Speakers next...

[SteveR750]

Am only intersted in buying some used speakers, so demos and listening are not possible, and since they will be used I can always sell on...

So, I have found some interesting boxes trawling the net, and three in particular grab my attention

Spendor A6 I pretty much know what to expect, and am really tempted. But, I've been holding back, spoken to seller a few times. Much as I like my S6es, and know that I don't want a "rock party" like the MA GX300 which is a subtle as a brick in the face. Yours for £1500

Spendor SA1 - read many things about these allegedly magical little marvels. My lounge is quite small, and the spens set up all kinds of floor / wall / furniture resonances that colour the bass (around 100-120khz I'd guess), but would I miss the thump that only a florstander brings. Cheaper though at just under a grand

ProAc Studio 140s ex dem from a dealer so burnt in, and with a warranty. I seem to recall someone suggesting these to me a couple of years ago, and never got to listen to them (no local stockists), but described as more up beat and and lively than the s6e.

ProAc Response 1.5 - know nothing about them....

Some nice looking dynaudio contour s3.4 at £2.5k though out of my budegt (and probably beyond the M2 as well)

I very nearly did a joelsim and hit the BIN button after a couple of glasses of red.

 

[John Duncan]

I preferred the DB1is to the SA1s, which might be a nice balance between too much bass and not enough? Hear first obv.

EDIT - but if OB1s are an option...hoo CHA.

 

[SteveR750]

Missed out PMC OB1 (not the "i" though)....

(NB what has happened to the edit post function. It's as intermittent nd predictable as the start facility of my alfasud....

 

[John Duncan]

(NB what has happened to the edit post function. It's as intermittent nd predictable as the start facility of my alfasud....

Doesn't work on first post. Dunno why, and don't work there any more so not about to find out...

 

[CnoEvil]

Are you sure you aren't changing, just for the sake of it.

If you have to, probably the Proacs...it'll feel more like a change (and keep the smooth tone).

 

[SteveR750]

Are you sure you aren't changing, just for the sake of it.

If you have to, probably the Proacs...it'll feel more like a change (and keep the smooth tone).

Oh absolutely! But you never know. I bought the spens unheard and really liked them from the off....

Doesn't work on first post. Dunno why, and don't work there any more so not about to find out...

Missed that while I was away. Where did you go - an audiophile mag or summat else?

The Dacmagic plus is really rather good BTW, I think you would like it, though I think the new little one looks a brilliant little piece of kit, I bet it flies off the shelves.

 

[FennerMachine]

If money is not a massive issue try them all!

Buy one set, try them.

Sell which every speakers are inferior.

Repeat until you are happy.

A relative of mine kept two pairs of speakers as they sounded different.

1 pair for 6 months, the other pair for six months.

Nice!

 

[SteveR750]

I have narrowed this down to a couple of ProAcs and PMC. I can't go and lsitren to all of them, only one of the sellers has offered a home demo anyway (his/her home not mine of course), so am after so guidance to the relative merits, given my reference ofthe spendors:

- PMC GB1i (there are another pair of OB1 but at nearly £2k beyond my budget)

- ProAc D18

- ProAc studio 140 Mk2

The latter are a retailer ex emo and look like they have been left in the sun - there is an obvious lighter shade outline from the grilles, unless this is normal for ProAc? I've only noticed this on one other pair of studio 125s.

The advantage of the PMCs are lowish price and some warranty left.

I knowe that the studio 140s are quite different from the spendors, and I don't want to go too far towards a rockin' party speaker, but my preference is for a punchy sound as I listen predominantly to blues and rock, but als a significant amount of simple vocals / acoustic.

 

[CnoEvil]

If it was me (and it isn't), coming from S6e, and matching with CA + M2, I would go for the D18s, followed by the 140s.

 

[SteveR750]

If it was me (and it isn't), coming from S6e, and matching with CA + M2, I would go for the D18s, followed by the 140s.

am interested why?

I have a fairly good idea of te difference between the Proac models, but am worried the D18s might still be too soft.

 

[SteveR750]

OOh, how about a pair of totem forests for £950 + my spendors....

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/270889089430?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649#ht_500wt_1203

 

[CnoEvil]

If it was me (and it isn't), coming from S6e, and matching with CA + M2, I would go for the D18s, followed by the 140s.

am interested why?

I have a fairly good idea of te difference between the Proac models, but am worried the D18s might still be too soft.

Here is my mixture of dodgy logic and personal preference:

- You are coming from the S6e, which are a little on the warm and cozy side.

