Help with two channel speaker selection

[orbscure]

I've finally had enough of chasing my tail trying to find a vintage set of speakers via auction websites, only to be dissapointed with them when they arrive and are added to my system. I therefore have around £1500 to spend on a pair of brand new stand mount speakers to suit my 8ft wide by 7ft deep listening room. My current system consists of an Exposure CDP, Audiolab M-DAC, Project Stream Box DS, Croft Micro 25 Basic pre-amp, Quad 306 power amp & Linn LP12. I primarily listen to electronic music, but can stray into other genres from time to time too. I currently have a pair of floorstanding Quad 22L's but I've been looking at various PMC, Spendor & Neat stand mounts. I really want and need this next choice to be my last foray into speakers, at least so I can concentrate on other aspects of my system, so any suggestions as to where I should be looking would be very much appreciated....

Cheers, Pete

 

[davedotco]

I've finally had enough of chasing my tail trying to find a vintage set of speakers via auction websites, only to be dissapointed with them when they arrive and are added to my system. I therefore have around £1500 to spend on a pair of brand new stand mount speakers to suit my 8ft wide by 7ft deep listening room. My current system consists of an Exposure CDP, Audiolab M-DAC, Project Stream Box DS, Croft Micro 25 Basic pre-amp, Quad 306 power amp & Linn LP12. I primarily listen to electronic music, but can stray into other genres from time to time too. I currently have a pair of floorstanding Quad 22L's but I've been looking at various PMC, Spendor & Neat stand mounts. I really want and need this next choice to be my last foray into speakers, at least so I can concentrate on other aspects of my system, so any suggestions as to where I should be looking would be very much appreciated....

Cheers, Pete

If you fancy PMCs, take a look at the TB2S-AII powered speakers.

They include a pair of (rear mounted) PMC DS 001 power amplifiers so you get to upgrade power amps too. Look around and you should be able to find a pair around £1700. A hell of a lot of speaker for the money.

Try Studiocare in Liverpool http://www.studiocare.com/loudspeakers.html

 

[CnoEvil]

You have a lovely system and a tiny room, so here are a few suggestions that might suit:

- Spendor SA-1

- Spendor S3/5R2

- Harbeth P3E SR

- Audio Note AX-2

- GamuT Phi-3

- ATC SCM 11

- Kef LS50

- Guru Junior

 

[orbscure]

Many thanks indeed, some excellent food for though there for sure... I've also posted a similair question on a popular hifi forum and given the small dimensions of my listening room, I've been pointed in uncertain terms towards active speakers, like AVI DM5's... but as is the case with any speaker I fancy, my biggest problem is that because I don't drive, and also because of where I live, I don't have access to any local hi-fi outlets to demo equipment...

Cheers, Pete

 

[tomlinscote]

Do the quads really take up a lot more space than standmounters on their stands or do you not like their sound. I ask purely because i have a pair and like their sound, and they do not take up much more space than the quad 11 that i had before.

There are other floorstanders that are very slim, such as totem and the neat sx2.

 

[CnoEvil]

If you were putting a system together from scratch, Active speakers would be a more viable solution...however you have a well thought out system that gives you pleasure, so i wouldn't mess with that.

If you can't go out and demo, you have two options:

1. Convince a dealer to bring/send speakers round to you, even if you have to cover some of the costs (if you don't keep them)

2, Give a very detailed description of how you like your system to sound and what sort of music you listen to, and we'll do our best to narrow down some suggestions.

It would help if you listed what brands you have access to.

 

[orbscure]

Thanks again chaps... as I make mention in my opening post, I primarily listen to electronic music but I do have a varied taste which includes rock/mor... As for my current Quad 22L's, they do sound good and I have no issue with their size/footprint... However, I do feel like I could improve on their bass reproduction, and given my listing position in relation to the Quads, I felt that downsizing to standmounts with better bass definition could be my way forward. That doesn't mean to say that floorstanders are off the menu though...

The key to this is to demo... so it looks like a trip to a selection of dealers is the only way forward...

Cheers, Pete

 

[orbscure]

Thanks again chaps... as I make mention in my opening post, I primarily listen to electronic music but I do have a varied taste which includes rock/mor... As for my current Quad 22L's, they do sound good and I have no issue with their size/footprint... However, I do feel like I could improve on their bass reproduction, and given my listing position in relation to the Quads, I felt that downsizing to standmounts with better bass definition could be my way forward. That doesn't mean to say that floorstanders are off the menu though...

The key to this is to demo... so it looks like a trip to a selection of dealers is the only way forward... and beiong based on the South London/Surrey border, I am limited with dealers within easy reach...

Cheers, Pete

 

[tomlinscote]

I was once in the same situation or similar to you, i had a lovley pair of dynaudio 82 when i had a house, i was moving to a smaller flat so demoed some standmounters ended up with dynaudio focus 140. Regreted ever since and soon went back to floorstanders. The problem? The demo was at the dealer not at the flat. So when you demo your kit you really need to do it at home.

South london surrey eh, infidelity near kingston, richer sounds all over the south inc guildford, pj hifi guildford, sevenoaks hifi guildford, audio t camberley, cosmic hifi addleston. There are plenty of options for you, well i have used all the above but not sure how many are still there as i left the area 4 years ago.

 

[orbscure]

South london surrey eh, infidelity near kingston, richer sounds all over the south inc guildford, pj hifi guildford, sevenoaks hifi guildford, audio t camberley, cosmic hifi addleston. There are plenty of options for you, well i have used all the above but not sure how many are still there as i left the area 4 years ago.

It really has died a death hi-fi wise where I am. I used to frequent a superb Sevenoaks HiFi in Croydon, but like many other outlets, it appears that the internet has driven them away. AudioT in Sutton has gone too, but I do have a Richer sounds about an hour away in South Croydon and a Sevenoaks HiFi in Bromley a bit further away. All of the well known independent dealers within the M25 are all further away or hard to access without four wheels...

 

[jonathanRD]

South london surrey eh, infidelity near kingston, richer sounds all over the south inc guildford, pj hifi guildford, sevenoaks hifi guildford, audio t camberley, cosmic hifi addleston. There are plenty of options for you, well i have used all the above but not sure how many are still there as i left the area 4 years ago.

It really has died a death hi-fi wise where I am. I used to frequent a superb Sevenoaks HiFi in Croydon, but like many other outlets, it appears that the internet has driven them away. AudioT in Sutton has gone too, but I do have a Richer sounds about an hour away in South Croydon and a Sevenoaks HiFi in Bromley a bit further away. All of the well known independent dealers within the M25 are all further away or hard to access without four wheels...

Also, there is a Sevenoaks in Epsom if that helps.