Thread Rating:
  • 0 Vote(s) - 0 Average
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
New Speakers
#1
I am considering some new speakers. I could possibly do this now with a budget of say 4k to 6k.
For those of you who have helped me before you will know that it is difficult for me to auditions gear up here as limited dealers and availability.
I try and start with a long list and then sift it down to a more manageable shortlist before I decide.
I am also not so sure what good a shop demo is after hearing the difference a large soft rug and bass traps have made to my room. Convinced now a home demo is an absolute must. The sound in the shop will more than likely be very different so now not sure if this would serve any purpose at all. My room is 14ft by 23ft and I sit about 11ft from the speakers

I think my speakers are the weak link now. I do like their sound, they are lively with a lot of punch and are pretyy much in your face. I think I like all of this so ideally I would like to keep all of this, with perhaps a smoother treble. A softer sound at the top end if that makes sense.

My speakers are in my living room and I have no options on placement. They are about a foot away from the main solid brick wall and if the speaker is bigger would be even closer. The PMC is front ported. Forgive my ignorance but would i be limited to a front ported speaker design?
The PMC26s would therefore be a logical step, but I fear they may have the bright treble as per the 23. I also really dislike the plinths on the 20 models.

Does this fact that my speakers really limit my options?

Other models I am considering are the Scansonic MB6, Paradigm 95F and Sonus Faber......probably the Olympica II.

I would love to hear the SF Olympica II as they look amazing, but they may be too much for my room as they are very large compared to my 23s

I have read very good reveiws of the Scansonic MB6 but according to their website they need to be 3ft off the wall. This would make them a non starter.

Two way, two and a half way or three way??? What is the difference sound quality wise?? This may be basic but I would love an explanation.

SAM. How important is this? Should I only consider SAM ready speakers?

I like most types of music . Classical is the only music I dont really listen to. Although i am cracking on a bit I still love Dance music, and I like rock, even real heavy stuff still. More and more though its acoustics and vocals that I seem to listen to most, maybe its an age thing Big Grin

A lot of questions here, but I am a thorough bugger and a researcher Big Grin This time last year I started this for a new pair of speakers on another forum and ended up going for the Devialet 200.........some hiccups but best hifi decision I ever made.

Any help or suggestions as always much appreciated
Devialet 200 -- Roon Nucleus-- Sonus Faber Olympica 2 -- Tellurium Q Black Speaker Cables --
Chord Qutest -- Niimbus US5 Pro Headphone amp —HifiMan HEK, Abyss 1266TC
Newcastle upon Tyne, England
Reply
#2
I own a pair of ProAc Response D30R and auditioned the Sonus Faber Olympica II side-by-side.  The SF did not go as deep as the ProAc and I found them to be a little darker/duller than the ProAc.  Having said that., lots of people love the SF speakers (especially with the McIntosh gear) and I think their speakers look great (more like a well designed piece of furniture) but I would not replace my ProAc speakers with the SF.

If you have a bright room, the SF may work well for you.  

You should also take a serious look at the ProAc Response D30R speakers (my room is 12ft x 13ft) and I'm using SAM (100%) with the ProAc speakers.
Reply
#3
(29-Dec-2015, 21:41)samurai7595 Wrote: I own a pair of ProAc Response D30R and auditioned the Sonus Faber Olympica II side-by-side.  The SF did not go as deep as the ProAc and I found them to be a little darker/duller than the ProAc.  Having said that., lots of people love the SF speakers (especially with the McIntosh gear) and I think their speakers look great (more like a well designed piece of furniture) but I would not replace my ProAc speakers with the SF.

If you have a bright room, the SF may work well for you.  

You should also take a serious look at the ProAc Response D30R speakers (my room is 12ft x 13ft) and I'm using SAM (100%) with the ProAc speakers.

I will have a look at these thank you.
Devialet 200 -- Roon Nucleus-- Sonus Faber Olympica 2 -- Tellurium Q Black Speaker Cables --
Chord Qutest -- Niimbus US5 Pro Headphone amp —HifiMan HEK, Abyss 1266TC
Newcastle upon Tyne, England
Reply
#4
What HI-FI? review of the ProAc Response D30R speakers:

http://www.whathifi.com/proac/response-d30r/review
Reply
#5
Just to add a part of me thinks with my room and speaker placement limitations that maybe the 23s are sufficient.
That maybe throwing extra cash at it will not bring about much of an improvement ??
Devialet 200 -- Roon Nucleus-- Sonus Faber Olympica 2 -- Tellurium Q Black Speaker Cables --
Chord Qutest -- Niimbus US5 Pro Headphone amp —HifiMan HEK, Abyss 1266TC
Newcastle upon Tyne, England
Reply
#6
(29-Dec-2015, 21:55)Womaz Wrote: Just to add a part of me thinks with my room and speaker placement limitations that maybe the 23s are sufficient.
That maybe throwing extra cash at it will not bring about much of an improvement ??

