An afternoon at Cymbiosis - NDX2 and then the Titan 505s

Hi Lindsay,

I too was astonished when I first heard the 505s and that was with a modest Nova driving them in a hotel bedroom at the Bristol show! I can only imagine what they sounded like with Classic amplification and the NDX2.

You have a tricky decision whether to go streaming or stick with CD (I assume here you would keep your wonderful TT whichever you decide).

Please keep us briefed on your journey and if you need any advice outside of that wonderful dealer, you know where to ask!

Lindsay - If it's possible could you bring your CDS3 back to compare? That way you can get a better idea of what you might lose or gain with the CDS3 with the S20's vs the T505's. Personally I think speakers makes the biggest differences in SQ over a source or an amp. The CDS3 is one great player.

Can you simply just use both? Nothing says you need to give up the CDS3 before you are ready and if you liked the NDX2 and bought one, you could:

1) Pick and choose which music you listen to on which source.
2) Eventually realise you are comfortable with just the NDX2 and only then let the CDS3 go.

Even if you did go all in (a big if), you will need a period of overlap to carefully rip a CD collection.

Hi Lindsay, would you have any views on how NDX-2/555DR compares here with NDS/555DR? ????

Chag -

CDS3 traded in for a (pre-loved, horrible expression) CD555?

Another positive audition for the T505 speakers. Hmmmm

Anyone heard the 606s? 707s?. Not sure step up from S20 to 505 would be worth it ...

MangoMonkey posted:

Anyone heard the 606s? 707s?. Not sure step up from S20 to 505 would be worth it ...

yes I have heard now all in the range from T505 through to the glourious T808

when I heard the T505 it was the set up as Lindsey, it was one of those magic momments on demo when you just sit back and enjoy the music and reach for your wallet

for me the choice is between the T505 or T606 but more towards the T505 with the size of my room

feeling_zen posted:

Can you simply just use both? Nothing says you need to give up the CDS3 before you are ready and if you liked the NDX2 and bought one, you could:

1) Pick and choose which music you listen to on which source.
2) Eventually realise you are comfortable with just the NDX2 and only then let the CDS3 go.

Even if you did go all in (a big if), you will need a period of overlap to carefully rip a CD collection.

 

But I've only got one PSU, so it would mean running the NDX2 bare.  No if I made the change it will be in one move.

Regards,

Lindsay

MangoMonkey posted:

Anyone heard the 606s? 707s?. Not sure step up from S20 to 505 would be worth it ...

As Anthony says Mango it's a massive step up. 

Chag... posted:

Hi Lindsay, would you have any views on how NDX-2/555DR compares here with NDS/555DR? ????

Chag -

Chag,

No - my experience of the NDS is very limited.  However, from the ND555 demo I attended 3 weeks ago I'd say the ND555 is very well ahead of the NDS.

Regards,

Lindsay

MangoMonkey posted:

Anyone heard the 606s? 707s?. Not sure step up from S20 to 505 would be worth it ...

The 606 is amazing. Tyler will be at the RMAF showing the 505's. He likes to showcase small speakers so I'm not sure if he will have any other models with him. He will have a second room with the new Borresen B 01's too.

MangoMonkey posted:

Anyone heard the 606s? 707s?. Not sure step up from S20 to 505 would be worth it ...

Yes, and I am also a Super20 user. Although the T505s are very nice, I prefer the 606s and the 707s - and imho the 606 is the sweet spot and overall has the best performance balance, size and aesthetics

From my perspective of course, I would look at improving my Naim amplification before changing from Super 20s

MangoMonkey posted:

Anyone heard the 606s? 707s?. Not sure step up from S20 to 505 would be worth it ...

The Super 20's are a great speaker but the jump up to the T505's was huge yesterday, embarrassingly so.  The jump from S20 to T505 would be well worth the asking price. As for the rest, there isn't a bad speaker in the Titan range, do the demonstrations and go for the one that suits your budget and preference.

As for me, my preference is for the T505's, they are just so simple and so right.

MangoMonkey posted:

Anyone heard the 606s? 707s?. Not sure step up from S20 to 505 would be worth it ...

We need to take a road trip to Illinois Im afraid.

Bart posted:

MangoMonkey posted:

Anyone heard the 606s? 707s?. Not sure step up from S20 to 505 would be worth it ...

We need to take a road trip to Illinois Im afraid.

Brilliant - now that would be 

I heard the 505s at the Acoustica show and was very impressed.

Anyone know how much the dedicated stands cost?  If this is significant, there could be very little in it price-wise between 505 and 606.

Roger

The stands are £750 but combined with the speakers it comes up at £7750.  

I believe they are rear ported, so presumably they need to be further from the wall than the bottom ported 606. But maybe not. I must hear some one of these days. 

Polarbear posted:

MangoMonkey posted:

Anyone heard the 606s? 707s?. Not sure step up from S20 to 505 would be worth it ...

The Super 20's are a great speaker but the jump up to the T505's was huge yesterday, embarrassingly so.  The jump from S20 to T505 would be well worth the asking price. As for the rest, there isn't a bad speaker in the Titan range, do the demonstrations and go for the one that suits your budget and preference.

 

As for me, my preference is for the T505's, they are just so simple and so right.

And to add to that...  whatever suits your room.

I was ready to sign on the line for a pair of 707s but the 606s are just absolutely 100% spot on. I can’t imagine that 505s would be far off, though, if at all.

As a (major) bonus, the remaining budget was directed towards what will be my final amp upgrade so very happy chez Dave J. 

The look of standmounts would push me to spend a bit more for 606s so long as they sounded at least as good.

I'm about half way there to new speakers.  Will do an in-home demo of Devore X and Audio Physic, as those models are 2 miles from my house and the dealer is happy to cart them over here.

I can have the 606's shipped to me to audition, and just have to pay the shipping if I reject them. That's about as good an opportunity as it gets to audition Kudos that are 1000 miles away from me.

What say you enlightened forum members -- after narrowing down Devore vs. A P, should I risk a few hundred dollars and audition the 606's? (I hope it's only a few hundred dollars!)  Or spend $500 total to hear them (and the 707's, 505's, etc. at the dealer's...and still not know how they sound in my home but it'll be somewhat informative).  And make it a fun day geeking out over hi fi.

Geek out, you deserve it!

I may be wrong, but I don’t recall seeing anyone report that after a positive dealer dem of Kudos speakers, and particularly Titans of any grade, that they didn’t consequently work at home. They’re very easily accommodated.

tbf, I’ve not compared Devore or Audio Physic with anything Kudos so that’s going to be another issue. I CAN say, after hearing  Gibbons (not heard orangutans) and Avanti’s, I didn’t feel an overwhelming  need to own them as I did 606s, but then again, they’re probably not at the same budget level?

Sadly, I know of one person (mort2k if I remember his name on here correctly) who has not been able to get 606s to work in his room (unless they were very nearly in the middle of the room). He has a problem with the room being too square and this gives him a nasty bass problem. 505s are working well though at the moment (he’s working his way through a long list of speakers). I keep telling him he should move house but he’s not keen on that option (or his wife isn’t!)

0/96 is on you list ?