Speaker upgrade for a Qute 2
Posted by: magicaxeman on 18 December 2014
I wondered if the members would be good enough to give me a little advice on upgrading my speakers, but I must add my situation is a little different to most as I'm bed bound 24/7 and cannot sit up, this means I have to work within the limitations of the space I'm in.
My room is 14 ft x 11ft with a tiled floor, rugs/carpet can't be fitted.
My Current system is a Unitiqute 2, Monitor Audio Bronze BX2 speakers, 2 x 2 TB Linkstation DS410 NAS drives connected via Netgear switch and cat 6e ethernet cable.
I'm using ALAC/MP3 320 kbps files on one NAS via itunes/itunes server and 24 bit FLAC files on the other. I'm gradually updating files to ALAC or 24 bit as and when I can.
I mainly listen to Choral, classical, folk, acoustic blues and a little rock, but primarily acoustic instruments.
The speakers are on Atacama Se 24's spiked and part filled but have to be placed hard against the rear wall with only 2.5 metres between each speaker.
I feel the speakers are letting the side down at present, the bottom end is "soft" in as much as it always sounds like a bass drum is being hit by a soft cotton beater and wallows rather than being nice and tight with some detail/refinement.
I'm looking for a refined sound, smooth treble and midrange, tight bottom end (but it doesnt need masses of bass, 50hz will do) with plenty of detail, I cant emphasise the smooth treble and midrange enough, as anything a bit strident aggravates my tinnitus something fierce making listening a chore instead of a pleasure.
Also the ability for a wide and rich sound stage that fills the room rather than being limited to the speakers themselves.
I've been looking at speakers both old and new to replace the current ones and so far have been considering PMC's twenty 21's or some second hand Sonus Faber concerto's.
Budget is up to £1500 at the very most
Obviously my biggest problem is not being able to get to a dealer for a demo so I'm relying heavily on reviews and recommendations.
Finally I cant say just how much the Qute has changed my listening, its amazing, whereas with my old marantz streamer I struggled to listen once a week, I'm listening to the Qute every day.
I love Macassar ebony Dave, as long as its on speaker cabinets and not guitar fret boards 
Well things got sorted for me yesterday, after chatting to Dan and Mark at my local Sevenoaks shop a wonderful lady I'm privileged to know appeared at my door last night lugging a couple of heavy boxes.
Contained within where a pair of PMC Twenty 21's, stands, a bucket of atabytes and some new speaker cables.
I'm one lucky guy and I know it..
I listened to Dans advice and had them placed 5 inches from the rear wall and slightly toed in, in fact they're in exactly the same spot as the MA's where, its just the larger stand base pushes the speakers themselves back 3 inches.
Ok so they aren't broken in by a long shot but the treble is as sweet as sweet can be with the UQ2 yet still full of detail.
In fact I was listening to the track September wine from Dando Shaft's Anthology album this afternoon and heard not only hitherto unheard Tibetan hand bells at the beginning of the track but also the drone type sounds that accompany them.
The mid range is a revelation after the MA's and the bottom end lovely and tight but the real surprises are the sheer level of detail at all frequencies and absolutely stellar imaging.
I can hear the variations in pick attack in a guitar piece,the variance of dynamics used by someone finger picking,whether they are playing with their nails or using the softer flesh of the fingers and thumb,even as far as hearing the scrape of a finger nail across a wound string!
Listening to the Tallis Scholars - Sacred music in the renaissance is like having angels in the room.
And as said the imaging is pinpoint, during Nelly Furtado's Powerless from the folklore album there's a moment when all is quiet save for a crescendoing swirl that emanates from well behind the speakers and then expands forward and outward to fill the whole room, in fact it sounds like it transcends the boundaries of the room!
These little babies work so well with the UQ2, I can now see why so many recommended them, and harsh treble? not at all, its as sweet as a nut and thats with only about 6 hours on them and the new cables.
Thanks so much to all of you for your help and suggestions, I don't think I've ever come across a more friendly forum... happy new year to you all.
magicaxeman ,
This hifi stuff can be a bit solitary at times and in your situation even more so.
Are you in the Sevenoaks area or are they just one of the chain near you?
Lots of people on here would be happy to help you out with music man.
Happy New year.
Thanks Gale, I'm up in Chelmsford and was referring to my local branch of Sevenoaks in Witham, but if your ever up this way your always welcome to pop in and say hello.
Your correct of course, things can get a little solitary with this hobby and with my situation but luckily I don't get lonely at all.
People have said to me that they cant understand how I have coped with spending the last 6 years in bed in this one room but its not a big deal really, you adjust to it quite quickly and learn to ignore your limitations and concentrate on what you can still do and making the most of the life you have.
My saving grace has been my love off vintage radio shows, especially old British comedy shows, old black & white films and now music/Hi-Fi again.
I say again as I was one of those who always had a guitar in my hands when I listened to music and would inevitably play along as I listened, but not being able to do that any more meant I stopped listening to music for a couple of years as I couldn't separate the two, I've now managed too and am enjoying my music once again.
The Naim & PMC's have been a revelation, I'm re-listening to all my music and hearing things I've not heard before, in a way its like listening to them for the first time and finding I have that same lust for new music that I had in my teens when I would hit the record shops every week, leafing through the racks of albums looking for something new and exciting
That is exactly why we have the "what are you listening to now......." thread in the Music Room, with album covers. Hopefully you are able to appreciate it in that manner.
best wishes
Jeff A