Speakers for Devialet 170

[matt49]

Now for the next element in my main system. A few weeks ago I took the plunge and ordered a Devialet 170 (which I’ll be collecting once I get back from hols in late August). By Xmas I hope to have speakers that will do it justice. The plan is to draw up a longlist of speakers that I can audition at dealers in the London area. On the basis of these auditions I’ll whittle the longlist down to a shortlist that I can demo at home. I’d be grateful for your suggestions for the longlist.

A bit of context. The room is 4 x 5m. The listening configuration will be (roughly) an equilateral triangle 2m each side, with the speakers pointing down the length of the room. In other words, I’m looking for small- to medium-sized speakers. I reckon not deeper than 350mm and not wider than 250mm. I had a pair of Harbeth Super HL5s on demo, which though lovely just felt too big in the room (they’re h600xw300xd300).

As for my tastes, the majority of my listening is classical. Speakers I’ve liked (a rather random selection) have included the Harbeths, PMC Fact 8s, and Sonus Faber Cremona Auditor Ms. As for standmounts vs floorstanders, I have a slight preference for the former but am intending to demo both. I don’t want or need huge bass.

The budget goes up to around £6K.

My next post will list the speakers already on my longlist. I’d be most grateful for further suggestions that conform to my size and budget requirements.

:cheers:

Matt

 

[matt49]

Here's a first stab at a longlist: additions and subtractions most welcome!

Floorstanders

ATC SCM40

Audiovector Si3 Avantgarde Arrete

Dynaudio Focus 260

KEF R700

Kudos Cardea C30

Kudos Cardea C20

Neat Momentum 4

PMC OB1i signature

PMC Fact 8

Proac D30R

Spendor A9

Spendor D7

Standmounts

Dali Epicon 2

Kudos Super 10

Neat Ultimatum XLS

Sonus Faber Cremona Auditor M £3.2 (353x202x365)

 

[DocG]

Hi Matt,

How far into the room can you place the speakers? About 1m from the sidewalls, but what about the front wall distance? What I'm getting at here: are panel speakers an option? Most ESLs don't match well with Devialet (their impedance dips to low), but Quads do. They're 70 cm wide, but can be placed really close to the sidewalls without them messing up the sound. Magnepans (1.7 of 3.7) might be feasible too.

 

[DocG]

I wonder wether high efficiency speakers, like Audio Note, would make a good match. I imagine that the complete lack of background noise the Devialet offers would suit the ANs well.

If so, you can try the speakers in free space, against the wall or in the corners, and see how you prefer them.

In the same ball game, you could try Devore Fidelity, either the Gibbon 3XL standmounter, or the Gibbon 88 floorstander. Devore has two distributors in London.

 

[Frank Harvey]

I know you have the D30R on the list, but I would still try the D28. Other than the obvious difference of the HF unit, they use a different bass driver, and do sound a little different.

 

[TheHomeCinemaCentre]

The first time I heard the Devaliet was on the end of some Vivid Audio speakers - you could look to try the V1.5's. I have a soft spot for the Epicon's but you have such a varied list it would be best to pick this up when you have listened to a few things.

 

[philipjohnwright]

A smaller Harbeth? The obvious one being the M30.1 I would have thought.

I'd think some of those on the short list would feel bigger than the Harbeths you tried e.g. the (lovely) Kef R700s are quite a big beast. More so than the Harbeths I would have thought. Although they are better looking, which might be part of what you are saying (i have Harbeth C7/2s that sound wonderful but aren't exactly lookers).

 

[DocG]

Another left field suggestion: Eclipse TD712ZMk2. Can't cope with heavy rock, but brilliant for chamber music or small jazz ensembles. They're not intrusive in the room either.

What Hifi review here.

 

[alimcd]

Cracking choice of amplifier!

I was running the KEF Blades with a 170 last night and the 170 continues to astound me every time.

The PMC's would be right up there on my list but I wouldn't rule out the Cremona auditors. With the Olympica's now having launched, there are some great deals out there for the out-going cremona range. Absolute Sounds are a great distributor and there always seem to be stock of replacement drive units should the worst happen.

 

[Macspur]

Hi Matt,

Speakers I like from your lists are PMC OB1I Sig, Spendor D7 and SF Cremona Auditor M (some deals to be had on these)

Others mentioned that I would have on my list, Audio Note Harbeth M30.1 and ProAc 28.

A few from me... Dynaudio Confidence C1, GamuT PHI7 Art Emotion Prestige8.

Oops! just seen Cno already mentioned GamuT and ART.

Mac

 

[DocG]

Hi Matt,

Speakers I like from your lists are PMC OB1I Sig, Spendor D7 and SF Cremona Auditor M (some deals to be had on these)

Others mentioned that I would have on my list, Audio Note Harbeth M30.1 and ProAc 28.

A few from me... Dynaudio Confidence C1, GamuT PHI7 Art Emotion Prestige8.

Oops! just seen Cno already mentioned GamuT and ART.

Mac

Hi Mac,

Having a more than average interest in the Devialet myself, I had a look at the speakers on the list so far, and on the GamuT website, there's no sign of the Phi 7 (up to Phi5 MkII, but no 7). On the ART site, I see a Alnico, a Neo and a Deco series, but not the model Cno and you mention. Could these two speakers be end of life already? Or are they rebranded?

