Speaker upgrade time for Naim/Linn system

[Linus Vendeen]

Hello all,

I currently have a Linn LP12/project/klyde/lingo with prefix going into a Nait XS, plus CD5x. Just bought a Teddycap to power my headline and the Prefix (so far not impressed by it powering the Nait or CD)

I feel it is time to consider an upgrade to my speakers which are Monitor Audio RS8s.

when I first bought the system I listened to some speakers like Neats and Spendors but found them lacking punch and scale and a bit "mannered" I actually really like the RS8s which have energy and a big sound but with detail and suit my taste in music - rock, soul, vocal. But if the sound can be improved...

i will of course try and audition but as I am in Hong Kong options are limited and a home audition will be out. So any suggestions to narrow down the choices would be appreciated. A step up the MA ladder? tannoy? proac?

budget is up to 2000-2500. Floor standees ideally but not essential. Floors are laminate, walls are concrete and room is 5m x 12m

any thoughts gratefully received.

 

[plastic penguin]

Hello all,

I currently have a Linn LP12/project/klyde/lingo with prefix going into a Nait XS, plus CD5x. Just bought a Teddycap to power my headline and the Prefix (so far not impressed by it powering the Nait or CD)

I feel it is time to consider an upgrade to my speakers which are Monitor Audio RS8s.

when I first bought the system I listened to some speakers like Neats and Spendors but found them lacking punch and scale and a bit "mannered" I actually really like the RS8s which have energy and a big sound but with detail and suit my taste in music - rock, soul, vocal. But if the sound can be improved...

i will of course try and audition but as I am in Hong Kong options are limited and a home audition will be out. So any suggestions to narrow down the choices would be appreciated. A step up the MA ladder? tannoy? proac?

budget is up to 2000-2500. Floor standees ideally but not essential. Floors are laminate, walls are concrete and room is 5m x 12m

any thoughts gratefully received.

Welcome to the madhouse...

Okay, the thing that sticks out for me is the laminate floors. The other is IMHO MA and Naim don't mix too well, as to my ears they sound too 'in-ya- face', although the Linns may well counter that trait.

Back to the flooring, I would be looking at speakers that suit the Naim sound such as PMC Twenty 23, Dynaudio Contour S1.4 (very large standmounters), or if you can source them, Totem Hawks. Perhaps might be worth checking out Monitor Audio GX range.

I do think a home dem is essential in your case to see whether they can ford the hard floor conundrum.

Hope this helps.

 

[altruistic.lemon]

A bit left field, but Magnepan and Martin Logan go well with your kit. You need some space from the walls, but.

 

[plastic penguin]

A bit left field, but Magnepan and Martin Logan go well with your kit. You need some space from the walls, but.

Al, what are the Maggies like in a reflective room? The MA metal dome tweeter can be troublesome in that respect.

 

[Linus Vendeen]

A bit left field, but Magnepan and Martin Logan go well with your kit. You need some space from the walls, but.

Dear Altrusitic.lemon, Interesting! I have heard of but not heard the Magnepan's but Martin Logan is a new name to me. The Logan's have distributors in Vietnam and Shanghai though. Was there a particular model you were suggesting?

It does raise an interesting point though, in the the UK there were so many UK firms I never really considered anything else but maybe there is something exciting out there worth trying. Does China make good speakers? They obviously build good ones for other people.

 

[Linus Vendeen]

Okay, the thing that sticks out for me is the laminate floors. The other is IMHO MA and Naim don't mix too well, as to my ears they sound too 'in-ya- face', although the Linns may well counter that trait.

Back to the flooring, I would be looking at speakers that suit the Naim sound such as PMC Twenty 23, Dynaudio Contour S1.4 (very large standmounters), or if you can source them, Totem Hawks. Perhaps might be worth checking out Monitor Audio GX range.

Thanks for this. Is suspect you are right about the "in your face" comment. The Linn and vinyl smoothes it out but on CD it is more noticable and a lot of recently remastered staff (like the Rolling Stones reamsters) is quite hard to enjoy. I got the Naim kit for its musical foot-tapping-ness that I did not get from other systems and I want to keep that. The PMCs sound like a sensible place to start looking. I guessed the floor would be a problem and there will not be much I can do about that. Would putting something just under the speakers help much?

 

[Singslinger]

I'd recommend either the ProAc Studio 140 Mk 2 or the Response D18.

 

[plastic penguin]

Okay, the thing that sticks out for me is the laminate floors. The other is IMHO MA and Naim don't mix too well, as to my ears they sound too 'in-ya- face', although the Linns may well counter that trait.

Back to the flooring, I would be looking at speakers that suit the Naim sound such as PMC Twenty 23, Dynaudio Contour S1.4 (very large standmounters), or if you can source them, Totem Hawks. Perhaps might be worth checking out Monitor Audio GX range.

Thanks for this. Is suspect you are right about the "in your face" comment. The Linn and vinyl smoothes it out but on CD it is more noticable and a lot of recently remastered staff (like the Rolling Stones reamsters) is quite hard to enjoy. I got the Naim kit for its musical foot-tapping-ness that I did not get from other systems and I want to keep that. The PMCs sound like a sensible place to start looking. I guessed the floor would be a problem and there will not be much I can do about that. Would putting something just under the speakers help much?

This is why you should build your kit to suit the room acoustics. There's always different things you can tinker with regards acoustics (rugs, curtains etc etc) but ultimately your desire is upgrade the speakers.

PMC and Naim IMHO is one of the best combos around, and the PMCs have (generally) soft domed tweeters, which doesn't make a huge difference, and the reason for mentioning the other makes.

Perhaps, also, look at acoustic panels, although not sure of overall costs.