Speakers for Naim Nait XS

[martingo]

I am looking to buy new speakers for Naim Nait XS. My dealer has recommended me several options but on top of the list are ProAc (D18 or D28) and PMC twenty (23 or 24). Any feedback which ones will fit better Naim XS ? I am listening mainly rock music. And can XS drive D28 and twenty 24 or I should go for their smaller brothers ?

 

[plastic penguin]

Hi and welcome...

Certainly PMCs are traditionally good with Naim, likewise Neat and Spendor. You might want to consider Totems and add that to the list. Most recently I heard the XS with Dynaudio Contour S1.4. Sounded pretty impressive to me.

Above all else though, I'd suggest you dem a few different brands and decide which ones 'float your boat'.

 

[martingo]

Thanks. I will also have a look on those one ckeck (normally I prefer floor speakers vs bookshelf ones). And for the XS - can it drive the bigger D28 or twenty 24 ?

 

[Helmut80]

I think you could probably get away with driving D28s/OB1is with the XS. having said that, and I have recently become a convert, I think it makes more sense to go the range below and spend the etra cash (if there is any) on better amplification. IMO, the 1600-2500 speaker range can almost always be improved significantly with better amplification. Drive the D18 with 4k well-matched amplifiers and they'll probably sound as good or better than the D28s with the XS. It all really depends on what you want from your system, how much of an 'upgrade jjunkie' you are and whether you generally have the funds to significantly improve both at the same time.

 

[True Blue]

TBH I would go for PMC GB1i's can be had at a great price due to the new 23's coming out and sound splendid

 

[Frank Harvey]

What you don't want to do is end up with the XS struggling with whatever speakers you choose, otherwise you'll not be hearing the natural qualities of the amp or speaker. If you want to look at £2-3k speakers, make sure you pick something that's a relatively easy load, which in this case would be the PMC's. From ProAc's range, the 140.2's will be fine, but I'd be 50/50 about recommending the D18's. They are fairly easy to drive, but need an amp that has good bass control and that's not going to get edgy when pushed. Any amplifier will exhibit these unwanted issues when married with a speaker that's going to demand too much of it.

Alternatives would be the Monitor Audio GX200's, KEF R700 or R900, but I think you'd be fine with the PMC Twenty models.

 

[iceman16]

I have heard the PMC twenty.23 with Naim xs,cd5xs and ndac last week at my local dealer and they sound amazing. I can't believe that they can produce huge sound with plenty of detail and excellent soundstage. Another temptation for me>)

 

[MUSICRAFT]

I am looking to buy new speakers for Naim Nait XS. My dealer has recommended me several options but on top of the list are ProAc (D18 or D28) and PMC twenty (23 or 24). Any feedback which ones will fit better Naim XS ? I am listening mainly rock music. And can XS drive D28 and twenty 24 or I should go for their smaller brothers ?

Hi martingo

ATC's superb SCM40 monitors are also worth considering 🙂

Btw, what source component/s, speakers and cabling are you using?

The size of your room?

Is the room lightly or heavily furnished?

Room positioning of the new speakers (distance to walls, corners, will there be anything between the speakers such as a chimney breast, cabinet, windows etc.)?

Distance between the speakers?

Listening distance?

Your general listening level?

With a change of speakers what kind of presentation are you looking for the system to reproduce?

All the best

Rick @ Musicraft

 

[martingo]

What you don't want to do is end up with the XS struggling with whatever speakers you choose, otherwise you'll not be hearing the natural qualities of the amp or speaker. If you want to look at £2-3k speakers, make sure you pick something that's a relatively easy load, which in this case would be the PMC's. From ProAc's range, the 140.2's will be fine, but I'd be 50/50 about recommending the D18's. They are fairly easy to drive, but need an amp that has good bass control and that's not going to get edgy when pushed. Any amplifier will exhibit these unwanted issues when married with a speaker that's going to demand too much of it.

Alternatives would be the Monitor Audio GX200's, KEF R700 or R900, but I think you'd be fine with the PMC Twenty models.

Thanks for the advice. For PMC's - can XS drive both ( 23 and 24) or I should go for the smaller twenty 23 ?

 

[martingo]

I am looking to buy new speakers for Naim Nait XS. My dealer has recommended me several options but on top of the list are ProAc (D18 or D28) and PMC twenty (23 or 24). Any feedback which ones will fit better Naim XS ? I am listening mainly rock music. And can XS drive D28 and twenty 24 or I should go for their smaller brothers ?

Hi martingo

ATC's superb SCM40 monitors are also worth considering 🙂

Btw, what source component/s, speakers and cabling are you using?

The size of your room?

Is the room lightly or heavily furnished?

Room positioning of the new speakers (distance to walls, corners, will there be anything between the speakers such as a chimney breast, cabinet, windows etc.)?

Distance between the speakers?

Listening distance?

Your general listening level?

With a change of speakers what kind of presentation are you looking for the system to reproduce?

All the best

Rick @ Musicraft

ATC's were also in my list but I was advised that they need more powerful amp then XS ( including the SCM 40 ) ?

For my room - I can say it is relatively large ( 10 m x 7 m) and it is lightly furnished. Not so easy to explain the positioning of the two speakers - no limitation for one of them ( can have enought space around it) but the second one will be in a kind of a corner, surrounded by a window, wall and a cabinet => only the frontside will have full expose to the listening position). The distance between the two speakers will be around 6 m and lsitening distance will be the same ( around 5-6 m).

I am looking for natural sound, no boomy and edgy effect at high volumes, a lot of details even at low and mid volumes which is my general level of listening.

 

[Frank Harvey]

Thanks for the advice. For PMC's - can XS drive both ( 23 and 24) or I should go for the smaller twenty 23 ?

An XS will drive them, and it'll do a better job with the 23 and 24 than many speakers in this sort of price rangeas they're a relatively easy load. Given your room size, I think the XS and 24's will fill it pretty well. The 23's won't be man enough for that size room.

ATC's were also in my list but I was advised that they need more powerful amp then XS ( including the SCM 40 ) ?

It can drive them, but far from the capabilities of the SCM40, especially in a room your size. Obviously they would've been desinged using their own amplification, which as you may be aware is never less than 150wpc.

 

[martingo]

Thanks a lot. I will make my best to listen to the XS + twenty 24 during the weekend.

 

[tyranniux42]

Try the ovator s400's and see what you think. Fabulous combo in my opinion😉