Biggest Hurdle Taken

Posted by: Ardbeg10y on 29 December 2016

I'm looking for some new speakers for my secondary room. I've been showing many speakers to my wife, amongst them Titans, Ovators, PMC's, Proac Studio 140's - all negative comments. I might need to keep large speakers for my living as a dream.

Today, I showed a photo of a CM5 S2 (rosewood) to my wife, she instantly said 'thats ok' not even making a point about the money.

Flabbergasted.

I'm going to audition them, I do already have CM1's and we (the speakers and myself) can go along quite well. I know how to position them and make them ok.

Would you think that a Nait 5 (30W) would be able to drive them properly? My SN1 drives (slavedriving!) my CM1's very well, and the CM5's are more efficient so I have good hope.

More philosophical, what is the magic of B&W speakers? For some reason, women seem to like them. It's like the bad boys in school - women seem to be attracted to that.

Posted on: 29 December 2016 by feeling_zen

Have you used the argument that a speaker on a stand uses the same footprint as a floorstander except that a standmount has the ugly stand while the floorstander had top to bottom wood finish?

I'm just repeating the logic I used often when customers would come in and he would want floorstanders and SWMBO wanted something small. Bring out the stand and use that argument and suddenly floorstanders were back on the menu every time (unless the sound of standmounts was preferred).

Not sure what to suggest. PMC and Proac both make exceptionally room friendly designs. I suppose the new Linn range with their billion and one fabric finishes might be worth your while to look at. No idea if they sound any good. If she is forcing you to go full on bookshelf territory, then Linn Majik 109 would be something I'd consider being front ported and all. B&Ws need loads of space behind them and a proper stand.

My wife tried to put her foot down recently ragarding a speaker change. Very easy solution. I ignored her and bought what I wanted.

Posted on: 29 December 2016 by wenger2015

feeling_zen posted:

My wife tried to put her foot down recently ragarding a speaker change. Very easy solution. I ignored her and bought what I wanted.

What is it like sleeping in the shed? you must keep us posted....

Posted on: 29 December 2016 by feeling_zen

wenger2015 posted:
feeling_zen posted:

My wife tried to put her foot down recently ragarding a speaker change. Very easy solution. I ignored her and bought what I wanted.
What is it like sleeping in the shed? you must keep us posted....

I'll be sure to ask her.

Posted on: 29 December 2016 by wenger2015

feeling_zen posted:
wenger2015 posted:
feeling_zen posted:

My wife tried to put her foot down recently ragarding a speaker change. Very easy solution. I ignored her and bought what I wanted.
What is it like sleeping in the shed? you must keep us posted....
I'll be sure to ask her.

Brilliant

Posted on: 29 December 2016 by Ardbeg10y

feeling_zen posted:
B&Ws need loads of space behind them and a proper stand.

True, but I have a pair of CM1's and it makes quite a difference to close the ports. Since the SN has loads of power, it has no problems with driving them having the ports closed. So, thats what I do with my CM1's. They are in on the shelves during normal time, and when the kids are asleep, I take them from the shelves and position them well and partytime is on!

I really love the sound of the ProAcs and PMC's but I must say that I'm with my wife on the looks of these speakers. The new Linn speakers are absolutely beautiful by the way, but does come in a complete different price range.

Posted on: 29 December 2016 by Bodger

Maybe onto something. My wife loves B&W speakers. She has some tom boy tendencies but who really knows. She actually noticed the recent change. The sound is apparently better. This from a lass with a hearing aid!

Posted on: 29 December 2016 by Massimo Bertola

Ardbeg10y posted:
More philosophical, what is the magic of B&W speakers? For some reason, women seem to like them. It's like the bad boys in school - women seem to be attracted to that.

My wife thinks Ovators are ugly and loves some B&Ws.. A mystery. But I don't think they are like bad boys in school – I think they are like those fair haired boys with oxford shirts, zits and a wide smile: they smell of a rich family.

Posted on: 29 December 2016 by Pedro T.

I doubt a 30w amp would drive the CM5 s2s very well. Those are power hungry speakers. I tested a pair of CM1 s2s with my UnitiQute 2 and I felt they needed a much more powerful amp...

Posted on: 30 December 2016 by Ardbeg10y

Pedro T. posted:
I doubt a 30w amp would drive the CM5 s2s very well. Those are power hungry speakers. I tested a pair of CM1 s2s with my UnitiQute 2 and I felt they needed a much more powerful amp...

CM1's are quite different from CM5's however they share the same sonic signature. My Supernait is driving my CM1's and is doing that quite well. When I put the Supernait + CM1's in my working room which is about 12 square meter, the Supernait tries to kick me out of the room since it is almost slave driving the speakers and this 'stress' is audible in a smaller room. In my living room which is over 40 square meters it is a complete different situation. The power of the Supernait on the CM1's is brilliant. It really kicks the music in the room and when sit on my sofa - about 8 meters from the speakers and I close my eyes I have a nice experience. The music gets communiated properly. I feel the skin of the timpanies resonating in my room etc etc etc.

So I have bought the CM5's and am doing some tests now. They sound very much the same as my CM1's but sound better in the smaller room. Probably because there is less stress on the midrange driver and less power needed - caused by the larger driver.

I've connected my AV2 as dac + pre-amp to the power-in port of the Nait 5 so the Nait 5 is only acting as as Power Amp. This seems to work well. A bit harsh, but new speakers and the s/h amp was switched off and stored for months.

Lets see what happens over the coming months.

Posted on: 30 December 2016 by Ardbeg10y

Massimo Bertola posted:
Ardbeg10y posted:
More philosophical, what is the magic of B&W speakers? For some reason, women seem to like them. It's like the bad boys in school - women seem to be attracted to that.
My wife thinks Ovators are ugly and loves some B&Ws.. A mystery. But I don't think they are like bad boys in school – I think they are like those fair haired boys with oxford shirts, zits and a wide smile: they smell of a rich family.

Massimo,

I always appreciate your resemblances and you're again right here. No bad boys, CM5's are more 'posh' boys.

England is ruled by these kind of guys and this is precisely the reason why that Corbyn guy will never make it as prime minister.

But more importantly, guys from rich families can end up quite well when they are educated by good teachers or have a strong coach. They just need to be in control, put in a proper place in and learn to respect others.

Such a good coach / teacher can be compared to a good Ampifier - it drives these posh speakers well.

And this - I start to see this more and more - is the core of Naim: good Amplification.

By the way, I've bought these CM5's + stands + an old Nait 5. They fulfil my expectations, if I get enough of them, I can sell them on for not too much less. Connected to my AV2 which is good as usual. Linn K20 cable which I had stored somewhere.

These AV2's are available way below their functional value apparently.

Ardbeg