 also at moorgate acoustics.

roksan Caspian fr-5 at £899 from audible fidelity.

and finally, Focal 826v or 836v from Nintronics available for £999 or £1199.

i mainly listen to hard rock/metal and use arcam amp and rega cd player.

any advice or opinions would be apreciated. thanks.

 

[ID.]

Go listen to them and buy the ones you like the sound of best.

 

[wilro15]

When you're spending close to a grand you must listen before you buy. It will be worth it in the long run and will stop you wondering "what if?"

 

[Daveperc]

If possible get them demoed in your home. The room and the furnishings matter, as does other uses of the room.

At least think about where they will be positioned (closeness to walls etc) and think about the speaker design before committing. Rear ported designs are going to need plenty of space behind. Ditto with what kind of stands etc, what they will stand on - do the speakers want a compliant mount or a rigid one etc - and how practical are the options in your home.

I chose a closed box design because I knew they would need to be mounted on a cabinet and close to a wall. By so doing they are relatively grandchild proof etc!

Dave

 

[Frank Harvey]

Which Arcam amplifier are you using? And are you set on floorstanders?

Price shouldn't be the main factor when buying a speaker - its suitability with your amplifier and your own personal preference should be top of the list.

 

[bigfish786]

i'd love to listen to them all, but some of them are just not available to test, i'll be able to listen to the B&W's and the Rega's as i live near sheffield, but the rest are out of reach.

i'm currently using an arcam a70 amp, but this is also being replaced, with either rega or roksan amp. (its looking more likely to be the roksan Kandy )

 

[Frank Harvey]

You'll need to audition the speakers you're thinking of with the amp you're looking to buy then, not with your current Arcam.

 

[bigfish786]

if it was practical and possible to listen to them all, then i would. but that is highly unlikely.

thats the reasons for requesting some opinions of the speakers listed, to at least give me some kind of idea of what to go for.

if i'm honest, then the focal's and the b&w's are the favourites at the moment.

 

[matthewpiano]

Buying a pair of speakers with an undecided amp change in mind is the road to misery. I would suggest going to a good dealer with an open mind and listening to a couple of amp and speaker combinations that fit your budget. Rather than trying to piece things together as you are I think you would get a much better result by coming up with a plan of what the end system is going to be and then start working towards that. You have an excellent opportunity, whilst changing your speakers and amp, to get it just right so I would take it. Certainly if you are going to change the amp do not target your speakers at the A70 in any way.

Take it from one who has made mistake after mistake, going for a 'bargain' might prove to be the opposite in the long run. Also don't get into the mind-set that you have to consider everything out there. If you find a combination that really works for you, then go with it.

 

[gangus]

After much auditioning I went for Dynaudio Excite X12's which sound great with my Rega combo.

However, these have been superseded by the X14's which don't sound as nice in my opinion.

 

[bigfish786]

i'm trying to keep a fairly open mind to what i am intending to end up with, floorstanding speakers are something i want, im not really a fan of standmounts.

the amp i end up with should be something that goes well with the rega apollo, and probably the rega saturn too, as this is also on the list for this year too.

so, i am basically starting from a blank canvas, but purchasing things in a bit of a wierd order.

also, when i go to see the b&w and rega's i will be having a quick look at a cd5i nait 5i-2 combo. "it would be rude not to" this could then change things all over again....

but the floorstanders are first on the list, as they need replacing now.

 

[BigH]

Which Arcam amp?

Check out other post about B&W 683 speakers, seems they dip down to about 3 Ohms which can cause problems with some amps.

I would probably add Tannoy and Kef to your list. Even MA may work with your amp?

 

[Crystalarts]

1. Yes, check out the post about the amp probs with 683.

2. I tested Focal 726's and B&W 683's for a long time. 726's sounded better than the 683's for rock during testing. I heard the bass of Stockholm Syndrome (Muse) jumping around infront of me with the 726's. i could hear it shift from side to side along the floor. it was incredible. Then i heard Queen's Brighton Rock and the bass was just brilliant whilst the detail was not lost. There was also a sense of urgency with the speakers that made the song even better than i had heard before. I gave the 826's a spin too just to see and i immediately heard a huge differnece. Well worth the extra money. (Bear in mind that the 726's were going for the same price as you have been quoted for the 826's). the 826's here were an additional 5-600 pounds but had i had the money i would have snapped them up.

I went with the 683's in the end due to the fact 726's had just been updated and the new ones were not going to hit my shops for another 6 months. I didnt want to buy old versions at the same price as the new ones when they hit the store.

I have to be honest and say that i regret that now although i am happy with the 683's too.

So, 826 beats 726 which beats 683 for the music you are looking for i believe.