Speakers for Rega Brio R / RP6

[admin_exported]

Hi everyone

First post from me and I was hoping people could recommend some speakers for my new system! I picked up a rega brio r yesterday and alsi have an rp6 on order. The brio has already made a massive difference in sound to my current setup but I can hear my Cambridge audio speakers struggling to keep up.

I have a medium sized room and listen to the likes of Radiohead and massive attack. The recent what HiFi recommends the tannoy dc6 but I've also heard good things about the KEF LS50s.... an obvious price difference between the two so would be keen to know if people think it's worth the extra cash....

Any views much appreciated!

Nick

 

[Anonymous]

ps. I should have added that I am only looking for book shelf speakers...I'm not allowed floor standing ones... 😳

 

[stevebrock]

Neat Motive 3 - plenty of bass for a standmount but they need some space!

As for RS1 - the likes of Massive Attack & Orbital they hold up pretty well - very musically satisfying though with less bassy stuff!

Perfect with a Brio R

As for RS3 - When I move I will be getting a pair!

 

[chebby]

Have you considered (or tried) the obvious option of Rega's own RS1s? They really are very good at being bookshelf speakers with no 'fussiness' about positioning (even close to walls or on shelves/brackets).

They have a very musically satisfying sound (rather than a forensically detailed presentation) and have an excellent 'tone' (sorry, but I think it's about time that word came back into use) especially in the mid freqencies. Bass is respectable and holds it's own - within the obvious limitations of this size of speaker - compared to other similarly priced bookshelf speakers.

If you are going to use stands (and can afford to ask about LS50s) then try Rega RS3 compact floorstanders. They have a neater look and smaller 'footprint' than bookshelf speakers on - typically - ugly metal stands and have fuller bass.

 

[Anonymous]

Another thread for Brio R speakers... 😉

As stevebrock has said; the Motive 3's work very well indeed as do Regas own RS1s but they can be bass light at times

the KEF LS50s are very good indeed but if you do a search you'll find quite a few threads where people, myself included, found that the Brio R doesn't drive them to their fullest potential!

Another set of KEFs that you must include are the R100s; they go so fantastically well with the Brio R! They should be on anyone's demo list..

others that work well are the MA RX1s and the B&W 685s

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks guys and apologies if there are other threads about this subject already...I should have searched first...

All sound like good recommendations but I definitely cannot have floorstanders (unless I want to be single again...). So, on the audition list are:

- KEF LS50

- KEF R100

- Rega RS1

- Tannoy DC6

- B&W 685

I must admit if the RS1s do sound good I would prefer to get these and save the extra cash the LS50s would cost. When you say they are 'bass light' is it noticeable or would I still be happy given the size of the room I am listening in?

Thanks again

Nick

 

[Coll]

If you want bass look at MA RX2

 

[Anonymous]

I noticed the bass shyness of the Rega RS1s immediately with all the music I used (Massive Attack, Fischerspooner, Mount Kimbie, Metallica, Jethro Tull, Dean Martin etc...)

Go up to the RS3s and then you can hear what the RS1s are missing but then again they are floorstanders (all be it small).

Now move up to the KEF R100s and it all changes; for the better! A much more fuller and wider soundstage than the RS1s with deep, solid, punchy bass that's tight and not flabby/muddy. A midrange that is detailed and expressive and with highs that are crisp/clear with no harshness.

Both he MA RX1s and B&W 685s work very well indeed and they sit very well between the Rega RS1s and KEF R100s IMO but seeing as you should be able to get the KEF R100s for around £500 or very close to that price; they're worth going up to!

 

[Anonymous]

THanks guys

I've had a read of some of the other posts on this topic and it sounds like my front runners will be the RS1s, ls50s and r100s. I know it shouldn't matter but I do love the KEF designs. Depending on how they sound I think I may well end up being biased to one of these pairs...

Cannot wait for the RP6 to arrive and try it with some of these!

 

[radiorog]

Dynaudi dm6 / dm7. heard the dm6...very good...soon to audition with dm7's.

 

[empacher]

Of the bookshelf pairings I've actually heard and liked: Neat Motive 3 and Totem Rainmaker (and obviously I liked it with the Totem Model 1s). PSB Imagine B quite good as well.

I have heard nothing but good things about the Brio-R and Dynaudio Excite x12 but I've not listened.

If you were tempted to go to floorstanders, I think the Totem Arros would be worth a go.

 

[empacher]

and I wouldn't discount the LS50s until you listen to the combo.

 

[Anonymous]

Thought you may all like to know I have gone for the LS50s! I demoed the Rega RS1s and the KEF R100s but LS50s really stood out and had a lot more bass whilst also being equally as musical (and looking stunning!).

Next up on the savings list is a quality streamer. Like the Brio R I would need a slimline one to fit in the limited space I have. The only one I can see so far that does this is the Cyrus range. Does anyone have any experience with these?

