Hifi bug has bitten again!

nickcornwall

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Nov 24, 2022
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Hi - new here!

So having avoided it for years the hifi bug has well and truly bitten again. For ages my system was:

Garrard 301, SME3012, Dynavector 10x5
Quad 99 pre and monoblocks
Quad ESL63s
Plus a Primare NP5 and Chord Cutest but I’m not bothered about changing those.

The 301 needed work and was a very early SN so quite valuable. So I sold the 301/3012 and bought a second hand Rega P8/Apheta 3, with an Aria phono. Thrilled with this - amazing detail and staging. But predictably it’s showing up the issues in the rest of the system - particularly as the ESLs are so fussy for placement and the room isn’t really big enough to give them the space they need (it’s 3.5x7m but it’s a living room so has inconvenient things like furniture in it!)

Does anyone have any suggestions about where to go next. I will be buying used. I was wondering about selling the ESLs and finding a used pair of PMC Twenty5.24s (from before the "i" upgrade). But I’m also not sure that the Quad amps are up to the quality of the P8 now. Oh and I listen to 90% classical music.

Any suggestions really appreciated!

Nick
 
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nickcornwall

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Thanks. I might start by getting the Quad amps serviced and see how they sound.

Does anyone have any thoughts about speakers I might consider to replace the ESLs? Probably spending about £1.5k to £2k second hand.

cheers
 
Thanks. I might start by getting the Quad amps serviced and see how they sound.

Does anyone have any thoughts about speakers I might consider to replace the ESLs? Probably spending about £1.5k to £2k second hand.

cheers
Speakers are quite personal items, can you get to audition any?
I fancy ProAc floorstanders of some description would be good but you might not think so....
 

nickcornwall

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Speakers are quite personal items, can you get to audition any?
I fancy ProAc floorstanders of some description would be good but you might not think so....
Thats the issue with buying used of course. In the end it’s down to some good research and then hoping for the best! ProAc is a good idea - I’ll do some more reading ….
 

Dom

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Thats the issue with buying used of course. In the end it’s down to some good research and then hoping for the best! ProAc is a good idea - I’ll do some more reading ….
I'm on the fence about reading reviews and even looking at what looks good. Even demoing speakers can be difficult because once you have them in your home, they will sound different to how they sounded in the shop.
 

twinkletoes

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Nov 16, 2021
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A suggestion that maybe a little left field. Personally as you want speakers with dynamics, classical music and all that I’d go with some really sensitive souls. Like the klipsch heritage line some forte 3/4 even some cornwalls if you’re lucky or some tannoy ( though command high prices even second hand) something with a 90db and an above ratings. Then I’d go class A, sugden, pass labs and the like.

I have a sugden a21 with a chord qutest and as the qutest has class A output stages it matches really well. Can’t speak for your record player but I have a technics 1200g with a ortofon bronze and sugden phono stage. Seductive is the word I’d use to describe the sound.

If that’s not to your liking I’d take a serious look at the jbl classics if you can find some, or something from revel preformer line. M206/208 very very dynamic how they preform with quad amps I don’t know I was using naim at the time.
 
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Timbola

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PMC Twenty5.24 are cracking speakers and they like a decent amount of power to sound their best. Looks like your Quads can deliver 150w each so would expect these to be fine. The 25.24s are good value 2nd hand at the moment at less than half the price of new ‘I’ pair.
 

Dom

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PMC Twenty5.24 are cracking speakers and they like a decent amount of power to sound their best. Looks like your Quads can deliver 150w each so would expect these to be fine. The 25.24s are good value 2nd hand at the moment at less than half the price of new ‘I’ pair.
There are good speakers at £5,995.00 at Audio T, Sevenoaks and other outlets. You absolutely must need a cracking amplifier and DAC to get them sounding as great and as large as possible!
 
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nickcornwall

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Nov 24, 2022
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PMC Twenty5.24 are cracking speakers and they like a decent amount of power to sound their best. Looks like your Quads can deliver 150w each so would expect these to be fine. The 25.24s are good value 2nd hand at the moment at less than half the price of new ‘I’ pair.
Thanks. Also been having a look at ProAc Response D20R. Smooth top end is important for me as I get tinnitus so speakers with overly bright high frequencies are a problem. Ribbon tweeter might be good I think?
 

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