cx60 monitor audio silver 6 and room size

[johnnyboy1950]

Hi people

I have recently been able to spend alot more money on upgrading my system.

I have bought already the cambridge cxn streamer and have been blown away with the improvement with sound from spotify and my mp3 files on my nas.

I am convinced with the rest of the CX range and also am very impressed with the monitor audio silver 6 speakers. This i think is a good combination but my room is 23ft by 13ft and i have been advised that i should go for the cx80 to handle the room size. I dont want to spend more on the cxa80 unless I have to so any advice would be welcome.

 

[muljao]

What do you have now other than the streamer?

 

[johnnyboy1950]

I have a marantz PM6005 amp, BK gemini 2 sub and monitor audio bronze bx2 with atacama stands

I am ready to upgrade this kit so my question is really about the CX amp and my room size

 

[muljao]

The reason i ask is by paying 700 odd for the streamer you have already paid for a streamer and DAC and preamp.

By adding a cxa60/80 you are paying for a DAC again. I would imagine that buying an 800 pounds analogue amp only should give better performance than say the cxa80 at 800 pounds.

There is also the option of power amps, which may be better again. I'd get some advice before buying as you have the basis of a very good system here, that could be great with correct choices.

Then there's also the choice of active speakers.

I'm sure others will chime in with options that may surpass your original thoughts for similar money

 

[jonathanRD]

I have a marantz PM6005 amp, BK gemini 2 sub and monitor audio bronze bx2 with atacama stands

I am ready to upgrade this kit so my question is really about the CX amp and my room size

Have you demoed the CX amps with the Silver 6 speakers? Can you get them home to demo in your room?

 

[muljao]

On another note. I would try and rip one cd to flac rather than mp3. Some say they hear a difference, others don't. I (think) flac sounds better. Just worth trying when you get such a good streamer, should try to get the best for you out of it, you might after demo think mp3s sound the same and that's cool too

 

[drummerman]

I always dislike agreeing with others, especially on a Monday morning ... but some good points made by muljao both about the power amplifier option and ripping quality.

 

[muljao]

I always dislike agreeing with others, especially on a Monday morning ... but some good points made by muljao both about the power amplifier option and ripping quality.

Good start to the week so

 

[abacus]

Providing you don’t have anything analogue you wish to connect, then just get a power amp to use with the Silver 6 speakers.

A good value power amp is the Behringer A500 https://www.music-group.com/Categories/Behringer/Power-Amplifiers/Studio-Monitor-Amplifiers/A500/p/P0217 which will have the necessary power, however, it is a professional power amp, so not a looker, but on the upside, because it is a professional power amp, it is equivalent to a Hi-Fi power amp at 4 to 5 times the price. (NOTE: Professional amps are designed to be a straight wire with gain, whereas some Hi-Fi manufactures engineer a specific type of sound into their equipment, so if it is a specific type of sound you want, (IE. Not accurate) then you will still need to go for a Hi-Fi power amp)

Hope this helps

Bill

 

[Al ears]

I always dislike agreeing with others, especially on a Monday morning ... but some good points made by muljao both about the power amplifier option and ripping quality.

Good start to the week so

It can only go downhill from here....

Good points there muljao. Perhaps OP only has MP3 files on his NAS but agree any future files best ripped to FLAC. Not much point in buying a streamer like that and then throwing MP3 files at it..... GIGO as they say...

 

[rainsoothe]

I always dislike agreeing with others, especially on a Monday morning ... but some good points made by muljao both about the power amplifier option and ripping quality.

))

 

[johnnyboy1950]

Gentlemen,

thanks for the replies. with repect to "throwing mp3s" at the CXN I have to say that they definately sound better, clearer, less harsh and more presence and tigher on the bass. I've not been able to distinguish between 320 mp3 and flac in the past but maybe this new kit will make the difference.

With the power amp idea, I wasn't aware that the CXN had a pre amp (where is the volume bass treble balance controls etc). I guess the CXC transport could be connected to the digital input of the CXN.

My main question hasnt been answered though. assuming I am definately going for the CXA amp would the 60 cope with my room size or should I go for the 80 bearing in mind I am interested in the monitor audio 6 silvers. Room size 23ft x 13ft.

 

[muljao]

Cxa60 at 60wpc driving them monitor audio should easily fill a 23x13 room

I would in fact think your marantz would be well up to the job also

 

[muljao]

How "well" does your bronze 2s fill this size room

 

[Leeps]

My main question hasnt been answered though. assuming I am definately going for the CXA amp would the 60 cope with my room size or should I go for the 80 bearing in mind I am interested in the monitor audio 6 silvers. Room size 23ft x 13ft.

Can I ask, are your speakers against the longer or shorter wall? You may have problems with bass boom if your intended Silver 6's are against the longer wall and therefore firing across the shorter room dimension. They're full bodied, rear-ported floorstanders that do better with plenty of free space. They could overpower your room, particularly if the shape of the room is perfectly rectanglular. Bass can in this situation have a tendency to gather at the back wall, which is often where the listening position is.

If you really have your heart set on the Silver 6's, I'd buy them from someone who would permit you to have a home demo, or at least has a reasonable return policy. I'd personally be more inclined to go for the Silver 1's. The Silver 2's are probably as full-bodied and bass-heavy as the 6's in the wrong room.

