OK, I've got £1,000 to spend on some new speakers...

Given your listed needs, I would seriously consider waiting for the Proac Tablette 10 to come to market.You could continue to use your Sara stands. Sealed cabinet design so placement friendly against a wall in your flat. Your 72/180 should drive them brilliantly !

ATB,

Mark

Easy peasy, Dynaudio Emit 10 or 20, they will give you what you need, honest!

In the case of the Emit 20's they are only  £600!!!!

Give them a try. If you need or want to spend more money, try the Excite line by Dynaudio.

Tannoy XT8F

Wow Kevin! You list 10 quality speaker manufacturers available at one location. I'm quite envious. 

If in your shoes, I'd do some initial screening (within budget) in the dealer's room, then take home hopeful contenders, keep notes, and enjoy the process. Maybe see how intrusive the neighbors find the bass levels.

I've been pecking away at my speaker home demos for over six months now. I have nowhere near the array of makers you have to choose from. Funnily, I've so far been most impressed with one manufacturer not on your list - Proac.

Your HB1 are fine and imo better than many new speakers, in your case I' be listening at some Neat Motive or Kudos, maybe Russell K, older SBL.

Maybe consider putting some of the money against a new cartridge plus LP12 service ?

Speakers are the biggest variable wrt to personal taste. I am Dynaudio fan and combined with Naim they work for me. When I auditioned a bunch of vendors a few years back, I was amazed how different they sounded. 

Kevin - Mrs K has good taste - I had 684 S2 for a while before being lured by an ex demo pair of their larger sibling the 683 S2.   The 684 is a great speaker, compact, but with great mid range and very decent, well controlled, bass.   I demo'd  them versus the stand mount 685 S2 and they were easily superior.  Definitely worth a listen.  If you can twist your dealers arm into an ex demo deal, even better.  Andrew Everard of this parish published a test review. Happy listening. N

Proac Tablette 10,new.The'd mate Naim amp just fine.

At that price a nice buy. 

 I see ATC are at your dealers... the ATC SCM11 fits within your budget with some change that can go towards some stands perhaps. Absolutely class leading if your electronics are up to it.. if not other speakers that colour the sound in a positive way (smooth and filter treble olution, enhance upper bass etc) might be preferable.

The Russel K 50s are also within your budget. But seemingly not at your dealers... they sound very good indeed and are better for lesser powerful electronics( have an attractive upper bass boost for added warmth)... not as ultimately accurate as the ATCs but also really enjoyable to listen to. 

Good morning K.  A s/h pair of Spender A6 might be worth a listen, let mine go early in the the year beacause I wanted a little more bass not something you are looking for.

ATB G

Thanks for the suggestions all, having looked on the intwerwebs, am leaning towards the ATC SCM11, Neat Motive SX3, the B&W 684s, and from anothe dealer, the Proac Tablette. I will be going to see the dealer next week to see if I can squeeze a demo or two in before Xmas...

Kev,

If you like your HB 1' s why not get them overhauled at Winslow Audio.They are specialists in building speakers to customers spec.They also do crossover upgrades.A mate recently had some speakers built up for AV rear use and is very happy with the pair he got from them.Very knowledgeable company to deal with and great service.They do their version of the HB1.Definatley worth a phone call or look at their website

Back in the mid 1980's I had a pair of HB1's and really enjoyed them.They sounded foward and crisp in the High frequency.Only kept them for a year before getting some Kans which where totally different but needed loads of power to sing.

Alternatives might be some  2 nd hand Acoustic Energy AE1 's which your Naim amps could drive.Very transparent with great separation.Also some Audio Note type K  or J which are fabulous and a very easy load 90 dB sensitive.Also some Quad ELS 57 ,s for something a bit different but I don't think you will get the prat as much as a coned loudspeaker.I am a big fan of Focal and you could pick up some nice older floorstanders on the Bay within your budget.I did and got a £2500 pair of Profil 77's for £500.Sound brilliant.

Good luck on your quest

Cheers Ian

ATC SCM 7s for my money.

Proac Studio 118s. Bought a pair 10 days ago, beautifully suited to my 172/155xs system. Using Sommer Meridian 240 cabling.

Kevin,

I’ve also been on the search for a pair of speakers roughly in the same budget, and overall have been left surprised as to how my old speakers compare to new designs. I have similar era vintage boxes - Monitor Audio R252’s which are efficient, easily driven (and placed) sealed boxes that stand sup surprisingly well, even if they are not the last word in treble refinement.

What’s the overall condition of the HB1’s like? Echoing TABBY CAT's observations, if the HB1 driver foams are crumbling it may be worthwhile considered getting the HB1’s refurbished and then comparing the renovated HB’s to new offerings? There are a few options / companies out there who undertake their renovation as they have become a cult classic (rightly so). Just a thought.