- The M2 gives a big and bold presentation, which would (for my taste) work beautifully with the eminently musical D18. IMO The slight softness would be more than offset by the strong character of the amp.

- I would place the refined yet detailed musicality of the D18, above the more playful nature of the 140s (with your amp). This is so personal, that it shouldn't effect your decision.

Maybe others living with one of these combinations could give greater insight....from memory Shanka has M2 + 140s, and may have also listened to the D18s

 

[Frank Harvey]

If you don't find the S6e soft, you won't find the D18's soft. The D18's are sweeter sounding, and a tad livelier too.

 

[jaxwired]

Obviously I'm biased (aren't we all), but I vote for the PMC GB1i.

 

[SteveR750]

The S6e is too soft, has some very nice attributes, but it is lacking in get up and go. I had hoped the m2 would help balance it better, and it does, but it's still too polite. Even tinkering with the EQ in J River doesn't fix it. What I do like though is the detailed box-free midrange. I read a review and it's sop tru that with soem tracks you can be misled into thinking that this speaker has no bottome end, but then play a track with decent bass, and you realise it has a very extended bass for its' size - a good indication of how uncoloured the mid is.

Jax - how would you decribe the GB1 in comparison?

Anyone got a view on the Totem or Living Voice?

 

[CnoEvil]

Anyone got a view on the Totem or Living Voice?

I can't comment on Living Voice, but I would find M2 + Totem, fun for 10 minutes and a bit fatiguing after that....but I find all, but a few SS amps, a bit wearing unless paired with smoother sounding speakers. This you must allow for, when reading my advice.

When you have a very "easy on the ear" speaker, it is very tempting to get something that will inject some excitement into the proceedings. This can easily come with too big a penalty, that only reveals itself over a period of time.

I think the S6e may well need a little extra life for certain types of music, but you (imo) don't want to lose the characteristics that drew you to it in the first place.....that little voice whispering in your ear, urging you to change/improve/upgrade, can lead you (expensively) astray, if not careful.

 

[altruistic.lemon]

Agree with cno about the Totems, they can be a bit shouty. Why not Harbeth as an option?

 

[Anonymous]

I Think you'd like Harbeth, they'll have many of the familiar Spendor traits but a much more detailed and involving sound, they do not sound like the tiny boxes they are.

 

[SteveR750]

Here's another one to throw into the mix, had a brief look / listen to KEF R500 on the basis they had many characteristics of the reference 205/2 s. Not heard the latter, but the brief noises I heard through the door (someone else was demoing them) were pretty impressive. They were using a Nait XS, so not a trillion miles from the Roksan.

I'm going to try to demo a pair of 140 MKII, D18 and the R500. Not sure about the GB1i, I have read its a bit closed in, not as open and detailed midrange. The beauty of used is the possible thrill of a bargain, the R500 would have be bought new which is above my budget slightly.

 

[CnoEvil]

I own the 205/2 and have heard the R700, so I have some insight into what you will hear.

The R500 will give a very open, revealing and detailed sound with good bass, without being bright...but it will be VERY different to Proac/Spendor.

Since you will be buying new, it should be possible to try them in store, and then take them home for further investigation if necessary.

Purely from my own perspective, I would match the Proacs with your amp, and prefer the Kefs with smoother amps (eg. Arcam) or Class A.

They are superb speakers and certainly worth finding out for yourself, if you like the synergy with the Roksan.

 

[CnoEvil]

Are you sure you aren't changing, just for the sake of it.

I've just come across some old info, from the time I was looking into possibly buying some S6E from Sevenoaks (selling them off with 33% off).
At full price I think they were an £1800 speaker, with a frequency response of 48 Hz - 20Khz
(36 Hz at -6db)...this was probably at the back of my mind when I made the comment.

 

[SteveR750]

I'm about to move house which with the asscoiated costs means that used is the only way, plus there is sme fun in just trying stuff almost as an extended home demo. I was looking at a par of Kudos Cardea C2, but just another £2k britspeakerhandmade blah blah. Maybe I shold just get some RX6s after all....

 

[SteveR750]

I Think you'd like Harbeth, they'll have many of the familiar Spendor traits but a much more detailed and involving sound, they do not sound like the tiny boxes they are.

I have to have floorstanders, they look *right* and there is no substitute for low Hz.

 

[SteveR750]

Obviously I'm biased (aren't we all), but I vote for the PMC GB1i.

Looking back at some old threads, didn't you have a poair of A6s prior to the OB1s? What made you change?

I'm trying to sort out a home demo of some from a local retailer, but sadly Cardiff only appears to have one dealer and they have a paucity of models to demo, nothing from ProAc sadly.