seeking reassurance over new speakers

johnnyboy1950

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this may sound a bit whiney but........

I bought the system I have been dreaming of ever since I got into hifi in the 70s. Cambridge CXC, CXA80, CXN, Project debut carbon Esprit.

The speakers I chose were the MA Silver 6 and I love them. At least I did until a couple of monthe later I learn't that there was a new kid in town, the Silver 200.....Damn!

Hopefully the review will be average, compromise on quality etc but no. Glowing reveis even from WHF. 5 stars instead of 4 given to the silvers. Has anybody had the oppotunity to compare them? RS are selling the 6s for 499 so there no point in trying to get a decent SH price.

So have I been unlucky to have bought just before a much improved version is on sale. Would I notice a difference with the gear I have. The only solace I found is that 1 review said the 200 lacked the bass of the 6 and I like bass.

Reassurance please!
 
johnnyboy1950 said:
this may sound a bit whiney but........

I bought the system I have been dreaming of ever since I got into hifi in the 70s. Cambridge CXC, CXA80, CXN, Project debut carbon Esprit.

The speakers I chose were the MA Silver 6 and I love them. At least I did until a couple of monthe later I learn't that there was a new kid in town, the Silver 200.....Damn!

Hopefully the review will be average, compromise on quality etc but no. Glowing reveis even from WHF. 5 stars instead of 4 given to the silvers. Has anybody had the oppotunity to compare them? RS are selling the 6s for 499 so there no point in trying to get a decent SH price.

So have I been unlucky to have bought just before a much improved version is on sale. Would I notice a difference with the gear I have. The only solace I found is that 1 review said the 200 lacked the bass of the 6 and I like bass.

Reassurance please!

Take heart in the fact you got a very good pair of speakers (that you like the sound of) for what was probably a very good price. Don't take WHF star ratings to heart and get on and enjoy what you have as the additional outlay for the new 200's is probably better spent on more music.................. or a cartridge upgrade ;-)
 

Infiniteloop

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Al ears kinda beat me to it. If you like the sound, what's the problem?

No matter what equipment you own, at any price point, there will always be arguably better.

To some ears, I own deeply flawed or unpopular devices, but I simply don't care. I love the sound they make and, selfishly, to me that's all that matters.
 
Infiniteloop said:
Al ears kinda beat me to it. If you like the sound, what's the problem?

No matter what equipment you own, at any price point, there will always be arguably better.

To some ears, I own deeply flawed or unpopular devices, but I simply don't care. I love the sound they make and, selfishly, to me that's all that matters.

Pray tell which bits of your very nice equipment are considered 'deeply flawed' ;-)
 

insider9

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I've not heard the new ones. I heard Silver 2s. Owned Silver RX2 and RS5. Each iteration sounded slightly different.

I wouldn't worry about star rating. Depreciation on new gear is the price you pay should you want to "upgrade". Would it be an upgrade though? Only you could decide. Remember there's always something better so no point in stressing out.

If anything for me with every new iteration their speakers look less attractive. Your Silver 6s look better than new 200s.
 

CnoEvil

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Worrying about whether a new model is better than what you have, is a sure way to drive yourself round the bend. Enjoy the music, not the green grass on the other side of the fence.

Saying that, I've got my eye on the New Refs, if the funds ever make themselves available. *dirol*
 

Infiniteloop

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Al ears said:
Infiniteloop said:
Al ears kinda beat me to it. If you like the sound, what's the problem?

No matter what equipment you own, at any price point, there will always be arguably better.

To some ears, I own deeply flawed or unpopular devices, but I simply don't care. I love the sound they make and, selfishly, to me that's all that matters.

Pray tell which bits of your very nice equipment are considered 'deeply flawed' ;-)

Some people inexplicably hate Valve Amps and to some ears Focal speakers are the Devil's work. I'm listening to Angus and Julia Stone's 'Draw your Swords' from 'Down the Way' through both of these right now and the effect is mesmerising.

I have to add that the half bottle of Amarone I just enjoyed may be helping matters a little................
 

CnoEvil

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Infiniteloop said:
Some people inexplicably hate Valve Amps.

...only those who haven't heard a good one and place measurements above music.

Infiniteloop said:
and to some ears Focal speakers are the Devil's work.

....not on the end of Valves or a good Class A amp.
 

johnnyboy1950

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thanks for the quick replies.

Yes I do like the 6s. I suppose the problem is I haven't heard the 200s and its that nagging doubt that they may be better for the same money and they came out so quickly after I bought the 6s.
 

CnoEvil

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johnnyboy1950 said:
thanks for the quick replies.

Yes I do like the 6s. I suppose the problem is I haven't heard the 200s and its that nagging doubt that they may be better for the same money and they came out so quickly after I bought the 6s.

We've all been there!
 
Q

QuestForThe13thNote

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If they are better, I'm sure if you listen to them, even selling your existing speakers used, you won't loose much. And I always think, no harm in upgrades if that's what floats your boat.
 

CnoEvil

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I have a personal formula, which seems to work out, more often than not. It says that - provided all things are equal, you have to double what you spend (new), to get a worthwhile upgrade.....otherwise you go more sideways, than forward.
 
