Upgrading my Monitor Audio Silver S6s - new or old?

[MP1968]

Don't know if anyone can help me with this. Currently playing a Cyrus 6 CD (or iPod/Onkyo/Arcam rDAC) through a Cyrus 8VS2 amp, and would like to upgrade my MA Silver S6 speakers (mostly because the bass can be a bit uncontrolled).

I've seen some b and w cdm 9nts for sale on a well known auction site, and believe they were excellent in their day. Around £1500 - 2000 for a pair when new (I think), but admittedly they were introduced several years ago.

I'm unsure whether to go for something like that (i.e. top of the range but several years old, now at an affordable price for my budget), or save up for a few more months and go for a newer equivalent like the Acoustic Energy Radiance 3, which I've heard good things about. Ditto the Leema Acoustics Xone. The slight problem with these 2 is finding an outlet locally which can demo them.

Has the technology now moved on to such an extent that new £1500 speakers today are in a different (better) class than the £1500 speakers of a few years ago?

Any advice appreciated.

 

[Anonymous]

MP1968:
Don't know if anyone can help me with this. Currently playing a Cyrus 6 CD (or iPod/Onkyo/Arcam rDAC) through a Cyrus 8VS2 amp, and would like to upgrade my MA Silver S6 speakers (mostly because the bass can be a bit uncontrolled).

I've seen some b and w cdm 9nts for sale on a well known auction site, and believe they were excellent in their day. Around £1500 - 2000 for a pair when new (I think), but admittedly they were introduced several years ago.

I'm unsure whether to go for something like that (i.e. top of the range but several years old, now at an affordable price for my budget), or save up for a few more months and go for a newer equivalent like the Acoustic Energy Radiance 3, which I've heard good things about. Ditto the Leema Acoustics Xone. The slight problem with these 2 is finding an outlet locally which can demo them.

Has the technology now moved on to such an extent that new £1500 speakers today are in a different (better) class than the £1500 speakers of a few years ago?

Any advice appreciated.

I'm amazed that you find that its the bass thats the issue with your M/A speakers and not the treble. The older M/A's are known to be fairly harsh at the top end and IMO, more so with Cyrus gear

Anyways... The Cyrus 8vs2 is still a very good amp; the CDP's not bad either but can be bettered for not a lot of money IMO

As for speakers; I'd leave the B&W's alone; they're good but need some solid amplification behind them to get the best out of them and for me, the Cyrus 8vs2 wouldnt do them justice

Speakers along the lines of the B&W CM5's on decent stands or the CM7 floorstanders would be worth demo'ing as would the Neat Motive 2's and PMC GB1i's.

It'd be handy to know what music you generally listen to and also what cabling you've got (speaker cable and interconnects)?

 

[Anonymous]

have you considered a pair of b stock acoustic energy radience 3s? rrp is £1500 but these are only £592, they are cosmetically imperfect but mechanically perfect, i've bought from acoustic energy and they are good people to deal with, the speakers only come with a one month guarantee but then how often do speakers go wrong....

 

[Anonymous]

IMO I wouldnt go down the AE route with Cyrus gear

An overall too bright a soundstage and would lack in bass weight as well

 

[MP1968]

Thanks for the feedback. In terms of the music I listen to then it's an eclectic mix, but generally rock and pop. Little classical, occasionally jazz. Recent purchases (if it's helpful) include Kanye West, Adele, Anna Calvi, Mumford and Son, Them Crooked Vultures, Robyn, Cee Lo Green, Florence and the Machine, Reindeer Section, and Paloma Faith.

iPod tracks are all Apple Lossless.

Cables: Atlas Hyper 2.0 Speaker Cable, Chord CrimsonPlus (Onkyo to rDac), TCI Coral Digital Optical Audio Cable (CD to rDAC). rDAC to amp I think is an Atlas cable (Compass).

I'm afraid my budget for this is around £800 max. Perhaps the B&W 684 or the Roksan Kandy K2 TR5 may be a better bet at that price level? I dug up the AE Radiance 3s on eBay and they look like a good deal, but if they wouldn't work with Cyrus perhaps best avoided. Superfi has the Tannoy Revolution DC6T for £700 odd.

I know it would be better to go to a store and audition, but my gear is older and they wouldn't have it in stock.

 

[Anonymous]

MP1968:
Thanks for the feedback. In terms of the music I listen to then it's an eclectic mix, but generally rock and pop. Little classical, occasionally jazz. Recent purchases (if it's helpful) include Kanye West, Adele, Anna Calvi, Mumford and Son, Them Crooked Vultures, Robyn, Cee Lo Green, Florence and the Machine, Reindeer Section, and Paloma Faith.

iPod tracks are all Apple Lossless.

