Floorstander Upgrade Time

[Excitable Boy]

Hi
I am currently in upgrade modeagain, and would appreciate your help in putting together a short-list of products to consider. Generally, I am happy with the sound of my current set-up, but am considering a speaker change to move on from my KEF R500s in an effort to add a bit more detail, broaden the soundstage and maybe adding a tiny bit of warmth. My room is quite small and hifi "unfriendly" with wooden floors and blinds.

My current set-up is : Source : Audiolab 8200CD/AVA Rip-N-Play/Squeezebox Touch. Amps : Bryston BP6/2B SSt Pre & Power. Speakers : KEF R500.

My plan is to upgrade to better floorstanders, with a budget of around £2k. The current shortlist is : - PMC 23s and 24s, Spendor D7s, and Sonus Faber Venere 2.5s. Any thoughts on my short list choices, and any additions to it would be gratefully received.

 

[Al ears]

Spendor A6R's are pretty unfussy when it comes to position but would only assume they are not up to the D7's. If you can audition try both.

And the PMC 23's instead of the 24's if room is 'small'.

Better still try to find a second hand pair of Acoustic Zen Adagios.

 

[hifikrazy]

I'm also keen on the D7 but that's significantly above your budget of around 2k. Don't think the Venere 2.5 will work well if your room is small. For less than 2k, you could also consider the Jade 5 that I'm having, which did very well in a floorstander group test in the latest issue of another british hi-fi magazine.

 

[matt49]

[...] in an effort to add a bit more detail, broaden the soundstage and maybe adding a tiny bit of warmth. [...]

Based on my experience of these speakers, I think the PMCs won't give you warmth. I find their top end a bit hard, though that might just be me. On the other hand, the SF Veneres may give you rather more warmth than you want. The Spendors might be just what you're looking for.

Matt

 

[CnoEvil]

I would come at this from a different angle.

IMO. The R Series is quite warm with a smooth midrange, but the mixture with Audiolab and Bryston would give a very detailed, but slightly cold and analytical sound.

If you are "generally happy", I think a change of source is the way to go......maybe something like a Pathos Digit / Electro CDP or a Linn Majik DS.

A £2k speaker could well be a bit of a sideways move, though will give a different presentation......but I don't think the speakers or the amp are the problem.

 

[James7]

I would come at this from a different angle.

IMO. The R Series is quite warm with a smooth midrange, but the mixture with Audiolab and Bryston would give a very detailed, but slightly cold and analytical sound.

If you are "generally happy", I think a change of source is the way to go......maybe something like a Pathos Digit / Electro CDP or a Linn Majik DS.

A £2k speaker could well be a bit of a sideways move, though will give a different presentation......but I don't think the speakers or the amp are the problem.

I think I am with Cno on this one. Consider an outboard DAC too - something like the Metrum OIctave II.

 

[Goat]

Indeed, the kef r series are renowned for the very things you're looking for. I.e . Warmth, lots of detail with a huge and precise soundstage.

From what I've read it seems sf venere may be warmer in the lower mid, but will likely extract less detail and have less precise soundstaging than the kefs.

 

[wilro15]

I would concur with what other people say, keep the speakers. The lack of warmth is going to be from your Audiolab gear. All the Audiolab stuff I have heard is very bright - detailed, but bright.

 

[Excitable Boy]

Apologies, I should have made it clear above that I have an Arcam iRDAC and do 95% of my listening via streaming from the AVA/SBT/DAC, so don't think the source is the issue. I just want a better sound, and feel the R500s are the weakest link -great as they are.

i have done extensive research on possible ways forward, and have carried out a couple of long home demos, and done some auditioning at my dealer. The result of all that is that I have listened to, and ruled out the PMC Twenty 23s and 24s, and the Sonus Faber 2.5s. I now have a beautiful pair of KEF Reference 203/2s sounding stunning in my listening room, and and knocked out by their clarity, balance and musicality. They may well be what I am after. I will keep you posted !

 

[bigfish786]

I think you should first work on your room acoustics. Chances are you have all the right gear. Just needs a bit of tweeking. Some soft furnishings. A rug and some curtains should be a good start. I know it worked for me in my old house.

 

[CnoEvil]

Duplicate.

 

[mpapo]

Totem Hawks receive universal praise, you should check them out.

 

[CnoEvil]

Apologies, I should have made it clear above that I have an Arcam iRDAC and do 95% of my listening via streaming from the AVA/SBT/DAC, so don't think the source is the issue. I just want a better sound, and feel the R500s are the weakest link -great as they are.

i have done extensive research on possible ways forward, and have carried out a couple of long home demos, and done some auditioning at my dealer. The result of all that is that I have listened to, and ruled out the PMC Twenty 23s and 24s, and the Sonus Faber 2.5s. I now have a beautiful pair of KEF Reference 203/2s sounding stunning in my listening room, and and knocked out by their clarity, balance and musicality. They may well be what I am after. I will keep you posted !

Well, as an owner of some Kef Refs, you'll get no argument from me.

Please feel free to post your experiences on my "Refs thread": http://www.whathifi.com/forum/hi-fi/the-kef-reference-thread

 

[audipheonix]

You can try Usher Mini diamond DMD floorstanders they are superb for the money with clean and deep bass and pristine tops. You can listen to them for hour without strain. :beer: