Floorstanding speakers up to £1500 for Roksan K3

[emcc_3]

Planning on updating my speakers around end of March.

So looking at speakers to shortlist for demos end of Jan start of Feb that are potentially a good match for my k3. Max budget would be £1500.

So far I have the following:
Tannoy XT8F
Monitor Audio Silver 200 and 300
Dali opticon 6 and 8s

Anyone got any other suggestions to add to the list?

 

[insider9]

What are the dimensions of your room? Is it only £1,500 new or would you consider second hand?

 

[insider9]

Also how much room can you allow the speakers from back wall and sides? How far do you sit?

 

[Al ears]

Planning on updating my speakers around end of March.

So looking at speakers to shortlist for demos end of Jan start of Feb that are potentially a good match for my k3. Max budget would be £1500.

So far I have the following: Tannoy XT8F Monitor Audio Silver 200 and 300 Dali opticon 6 and 8s

Anyone got any other suggestions to add to the list?

The size of your room and where you are intending on placing them is important. You cannot just go on price, audition as many as you can is the only option.

You are going to get lots of suggestions but you simply have to listen to them yourself.

 

[BigH]

What sort of music? How loud?

 

[Blacksabbath25]

Obviously I am going to recommend Dali opticon 6 or the 8s but depending on how big your room is you could easily buy the opticon 6s and still have change left and if you buy them from richer sounds you probably might get more money off which I think the opticon 6s are £1250 new but the opticon 8s are £2000 but they are very big speakers so need the room but they are well behaved speakers for there size .

both the opticon 6s And 8s are very good but would recommend you getting a demo on the opticon 6s first and most likely richer sounds would have these as demo speakers in there demo room but the 8s will be harder to demo in richer sounds as I’ve never seen them in there demo room maybe because of there size but pink floyd sounds great on opticons .

very detailed speakers and smooth sounding just ask me if you want to no anymore about opticon range they are great speakers

 

[QuestForThe13thNote]

I’d be thinking getting 2000 speakers for the same money as 1500 ones. So brands like pmc, pro ac, spendor, neat etc. I’d say you could do better than those you’ve listed. You could get pmc twenty 23 before Xmas for £1500, when £2400.not sure if still. Maybe pro ac Dt8. You want discounted speakers around 2500 new.

The last thing you want to do is walk in to richer Sounds and hand over rrp for those tannoys but they may start discounting them too.

 

[davidf]

We’ll need more details about your room size and where you want the speakers placed.

Have a look at the Ophidian Mambo if you want a compact floorstander and want to use them closer to a wall, the KEF R500 if you have more space to play with (or the KEF Q950 if you want a big speaker), or the Amphion Helium 520.

If you’re interested in any of these, I’ll elaborate more on their differences.

 

[davidf]

So is the room generally quite reflective or dampened? Does it have a tendancy towards being echoey, and exaggerate higher frequencies?

 

[emcc_3]

Room is fairly large as it is a open planned dining, kitchen and living room. The speakers will be 40-60cm away from a wall, though 20cm away from a sofa and chair.

Floor is tiled and there is a lot of glass. Though also a lot of soft furnishings. Speakers will be in the living area.

Would prefer new as I can demo before hand.

 

[emcc_3]

It is not excessively echoey but yes high frequency can be slightly exaggerated. That aside the BX5s have calmed a lot with the Roksan over the Yamaha as500 I had previously.

Just want to take advantage of the K3s ability to drive better speakers.

 

[QuestForThe13thNote]

That’s maybe why you want to avoid monitor audio with roksan and go for pmc, pro ac, neat etc. Something nice and smooth. If not kudos x3, are very good if you can get them at a good price.

Even though a big room I’d still listen to some fantastic smaller speakers to see if big enough sound to suit, as you will get loads more quality sound per pound in a smaller cabinet eg neat iota alpha. You could maybe try and pair a sub with them.

 

[emcc_3]

Music really eclectic: soul, funk, jazz, electronic, rock, folk, some classical.

 

[emcc_3]

Unfortunately the neat iota would never get past the other half.

PMCs are definitely interesting but a bit over budget. Same with Proac.

 

[BigH]

Unfortunately the neat iota would never get past the other half.

PMCs are definitely interesting but a bit over budget. Same with Proac.

How about Totems? There is an ex-display Arros for £999 available.

 

[QuestForThe13thNote]

I think the arrows might be a bit too small for the room, but good call on Totem. Ideally Id look at seeing if you can get something bigger. You want, ideally, something in the totem Hawk territory at least.

Fanthorpes are doing PMC twenty 23s for £1595, and I reckon if you hagle you could get them down to £1500. Im sure you can get wood ones with other dealers who have bought up stock. Lintone Audio. Originally were £2400 and I think these would beat Dalis, those Tannoys you listed, but I still think you can probably go a bit better.

https://www.fanthorpes.co.uk/speakers/floorstanding-speakers/pmc-twenty-23-speakers/

 

[emcc_3]

That's a good deal. Audio T which are more local have a price match guarantee. Might make a call and see if they can match and sort a demo.

Have quite a young family so bit difficult to travel all the way to Hull to demo a pair of speakers. Also would prefer light oak or amerone for the finish.

 

[QuestForThe13thNote]

I had them before my twenty5 23's and they are fantastic. Id avoid KEf R500/700 which are good for scale but nowhere near as good dynamically as PMC. But not just being brand loyal, how about these Neat speakers.

These are exactly the type of speaker you want to buy. They are brand new, of a reputed brand, and £800 off the original price. They have obviously come to the end of the line, unlike the pmc twenty 23 (which are still made by PMC, only in ash finish for £2170) but if you can pick a model like this neat, despite being a few years old, I suspect it would easily trounce something like a Tannoy XT8F for £1400 in Richer Sounds.

What the dealers are doing is buying them up in bulk when the model comes to end of line. Lintone audio did that with PMC 20-23s and were selling them for £1500, £900 off RRP. Clearly Fanthorpes have done that with the black ones as they were £2400 too.

https://www.fanthorpes.co.uk/speakers/floorstanding-speakers/neat-elite-sx-speakers/

My advice would be to demo speakers around £2000-£2400 (as thats the type you will be buying with a discount and it will give you an idea for how bargains perform albeit you wont be spending anywhere near £2400 ) as if you are patient you can easily get them nearer £1500 and £1600 with deals, dealer discounts etc. There are so many people who just go to richer sounds and hand the cash over and its deeply frustrating what the opportunity cost of this is (in buying a much better speaker). Most dealers are already on large margins and if you went to someone who sells something like a DT8, I reckon you could easily get £250 off with the right dealer, which might tempt you to spend a little more. So its totally wrong to discount a speaker just because its out of budget. But even if you are strict with budget you could get something like a £2400 speaker for £1500/1600 as with PMC's.

Depends too how patient you are with when you want them, but take your time, youd get a fantastic speakers. If any local dealer has the SX speakers running them off stock (and probably selling for their RRP) you could always just try in your local dealer first. TBH Id shortlist all the best reviewed speakers at around £2000 then go from there, as where there is a will there is a way. If you listend to the DT8 and then find the SX is better, and saving money, well job done.

Please buy smart and happy to help you further. Cheers.

 

[QuestForThe13thNote]

That's a good deal. Audio T which are more local have a price match guarantee. Might make a call and see if they can match and sort a demo.

Have quite a young family so bit difficult to travel all the way to Hull to demo a pair of speakers. Also would prefer light oak or amerone for the finish.

They probably would not price match bought up stock like this (which is how fanthorepes sell them so good), as the current RRP of the ash black wood pair is £2170 for 20-23's. But there is nothing to stop you demoing a black ash pair, then buying at a better price elsehwhere. I suspect not many dealers will have the 20-23 in their showrooms because they all sell the 25-23 now.

 

[rainsoothe]

Hi. Of course, u should try to listen for yourself. Imo, PMC twenty series sound very open and detailed (too much so, for my tastes), which in a reflective room such as yours can pose a problem, so try to audition at home, or make sure you can return them, if it's not your cup of tea. I, for one, would look at Focal Aria 926 or Spendor A5R (these have been recently discontinued, so dealerships might still have them in stock, at a reduced price). For SH, Sonus Faber Toy Tower are worth serious consideration: great sound, even looks imo, and forgiving. Heard them with a Roksan Kandy K2 and an Accuphase amplifier (360?) some time ago, and thought they were very good matches.

 

[CnoEvil]

I wouldn't avoid the Kef R Series, as they might work well in a reflective room.

I would also second Rainsooth's suggestion of Spendor and Sonus Faber, for the same reason.

 

[davidf]

Going by experience, if higher frequencies have a tendancy to be exaggerated, and particularly if it can become a problem, I'd still stand by those I recommended earlier, but the Amphion and KEF do work really well in those sorts of conditions. It's something that is easily demonstrated in the right room (my space here shows it perfectly).

 

[QuestForThe13thNote]

Having too much detail in a speaker is an absolutely positive thing and its what you want to strive for and seperates budget stuff to higher end stuff. So long as its tempered with good balance of treble and bass, and not bright. And the balance of these PMC's is beautiful. And even if you thought too much detail is bad, Id say even with my Cyrus stuff the 23's dont have anywhere near like the detail and midrange of my twenty5 23's and the 25 series generally. But anyone used to speakers of a lower quality to these PMC's Im sure will reflect they have good detail, as this tends to improve as you go to better quality speakers.

On the R series my point is they are not as dynamic as something like the PMC 20-23, and I heard the R700 side by side with the 20-23's. The way the bass stops and starts and notes are fast and reached quickly. This is hugely important for realism of music. On the plus side the Kefs have room filling sound and huge soundstage. It depends on priorities but this is not so important as to the detail and dynamics for me. The PMCs do have more detail and are better layered than these kefs too, so there is that as well. It just sounded more organised musically.

Spendor A6R or A5R are good, and the A5R are a good call as spendor a great sound and you can get them half price £999, I see from fanthorpes too. I must admit Ive never heard the A5R, but did trial the A6R, and if anything if the A5R are like the A6R, be cautious of treble as the A6R have with detailed amps like Roksan and cyrus (which I heard them with) quite marked treble. An A6R versus a PMC twenty 23 has more treble, and if you read the review what hi fi did, its exactly what they said which I agree with. ie be cautious pairing them with amps with lots of treble, which from what you said emc22 you want to avoid with a new pair. That said some spendors are the opposite so it could just be the A6r have this thing.

 

[CnoEvil]

IMO. It is the wrong approach, to tell people to avoid certain speakers (or any component)...as that is imposing your preferences on somebody else. We all have different tastes.

If I was to advise people to avoid amps I didn't like, Cyrus would be on that list....but I'm a strong believer in people finding out for themselves, from suggestions they get on here.

 

[QuestForThe13thNote]