Love Died, But Music Lives On: Expert Speaker Advice Needed

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Having recently been dumped by my fiancée of three years who has run off with a (very) former friend of mine, I now find myself in Stage 3 of my rehabilitation: ‘Exploring Recovery and Early Activity’. The early activity has involved getting hold of her engagement ring by deception (one of her (now former) friends helped) and selling it.
So I now have £8250 burning a hole in my pocket and have taken the very important decision to upgrade my decade old reVox CD player, Marantz amp and Eltax speakers. I’ve been looking/listening to kit for a couple of weeks and this is my speaker dilemma:

I’ve had been, upon listening to many been amps, leaning towards the Naim Amps, either a pre/power or a combo, I also love the PLINUS 9200 however on my last visit to one of the better stores in town they persuaded me to listen to the Plinius P10 power amp and the M8 pre amp and WOW… I got him to change the speakers from the £5000 speakers to some low end KEFs and it still sounded like Armageddon on speed. Anyway he is a good guy and we have agreed a good price.

Next my search for a CD that will compliment the Plinius has led me to the shortlist of the new Antila CD MD2 or the Naim Nait CD5x, I like both these bad boys for different reasons but the Nait is nudging it for me at the moment as it just sounded a little more decisive than the Antila in a couple of different configurations. I don’t know what I mean by decisive but it was. The guy in the shop was pushing me towards the Antilia as he said it had “breathtaking realism and a tactile panoramic image.” What does that even mean I asked him…and he actually did a good job of explaining, but still I prefer the Nait.

But here is the rub, I’m struggling with Speakers at the moment, I can’t listen to the whole set-up together as the different components are in different parts of town, also I didn’t fall in love with the KEF’s and B&W’s that I listened to in above shops.

I have since listened to monitor audio platinum PL300's which made me smile all the way through but at £3000 are the wrong side of the budget, I also, on recommendation listened to Sonus Faber Auditors (stands) which looked and sounded the biz until he plugged in some floor standing Cremona M’s which made me cry with lust until he pointed out the price £4000.

So, I’m probably going for a Plinus + Nait combo, Stunning sound quality and captivating good looks but I’m struggling with Speakers at the moment that will pair nicely and won’t cost my soul.

Budget has a roof of £2200 and my room is big enough for floorstanding but not to big to count out stand mounted, I mostly listen to rocker/funky styles tunes (Radiohead/Chemical Brothers/The Stones) over classical but I’m going to need a pair of speakers that can play really well at lower volumes for my upcoming dating adventures.

Any assistance greatly received
 

Gerrardasnails

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Sep 6, 2007
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[quote user="lloydcole"]
Having recently
been dumped by my fianc‚e of three years who has run off with a (very) former
friend of mine, I now find myself in Stage 3 of my rehabilitation: 'Exploring
Recovery and Early Activity'. The early activity has involved getting hold of
her engagement ring by deception (one of her (now former) friends helped) and
selling it.
So I now
have £8250 burning a hole in my pocket and have taken the very important decision
to upgrade my decade old reVox CD player, Marantz amp and Eltax speakers. I've been
looking/listening to kit for a couple of weeks and this is my speaker dilemma:

I've had been,
upon listening to many been amps, leaning towards the Naim Amps, either a
pre/power or a combo, I also love the PLINUS 9200 however on my last visit to
one of the better stores in town they persuaded me to listen to the Plinius P10
power amp and the M8 pre amp and WOW. I got him to change the speakers from the
£5000 speakers to some low end KEFs and it still sounded like Armageddon on
speed. Anyway he is a good guy and we have agreed a good price.

Next my
search for a CD that will compliment the Plinius has led me to the shortlist of
the new Antila CD MD2 or the Naim Nait CD5x, I like both these bad boys for different
reasons but the Nait is nudging it for me at the moment as it just sounded a
little more decisive than the Antila in a couple of different configurations. I
don't know what I mean by decisive but it was. The guy in the shop was pushing
me towards the Antilia as he said it had "breathtaking realism and a tactile
panoramic image." What does that even mean I asked him.and he actually did a
good job of explaining, but still I prefer the Nait.

But here is
the rub, I'm struggling with Speakers at the moment, I can't listen to the
whole set-up together as the different components are in different parts of
town, also I didn't fall in love with the KEF's and B&W's that I listened
to in above shops.

I have
since listened to monitor audio platinum PL300's which made me smile all the
way through but at £3000 are the wrong side of the budget, I also, on recommendation
listened to Sonus Faber Auditors (stands) which looked and sounded the biz
until he plugged in some floor standing Cremona M's which made me cry with lust
until he pointed out the price £4000.

So, I'm
probably going for a Plinus + Nait combo, Stunning sound quality and
captivating good looks but I'm struggling with Speakers at the moment that will
pair nicely and won't cost my soul.