Cables: Atlas Hyper 2.0 Speaker Cable, Chord CrimsonPlus (Onkyo to rDac), TCI Coral Digital Optical Audio Cable (CD to rDAC). rDAC to amp I think is an Atlas cable (Compass).

I'm afraid my budget for this is around £800 max. Perhaps the B&W 684 or the Roksan Kandy K2 TR5 may be a better bet at that price level? I dug up the AE Radiance 3s on eBay and they look like a good deal, but if they wouldn't work with Cyrus perhaps best avoided. Superfi has the Tannoy Revolution DC6T for £700 odd.

I know it would be better to go to a store and audition, but my gear is older and they wouldn't have it in stock.

Looking at your system specs the B&W 684's would work well but defintly look out for a decent set of 2nd hand B&W CM7's on eBay and the likes; they're superb speakers and will gel well with the Cyrus gear

Again with Tannoy, for me, they wouldnt work. I demo'd them with a Cyrus 8vs2 and a few different CDP's a while back and they were just too bright!

Another set of speakers that I feel would work well would be the QUAD 22L2's. SightandSoundUK have them at a VERY good price and they're superb speakers. Nearly bought them myself but decided to go for standmount speakers instead.

If you are interested in standmount speakers then I can whole heartedly recommend the Monitor Audio RX2's. On decent stands that are mass-loaded (i.e. Atacama HMS2's or Partington Super Dreadnoughts loaded with atabites) they'd sound superb with your Cyrus amp and CDP. I heard them with the Cyrus 6XP and 8XP amps and the Audiolab 8200CD CDP (with Chord cables) and they really sang

 

[jiggyjoe]

Dynaudio's go well with cyrus.

The standmount models are really punchy with the cyrus amps and they create a brillliant soundstage, with smooth treble.

Just give them a bit of room the breathe.

 

[MP1968]

hifilover: many thanks, very helpful indeed. Quite tempted by the Quads: as you say, some excellent prices around. What are your views on stand mount versus floor standers? The room I listen in is 4.5 x 5 metres, if that's relevant.

JiggyJoe suggests Dynaudio: the DM2/6 on Partington or Atacama stands, perhaps?

cheers, Mark

 

[Anonymous]

MP1968:
hifilover: many thanks, very helpful indeed. Quite tempted by the Quads: as you say, some excellent prices around. What are your views on stand mount versus floor standers? The room I listen in is 4.5 x 5 metres, if that's relevant.

JiggyJoe suggests Dynaudio: the DM2/6 on Partington or Atacama stands, perhaps?

cheers, Mark

The reason I went for the M/A RX2's in my 2nd system is that they're just the right size for my room whish isnt much bigger than yours but I must admit I do like to listen loud

The QUAD's would have worked well but I've got the 'wife' factor to fit in as well and she prefers the looks of standmount speakers on stands hence why I've now got 2 lots

The Dynaudio DM 2/6's would work very well also; they'd be fine on either the Partington Super Dreadnought or the Atacama HMS1 stands; deffo need to be mass loaded though.

The M/A RX2's are BIG standmounts so for me I wouldnt go smaller than the Partingtons. Although saying that the HMS2's ONLY just fit as they've a huge top plate!

 

[plastic penguin]

MP1968:

Don't know if anyone can help me with this. Currently playing a Cyrus 6 CD (or iPod/Onkyo/Arcam rDAC) through a Cyrus 8VS2 amp, and would like to upgrade my MA Silver S6 speakers (mostly because the bass can be a bit uncontrolled).

I've seen some b and w cdm 9nts for sale on a well known auction site, and believe they were excellent in their day. Around £1500 - 2000 for a pair when new (I think), but admittedly they were introduced several years ago.

I'm unsure whether to go for something like that (i.e. top of the range but several years old, now at an affordable price for my budget), or save up for a few more months and go for a newer equivalent like the Acoustic Energy Radiance 3, which I've heard good things about. Ditto the Leema Acoustics Xone. The slight problem with these 2 is finding an outlet locally which can demo them.

Has the technology now moved on to such an extent that new £1500 speakers today are in a different (better) class than the £1500 speakers of a few years ago?

Any advice appreciated.

May I stick in my tuppence worth?

