Style speaker package upgrade? Best choice?

[admin_exported]

My current audio setup consists of the Yamaha RX-V1800 receiver and the B&W MT-20 speaker package. I want to upgrade the speakers and I can't go with full sized speakers so another small speaker package is the only option. Which would you prefer from the following choices:

1. Just upgrading the woofer from the AS2 to the PV1 (MT-30 package)

2. Getting the KEF KHT3005SE speaker package

3. Getting the Monitor Audio R90HD10 speaker package

 

[Andy Clough]

I'd be tempted to upgrade your existing MT-20 package with the PV1, which is a superb sub.

 

[Deleted member 2457]

Personally I would upgrade to the PV1 and possibly add two more M1's and have a 7.1 system if possible?

 

[Anonymous]

2 more questions:

Would the PV1 be okay in a small/medium sized room (4mx3,5m)?

Is the Yamaha 1800 a good match to these speakers?

 

[Deleted member 2457]

Yep, it would be fine,

The yamaha yes it is a fantastic match, if you wanted something a bit diiffernet, you could try a pioneer amp from the 52 to the 72 are fantastic matches as well, so is the sony 5200es amp.

 

[Anonymous]

I too would be tempted to change the sub as it looks to be the upgrade the most impact, regarding the amp it up to the task, as all the bass work will be done by the sub.

 

[Anonymous]

I also want to change my speaker cable which at the moment is the QED Original. It's too thick for these speakers and futureshop.co.uk has suggested the QED Silver Micro? Any opinions?

 

[Deleted member 2457]

pppp1:I also want to change my speaker cable which at the moment is the QED Original. It's too thick for these speakers and futureshop.co.uk has suggested the QED Silver Micro? Any opinions?

I had them with QED silver micro and it was very good.

 

[Anonymous]

how thick will that be........?

 

[Anonymous]

Excluding the subwoofer what's the best satellite from the 3 choices?

 

[ear]

id choose the 3005, I always like kef better than B&W, well especially with the new treble tangerine waveguide.

 

[Anonymous]

Some people really like the monitor audio satellites better than the kef. This is really a hard choice.

 

[v1c]

With the options you have given getting a PV1 sub is an upgrade. if you go with the Kef or the MA systems you have said then you will be buying a different make at the same level as you already have. The Kef or MA systems would only seem like an upgrade if you prefer the sound they make which of course is completely subjective.

 

[lobby]

Well upgrading the sub is the favourite choice, but it does cost a lot and will bring the rest of the system together. At around £700 you may consider selling your MT 20's and going for the Kefs but an alternative to the Kefs, even though their discontinued is the Tannoy Arena-lites to me they sounded better then the Kefs. Wider soundstage, crisp speech and better with music a good sub comes in the package, which can also be upgraded and money saved could go towards improving your amp. At £399 without grilles and stands is a good price, but they cost a fair bit taking the price to around £599. Also if your looking at small style speakers Anthony Gallo do a range but their very expensive for the top end but they look fab.

http://www.richersounds.com/productlistmanu/SPEAKERPACKAGES/TANN/1

 

[Anonymous]

So from the comments here i understand that the subwoofer makes a huge difference in the overall quality of the system right? Will the difference between the MT-20 and MT-30 be night and day? I find it difficult to understand how the KEF KHT3005SE and Monitor Audio R90HD10 are far superior to the MT-20 but if you take the AS2 sub out and replace it with the PV1 then that becomes the far superior system? Know what I mean?

 

[bigboss]

pppp1:So from the comments here i understand that the subwoofer makes a huge difference in the overall quality of the system right? Will the difference between the MT-20 and MT-30 be night and day? I find it difficult to understand how the KEF KHT3005SE and Monitor Audio R90HD10 are far superior to the MT-20 but if you take the AS2 sub out and replace it with the PV1 then that becomes the far superior system? Know what I mean?

When I was auditioning different systems, my dealer told me that if you go for the biggest, blackest & ugliest subwoofer, you can get away with murder!

What he meant was, if you go for a superb subwoofer, the overall system sounds much superior than upgrading the speakers.

Amongst your options, I would recommend the MA R90HD setup, but with the RSW12 subwoofer (which, incidentally, is cheaper than the R370HD sub!). They sounded a lot better to me, when I compared them to the KEF 3005s & the B&W MTs, especially with music. Of course, just upgrading your sub make make a significant difference.

 

[v1c]

MT-20 £975 ish , KEF3005SE £895 ish , MA R90HD10 £1275 ish . MA should/could be considered an upgrade. However an MT-20 with a PV1 is an MT-30 which is £1575 ish. This would make the PV1 the prime candidate for upgrade.

 

[Alantiggger]

Have a look at the Tannoy Arena series (with stands)

 

[Anonymous]

The PV-1 must be a worthy upgrade or at least worth a demo. Look how many times it has won the best sub award. Also just how it looks must make it a front runner. Not that I can afford/justify with Mrs. NSY/accomodate a spherical object that isn't for kicking, with a 2 year old lad in the house.

 

[Anonymous]

i am also thinking of buying a style speaker package and i am unable to decide between b&w Mt25 and cabasse eole.unable to do side by side comparison.any experiences with both?

 

[Anonymous]

Some people have suggested that a BK sub like the XXLS400 might be a far better option than the PV1? Any thoughts?

 

[Anonymous]

No one? I've been told on other forums that the XXLS400 is much better than the PV1. At less than half the price it's a bargain right?

 

[lobby]

I f i was looking for a new sub and want plenty of bass, then i would definetly consider a BK or MA. The PV1 is a great sub but at £700, it's about half the price of the full MT 30 package, so you paying for the style it offers, likewise when the Kef 3005se was introduced the sub cost over £400. Ive got the Quad-lites and my sub retails about £550 with the rest of the speaker package making it £1000, i wouldn't pay that for the sub alone, but it does tie it altogether.I payed £450 for the complete package, real bargain and can add some Quad floorstanders and a new centre and acheive the next level up or a 7.1. I would try and audition the Kefs and see what you think of them, if you like them sell your MT 30's or try the PV1 with your MT 30's, the BK subs are monsters and definetly will catch the eye, hard to hide and are the size of a good coffee table, but offer fantastic value for money and would take a £1000 price from a leading company yo better it.

 

[kinda]

In my opinion from demoing the KEF 3005SE satellites are better than the MT-30 satellites. They seemed to give a bit more clarity and definitely a better top end. 5005s were even better, adding more detail. Never heard the MAs.

The sub is important. The KEFs were pretty poor with music, but in a second demo substituting the PV1 in it improved things a lot.

However, all round the Tannoy Arena was much better than anything else I demod, for films and music. A couple of people have mentioned it, but if you're up for a full change and want to stick with style speakers I'd have a serious look. It's an MT-30 beater that used to be the same price with stands and can now be had for a fraction of that cost.

I think definitely there are better value subs than the PV1, but you'd have to make sure that they fitted in a sub / sat system. They need to do enough higher up the frequency scale to support the satellites. With some of the subs you pay a lot for the styling.

I thought the 300W arena, (not arena lite), sub performed as well as the PV1 and I think was about £300 on its own. And I've heard it said the arena sub is similar performance to a BK XLS300, which I think is about £200 or so.

Hopefully this gives a bit of help, but I'd be interested to know what do you not like currently about your speakers / system?

 

[Hems]

I intially bought the 3005SE's and thought it was great. I've recently upgraded my sub to the PV1 and think it sounds pretty awesome considering the other equipment I have!