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QuestForThe13thNote

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If it's new against new original prices of a similar time, then yes I'd agree. But as the monitor audios desired are a grand, you could buy discounted new speakers (which were being sold a few years ago for double), for 50 percent more, and they would be worthy upgrade. My old pmc 20-23s being sold for £1500-£1600 now spring to mind, when they were £2400.

Also say people who buy tannoy xt6f or xt8f for around £1000 from richer sounds, could have bought end of line bookcase tannoy precision speakers for similar money half price (but were originally £2500) and a lot better speaker than the 6 and 8 speakers. Nintronics were selling these.
 
Infiniteloop said:
Al ears said:
Infiniteloop said:
Al ears kinda beat me to it. If you like the sound, what's the problem?

No matter what equipment you own, at any price point, there will always be arguably better.

To some ears, I own deeply flawed or unpopular devices, but I simply don't care. I love the sound they make and, selfishly, to me that's all that matters.

Pray tell which bits of your very nice equipment are considered 'deeply flawed' ;-)

Some people inexplicably hate Valve Amps and to some ears Focal speakers are the Devil's work. I'm listening to Angus and Julia Stone's 'Draw your Swords' from 'Down the Way' through both of these right now and the effect is mesmerising.

I have to add that the half bottle of Amarone I just enjoyed may be helping matters a little................

I am sure it certainly helps ease expectation bias and may indeed be one of the most cost-effective sound upgrade devices available... ;-)

However there are others, myself included, who suggest that a bottle of Chateauneuf du Pape can do the same with wider effect.... and feeding it to valve amp haters may perhaps help change their minds.
 

lindsayt

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johnnyboy1950 said:
The speakers I chose were the MA Silver 6 and I love them. At least I did until a couple of monthe later I learn't that there was a new kid in town, the Silver 200.....Damn!

I think the answer's quite simple. Get the Silver 200's in the same room, preferably your room, at the same time as your Silver 6's. Play the same tracks at the same volume on each and you can decide if any difference in overall sound quality is worth the costs and any compromises in looks and size.

In that way you can make an informed decision on whether to keep your speakers or buy something else.

You may also find it interesting to try a few speakers outside the MA line.
 

Leif

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I would ignore the WHF reviews if I were you, especially the star rating. My favourite heaphones got 3 stars, the review was IMO nonsense.
 

grimharry

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Personally speaking my amp and cdp are "only" 4 stars and my speakers whf haven't reviewed but it all works well for me. If your system sounds good to you then don't worry about the new speakers enjoy what you got. Because as the rule of diminishing returns implies that to gain a noticeable improvement you have to spend double the amount, and once you change the speakers next it'll be the amp then the source and road to financial ruin lays ahead
 
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QuestForThe13thNote

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Most what hi fi star ratings are pretty reliable. If they are 2 and 3 stars versus a product at 4 or 5, you know a good difference. My attitude is go on it, and if you agree after listening, make your decisions on that. So absolutely you are right to think the way you do. It's your money and you spend it (or not) as you want too, not anyone else telling you.

and this thing about diminishing returns not true as an argument for double to get benefits, as per my point on the tannoy half price revolution v new Xt6f. I've also got benefits adding power supplies on a few hundred quid.
 

Leif

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I find most reviews online are fairly consistent but WHF are often out of kilter, at least that was my experience when buying new headphones. I cannot speak for other kit. Part of the problem is fashion, so now it is popular to have more bass from headphones. The same may well be true of speakers. Don't get carried away by the pressure from the industry to 'upgrade' cos they are unlikely to say "well, these are pretty much the same as the previous model, so don't bother upgrading", the advertisers would not be very happy would they? And nor would the journalists as we'd stop buying the glossy mags, and they'd lose their jobs. It's in their interests to create a story, exaggerate differences, see things that do not exist etc.
 

grimharry

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Primare i32 I think it's was given 3 stars but some people on this forum love it. The main thing will always be what you think. Any one can tell you to buy buy but it doesn't make them right.
 
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QuestForThe13thNote

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Leif said:
I find most reviews online are fairly consistent but WHF are often out of kilter, at least that was my experience when buying new headphones. I cannot speak for other kit. Part of the problem is fashion, so now it is popular to have more bass from headphones. The same may well be true of speakers. Don't get carried away by the pressure from the industry to 'upgrade' cos they are unlikely to say "well, these are pretty much the same as the previous model, so don't bother upgrading", the advertisers would not be very happy would they? And nor would the journalists as we'd stop buying the glossy mags, and they'd lose their jobs. It's in their interests to create a story, exaggerate differences, see things that do not exist etc.

not really on exaggeration, they have to strike a balance of selling improvements with credibility. If pmc were just to say the new product is fantastically better, but it wasn't, and customers sought so, then customers would not buy. They'd come on here and say the twenty5 range are not as good as the twenty range, but pretty much all people who upgraded between the two will have something more positive to say of the newer range. So long as that person wants to upgrade and it's a worthwhile price change to them, and for however many times someone wants to upgrade, whether once or 50 times, that's all that matters.

Also the speaker manufacturers worth their salt are in the game of trying to improve in a commercial enterprise. So it may well sound similar to the past designs, to some, but things like what's capable at the price are ever important drivers for these firms. To suggest they are selling for the sake of it and for benefits that don't exist, takes out the equation of the bit of the customer who thinks the upgrade worth it too. But I agree it is often about fashion.
 

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