New standmount speakers... What to choose...?!?! Argh!

[admin_exported]

Well...

I'm a lucky boy and the wife has said she'll by the speakers for my new Cyrus system I've finally installed into our newly 'windowed' spare room (brickwork damage meant a hefty re-build price and new windows as well)...

Anyways the system compromises of:

Cyrus Stream XP, an XPower, x2 PXS-R's, Partington Broadsides, Cyrus interconnets, Chord Signature speaker cable all on a hark stand

Need speakers though and have demo'd all sorts recently and my favourites are B&W 805D's, Monitor Audio GX100's & the M/A Platinum 100's

I've heard all sorts from ProAc to Spendor to PMC to Neat and ATC's and none of them really did it for me like the above speakwrs did. The B&W's are my faves but they're the priciest and I'd be going 2nd hand for them in all honesty

Just wanted to know which speakers get the votes on here and any further suggestions for others to try...

 

[plastic penguin]

GX100s - sounded darn good with Cyrus 8XPD and 8SE. Can't comment on the other makes though.

 

[CnoEvil]

Maybe the new PMCs would be worth a re-try.

Also, you might like to try Kef Ref 201/2

 

[jaxwired]

If you love the B&Ws, why not try and find a pair of 805s? They would be loads cheaper and you don't give up much.

Personally, I'd be going for the MAs before the B&Ws. Never fell for the B&Ws. The MAs are flat out gorgeous. Heard the PL100s and they are stunning. Haven't heard the GXs yet...

 

[Frank Harvey]

I'm suspecting that what you currently have wont quite get the best from the 805's, and would ideally require Mono X200's or X300's to get the most from them. Because of this, the 805's won't sound as good as they should, so they'd be a more 'long term' investment for upgrading amplification at a later date.

The Platinums are a little easier on amplification, and cm be found within your budget if you hunt around for b stock. They'll certainly perform better than the GX100's, which are worthy of a demo.

Im not sure what else you've tried, but I'd certainly put forward the KEF R300, which I feel is one of the best circa £1k speakers currently available, and along with the SCM11's and Studio 115's, are about the best three speakers available at the price point. All work well with (corresponding) Cyrus amplification.

 

[Rethep]

Definitely audition some "Eposse's" before buying!

Epos Epic 2 or Epos M12i. Both are much cheaper than "your" B&W's, and i think just as good.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the reply Frank / Jax

The idea of getting the B&W 805's would mean that I'd then probably look out for a good 2nd hand set of Cyrus mono's and aim to get them within the 1st 6months; if I go down the B&W route

The M/A PL100's were superb and I really liked them as I did with the GX100's. They're a very close 2nd and could pip the win due to them being easier to drive

I've heard the KEF's before and TBH I didnt like them; I've never got on with the KEF sound at all and the R300's still had the KEF sound unfortunately. ATC's are a no-no for me; listened to quite a lot of them & find them too forward and boxy for my tastes in music...

I do feel that for the room and system; the M/A GX100's will win out overall; I love the B&W's but as you said they need a lot of amplification to get them to their best.... (dammit)!!!

Re Epos; no thanks. Never liked them sorry

 

[moon]

hmm, I noticed a pair of PL100's on a well known auction site this weekend. Starting at a grand. Good speaker!

I would be doing a home audition of the Dali mentor minuet and the Vienna Acoustic baby grands.

have fun auditioning!

 

[Anonymous]

hmm, I noticed a pair of PL100's on a well known auction site this weekend. Starting at a grand. Good speaker!

I would be doing a home audition of the Dali mentor minuet and the Vienna Acoustic baby grands.

have fun auditioning!

I'm keeping my eye on a few pairs of PL100's already...

Re Vienna acoustics; no where around here does them.

Re Dali Menuets; far too small for what I'm after; the spare rooms a fair size and even though the Menuets are brilling/gorgeous speakers; they're just too small for what I need

The M/A GX100's are minimum!

 

[altruistic.lemon]

Harbeth or magnepan.

 

[Anonymous]

^^^

No to Harberth's; listen to the Supers and didnt like them; they;re speakers are god damned ugly as well so that's a no-no for me and the wife!

Re Magenpans; never heard of them and no stockists anywhere near me

 

[Anonymous]

I've just listened to the new B&W PM1's. They are brilliant, but could use a sub to take care of the deepest bass.

 

[Anonymous]

Well...

I'm a lucky boy and the wife has said she'll by the speakers for my new Cyrus system I've finally installed into our newly 'windowed' spare room (brickwork damage meant a hefty re-build price and new windows as well)...

Anyways the system compromises of:

Cyrus Stream XP, an XPower, x2 PXS-R's, Partington Broadsides, Cyrus interconnets, Chord Signature speaker cable all on a hark stand

Need speakers though and have demo'd all sorts recently and my favourites are B&W 805D's, Monitor Audio GX100's & the M/A Platinum 100's

I've heard all sorts from ProAc to Spendor to PMC to Neat and ATC's and none of them really did it for me like the above speakwrs did. The B&W's are my faves but they're the priciest and I'd be going 2nd hand for them in all honesty

Just wanted to know which speakers get the votes on here and any further suggestions for others to try...

