Which Spendor speakers should I get with my new Cyrus

[admin_exported]

I just got a new Cyrus8 XPd Qx, I couldn't resist the trade in for my old cyrus 3, an absolute steal.

Now to upgrade my old Heybrook HB100 speakers (yes they are that old but surpisingly don't sound too bad).

I've shortlisted to Spendor speakers but they are are little out of my price range, although I could go down the ex-demo route.

The new A5 and A6 speakers look good but I have seen SE5 for a lot less money then the A5 and the SE8 for about the same cost as an A5. How do the SE range speakers mesure up to the A range?

my budget is up to £1200

 

[Anonymous]

Spendors do sound good with Cyrus but the older models (se) were a bit restrained. Many people also like Dynaudio speakers with Cyrus if you like a more dynamic and bassier sound.

 

[Anonymous]

Auditioned proac 140's, D18's and Spendor A6. I thought the 140's were a bit good but a bit loose in the bass department in some music. The D18 were much more refined and more controlled bass. The spendors were not really to my taste. Controlled everything well enough but did not have the sound stage os the D18's.

Two grand is a lot of money for speakers though so I picked up some 16 month old immacualte Proac D15's from a dealer. They had only been used as a front pair of speakers in a 7.1 system so they arent even burned in yet. 900 quid for the 8XPd Qx and £875 for the D15's.

A good system for the money - I'm a very happy chappy.

 

[Frank Harvey]

I'd question whether the D15's haven't been 'burned in yet', as they've been discontinued for about 6 months!

But nice purchase, and I'm sure you'll get a lot of enjoyment from them.

 

[Dr Beat]

David / frank (music Craft)

If i am not mistaken the Cyrus 8XpD is only 70W per channel, can it drive the D15 properly? I also want to ask you if the Cyrus 8XpD can drive the D18? what's your view in your demos with the D18 driven by Cyrus? I think perhaps if the 8XpD, which has a pre-out, you can add an 8 Power and drive it better. Do you agree?

On another query, could the 8XpD drive the SCM40 properly? many people seem to partner the 8XpD with the Spendor A6.

Love to hear your views.

 

[MUSICRAFT]

Dr Beat:

David / frank (music Craft)

If i am not mistaken the Cyrus 8XpD is only 70W per channel, can it drive the D15 properly? I also want to ask you if the Cyrus 8XpD can drive the D18? what's your view in your demos with the D18 driven by Cyrus? I think perhaps if the 8XpD, which has a pre-out, you can add an 8 Power and drive it better. Do you agree?

On another query, could the 8XpD drive the SCM40 properly? many people seem to partner the 8XpD with the Spendor A6.

Love to hear your views.

Hi Dr Beat

The 8XPd can has got sufficient power which is also sufficiently potent to drive the D15 and D18's. As you have already mentioned a power amp such as the 8 power can be added later on for improved control/performance.

The 8xpd can also power the SCM40 provided constant disco like levels are not required. ATC's drive units are very constant allowing an amplifier to deliver it's full power all the time (prior to clipping). The impedence is far more important than the efficiency. As with the D15/D18's a power amplifier such as the 8 power can be added later on for improved control/performance. In this instance six Mono X's could be eventually be used (tri-amp) with the SCM40's for the ultimate power, control and performance from the current Cyrus range.

The A6's speakers are excellent however i believe the SCM40's are better and they also have a massive performance potential. All of my clients have chosen the SCM40's over the A6's in the comparisons that have been done so far irrsepective of the associated components or locations used for the demonstations.

Thanks

Rick @ Musicraft

 

[Dr Beat]

Hi Rick

many thanks for reply. it was helpful. from my signature, you will note that i have a Dac XP + 2 X powers+xtse. my current speaker is Dynaudio Contour S1.4 What can i expect in sound difference if i opted to move to either the ATC SCM 40 or the Pro Ac D18? Would i experience better sound? i find the dyns very bass-y, a bit boomy at times. at times it overshadows the mids and highs.

in your demos, between the 2, which seems to be the more popular choice. i know i should demo and i am trying to arrange it , but its good to know the popular choice. which do you prefer?

ps: i don't listen to disco, though i do hear my jazz at around level 30 on the Cyrus. you mention that the cyrus clips at loud levels, is level 30 "loud" enough to cause clipping?

thanks

 

[MUSICRAFT]

Dr Beat:

Hi Rick

many thanks for reply. it was helpful. from my signature, you will note that i have a Dac XP + 2 X powers+xtse. my current speaker is Dynaudio Contour S1.4 What can i expect in sound difference if i opted to move to either the ATC SCM 40 or the Pro Ac D18? Would i experience better sound? i find the dyns very bass-y, a bit boomy at times. at times it overshadows the mids and highs.

in your demos, between the 2, which seems to be the more popular choice. i know i should demo and i am trying to arrange it , but its good to know the popular choice. which do you prefer?

ps: i don't listen to disco, though i do hear my jazz at around level 30 on the Cyrus. you mention that the cyrus clips at loud levels, is level 30 "loud" enough to cause clipping?

thanks

Hi Dr Beat

I prefer A6's over the D18's and as i mentioned in my previous post that in all the comparisons that have been done so far my clients have chosen the SCM40's instead. This is irrespective of associated components or locations used for the demonstrations.

The SCM40's are a closed box design and more importantly are flat and honest. This also helps with positioning without the sound (the LF in particular) getting itself into a twist.

The SCM40's features a massively engineered bass and studio Soft Dome mid range units. The Soft Dome is capable of covering a frequency range from 300hz to 4khz and achieves an exceptionally broad and even dispersion, so the reverberant sound field matches the on-axis sound which results in a flat frequency response almost anywhere in the room!

