Retailers with different views on speakers!

[admin_exported]

Firstly thanks for all your advice on my previous threads, I have taken it on board and went and looked at 3 different pairs of speakers.

I went to Sevenoaks and they were great, and I shortlisted B&W CM1 and Monitor Audio RX1 and B&W 684's. However I had already booked a demo at another Sevenoakes (nearer to my home) for tomorrow. So I called and cancelled it with them, and they asked me why. I said I had found an ex-demo pair of CM1's for £450, which if I liked I could take home tomorrow.

Now this is where he threw a spanner in the works, " CM1's and Arcam will not work very well together" he said the Arcam is a bright sound and so are the CM1's a pair of Monitor Audio's 6ohm and 88db v CM1's at 8ohm and 84db.

I understand that the 88db is more efficient, but just how much more? does it mean less distortion because they are driven easier, or is it just a number that you won't hear?

I guess when I listen to them I will make my own mind up, however do you think I need to take my own Arcam Solo Mini to get a true sound or will another system still give me a good enough idea?

Thnaks

Ian

 

[Anonymous]

take your arcam mini with you thats the best way

 

[Dave_]

I dont think anyone would consider Arcam as bright!

Some unscrupulous dealer's will tell you anything to secure a sale or prevent losing one.I'd take that as a cue to buy elsewhere,personally.

 

[Frank Harvey]

Arcam is in no way bright. Some may or may not like the sound of it, but you should find that they actually match quite well, as Arcam's slightly smoother presentation will take some of the treble edge off the B&W's. Because Arcam doesn't try and produce bucketloads of bass, this will also tame the B&W's low end, which it has a fair amount of given it's diminutive size. For some people the combination might not be their cup of tea, but I think that pairing would be a far better one than Musical Fidelity.......

The MA's will definitely be more efficient (noticably), but the Mini Solo has a fair amount of power behind it, and in normal circumstances won't have any problems. A 3dB step up is generally classed as twice as loud.

 

[Gerrardasnails]

daveh75:
I dont think anyone would consider Arcam as bright!

Some unscrupulous dealer's will tell you anything to secure a sale or prevent losing one.I'd take that as a cue to buy elsewhere,personally.

I agree. It sounds like the dealer just said the first thing he could think of to try and keep the sale. To be honest, I have had completely different experiences with the the two branches of Sevenoaks I've used. My local Epsom shop are great, brilliant service and they know their stuff. In the City, I used the shop by Chancery Lane and had a not so great time. I was looked down on and felt uncomfortable.

 

[Thaiman]

Firstly, don't just listen to dealers's advise (sorry Rick and Mr. Harvey, I am sure you guys are decent dealers), most will have the ways of talking you to buy something they wanted to sell but not always what you need. If the products are there to demo, spend time listen to them. If you have done some research, may be magazine or forums, stick to your short list first before explore further into shop's stock room. SSAV in Norwich has some real nice people working in the shop but knowledgeable? debatable!

 

[crusaderlord]

Yes it just shows that you need to make your own judgement. Arcam is certainly not considered bright as a rule - compare the brand to Cambridge Audio, Marantz, Cyrus and you will quickly see it as a smoother option than these.

I have heard the CM1 with Arcam separates and it sounded great to me. Also Monitor Audio are usually well thought of with Arcam too - although for me you can go also for faster paced speakers with Arcam such as Epos or some 2nd hand Neat Motives (lovely).

Whilst the assistant may not have been correct in his reasoning - it is still better to hear a few speakers with your system before buying as your preferences will be unique to you.

 

[Anonymous]

Thaiman:SSAV in Norwich has some real nice people working in the shop but knowledgeable? debatable!
Spot on!

Audition is the only way to buy speakers. There really comes a point where you have to put down the brochures and mags and just use your ears. I would even go as far as to say don't take any advice at all but that seems a bit defeatist.

The CM1s look nice

 

[chebby]

Arcam Solo-Mini is not bright. How do I know? I owned one for a year. (No I am not a dealer.)

There ARE dealers you can trust the word of. Obviously you found someone who does not listen to their own stock before selling it. (Or an idiot or a shark. Take your pick.)