Hello 79, If my memory serves me right wasn't you going to demo b&w's 805d and their pm1's side by side ?

 

[Anonymous]

The PM1's were great but they lacked detail and punch in the low end so they were ruled out fairly sharpish...

 

[Anonymous]

The PM1's were great but they lacked detail and punch in the low end so they were ruled out fairly sharpish...

So much for whf's review then .

 

[Anonymous]

Its horses for courses as you know. They are stunning speakers but after hearing them and then the M/A GX100's and PL100's; the depth of bass on them is a lot better and punchier. Something I MUST have in my system, more so with my tastes in music!

The 805's are superb speakers; sound & look gorgeous but I do agree that they need more power then my system will have and at this moment I dont want to shell out more £££ to satisfy that (for now)

I'm going to have a listen to the M/A GX100's again later this week when I get them on home demo and will make a decision then I think

 

[Anonymous]

Its horses for courses as you know. They are stunning speakers but after hearing them and then the M/A GX100's and PL100's; the depth of bass on them is a lot better and punchier. Something I MUST have in my system, more so with my tastes in music!

The 805's are superb speakers; sound & look gorgeous but I do agree that they need more power then my system will have and at this moment I dont want to shell out more £££ to satisfy that (for now)

I'm going to have a listen to the M/A GX100's again later this week when I get them on home demo and will make a decision then I think

I demoed the ma gx 50, but found the ribbon tweeter a little to bright for taste. As you say horses for courses.

Glad to see you are now weather proof.

 

[poldo]

You ever demoed some audiovector speakers? The S-serie is very very good, I bought the s3 signature floorstanders second hand, I have installed them in a dedicated room which is not very big 4*5 meters, they only need 40cm to the wall and they are easy to drive so do not need a bigger amp.

You can go for the si3 super standmount which are easy to drive and not very expensive, but I would go for the floorstanders because the bass is impressive on the floorstander even in a small room.

 

[Anonymous]

No where to demo them around here so they're a no-go sorry

 

[datay]

Not been mentioned yet, but with a single X Power, Dynaudio Focus 110 is a superb combination (I have this myself) - 70W turns into 110W into 4 Ohms. You could add another X Power in mono later and drive the full 150W out of them. Dealers may be selling them off as I think that model is now discontinued, David (not Frank!) will be able to confirm.

 

[poldo]

I don't get it why dynaudio has so much fanboys on this forum because I really dislike their speaker, their presentation is very flat and none 3dimensional, de finish is rubbish too and the company is not innovative the Dynaudio you buy now is the same as the dynaudio from 10 years back. I did not hear any difference between new model and old models.

I think Dali did a fantastic job with the Dali Ikon mk2, it is a very mature speaker for the money. B&W is a safe choice but nothing special. Another brand I absolutely love is Tannoy, the DC8 is a BIG FUN standmount speaker, together with the new Exposure 3010s2, a super combo, don't know about cyrus-tannoy, you could give it a try.

 

[Anonymous]

Dynaudio do make some good speakers but they're not my favourites and not ones I'd go for with this system

Been and had a demo of these this afternoon: http://www.acoustic-energy.co.uk/Default.aspx?pagename=Reference-Series-2

WOW...! I loved them and the wife really liked them too. They just sounded absolutely superb and with a real vibrant/lively feel & sound about them... These and the M/A GX100's are my favourites BUT...

The shop where I've got all my Cyrus gear from has said he's just had an XPower amp sent back as the person has upgraded to the 300's and so he'll do me a cracking deal on the XPower if I want it because I'm going to demo some GX200's on Wednesday now...

The B&W 805's have been ruled out now as we listened to them briefly again this afternoon and they just dont have the smooth, detailed soundstage I got with the AE Ref 2's and the M/A GX100's...

Really looking forward to hearing the GX200's with the XPowers in full force!

 

[poldo]

Monitor Audio - Cyrus is a NO for me, it is to harsh but maybe you like it. I hope you don't because i think you have a good taste. You should try Dali, Audiovector and Tannoy before you decide.

 

[jaxwired]

I don't get it why dynaudio has so much fanboys on this forum because I really dislike their speaker, their presentation is very flat and none 3dimensional, de finish is rubbish too and the company is not innovative the Dynaudio you buy now is the same as the dynaudio from 10 years back. I did not hear any difference between new model and old models.

Well, since most of the audiophile community disagrees with you, perhaps you should consider the possibility that you are a poor judge of speakers?

And before you beat yourself up, just remember everyone has different gifts. You probably have other fine talents like maybe whittling or paper mache, yes?

 

[the record spot]

No idea if you can find them in a Yamaha stockist (which is going to be more likely I think) but Yamaha's Soavo-1 could be a bit of a dark horse. £900 a pair, but if they're anything like the Soavo-2 floorstander, which was an apparently lovely speaker, then it could be worth hunting around. Peter Tyson's have them and they do honour the DSRs, so that might be worth considering.