IME the thing most effecting SQ is the room and the position of the speaker in it.
Even quite modest systems can sound superb in the right room if they are placed optimally.

Unfortunately, the best place for a speaker, particularly a wide band one, is almost always well away from walls. There are a few makers who have designed their speakers to go near walls or even in corners which will reduce the negative effects.
Naim speakers used to be designed to be used against the wall, but still benefit from being well away from side walls. Their more recent designs are free space types though.
Audio Note UK adopted some old Snell designs which work extremely well in corners. The AN-E and AN-K sound very much the way you are describing you would like IME. Well worth a try if room position is fixed.

OTOH you have a superb system already and it may well be that, as you write, if the room layout and furnishings are fixed, you may well have gone as far as you can SQ wise and it will only be worth buying more kit if you fancy the kit for the it's own sake....
Devialet Original d'Atelier 44 Core, Job Pre/225, Goldmund PH2, Goldmund Reference/T3f /Ortofon A90, Goldmund Mimesis 36+ & Chord Blu, iMac/Air, Lynx Theta, Tune Audio Anima, Goldmund Epilog 1&2, REL Studio. Dialog, Silver Phantoms, Branch stands, copper cables (mainly).
Oxfordshire

Reply
#7
(30-Dec-2015, 10:00)f1eng Wrote:
(29-Dec-2015, 21:55)Womaz Wrote: Just to add a part of me thinks with my room and speaker placement limitations that maybe the 23s are sufficient.
That maybe throwing extra cash at it will not bring about much of an improvement ??

IME the thing most effecting SQ is the room and the position of the speaker in it.
Even quite modest systems can sound superb in the right room if they are placed optimally.

Unfortunately, the best place for a speaker, particularly a wide band one, is almost always well away from walls. There are a few makers who have designed their speakers to go near walls or even in corners which will reduce the negative effects.
Naim speakers used to be designed to be used against the wall, but still benefit from being well away from side walls. Their more recent designs are free space types though.
Audio Note UK adopted some old Snell designs which work extremely well in corners. The AN-E and AN-K sound very much the way you are describing you would like IME. Well worth a try if room position is fixed.

OTOH you have a superb system already and it may well be that, as you write, if the room layout and furnishings are fixed, you may well have gone as far as you can SQ wise and it will only be worth buying more kit if you fancy the kit for the it's own sake....

Great post thank you. I really fancy the SF Olymoica II as they look great, but I would not buy them unless SQ is improved.
My system does sound good now and I was amazed at how much difference it made when I bought some bass traps and removed a large coffee table and replaced it with a large soft rug. I feel as if i have done as much as I can with the room.

I will check out the above speakers although confess to never having heard of them. My speakers have to be very close to the wall as mentioned so i would imagine that this will rule out many options. The PMCs work there so possibly an option would be to hear there 26 model. Thanks again
Devialet 200 -- Roon Nucleus-- Sonus Faber Olympica 2 -- Tellurium Q Black Speaker Cables --
Chord Qutest -- Niimbus US5 Pro Headphone amp —HifiMan HEK, Abyss 1266TC
Newcastle upon Tyne, England
Reply
#8
Legacy Audio.
Synology 713+ -> Aurender N10 -> D 200 -> Legacy Audio Focus SE speakers. ClearAudio Emotion TT. Synergistic Atmosphere Level 3 UEF Speaker and Galileo (USB) Interconnects and Synergistic PowerCell UEF S - Virginia U. S. A.
Reply
#9
I have now shortlisted

Sonus Faber Olympica 2,
Scansonic MB6.

Hoping to get a shop demo of these next week. Then one at home hopefully. Really hope the SFs work in my room as they are a gorgeous looking speaker.

PMC 26 is the go to after that if they dont fit the bill. And Usher mini Dancer 2 also maybe as liked them when i heard them a while back. Although of the four mentioned here i would expect it to be the least impressive.

Failing all of that I will stick with my 23s
Devialet 200 -- Roon Nucleus-- Sonus Faber Olympica 2 -- Tellurium Q Black Speaker Cables --
Chord Qutest -- Niimbus US5 Pro Headphone amp —HifiMan HEK, Abyss 1266TC
Newcastle upon Tyne, England
Reply
#10
Womaz, when I auditioned the SF Olympica II, I got to experiment with positioning and from my experience, the Olympica II did not perform at their best when placed close to the rear wall (wall behind speakers). I found that these speakers needed room to sound their best.
Reply


Forum Jump:


Users browsing this thread: 2 Guest(s)