Budget has
a roof of £2200 and my room is big enough for floorstanding but not to big to
count out stand mounted, I mostly listen to rocker/funky styles tunes
(Radiohead/Chemical Brothers/The Stones) over classical but I'm going to need a
pair of speakers that can play really well at lower volumes for my upcoming
dating adventures.

Any
assistance greatly received
[/quote] I work with Americans and they don't know where the £ sign is on a computer. You are English right? Have you tried the MA gold range if the Plats are too expensive>
 

mattc76

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Jan 2, 2008
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[quote user="lloydcole"]The early activity has involved getting hold of her engagement ring by deception
(one of her (now former) friends helped) and selling it.[/quote]

Good work mate!

Sorry I don't know anything about Hi Fi at this level but just wanted to congratulate you on getting the ring back! Could you not sell something else of hers and make up the shortfall?!
 

Clare Newsome

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Short story:she's not worth it - Plinius, Naim and as-yet-undecided speakers definitely are!

Some @£2K speakers to audition:

Wilson Benesch (Square One and Twos,depending on how your floorstander/standmount leanings are going)

Neat Momentum 3i & ProAc Response D Two (glorious standmounts at @£1700)

If you go for standmounts, don't forget to budget for suitably worthy stands....

Good luck and enjoy the music!
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
You'll notice Dynaudio UK using Plinius at shows.

I tried a few older Plinius amps with my Dyns and couldn't get on with it 100% although it was good.

Look on the New Zealand HiFi forum AudioEnz, as Plinius is more well known there.
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
I own a Naim CD5x, and being from NZ have heard the Plinius amp. I liked the both, but they were quite different sounding gear. Have you heard them together?
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
Thanks for
notes, nothing left to sell as I gave her clothes away to a charity shop, so I
got to stay on Budget.

I am a Brit
living in Hong Kong which limits some of the
choice available, I must admit I haven't listened to the Nait and the Plinius
together as they are opp sides of the island, i've searched for combo
recommendations for the Plinius amp.

I haven't tried
the MA gold range, but I will. Thanks Claire I will try Wilson Benesch as I
have found a dealer who said he carries them and I think I remember seeing the
ProAc's around as well.

AudioEnz is
a good site to, thanks for the recommendation.
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
Well if you like the MA Pl-300's but they are too expensive then why not audition the PL-100's

Or if you are set on standmounts the GS-60's. You're only 800 beans shy though, and as far as dating adventures go, I'm sure having a pair of some of the sexiest spekers ever made is going to go down well;)
 

John Duncan

Well-known member
I'd like to know why ring inflation has gone from "a month's salary that lasts forever" to "two months salary that lasts forever".

And why, conversely, hifi component deflation has gone from "a third of a month's salary" to "you don't need new speakers".
 

Gerrardasnails

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Sep 6, 2007
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[quote user="JohnDuncan"]I'd like to know why ring inflation has gone from "a month's salary that lasts forever" to "two months salary that lasts forever".

And why, conversely, hifi component deflation has gone from "a third of a month's salary" to "you don't need new speakers".[/quote] Advice to budding fiance's, source your diamond from New York at wholesale. You are looking at three or four times cheaper than buying from Tiffanys, or high st jewellers.
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
Listened to the Wilson Benesch Square Two's over lunch and
was very impressed, especially considering that I listened to them in what
appeared to be a part Chinese high end Hi-fi shop and part pet shop. Going to
go back with My CD's later in week.

Without going too far off-piste is was a lot more than two
months money for the ring and I got the diamond direct from a diamond broker in
South Africa (verified independently and certified as not being a blood diamond)
and had a bespoke platinum ring made up in Australia when platinum prices were
about 40% lower than they are today.

So I sold the ring for more than I paid. Every cloud.
 

John Duncan

Well-known member
Yes, bit of a result there (no disrespect). My wife keeps demanding a recount, so that I replace the cheapo engagement ring I got when I was a pauper with one that costs two month's current salary. Which is fine, as long as I get the Quad electrostatics at the same time.........
 

Clare Newsome

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It's not ALL women, you know - my engagement ring, which I wear with pride every day, is a one-off silver creation I fell in love with in a surf shop in Cornwall. We'd done the whole trying-on-in-Tiffanys stuff, but it all felt too over-obvious. I encouraged him to spend the money on a new AV amp instead....
emotion-2.gif
 

fr0g

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Jan 7, 2008
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I'd hold off buying anything. You have effectively stolen something from her. No matter what she did, you GAVE the ring to her, and it belonged to her. You have obtained this by deceit, and sold it. You could go to jail if she wants to be nasty.
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
[quote user="fr0g"]I'd hold off buying anything. You have effectively stolen something from her. No matter what she did, you GAVE the ring to her, and it belonged to her. You have obtained this by deceit, an sold it. You could go to jail if she wants to be nasty.[/quote]
At the very least I would delete parts of your posts....
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
I dunno, if she broke off the engagement, then she has broken the contract in which the ring was given,

Just an opinion..........
 

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