Speaker recommendations for amp now and future

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Hello

I appreciate that to really make a decision I need to go and listen to any kit before I buy, however, before I start I would like to draw up a short list of candidates.

I currently have a Marantz CD6002 CD player and a Squeezebx through a Cambridge DACMagic as source components. I have an Arcam 7R amplifier feeding some old and now broken Tannoy speakers (both >10 years old).

What I am looking to do is buy some new speakers at the moment with a view to upgrading the amp in about six months time to either a Roksan Kandy K2 amplifier or at a push a Roksan Caspian M-Series or Cyrus 8XPD or similar.

I like all sorts of music, but my main focus is on vocals. The final piece of information to mention is that I live in terrace with two children and the room, although quite large, the listening area is not. To make things really hard, one speaker will be very close to a wall but the other will have a little room!

Any ideas and thoughts would be very welcome.
 
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Anonymous

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Just a couple of speakers that leap to mind without knowing anything more:

Proac Tablette Reference 8 Signature; mini-monitor without stunning resolution and capability. They're the best part of a grand and need some stands but you can find them used, in places like ebay.

AVI Neutron 5; mini-monitor that is also stunning and a lot cheaper than the Proacs. You can also buy them with amp-packs on the back which makes them a tidy and potent option.
 
Craig M.:for vocals, atc all the way, they are not fussy when it comes to positioning either.

The Alpha 7 will be rendered useless with the ATC's. I would consider Ruark Sabre III. The Arcam should tame the slightly wayward treble - and they should sound cracking with the Roksans.

If upgrading the amp at a later date I would also factor in a new CD player. If they are prepared to go with the Roksan - I think something in the region of Rega Apollo or Exposure 2010s would be better suited to the Roksans and Ruarks.
 
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Anonymous

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So, budget, probably the most important part and I left that bit out, apologies.

I have around £1500 now for the speakers and wil be looking at anything from £800 to £1500 in six months time for the amplifier. I appreciate I will probably need to upgrade the CD player, but that won't be until about xmas time as I will be running out of money.

I basically thought I would replace the weakest parts first and as the speakers are broken then I have decided to start there first. I have been looking at the Spendor SA1's as these seem to get rave reviews and would probably fit into the strange positioning that I have to accomodate.

However, any others recommneded from other people would be appreciated.

I am comfortable living with a poor sound from the Arcam until such time as I get to replace that.
 

Craig M.

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why would the arcam be rendered useless with atc? and assuming it will be(?) i'd be willing to put up with less then perfect sound until i had a better amp, when the totally natural, clear as a bell midrange of atc will shine with vocals.
 
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Anonymous

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Def Spendor SA1 with the matching stands, also see if you can audition the new Proac D1s. Both are extremely capable speakers but will be absolutely begging for a new amp pronto...
 
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nfshirley72:
So, budget, probably the most important part and I left that bit out, apologies.

I have around £1500 now for the speakers and wil be looking at anything from £800 to £1500 in six months time for the amplifier. I appreciate I will probably need to upgrade the CD player, but that won't be until about xmas time as I will be running out of money.

I basically thought I would replace the weakest parts first and as the speakers are broken then I have decided to start there first. I have been looking at the Spendor SA1's as these seem to get rave reviews and would probably fit into the strange positioning that I have to accomodate.

However, any others recommneded from other people would be appreciated.

I am comfortable living with a poor sound from the Arcam until such time as I get to replace that.

I would say to match your speakers to whatever amp you are buying/going to buy, as these 2 make the sound of your system.
 
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Anonymous

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I also recommend the SA1s, had mine a week now and they are truly stunning, been playing Haydn's The Creation all afternoon and its if I have the whole choir in my living room.........
 
Craig M.:why would the arcam be rendered useless with atc? and assuming it will be(?) i'd be willing to put up with less then perfect sound until i had a better amp, when the totally natural, clear as a bell midrange of atc will shine with vocals.

I just believe at only 40 watts RMS would seriously struggle with ATC's - plus you'll be risking damaging the speakers themselves. I believe there are others like the Spendors, B&W, Ruark etc that would suit the Arcam better.
 

Craig M.

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the spendors are the same sensitivity. apparently, rick@musicraft demo's atc with a 50 watt nad. i guess it comes down to how loud you like to listen to music. but anyway, i'd recommend that the op demo with the amps he is thinking of upgrading to.
 
Craig M.:the spendors are the same sensitivity. apparently, rick@musicraft demo's atc with a 50 watt nad. i guess it comes down to how loud you like to listen to music. but anyway, i'd recommend that the op demo with the amps he is thinking of upgrading to.

Fair play Craig. This is my opinion given what I've heard and read - nothing more.
 
Hi nfs72

I know your audio electronics and in particular the cdp/amplifier which i use to sell.

If you are looking to spend £1.5k than i would suggest that you consider ATC's SCM19 speakers. The engineering involved is excellent. The mid/bass unit in particular is massive which itself weighs in at 9kg! This drive unit itself weighs more than a complete speaker will from some competing designs! The technlolgy (it features ATC's Super Linear Magnet Technology) involved, the sheer scale and precision it's built to has to be seen (ideally in the flesh - away from the cabinet) to fully appreciate it. It's only then when many fully realize as to how serious these guys (ATC) are.

Whilst not being up to the level (absolute performance/power) of 19's the cdp etc. and Arcam amp nevertheless will happily work with the ATC's provided they are used within their limits and you are trying for disco like levels. The 7R amp has a modest rating of 40w/ch however this power is also sufficiently potent. The 19's low distortion, superb dynamics and natural presentation will help the qualities of the electronics to be appreciated without having to play them at above moderate levels for much of the time which should be a benefit if your room is not large. The 19's neutral presentation will help you place them close to or (in numerous rooms) againt walls as well without the sound (bass in particular) getting itself into a twist. With your current electronics already having quite alot of chararcter (the amp in particular - the 7R sounds warm/slightly veiled), the room positioning and size of the room than ideally what you should be looking for are speakers that are clean and ideally not ones that add to the sound. Othwerwise it could make the presentation on the heavy side. The clean presentation will also make it easier to understand any future changes that might be made around them.

The ATC's performance potential is massive and (amongst other qualities) having a neutral, uncoloured, powerful and natural presentation should help breathe a new lease of life to your current electronics. With the SCM19's on the end of your current electronics you might just decide that the performance from them is still good enough to enjoy for longer than you had originally planned for.

Btw, i have also used a 7R with SCM19's without any problems.
emotion-2.gif


http://www.atc.gb.net/scm19.htm

http://www.atc.gb.net/downloads/CompanyProfile.pdf (page 10 for SLMT)

The ATC's are quite and effective messengers.

Thanks

Rick @ Musicraft
 
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Anonymous

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Rick, isn't the Arcam's output 10w less that the ATC recommended minimum?
 

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