 

[BigH]

I have just heard the RS1s with Rega cd, Brio and Rega DAC, I would say very disappointing, sounded closed-in, boomy and not very musical, after them tried the B&W CM1s which were somewhat better (more open/musical) but still a bit boomy.

 

[Hi-FiOutlaw]

I have just heard the RS1s with Rega cd, Brio and Rega DAC, I would say very disappointing, sounded closed-in, boomy and not very musical, after them tried the B&W CM1s which were somewhat better (more open/musical) but still a bit boomy.

i've state in this site several times that i don't like the Rega speakers that i've eard until know; RS1, 3 the 5's are in a different league that the 1's and 3, but for the price that Rega asks for their speakers i think you can find better ones!

I'm a BIG FAN of Rega just not in the speakers. But speakers it's not what puts this brand on the map, is it? 😉

Best REGArds

 

[stevebrock]

This is what its all about - Demo, Demo Demo

I would never call the RS1 boomy, you say the CM1 were boomy too - what listening environment was it?

You do know that the speakers won't sound the same when you get them set-up at home?

I learnt the hard way - I demoed RS1 at home - they sounded fantastic and so I purchased them! The Neat Motive 3 sounded to boomy at home so had to take them back!

Any decent hi fi dealer will let you take the demo speakers home to try - if they don't find a dealer who will allow this.

 

[Hi-FiOutlaw]

This is what its all about - Demo, Demo Demo

I would never call the RS1 boomy, you say the CM1 were boomy too - what listening environment was it?

You do know that the speakers won't sound the same when you get them set-up at home?

I learnt the hard way - I demoed RS1 at home - they sounded fantastic and so I purchased them! The Neat Motive 3 sounded to boomy at home so had to take them back!

Any decent hi fi dealer will let you take the demo speakers home to try - if they don't find a dealer who will allow this.

Spot ON!

Thats the main reason why the Dynaudios X12 are here! After demo half a dozen speakers when those babys step a foot in my home my wife said: this are the ones, and how could I not agree...

The ATC SCM11 were not demo in my home, maybe thats why i didn't bought them...

My System everyday pull out of me a BIG smile, and 10 kg of stress... Thats how much I love my System!

 

[BigH]

This is what its all about - Demo, Demo Demo

I would never call the RS1 boomy, you say the CM1 were boomy too - what listening environment was it?

You do know that the speakers won't sound the same when you get them set-up at home?

I learnt the hard way - I demoed RS1 at home - they sounded fantastic and so I purchased them! The Neat Motive 3 sounded to boomy at home so had to take them back!

Any decent hi fi dealer will let you take the demo speakers home to try - if they don't find a dealer who will allow this.

The demo was not ideal as their demo room was out of action due to a water leak, so it was set up in main part of store, room was about 12 feet across, so some boomest was maybe due to fairly close walls, this is one reason why I choose the RS1s to demo because they will be fairly close to a wall, but the demo was about 3 feet from a wall. The R1s just seemed boxed in, even turning the volumn did not seem to help much. The CM1s were better. As for boomy this is with intruments like double bass, as in Jazz or a lot of vocals seem to have on their albums, also Genesis Trick of the tail. The Rega amp did not seem to much power had to turn it upto about 11 o'clock to get a decent level, tried at at 12 o'clock and it sounded strained. The problem with dealers they don't carry that much stock, this one had no Kefs (said they are boomy and not detailed), no Neat, no Dynaudios.

 

[plastic penguin]

Hi everyone

First post from me and I was hoping people could recommend some speakers for my new system! I picked up a rega brio r yesterday and alsi have an rp6 on order. The brio has already made a massive difference in sound to my current setup but I can hear my Cambridge audio speakers struggling to keep up.

I have a medium sized room and listen to the likes of Radiohead and massive attack. The recent what HiFi recommends the tannoy dc6 but I've also heard good things about the KEF LS50s.... an obvious price difference between the two so would be keen to know if people think it's worth the extra cash....

Any views much appreciated!

Nick

Regardless of what anyone recommends (they are all worthy choices) you need to dem different speakers to see which ones sound the best to you.

 

[Anonymous]

I agree with all the contents about demoes. When I first heard the RP6 the dealer had them on with some e very high end speakers so I had that sound in mind when I went back. The RS1s were very nice and very musical but just not as powerful as I remembered the original sound. The R100s immediately sounded wider and had more bass but when the LS50s came on I smiled straight away and knew they were the ones!

The whole experience taught me that you have to have a listen first and it is a very subjective thing....

Finally the LS50s are great at home but best if you can give them space away from walls. Probably obvious but worth pointing out!

 

[stevebrock]

What speakers did you get in the end?

 

[Stuartyboy79]

Steve,

He went for the KEF LS50's 🙂