Upgrade from Dynaudio Excite x12??? ATC, PMC, Focus 160???

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peterpan

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[/quote]

Or a MF M6i?

[/quote]

If that's what floats your boat. Personally I'd rather eat my own toenails.

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PP; why do you find the MF M6i (and m3i) so bad? I havent't heard it, but read good things about this amp. Why i'am looking at a better amp for my Dynaudio Focus 260 and don't like bright sound with my music (metal,rock, pop) i thought this amp maybe a good choice. Other amps i'am looking are Roksan Caspian (looks very ugly) and Naim (but maybe too shrill)
 

CnoEvil

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peterpan said:
PP; why do you find the MF M6i (and m3i) so bad? I havent't heard it, but read good things about this amp. Why i'am looking at a better amp for my Dynaudio Focus 260 and don't like bright sound with my music (metal,rock, pop) i thought this amp maybe a good choice. Other amps i'am looking are Roksan Caspian (looks very ugly) and Naim (but maybe too shrill)

A read of this thread may answer your question: http://www.whathifi.com/forum/hi-fi/naim-or-musical-fidelity-0
 

Or a MF M6i?

[/quote]

If that's what floats your boat. Personally I'd rather eat my own toenails.

[/quote]

PP; why do you find the MF M6i (and m3i) so bad? I havent't heard it, but read good things about this amp. Why i'am looking at a better amp for my Dynaudio Focus 260 and don't like bright sound with my music (metal,rock, pop) i thought this amp maybe a good choice. Other amps i'am looking are Roksan Caspian (looks very ugly) and Naim (but maybe too shrill)

[/quote]

I don't - my past experience with MF has left a (negative) scar.

Fully understand you like a warm sound, but if veer too far into the warm sector it kills the presentation, and thus enjoyment. You need light with dark, so to speak, not dark with dark. By the same token, I couldn't handle light with light. The trick is to find the right balance.

Don't confuse a lively presentation with bright or harsh. How that balance is found is really down to budget and taste: When I had the RS6s with the Leema the whole thing was balanced by all my sources.
 

peterpan

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Okay PP. I understand. I will try the MF, Naim (Xs2) and Roksan with my focus 260. With my music on paper the naim must be a good choice. Christmas is coming and i hope i can try these amps.
 

earlxtr

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OMG, What a shock!!!

Today I auditioned the PMC Twenty 24 speakers in a dealers audio room and had quite an unexpected result.

Just to step back for a moment, my system consists of a Metrum Octive DAC, feeding my HK 990 as the preamp (Soon to be Benchmark DAC2 HGC), into a Bryston 3B SST2, and using Dynaudio Excite X12 speakers.

I burned a sample of my favorite music to a CD so I was well prepared to hear music I was very familiar with. I started with 'God blessed the broken road' by Selah. This song Is fairly well rounded with great vocals, both male and female, along with acoustic guitar, drums and piano. The track sounded good, very good in fact. The surprising thing was it sounded just like my system at home!!!

I thought that maybe if I pick a track that is more focused on the things I really care about that it might will highlight some differences. With that in mind, my next track was Audrey Assad 'Show Me' which has only her voice and piano. Again it was absolutely heavenly but not unlike what I was used to from my humble X12's costing one fifth the price.

I finally turned to my host and sheepishly told him I could not tell the difference between his system and mine. Even the sonic signature was nearly identical.

When I switched my power amp from from the HK990 to the Bryston, there was a very significant difference in the type of sound and the quality of the sound. I was expecting something similar in this case as well but that did not materialize. Perhaps if I listened to the PMC's for a while and the switched back I would notice more of a difference. As it stands now, PMC is off my list.

That just leaves ATC. I'm beginning to wonder if that will really be an upgrade or more of a lateral move. I do expect them to sound different if nothing else. I have also decided on a Benchmark DAC2 HGC as my preamp. It has lots of digital inputs and I believe it will preserve all of the detail the Bryston can handle. That gets here in a week or so.

Since a have a great sub, I was also considering the Focus 160's with the ports plugged. It will reduce the LF output but the sub can fill that in anyway. Does that sound viable???

Earl
 

FennerMachine

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I have been on a quest to find higher end speakers that I like.

Not found the right ones yet and up to around 15 different speakers now!

Some bring something unique to the party, some sound similar.

Different from you I believe my amps are holding the speakers back so I'm looking at amps instead now.

From my limited experience I would suggest that if the ATC's don't do it for you then cast your net wider. Demo all and sundry within your budget. Spendor, Quad, Harbeth, Dali, Focal, Kef, Tannoy, Monitor Audio, Wharfedale, any other speakers your dealer might have in stock.
 

Pedro2

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I'm also planning to change speakers in 2014 and have a growing lists of 'possibles'. Not sure where you are located so auditioning may have its problems.

I would also include Sonus Faber Venere 2.0 and a couple from German brand Elac. The BS403 and BS312 models are both small but punch well above their weight. Recent reviews in HiFi+ and Hi Fi News are both well worth reading. The BS403 came out as best in group when compared against pmc twenty22, sonus venere 2.0 and B&W pm1.

looking forward to hearing them myself!
 

earlxtr

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MUSICRAFT said:
earlxtr said:
That just leaves ATC.

Hi Earl

SCM11 and SCM19 MK1 or the new curved SCM11 and curved SCM19 monitors please?

All the best

Rick @ Musicraft

Rick, I am still very interested in the new curved ATC SCM 11. My benchmark pre should be here in a week or so then I will be ready for an in home demo of the 11's. With Christmas and most of January on vacation, it may be February before I can demo the them:( Our only ATC dealer here in Canada is about 2.5 hours away so that's not bad but I do have to make special arrangements to get a demo. I believe the ATC will be at least at good as my X12 and probably better in some areas, especially clarity and detail. The Dyns tend to make everything sound good and I may lose a bit of that quality but make up for it with the ATC's allowing the really good recordings to sound fantastic...at least that's my guess:) Thank you for your thoughts and advice:))
 

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