Question Suggestions for foundational parts of a longer term vinyl setup

[The_Lecht_Rocks]

You are in for a treat with the N50
I do suspect however the LS50 will be a bit tricky to drive. Let me know…
I’m looking at AlChris TX1s as replacement for my Dali.

 

[RTHerringbone]

You are in for a treat with the N50
I do suspect however the LS50 will be a bit tricky to drive. Let me know…
I’m looking at AlChris TX1s as replacement for my Dali.

Yeah, I'll see what pans out and figure out some options. They are actually bundled by some retailers so I'd like to think that means they must pair to an extent, but I do think that regardless of what tomorrow brings, I'll look for a more natural match.

Historically Neat, ProAc and I think PMC have been good partners for Naim kit and Audio T stock all of those (as well as the NAIT 50), so all are a short jaunt away for an audition. Luckily the Nait is nice and compact so I can take it with me if needed.

The Alchris stuff is interesting but I can't see how he makes that business viable? One guy seemingly doing it all himself and then still selling things at an affordable price? As a one-man-band, I'd have some concerns about the longevity of post-sales service.

 

[The_Lecht_Rocks]

I'd not worry; he has been crafting speakers for 50 years or so.

 

[RTHerringbone]

My local Audio T have proposed that I might like to listen to an ex-demo pair of PMC twenty5 21i speakers with "a few very minor marks on the sides but barely noticeable". I do get a bit twitchy about that sort of thing, but they're offering over £1,000 off the RRP. They're going to send me photos of the worst damage so I can give it some thought.

They do have the Neat Petite Classics (only in Black or White, not the sexier (more pricey) wood finishes) so I'll see if they'd play ball with a sensible trade-in offer. I'm already testing the water on Gumtree to see what interest there is, in case the trade-in price stinks. This stuff is always fun

 

[nopiano]

My local Audio T have proposed that I might like to listen to an ex-demo pair of PMC twenty5 21i speakers with "a few very minor marks on the sides but barely noticeable". I do get a bit twitchy about that sort of thing, but they're offering over £1,000 off the RRP. They're going to send me photos of the worst damage so I can give it some thought.

They do have the Neat Petite Classics (only in Black or White, not the sexier (more pricey) wood finishes) so I'll see if they'd play ball with a sensible trade-in offer. I'm already testing the water on Gumtree to see what interest there is, in case the trade-in price stinks. This stuff is always fun

The twenty5 series is discontinued and they’ll be trying to get shot of them. Imo they’re not any easier load than your KEFs but they do seem to be popular with Naim, as do Neats. They’ll sound a bit ‘boom and tizz’ after the neutral KEFs.

PT service is very good ime. I bought a fancy coffee machine from them, and had a query which I emailed at about 8pm, thinking I might hear back the following day. But, no, by 10pm I had a response, which was way beyond my expectations.

Full price margins are good on Hifi, but they’ve nevertheless been exceptionally generous with your case. I wonder if it’s a known issue?

I’m sure you’ll enjoy the new amp. 🙂

 

[RTHerringbone]

The twenty5 series is discontinued and they’ll be trying to get shot of them. Imo they’re not any easier load than your KEFs but they do seem to be popular with Naim, as do Neats. They’ll sound a bit ‘boom and tizz’ after the neutral KEFs.

Ah - handy info and potentially some price leverage too if I don't like the look of the damage, but do like the sound of them. I have just received some photos (below) which do appear to show that the knocks really are only minor - certainly nothing that would affect performance. First photo is a general shot, the second has an indent on the side and a nick near the front and the third shows a bit of a scratch near the bottom.

They do seem rather keen to offload them - they guy has offered to drive them here for a home loan and to collect my KEFs if I like the PMCs and the trade-in price is OK.

I must confess to having zero comprehension of how at a spec matching level you can figure out what amps can drive what speakers. On the face of it, the sensitivity and recommended amp power of the Petite Classics and those PMCs appear very similar 🤷‍♂️

 

[nopiano]

If you don’t mind black satin finish, then the newer but less expensive Prodigy series sounded very nice when I heard them. RRP around £1250 a pair, plus stands, for the Prophecy 1.

https://pmc-speakers.com/home-audio/prodigy/prodigy1/

Maybe they’d demo you those too. Not so luxurious looking but good ingredients!

 

[The_Lecht_Rocks]

Petites on the end of the N50 a nice match..
The PMCs 21i no better than TX1s in my opinion and the TX1s only £1250 new.
The TX1s will be more energetic than the Petites which may or may not be to one’s taste !
The N50 specs don’t really tell the full story though….
It’s an output current monster. I’m gonna give my TX9s a test with it this weekend. They’re very efficient and easy to drive….. Could prove expensive hahaha…

 

[The_Lecht_Rocks]

If you don’t mind black satin finish, then the newer but less expensive Prodigy series sounded very nice when I heard them. RRP around £1250 a pair, plus stands, for the Prophecy 1.

https://pmc-speakers.com/home-audio/prodigy/prodigy1/

Maybe they’d demo you those too. Not so luxurious looking but good ingredients!

Prodigy or Prophecy…….? I do wonder other than finish how the Prophecy differs in real world listening to the Prodigy….
My Prodigy 5 sounded as good as if not better than the 23i’s….. And better than some new Kudos CARDEA 20As back to back ! The 20A blew my ears off with sibilance!

 

[The_Lecht_Rocks]

Hifi….So subjective!

 

[RTHerringbone]

If you don’t mind black satin finish, then the newer but less expensive Prodigy series sounded very nice when I heard them. RRP around £1250 a pair, plus stands, for the Prophecy 1.

https://pmc-speakers.com/home-audio/prodigy/prodigy1/

Maybe they’d demo you those too. Not so luxurious looking but good ingredients!

I actually had a look at those when I was in the store to pick up the Planar 3 RS and to be honest I was totally put off by the look of them. Not just the finish but the overall aesthetic is just functional with zero pizzaz. I know the sound in the most important factor, but I want a bit of visual panache as well!

As you say, I could demo these too as they definitely had them in store.