Smallish floor standing speakers for Primare pre/power anyone?

[Machinemessiah]

Hi,

A couple of months ago I was going to take the plunge and by a Creek 100a. At the last minute I changed my mind and have bought a Primare Pre32 and A34.2 pre/power combination. This was on dem in a shop when I went in for the Creek making some very good sounds with some B&W CM floor standers (can't remember exact model about £1.5k I believe). Anyway, top and bottom was I was impressed enough to seriously up my budget and buy the amps. I could just buy the B&Ws I heard them with but the amp definitely justifies more expensive speakers. Budget around £2-3k, would like floor standers this time but they need to be on the smaller side. Initial thoughts are PMC 23s but I'm told they can be 'peaky' in the treble so may not be suitable for me. I'm looking for a more neutral richish overall balance.

Any ideas please, would like to draw up a shortlist of a maximum of four.

Thanks.

 

[ellisdj]

Deleted read post wrong

 

[Frank Harvey]

The A34.2 is certainly a capable amplifier, and will easily do justice to the sort of speakers you'll be considering. The Primares are very clean sounding in the treble, so if you do experience any "peakiness", it certainly won't be down to the amplification.

Along with the B&W CM8 S2 and PMC Twenty.23, you could also try the Monitor Audio Gold 200, Spendor A6r, ProAc D20r, KEF R500 or R700, and the upcoming Rega RX5. I'm sure you'll be able to narrow that list down going by size or aesthetics. Many other recommendations will more than liely be a little on the large side for what you're after.

 

[Al ears]

The A34.2 is certainly a capable amplifier, and will easily do justice to the sort of speakers you'll be considering. The Primares are very clean sounding in the treble, so if you do experience any "peakiness", it certainly won't be down to the amplification.

Along with the B&W CM8 S2 and PMC Twenty.23, you could also try the Monitor Audio Gold 200, Spendor A6r, ProAc D20r, KEF R500 or R700, and the upcoming Rega RX5. I'm sure you'll be able to narrow that list down going by size or aesthetics. Many other recommendations will more than liely be a little on the large side for what you're after.

Excellent kit that Primare. Used to run a pre-power setup of theirs myself (Pre30 / A32)

David has already mentioned the Spendor A6R's which I therefore second and I'd like to add Usher speakers to his list. I have heard very nice sounds coming from a Primare / Usher 604 set-up. Also the Neat SX1 might be worth an audition.

 

[MUSICRAFT]

I'm looking for a more neutral richish overall balance

Hi Machinemessiah

You should also look at Raidho Acoustics/Scansonic MB-2.5's

All the best

Rick @ Musicraft

 

[CnoEvil]

Great choice of amp.

I suppose the speakers you end up with will depend on your room size, what sort of music you listen to and how you like it presented.

Brands to look at would be:

Sonus Faber/Spendor/Vienna Acoustics...for a smoother sound.

ATC/PMC/Gamut/Focal/Kudos....if you like a more neutral sound

Kef R Series/Dali/Proac.....for somewhere in between.

If you describe your music choice and the brands you have access to, I will come up with some models....but my initial choice would be Kef R500/R700.

 

[Al ears]

I'm looking for a more neutral richish overall balance

Hi Machinemessiah

You should also look at Raidho Acoustics/Scansonic MB-2.5's

All the best

Rick @ Musicraft

[/quote

Have you heard them Rick? Good advice going by the reviews I've read, also they do look compact and very nice indeed (not heard them myself - very limited dealerships).

 

[audioaffair]

We've got Primare A34.2 and Primare PRE32 on demo currently and we've listened to them with KEF R700 (good combo), Focal 1028 (which are a little more expensive but we only suggest as theyre currently on offer so a little more on par with price), but our favourite combo is with the ProAc D20R - not a match we were expecting, but a fantastic sounding combo. As with all speakers though, you have to have a listen for yourself as its always subjective.

 

[John Duncan]

Small point, audioaffair (since just about everybody knows who you are), but can you amend your signature to reflect your trade status please?