 

[Bodfish]

If you enjoyed the SHL5’s then do try a smaller model in the Harbeth range. If the M30.1 is still a little big even the dinky (and brilliant) little P3ESR is worth a try. One of the things that I like about Harbeth is that their speakers are not ‘better as you spend more’ (all else being equal obviously), but that the whole range are voiced consistently so you can ‘simply’ chose the right one for the size of your room.

 

[Macspur]

Hi Matt,

Speakers I like from your lists are PMC OB1I Sig, Spendor D7 and SF Cremona Auditor M (some deals to be had on these)

Others mentioned that I would have on my list, Audio Note Harbeth M30.1 and ProAc 28.

A few from me... Dynaudio Confidence C1, GamuT PHI7 Art Emotion Prestige8.

Oops! just seen Cno already mentioned GamuT and ART.

Mac

Hi Mac,

Having a more than average interest in the Devialet myself, I had a look at the speakers on the list so far, and on the GamuT website, there's no sign of the Phi 7 (up to Phi5 MkII, but no 7). On the ART site, I see a Alnico, a Neo and a Deco series, but not the model Cno and you mention. Could these two speakers be end of life already? Or are they rebranded?

Not sure tbh Doc, but still available through Jordan Acoustics in Scotland.

Mac

 

[lindsayt]

Matt, is there any chance of popping round to your house once you've got your system up and running? Looks like you're building a very interesting system.

 

[floyd droid]

I see a Alnico, a Neo and a Deco series, but not the model Cno and you mention. Could these two speakers be end of life already? Or are they rebranded?

Neither, lol.

Fresh out the shed.

 

[DocG]

I see a Alnico, a Neo and a Deco series, but not the model Cno and you mention. Could these two speakers be end of life already? Or are they rebranded?

Neither, lol.

Fresh out the shed.

Okelidokeli, floyd. Roger loud 'n clear!

 

[CnoEvil]

Here are some:

Floorstanders

Spendor ST

GamuT Phi 7

Art Prestige 8

Tannoy Prestige Glenair 10 or 15

Standmounts

Diapason Astera

GamuT M'inenT M3

 

[floyd droid]

My insider appears to have left the planet Doc , I've been trying to contact him. Will post up some details when I get them If you like. Dont hold your breath with ARTs website , these things take time

 

[audipheonix]

Usher Dancer Mini One Diamond DMD Floorstanders

Usher Be 718;Usher X718; Usher S520 : Bookshelfs

:dance: :bounce:

 

[DocG]

My insider appears to have left the planet Doc , I've been trying to contact him. Will post up some details when I get them If you like. Dont hold your breath with ARTs website , these things take time

Ooh, I first read that your insides had left the planet... Now that would have been a lot worse! :cheers:

 

[floyd droid]

Thats common knowledge Doc :cheers:

 

[Al ears]

The chappy that mentioned Usher speakers may indeed have a point.

Apart from the usual suspects you have already listed I would not spend your sort of money without trying to audition some of the American speakers (if you can find a pair then the Acoustic Zen's in my signature would be ideal) or even some of the German Audio Physic speakers, or again one of the the smaller Martin Logan panels might be ideal.

I should point out that I tend to match speakers to the room rather than an amp.

 

[DocG]

The chappy that mentioned Usher speakers may indeed have a point.

Apart from the usual suspects you have already listed I would not spend your sort of money without trying to audition some of the American speakers (if you can find a pair then the Acoustic Zen's in my signature would be ideal) or even some of the German Audio Physic speakers, or again one of the the smaller Martin Logan panels might be ideal.

I should point out that I tend to match speakers to the room rather than an amp.

+1 for trying panels, but Martin Logans are no good match. Several reports of Devialets shutting down when driving MLs; the Dev doesn't like the <1 Ohm load in their high freq range. That would make for a good reason to match speakers to the amp (and to the room too, of course)

 

[Macspur]

The chappy that mentioned Usher speakers may indeed have a point.

Apart from the usual suspects you have already listed I would not spend your sort of money without trying to audition some of the American speakers (if you can find a pair then the Acoustic Zen's in my signature would be ideal) or even some of the German Audio Physic speakers, or again one of the the smaller Martin Logan panels might be ideal.

I should point out that I tend to match speakers to the room rather than an amp.

Another good American speaker to try would be Mark&Daniels.

Mac

 

[Al ears]

The chappy that mentioned Usher speakers may indeed have a point.

Apart from the usual suspects you have already listed I would not spend your sort of money without trying to audition some of the American speakers (if you can find a pair then the Acoustic Zen's in my signature would be ideal) or even some of the German Audio Physic speakers, or again one of the the smaller Martin Logan panels might be ideal.

I should point out that I tend to match speakers to the room rather than an amp.

+1 for trying panels, but Martin Logans are no good match. Several reports of Devialets shutting down when driving MLs; the Dev doesn't like the <1 Ohm load in their high freq range. That would make for a good reason to match speakers to the amp (and to the room too, of course)

It is news to me that there is any problem with Devialet and ML panels but I bow to DocG's greater knowledge in this respect.