The efficiency/sensitivity of the speakers you partner with the Solo-Mini will matter up to a point. It is rated - on paper - at 25watts per channel but they are very young, supple watts that work out a bit, so don't get too worried unless you want high energy club levels of volume.

From personal experience - I would suggest Rega RS1 bookshelf/standmounts (£390 and 90db into 8 ohms) with some good stands, or Rega RS3 'compact' floorstanders (£684 and 89db into 6 ohms).

I have not heard them, but the new Monitor Audio RX2 standmounts (£500 and 90db into 6 ohms) have a specified power handling of 25 - 100 watts and 8" bass/mid drivers. They look promising and should have more bass than most compact standmounts. They should also be easy to audition alongside the smaller RX1's (£400 I think) at the same dealers.

 

[Anonymous]

Cheers everyone, I wont be leaving the shop without speakers tomorrow!!!

You can only get some much advice, forums are good but you can send yourself crazy!

I will let you know what I get

Ian

 

[Anonymous]

Good luck Ian. I'd suggest you home demo if you're not sure and can't trust the dealer's advice.

Lets face it - there are some pretty lousy dealers out there who'll say whatever to get a sale. In my experience they flip-flop all over the place and its not hard to spot the inconsistency. Good advice and quality of service is priceless.

 

[Frank Harvey]

chebby: It is rated - on paper - at 25watts per channel but they are very young, supple watts that work out a bit, so don't get too worried unless you want high energy club levels of volume."....young, supple watts...."

I like that

 

[plastic penguin]

Gerrardasnails:daveh75:

I dont think anyone would consider Arcam as bright!

Some unscrupulous dealer's will tell you anything to secure a sale or prevent losing one.I'd take that as a cue to buy elsewhere,personally.

I agree. It sounds like the dealer just said the first thing he could think of to try and keep the sale. To be honest, I have had completely different experiences with the the two branches of Sevenoaks I've used. My local Epsom shop are great, brilliant service and they know their stuff. In the City, I used the shop by Chancery Lane and had a not so great time. I was looked down on and felt uncomfortable.

Epsom is my local as well - I've had mixed advice over the years. Like TM said I do get concerned about their knowledge (or lack of), and it seems the more retailers you approach the more confusing it gets. Indeed, they have their own agendas and reasons pointing you in a certain direction, to me it's counter-productive.

The best advice is to make a short-list and audition. If one brand has a 'wow' factor, then you're home 'n' dry

 

[Frank Harvey]

plastic penguin:Epsom is my local as well - I've had mixed advice over the years. Like TM said I do get concerned about their knowledge (or lack of), and it seems the more retailers you approach the more confusing it gets. Indeed, they have their own agendas and reasons pointing you in a certain direction, to me it's counter-productive.I agree about the counter productive aspecct, but then I suppose dealers are as different as customers, so it'd be pretty hard to get the same advice from them all!

Sevenoaks does tend to be quite mixed in their advice, and I'm only saying that because I used to work for one. Because they're mostly franchises, they're all doing their own thing, as much as HQ are trying to make them uniform.

 

[gpi]

In this current economic climate I don't think that sevenoaks dealer can be criticised for wanting a chance of some business.

 

[plastic penguin]

FrankHarveyHiFi:

plastic penguin:Epsom is my local as well - I've had mixed advice over the years. Like TM said I do get concerned about their knowledge (or lack of), and it seems the more retailers you approach the more confusing it gets. Indeed, they have their own agendas and reasons pointing you in a certain direction, to me it's counter-productive.I agree about the counter productive aspecct, but then I suppose dealers are as different as customers, so it'd be pretty hard to get the same advice from them all!

Sevenoaks does tend to be quite mixed in their advice, and I'm only saying that because I used to work for one. Because they're mostly franchises, they're all doing their own thing, as much as HQ are trying to make them uniform.

Yarp, but when you ask a like-for-like question about the same components and they come back totally different replies then you tend to question their integrity.

 

[Frank Harvey]

I can understand different recommendations from different stores - after all, they're as different as you or I - and if there was a set item to recommend people across all Sevenoaks stores, you'd think you were dealing with automatons. But in this specific case, even a newbie retailer probably wouldn't give the advice out that was given to the OP. It's their integrity you have have to question.