i have a choice between buying a pair of late credos or a pair of late allaes.

i can audition the credos - which i like - but not, without considerable difficulty, the allaes.

having solicited opinions i receive a variety ranging between 'there's not much difference' to 'these speakers are poles apart'.

is it worth my while to audition the allaes, and if so what differences should i be expecting?

skyebridge

Allaes are amazing speakers. But without hesitation.

I had Credos for 8 years and several upgrades - they were very good speakers

I actually like the Allaes, and never actually liked the Credos.

That means nothing - except that I agree with with where Patrick is coming from with his point.

I love his exhuberance in suggesting you buy without hesitation, and even if you did not care for the speaker, it is unlikely that you can loose much if you buy them at a sensible price - and I do not know what that mght be - but I would suggest that an audition is a very good idea with any speakers ...

Though the ideal speaker audition is in your own room, these being [presumably] second hand then the option is unlikely to be possible.

The trouble is that room and speaker interaction is not entirely predictable, and sometimes very fine speakers will not work well in a particular room.

Good luck sorting this out.

ATB from George

I am with George on this one.
Still like SBLs more though.
Stu

Hello,
I prefer the Credo, one of the best loudspeakers I ever heard for the price and more...
Intro2 and Credo are really good with a realistic sound presentation and a vibrant and emotional "boogie" factor.
An absolutly must!
I hope the new range will be as good as those loudspeakers...
In my opinion, that will be enough to say the new range is super!
Daniel

I've run Credos for 8 years - for the last 2 years with a CDS3 front-end.

I can thoroughly recommend them. They've performed brilliantly through every electronic upgrade I've made.

But, as always, speakers are very room-specific. You are well-advised to audition in your own listening environment.

Enjoy your music,

Engelbert

I have run Credos for twelve years and would fight anyone right down to the last hair on the back of my neck, if they dared offered to buy them!

The Allaes are better...Hope this helps

Steve

I was going to buy Allaes without an audition due to positive recommendations and a good price. However, I had a demo with music I really knew well and....couldn't bear them! So, have a listen first if you can. Just to be sure.

ps I bought a CDX2 instead...then a 282...

Simcat

Speakers are MASSIVELY room dependant. Whereas I could (but prefer not to) rely on non-home dems for amps etc, I would NEVER buy speakers without a good lengthy home dem 1st. The room-to-room difference can be enormous.
Your system, your ears & the speakers mentioned all deserve better than a "I guess/hope they'll be OK in my room" decision making process.
You MAY be able to buy them at a real bargain price & re-sell them if they don't work for you, but the 2nd hand market is a bit shaky at the moment, so really do "try before you buy"
Matt.

I would thoroughly second Mancatel & GFFJ.

Having just gone thorugh a speaker buying cycle, and spent a reasonable amount on postage sending various ones back, I would say that IF I had plumped I'd have got it wrong.

Out of interest what will the speakers be sitting on the end of?

What type of room?

Any positioning constraints?

M

This thread seems like a good place to pose a question ive been mulling over recently.

Given the price of s/h Credo's would they be a good match to a CD5i>122x>FC2x>150x as an introduction to the naim sound?

the room is a large room, slightly L-shaped but 18' x 25' widest. there are no great positioning constraints on speakers - the best positions are about 3' away from the front wall, spaced around 12' apart, with a listening focus some 10' - 15' in front.

i have a nac-52, LP-12, cds-1 and linn pekin feeding 4 x nap-135's.

i very much appreciate the range of opinions provided - many thanks to all who have done so.

so, i'm still looking for answers to my key question, namely 'what difference is there between a pair of late-model credos and a pair of late-model allaes'?

skyebridge

quote:

Originally posted by skyebridge:
the room is a large room, slightly L-shaped but 18' x 25' widest. there are no great positioning constraints on speakers - the best positions are about 3' away from the front wall, spaced around 12' apart, with a listening focus some 10' - 15' in front.

i have a nac-52, LP-12, cds-1 and linn pekin feeding 4 x nap-135's.

i very much appreciate the range of opinions provided - many thanks to all who have done so.

so, i'm still looking for answers to my key question, namely 'what difference is there between a pair of late-model credos and a pair of late-model allaes'?

skyebridge

Neither Allaes or Credos will work at 3' from the wall.

quote:

This thread seems like a good place to pose a question ive been mulling over recently.

Given the price of s/h Credo's would they be a good match to a CD5i>122x>FC2x>150x as an introduction to the naim sound?

unequivocally yes

I have owned both, although not for some time. I liked the Credos alot, but the Allaes were better in the sense that they took the good parts of the Credo and provided a more updated shape and sound.

My only criticism of the Allae was the amount of time they took to break in especially on the bass end of things. This will not be an issue here.

You will find these more beneficial closer to the wall, and you may find that the spread between the speakers will require some additional adjustments according to your ear.

I used them with cds2, 52, 250.

tw

Hi all:

cat345 wrote

>>Neither Allaes or Credos will work at 3' from the wall.<<

I don't know about the Allaes, but the Credos were designed to be used against the wall or in free space (according to Naims brochures). I've been using mine 4' from the rear wall and 3' from the side walls for the last 12 years and they sound terrific.

Best Regards,
Mark Dunn

They are both ported [though unconventionally] are they not?

Posted speakers tend to work out from the wall, and sealed ones do not as a general rule ...

ATB from George

PS: The need for an audition is not reduced by these pointless ramblings ...

Allaes are credos in disguise, they just 1. look much better 2.sound more refined.

david

You ask whether it's worth auditioning Allaes. The answer to that question is most definitely yes. I have a pair (can't comment on Credos as have never heard any) with 282/250/CDS2 and they are truly excellent (in my system in my room). They generally need setting up close to the rear wall, but as always you need to experiment by moving them out gradually until you get the sound that's right for you.

Audition recommended.

Pete