 

[Andrewjvt]

Give them a demo with your amp. Possibly at your home but id give the kef r700s a try. Great speakers. Everyday i listen the more i like them and thats not with as good amplification as you have

 

[Sorreltiger]

I think that most of the speakers suggested would do a good job, but each would give a different presentation. As usual, however, the way they interact with your room will be the key factor and a home demo would be more or less essential to discover the best solution.

 

[MUSICRAFT]

I'm looking for a more neutral richish overall balance

Hi Machinemessiah

You should also look at Raidho Acoustics/Scansonic MB-2.5's

All the best

Rick @ Musicraft

[/quote

Have you heard them Rick? Good advice going by the reviews I've read, also they do look compact and very nice indeed (not heard them myself - very limited dealerships).

Hi Al ears

Yes, i've heard MB-2.5's. We've had these, MB-1's and MB-3.5's since we also started to support Raidho Acoustics last September

(we've sold a pair of MB-2.5's and a pair of MB-1's in gorgeous Black-Silk finish

within the last week too) Anyway, with the MB Series it's great to see the know how of Michael Borresen/Raidho Acoustics also being applied now to (dare i say it) relatively more affordable products

All the best

Rick @ Muiscraft

 

[Al ears]

If you are still looking there is a mint pair of Usher Audio Mini Dancer 1 speakers going on a well known auction site for a very reasonable £1600 that should suit your requirements and save you a lot of money.

 

[Machinemessiah]

Thanks for all the recommendations. I would have liked to listen to some Vienna Acoustics floor standers (I believe Primare use these to dem their equipment at shows) but apparently there is currently no UK distributor.

Anyone any ideas on that one?

Ive heard of Usher Audio and they seem to get favourable reviews. I live in the North West but I am not aware of any northern dealers. Music wise I'm on a heavy diet of 70s prog rock, Yes, Genesis, PInk Floyd, Led Zeppelin etc... Great detail retrieval from the Primares, just need to maintain a neutral balance with some richness and warmth with the speakers.

 

[Al ears]

You would appear to be correct about Usher dealers. The nearest it would appear are in Stockton-on-Tees.

 

[CnoEvil]

Thanks for all the recommendations. I would have liked to listen to some Vienna Acoustics floor standers (I believe Primare use these to dem their equipment at shows) but apparently there is currently no UK distributor.

Anyone any ideas on that one?

Ive heard of Usher Audio and they seem to get favourable reviews. I live in the North West but I am not aware of any northern dealers. Music wise I'm on a heavy diet of 70s prog rock, Yes, Genesis, PInk Floyd, Led Zeppelin etc... Great detail retrieval from the Primares, just need to maintain a neutral balance with some richness and warmth with the speakers.

My list of 4 suggested speakers:

Vienna Acoustics Mozart Grand.....They are sold here: http://www.fanthorpes.co.uk/p0/vienna-acoustics/408572.htm

Spendor A6R

GamuT Phi 5 (Review: http://www.techradar.com/reviews/audio-visual/hi-fi-and-audio/hi-fi-and-av-speakers/gamut-phi5-257880/review and http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/gamut/gamut.html)

Sold here: http://www.audioaffair.co.uk/gamut-phi5-speakers-pair and http://www.jordanacoustics.co.uk/product_details.php?ref=275

Kef R500/R700

Nb. The GamuT is clean, precise, non-edgy, small (about H 1m x W 17cm x D 27cm) and exciting.....maybe an outsider to consider.

 

[Machinemessiah]

Thanks for the links. Fanthorpes sold all their Vienna Acoustics stock a while ago and haven't removed them from their website yet. No UK distributor at the moment so that looks like a dead end for now at least. I will investigate some of the other recommendations and report back on this thread in due course.

 

[James7]

To throw a bit of a curve ball, if you can hear Martin Logan Electromotion and like what they do, going back to conventional speakers may be very difficult. Though compact they do need a bit of air to breathe though, and ideally something behind them to damp things down, which may be an issue.