If the speakers are against the shorter wall (albeit with plenty of free space behind them) and firing down the longer dimension of the room, the Silver 6's ought to be fine, but in either scenario, I'd always go with the extra grunt of the CXA80 if you want to avoid box-swapping later on.

 

[rainsoothe]

Hi. The above two posters are saying very good stuff.

Also, make sure you hear the cxa 80 with the MA s, the pairing might be sluggish.
As for the CXC, I don't know if it's worth getting, unless visual match is very important to you. Otherwise, I would just get a sony blu ray player or whatever transport with digital out and run it through the CXN's dac.

And, of course, I would take the CXN to a Naim dealer and hear it with the NAP100 power amp. Or at least the Nait 5si. + Focal Aria speakers.

For your room size, Wharfedale Jade 3 would also be very well suited, but they need a powerful amp to be driven properly, they're not as sensitive as specified.

 

[Timo]

I would also look into active speakers considering that the CXN comes with a preamp section. Dynaudio's Xeo range could be a good match I think. And a very "tidy" solution with only one box for good sound!

 

[rainsoothe]

I would also look into active speakers considering that the CXN comes with a preamp section. Dynaudio's Xeo range could be a good match I think. And a very "tidy" solution with only one box for good sound!

Oh, indeed! Good point.

 

[johnnyboy1950]

Am I missing something here? I dont underatand the thing about the preamp. Surely if it had a preamp there would be pre outputs and volume control etc.

About the CXD, is it true that connecting a £100 bluray player to the digital input would be as good as a cambridge CD transport? If so with the money I'd save I could easily afford the cxa80.

 

[muljao]

Your streamer can be used as a preamp, the line out can be made variable.

And yes any Blu-ray that you plug in become a transport with the streamer DAC taking over decoding duties and deciding sound, so no benefit sound quality wise with CA transport

 

[rainsoothe]

Your streamer can be used as a preamp, the line out can be made variable.

And yes any Blu-ray that you plug in become a transport with the streamer DAC taking over decoding duties and deciding sound, so no benefit sound quality wise with CA transport

Indeed, the CXN can be run as a pre-amp, and you can control volume with it. The only thing it doesn't have (that a normal pre-amp usually does) is analogue inputs, so if you plan on adding a turntable, you'll need another box. But if digital sources are all you're using, you should really consider spending the money you would use on an integrated on a power amp or powered speakers instead. For instance, for the price of CXA80+Monitor Audio Silver 6, you could even get Dynaudio Xeo 4 or Kef LS50 actives.

Also, with some active speakers options (usually the hi-fi variety, as opposed to studio monitors) you get a system where you can use the the speaker's volume control option, so you can either run the CXN like you do now, with fixed volume outupt, or have the volume fixed on the speakers and use the CXN to control everything.

Might seem daunting - the number of options available, but it's worth looking into this stuff, and especially auditioning before purchasing. It will make you more satisfied in the long run. Again, reports suggest the CXA 80 is a bit overblown and slow in the bass, and so are the Silver 6. Also, the CXN is a rich-sounding streamer, so combining those might result in a very fat sound (which you may like nonetheless, but that's why it's very important to audition first). On the other hand, I find the CXA60 thin-sounding and uninvolving - the CXN sounded MUCH better on Hegel H80 and the budget Nad C320 (for MY tastes, at least).

 

[muljao]

If looks were not to important I'd imagine from all I've read that the Adam A7x actives would be a even more cost effective high performance solution

 

[johnnyboy1950]

hmm! I like the idea of the power amp although there doesnt seem to be a lot of choice. Ive found on line the Naim NAP100 and the Audiolab M-PWR. Any thoughts?

to answer some of the other points my speakers are placed across the narrower wall and we sit about 2/3 of the way down so we are not against the back wall

 

[johnnyboy1950]

both these amps on paper have lower power than the CXA 60 and 80. The naim is "only" 50 watts, is this important? i must say I'm excited of the idea of a piece of Naim kit in my house.

 

[rainsoothe]

both these amps on paper have lower power than the CXA 60 and 80. The naim is "only" 50 watts, is this important? i must say I'm excited of the idea of a piece of Naim kit in my house.

You have to hear one, especially with the right speakers. It does ok with low sensitivity speakers, I guess, I heard my old one with ATC SCM 11, and they sounded good, but couldn't go full out and let completely loose. The Wharfedale Jade 3 I had on home dem fared a little better (they are amazing speakers for the money, imo), but bass could've used a bit more control (it might have been my room, though, because it's prone to boomy bass, and the Wharfedales are quite large, very very deep, so I couldn't place them too far into the room). It had no trouble driving PMC db1 gold, but these were harsh in my room (amazing in the demo room at the dealership, though, and made me laugh, because humongous sound was coming out of such tiny boxes). None seemed to be worth the upgrade over my Focal Arias, in that setup, and in this room (setup was Unitiqute 2 + Nap100, DNM Reson speaker cable)

Try to hear one with Focal Aria 906 or 926, if you can.

Oh, and there's also the option of getting a used or ex-dem Nap 200 (non-dr). But do audition (for this one, the dealer should have an RCA to Din4 cable, which I recommend you get if you go for if you go for Naim power amp anyway. Flashbacksales are amazing bang for the buck:

https://www.flashbacksales.co.uk/acatalog/2-x-phono-rca-plugs-naim-style-4-pin-din-premiere-cable-21.html#SID=4

Also, when you take your CXN with you, make sure you have the remote as well, in case you can't use your app. I ran into this niggle once, and it wasn't any fun