The best synergy match for an all Cyrus gear are these

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/EPOS-M16i-Floorstanding-speakers-Black-Ash-Finish-/160544187282?pt=UK_AudioVideoElectronics_HomeAudioHiFi_HiFiSpeakers&hash=item25612de392

I'm a MA lover but won't be the greatest match, even the newer RX range.

Better than the M16i would be the M22is which are currently selling for just over a grand mark.

 

[Anonymous]

plastic penguin:MP1968:

Don't know if anyone can help me with this. Currently playing a Cyrus 6 CD (or iPod/Onkyo/Arcam rDAC) through a Cyrus 8VS2 amp, and would like to upgrade my MA Silver S6 speakers (mostly because the bass can be a bit uncontrolled).

I've seen some b and w cdm 9nts for sale on a well known auction site, and believe they were excellent in their day. Around £1500 - 2000 for a pair when new (I think), but admittedly they were introduced several years ago.

I'm unsure whether to go for something like that (i.e. top of the range but several years old, now at an affordable price for my budget), or save up for a few more months and go for a newer equivalent like the Acoustic Energy Radiance 3, which I've heard good things about. Ditto the Leema Acoustics Xone. The slight problem with these 2 is finding an outlet locally which can demo them.

Has the technology now moved on to such an extent that new £1500 speakers today are in a different (better) class than the £1500 speakers of a few years ago?

Any advice appreciated.

May I stick in my tuppence worth?

The best synergy match for an all Cyrus gear are these

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/EPOS-M16i-Floorstanding-speakers-Black-Ash-Finish-/160544187282?pt=UK_AudioVideoElectronics_HomeAudioHiFi_HiFiSpeakers&hash=item25612de392

I'm a MA lover but won't be the greatest match, even the newer RX range.

Better than the M16i would be the M22is which are currently selling for just over a grand mark.

Have you heard the M/A RX range with either the Cyrus 8vs2 or 6/8XP amps?

They actually work VERY well indeed with the right cabling (i.e. Chord etc...)

M/A have managed to tame the bright, forwardness that the RS range had but they still offer plenty of clout

I havent said that the OP should go for them but they shoudl deffo be demo'd even if just to rule them out

 

[plastic penguin]

hifilover1979:plastic penguin:MP1968:

Don't know if anyone can help me with this. Currently playing a Cyrus 6 CD (or iPod/Onkyo/Arcam rDAC) through a Cyrus 8VS2 amp, and would like to upgrade my MA Silver S6 speakers (mostly because the bass can be a bit uncontrolled).

I've seen some b and w cdm 9nts for sale on a well known auction site, and believe they were excellent in their day. Around £1500 - 2000 for a pair when new (I think), but admittedly they were introduced several years ago.

I'm unsure whether to go for something like that (i.e. top of the range but several years old, now at an affordable price for my budget), or save up for a few more months and go for a newer equivalent like the Acoustic Energy Radiance 3, which I've heard good things about. Ditto the Leema Acoustics Xone. The slight problem with these 2 is finding an outlet locally which can demo them.

Has the technology now moved on to such an extent that new £1500 speakers today are in a different (better) class than the £1500 speakers of a few years ago?

Any advice appreciated.

May I stick in my tuppence worth?

The best synergy match for an all Cyrus gear are these

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/EPOS-M16i-Floorstanding-speakers-Black-Ash-Finish-/160544187282?pt=UK_AudioVideoElectronics_HomeAudioHiFi_HiFiSpeakers&hash=item25612de392

I'm a MA lover but won't be the greatest match, even the newer RX range.

Better than the M16i would be the M22is which are currently selling for just over a grand mark.

Have you heard the M/A RX range with either the Cyrus 8vs2 or 6/8XP amps?

They actually work VERY well indeed with the right cabling (i.e. Chord etc...)

M/A have managed to tame the bright, forwardness that the RS range had but they still offer plenty of clout

I havent said that the OP should go for them but they shoudl deffo be demo'd even if just to rule them out

I haven't said the other suggestions should be dismissed, have I? I'm putting forward an alternative speaker, from personal experience, and albeit the M12s stand mount version, that works fantastically with Cyrus; the floorstanders I've mentioned should share the same tonal qualities as their smaller siblings.

As you've mentioned the newer RX range, no I haven't heard any of them. What I do know, however, is a leopard doean't change it's spots; yes, I'm sure they have managed to tame the top-end - bet you a wager it isn't night and day. And I think Maxflinn changed them because the top-end was ever-so-slightly spikey, and I'm sure there is better synergy (gawd, I hate that word) had with other brands.