I was referring to listening at constant disco like levels and not actually listening to disco music. I was not specifically referring to Cyrus as every make of amplifer has got a limit before it starts to clip. Your existing Cyrus amps have got more than sufficient performance and power (which is also potent) to work with the SCM40's so there is really is no need to consider the 8XPd which will not be as effective.

The SCM40's performance potential is vast and will accomodate many future additions to your system. They have (amongst other qualities) a clear, precise, natural, uncoloured and powerful presentation that will enable the qualities of your components to shine through by enabling them to breathe.

All the best

Rick @ Musicraft

 

[Frank Harvey]

Dr Beat: If i am not mistaken the Cyrus 8XpD is only 70W per channel, can it drive the D15 properly? I also want to ask you if the Cyrus 8XpD can drive the D18? what's your view in your demos with the D18 driven by Cyrus? I think perhaps if the 8XpD, which has a pre-out, you can add an 8 Power and drive it better. Do you agree?

On another query, could the 8XpD drive the SCM40 properly? many people seem to partner the 8XpD with the Spendor A6.

Love to hear your views.

The 8xpd will power the D15's and D18's no problem. Most of our demo's of circa £2k speakers (a price point we have quite a large range to audition) with Cyrus, people have either purchased the D18's or the Spendor A6's, as well as an increasing trend of Cyrus/KEF Reference, but this is with their pre/power amplification.

I have to ask though, why you would be considering the 8xpd when you already have a DACxp and 2x X Powers? I could understand if you want to condense the amount of boxes you have, but this isn't going to match up to the pre/power that you have.

 

[Dr Beat]

Hi

Many thanks for the replies. Very, very useful. Actually, i am thinking to put a Cyrus in my spare room turned into a home office. So, compact one small box that can also connect to my Mac, via the on board Dac. So, i thought i'd get a new pair speakers. Or even swap my Dyns to the 8XpD, and pair the SCM40 to my DAC XP/ 2 X Powers/ all PSRS. My missus says it's just another excuse to spend.

Your thoughts and views appreciated. And before anyone says anything, i have called up the agents to arrange demos.

Regards

 

[Frank Harvey]

Ok, no problem - was just making sure you weren't downgrading!

 

[Craig M.]

i had the contour's on home dem before i got my scm19's, they're very nice speakers but required too much space around them for my room and also, i felt they got a bit "in yer face" with some music. the atc's will sound very different, the bass will be much tighter and positioning will be a doddle, the biggest difference though will be how natural and uncoloured the atc's sound. you might be underwhelmed at first as i thought the dyn's were a bit "party on dude" (although mainly in a good way), with atc you get the sensation that what you are hearing is the music, rather then the speakers. if that makes sense!

 

[Anonymous]

Dr Beat:
Hi Rick

many thanks for reply. it was helpful. from my signature, you will note that i have a Dac XP + 2 X powers+xtse. my current speaker is Dynaudio Contour S1.4 What can i expect in sound difference if i opted to move to either the ATC SCM 40 or the Pro Ac D18? Would i experience better sound? i find the dyns very bass-y, a bit boomy at times. at times it overshadows the mids and highs.

in your demos, between the 2, which seems to be the more popular choice. i know i should demo and i am trying to arrange it , but its good to know the popular choice. which do you prefer?

ps: i don't listen to disco, though i do hear my jazz at around level 30 on the Cyrus. you mention that the cyrus clips at loud levels, is level 30 "loud" enough to cause clipping?

thanks

I would strongly recommend you experiment with the port bungs. They have worked brilliantly with my Dyn Audience 52se - all positive with no downsides.

BTW The Contour S1.4 currently retails for £2.5k...

jules.

 

[Dr Beat]

Hi Jules

Thanks for the bung tip. Will try it. BTW, i actually got my Dyn Contour S1.4 for STG 1600 in Jan'09, first hand from the dealer, who was having a one day only promo to celebrate his 10 years in business. It was offered to only one set for each model. So, definitely value for money to me.

 

[Frank Harvey]

Dr Beat: from my signature, you will note that i have a Dac XP + 2 X powers+xtse. my current speaker is Dynaudio Contour S1.4 What can i expect in sound difference if i opted to move to either the ATC SCM 40 or the Pro Ac D18? Would i experience better sound? i find the dyns very bass-y, a bit boomy at times. at times it overshadows the mids and highs.

in your demos, between the 2, which seems to be the more popular choice. i know i should demo and i am trying to arrange it , but its good to know the popular choice. which do you prefer? The SCM40's are going to be a far more evenly balanced sound that you're getting from your Dynaudio's (even though Cyrus and Dynaudio go together very well - has long been a popular combination). They won't need as much room as your Dyn's, and will give you much more convincing performance. The D18's are fantastic speakers, and will sit somewhere between the ATC's and Dynaudio's as far as the tonal balance is concerned - so if you find the ATC's too far in the opposite direction for you, you should find the D18's will fit the bill perfectly.

As we have both of these models on permanent demo, as well as many other well respected manufacturers, we find the overall consensus split down the middle. Some just aren't used to sealed cabinet speakers, and find the ATC's a little too neutral, some just don't like the looks. Those that are looking for the SCM40's qualities tend to find very few real alternatives. Others find what they're looking for in the sweet sounding D18's, livelier sounding B&W CM9's, the smoother Spendor A6's, or the sheer bass response of the PMC's. Everyone's different, everyone's room is different, everyone's system is different. Some of these speakers suit some more than others, and it's only in a side by side demo that the right choice for an individual can be found.

Book your demo's. take along your music, and have a good listen - it's your money, and you have to live with your choice, not the dealer. Enjoy!