On my audition list so far have been specifically the Dynaudio X14, the new Rega RX1, B&W CM1 S2, PMC Twenty.21, Russell K R50 and R100 and finally Focal 906. 

Personally, (as speaker choice is so subjective), I found the Russell K’s were far more engaging than the other boxes experienced. Entertaining, without being fatiguing in any way. When back compared to the other demo offerings, the music then sounded comparatively, rather lifeless, save for the Focal 906 boxes, which were a genuine surprise, although not as refined as the RK’s. 

Also on the list to try and hear are ATC SMC11 & 19, Pro-Ac Studio 118, Wharfdale Reva-2 and Quad Z1 & Z2.

For ref. The only speakers I thought unlistenable were the B&W’s, which I found very fatiguing and barley got through two tracks.

Most disappointing award went to the PMC Twenty.21. Seemed to be all boom and fizz. 

I think there was something about the wide baffle, shallow box design of the HB1s that made them a lot of fun. I'm doubtful that you will find the same positive attribute in modern designs, though they may be more hi-fi and meet interior design criteria. So in that sense, I'm with Tabby Cat about Wilmslow Audio.

Thirty years though, that's an audio lifetime. Good luck

Chris

Refurbished QUAD ESL-63s. Fit the budget neatly and with your amps will sound stunning.

Never been happier since getting a pair of Harbeth p3's, do everything I want, even bass when it's on the recording and respond well to improvements upstream.

Kev,

It's often been suggested that there exists a certain synergy between Naim electronics and Neat speakers, and, having progressed through the Neat range, to my ears at least, that seems to be the case.

You mention that your dealer carries Neat, so, I should have a listen to the Neat Iota Alpha, the floor standing version of the Iota.

I heard these at a mate's house, and at first glance, they shouldn't work, but once you put that thought to one side, they are quite remarkable.

I would recommend adding them to your shortlist.

Thanks again everyone. I really like Ian, Yeti and Chris' suggestion of getting the HB1s upgraded at Wilmslow. I do like the speakers very much and if I can improve them that seems to be an ideal solution.I'm listening to some vinyl on the HB1s right now and they are a really special speaker - so fun, so engaging... I like them so much, that's why I've had them so long.

I shall get in touch with them.

Could also save me some money too!

Adam Zielinski posted:

Refurbished QUAD ESL-63s. Fit the budget neatly and with your amps will sound stunning.

I do like the ESL-63s Adam, and have heard them in a friend's system. However their size/shape doesn't quite fit the room and I'm not sure they have the PRaT/welly I'm looking for.

If you can stretch to another £400 - I would suggest that you listen to a set of Neat Iota Alphas - heard these speakers at my dealer and thought they sounded fabulous.

If not - my other suggestion be a KEF LS50 - these seem to work very well with Naim kit. 

Yetizone posted:

Kevin,

I’ve also been on the search for a pair of speakers roughly in the same budget, and overall have been left surprised as to how my old speakers compare to new designs. I have similar era vintage boxes - Monitor Audio R252’s which are efficient, easily driven (and placed) sealed boxes that stand sup surprisingly well, even if they are not the last word in treble refinement.

What’s the overall condition of the HB1’s like? Echoing TABBY CAT's observations, if the HB1 driver foams are crumbling it may be worthwhile considered getting the HB1’s refurbished and then comparing the renovated HB’s to new offerings? There are a few options / companies out there who undertake their renovation as they have become a cult classic (rightly so). Just a thought.

They are in decent condition Yeti. The foam grilles are long gone but the cabinets, while showing their age, are OK. One woofer crumbled away some time ago and I blew a tweeter back in 2002. These I replaced myself (with cones supplied, IIRC, by Wilmlow) but probably bodged it, as I usually do with these things.

The more I think about it, the idea of new cones, crossovers, gilles and a spruce-up of the cabinet appeals, both from a continuity pov and for cost savings - I could put the saved money towards my trip to Japan next year, or maybe towards a Radikal or Keel for the LP12.

Kevin-W posted:

Adam Zielinski posted:

Refurbished QUAD ESL-63s. Fit the budget neatly and with your amps will sound stunning.

I do like the ESL-63s Adam, and have heard them in a friend's system. However their size/shape doesn't quite fit the room and I'm not sure they have the PRaT/welly I'm looking for.

They have plenty of PRaT - more than any speakers I've heard. They were one of the reference speakers used by Naim for developing their own range of speakers.

Hower room placement can be demanding. But once they are set up right the insight into music is just staggering.

Yes the Neat Iota Alphas are good - but the bass although impressive for such a small device - is perhaps not the most articulate and fast.. but i think if I was starting out with an integrated they would be great speakers to have.