New Speakers

[SRHiFi]

Hi ...
I am looking for a really good pair of speakers to replace a pair KEF Q55.2's (which I never really liked!!) ... anything up to 3 or 4K.
I have an Arcam A18 preamp with a Arcam P38 poweramp .... Any suggestions would be gratefully received

 

[abacus]

Go to a dealer and have a listen to a few in your price range, your ears & preferences are unique to you, so nobody can make the decision for you.

Bill

 

[SRHiFi]

Thanks Bill, I intend to do that this week I just wondered if anybody had any suggestions about the latest speakers on the market. Has anybody any views on the B&W 704 S3's ?

 

[skinnypuppy71]

If you have up to 4k as a budget, The Revival Audio Atalante 4 should be on your list, I haven't heard them myself but I have heard that they are very good indeed

View: https://youtu.be/Ynvgf9KU_cU?si=1Z8nRHpXxEh2e7RK

 

[davidf]

What size is your room? Are there limitations on speaker placement? Are you a bass monster, or do you favour presence and detail in mid/higher frequencies? Or a balance of everything? Do you generally listen at normal levels or higher levels? What was it about the Q55s you didn't like?

 

[Al ears]

Thanks Bill, I intend to do that this week I just wondered if anybody had any suggestions about the latest speakers on the market. Has anybody any views on the B&W 704 S3's ?

As he said,it really doesn't matter if he has, you are going to have to listen to some yourself preferably at home.
Nobody can tell you what is going to sound good to you.

 

[SRHiFi]

What size is your room? Are there limitations on speaker placement? Are you a bass monster, or do you favour presence and detail in mid/higher frequencies? Or a balance of everything? Do you generally listen at normal levels or higher levels? What was it about the Q55s you didn't like?

Room is about 4m x 4m. No real limitations. Not necessarily a bass 'monster' but like to hear a deep low bass. Also like mid and high frequencies. Generally listen at normal frequencies but when nobody is at home I do sometimes wind up the volume. The Q55.s's had very poor bass response and the other frequencies sounded quite flat.

 

[Integralista]

Hi ...
I am looking for a really good pair of speakers to replace a pair KEF Q55.2's (which I never really liked!!) ... anything up to 3 or 4K.
I have an Arcam A18 preamp with a Arcam P38 poweramp .... Any suggestions would be gratefully received

Hi,

do you use A18 as preamp and P38 as poweramp or some kind of biamping using A18 as integrated + preamp for P38 as poweramp? A18 is an integrated amplifier as I know. How big is your room? What you do not like in sound of your Kef Q55.2? I think old Kef Q55.2 are not bad speakers. Bowers&Wilkins 704S3 are not easy speakers. They are very demanding regarding amp quality and sound quality of your whole system. Speakers like them will show all weaknesses un your system and Arcam is not on a level of those speakers. Sorry I am honest with you. I recommend not to consider such highlevel expensive speakers without plan to upgrade your amp, source components, cables etc. On the other hand you may look on speakers like Q Acoustics 5040(room up to 20m²) or Q Acoutics 5050(25-30m²) or new Fyne Audio 501 or 502 or Dynaudio Emit 30 (or 50 for big room). I think all those speakers will match your amp better than B&W speakers. They are all musical and universal, not picky about music style selection. All have full bass, Fyne Audio is very fast sounding with lots of details, Dynaudio less sensitive but well balanced, Q Acoustics something like compromise between Dynaudio and Fyne Audio. New Kef Q Meta is also very good but moore picky about system. BR.

 

[skinnypuppy71]

In that size of room, I'd go good quality standmount speakers and a medium sized sub, rel t5 for example.

 

[matthewpianist]

You need to visit a dealer and do some listening. The limitations you list in regard to your KEF speakers sound like common characteristics of Arcam amplification to me, so it would be sensible to investigate amp and/or speakers within your substantial budget. It's quite possible the right integrated amplifier, combined with the right speakers, could bring you a more worthwhile upgrade than exposing deficiencies in the amplification.

In your shoes I'd be looking at Rega, Naim and Hegel amplification, but then they are my favoured makes of amp and may not be yours, so we're back to auditioning. Same with speakers; I'd be looking at Amphion, but you need to do some listening - first in the dealer's dem room, and then at home, before you take the jump.