Speakers to partner Naim kit

[AJ]

Hi

Some time ago, I upgraded most of my hifi, purchasing the Naim Nait 5Si amp and Naim CD5Si. Whilst I love the improvement that they have delivered over my old Marantz kit, they have exposed the relative weakness of my trusty 15 year old Kef Q35.2 floorstanders. I’m interested in spending around £800 to upgrade (or £1000 including stands), and I’m not precious about having floorstanders. I listen to classical, opera and jazz. I’m more interested in clarity and an un-cluttered sound, than thumping bass. I’m keen to narrow the field before I sound test a few. Have you got any suggestions?

Many thanks for your help.

 

[Verity Burns]

Hi AJ,

There are a few you could try to help bring out the best in your Naim kit. We likethe KEF LS50s, and know a lot of people here on the forum agree. They come in bang on budget at £800 + stands, or you could come in under budget with the excellent B&W 685 S2 (£500 + stands).

If you want to consider a pair of floorstanders, the B&W 683 S2 fall just outside your budget at £1150 but are certainly worth an audition.

Finally, if you can save a bit longer and really stretch your budget, it might be worth having a listen to the Neat Motive SX2 (£1395). Our technical editor tells me they were developed using Naim kit so they would be a perfect match.

Hope that helps.

 

[macdiddy]

Hi AJ

If you can up your budget, may I reconmend you try to demo speakers from Focal and Kudos as well as the Neat's mentioned above.

Both of these company's speakers work very well with Naim kit.

I have personally heard your equipment demoed with a pair of Focal 900 series floorstanders as a local hifi show earlier in the year and the sound quality was excellent.

Hope this gives you some ideas.

*music2*

 

[rainsoothe]

hi. Both of the above posts are pretty much spot on. You can also try the Focal Aria 906 standmounts if you don't require floorstanders. And, if they fall in your price range, you could also give Martin Logan Motion 15 (or 35XT) a go.

 

[brandmartyr]

Hi,

I think Rega speakers make a great pairing with Naim amps. I have a pair of RS3s with a Nait amp. You could perhaps audition both the RS3s or slightly larger RS5s too?

Enjoy

m

 

[BigH]

Neats are often recommended on the Naim forum. I think the Kef LS50s could work. ALso I heard Totems being recommended instead of Neats esp. if you like a bit volume.

 

[Native_bon]

Neats are often recommended on the Naim forum. I think the Kef LS50s could work. ALso I heard Totems being recommended instead of Neats esp. if you like a bit volume.

yeap.. listened to Naim with the Neat SX1's. Very good match. The sound was very opened yet relaxed. *yes3* If that is what your looking.

 

[Al ears]

If you want to save a bit of money I would not rule out trying to audition the Acoustic Energy AE 103's with your kit.

 

[plastic penguin]

Naim amplification, IMHO, can be fatiguing if partnered incorrectly. Personally I would avoid speakers with hard synthetic tweeters, although Neat always gets mentioned with Naim.

Surprised no-one has mentioned PMCs. A little over budget for the newer Twenty series, but well worth a listen. Or save youself some money and buy these. Heard these 'i' series so many times with Naim (Nait 5i and XS), and the sound is stunning. Also well worth a listen is Dynaudio Excite range - have heard the XS with Dynaudio Contour S1.4 and that is one of my favourite midrange systems.

 

[ErwinC]

Surprised no-one has mentioned PMCs. A little over budget for the newer Twenty series, but well worth a listen.

I can confirm that the Naim UnitiLite sounds fantastic in combination with the PMC Twenty.21. *dance4*

 

[iancass]

Are they not over budget (PMC 21)! LS50's could work & within budget.

 

[tonky]

Love to hear that that combination Erwin - whereabouts in the country are you? I have heard the Unitilite demoed with Kef R300 - sounded great. I like the sound with my own epos es 14 speakers. Be interesting to hear of other successful combinations.

cheers tonky

 

[ErwinC]

Love to hear that that combination Erwin - whereabouts in the country are you?

I llive in Belgium.

 

[tonky]

Doooooooooh! I don't really - cheers anyway - good listening - enjoy your great system.

tonky

 

[NSA_watch_my_toilet]

Hello, PMC was already mentionned very neutral, but I can only speak for the fact8 and 12. Don't know exactly how the twenty series would be.

Another hot advice would be to look closer to Xavian. I sold my XN270 to a jazz and classical addict and he loves them. Very close to what a neutral speaker should be, but with a superb organic touch. For this, it was better that my actual fact8 speakers and competed with some good ATC scm50's and other wilson audio stuff. Generally the 270 are really cheap on the used market because nobody know really what they are.

 

[shep1968]

hi AJ. I already have the kit you have and after listening to various speakers including many mentioned here i went for the Kudos X2. Preferred these to the similar neats. After several months of listening im v happy with my decision. Bass is from the lower port so no placement issues and they easily fill my room. You can possibly find a pair at creative audio that may be cheaper than you think

 

[Jota180]

I have the KEF LS50 on the end of a Naim NAP 100 and that's fine at normal listening levels in my room. If I was looking to listen at party volumes I'd have chosen different speakers and a different amp. The clarity of these speakers really blew me away. They're sensational with voices and 'proper' instruments. They do need a nice, solid pair of stands and a bit of space from the rear wall.

 

[empacher]

I have Harbeth P3ESRs with my supernait and it is a fantastic combination. I bet they would work great with the 5 as well.