Shahinian Compass/STarter?

Posted by: Top Cat on 05 April 2002

Hi folks.

I've a chance of a pair of what I believe are Shahinian Compass speakers (but they might be Starters) - in fine nick, with no dings or scuffs.

I'm thinking that they would work well in the second system, which has a Nait-2 amp. Are the Compasses/Starters going to work well with the Nait-2? Or is it going to run out of puff?

Also, can anyone advise as to how to determine which speaker it actually is - Compass or Starter? - as I've no experience with them at all...

Lastly, how much should one have to pay for such beasties (secondhand, of course) and what is the new price?

Thanks,

TC '..'
"Girl, you thought he was a man, but he was a Muffin..."

Posted on: 05 April 2002 by Top Cat
I have a chance of a pair at £400 in mint- condition with boxes (although the boxes were somewhere else) - is there any other model in their lineup that these Shahinians can be?

I mean, that's a BIG drop in price. It's from a dealer I trust and they'll hold them for me (they're good that way).

They claim that the speakers were updated to what was then the latest driver spec around a year ago, and were traded in against something else (don't know what). Had a listen and they're nice speakers - although I suspect the assistant in question wasn't familiar with the speakers as he didn't know where best to position them. We tried a few different arrangements and got what I felt was a good sound, all things considered. They're single wire, oak veneer finish (very well built speakers I would say) with the diamond, angled upper face with what looks like a 1" metal tweeter and a 7" or so bass driver. No dings, nothing like that.

What do you think?

TC '..'
"Girl, you thought he was a man, but he was a Muffin..."

Posted on: 05 April 2002 by Goose
TC,
The starters are pint size, and the compass about waist height..For your second system they will be great. for £400 they are a bargain, and will give you a lifetimes enjoyment ( if you like them!!)

I can't remember what your first set of speakers are, but you may be intrigued to try the others as well. I think a NAit 2 will drive them well enough.. Source is important too..

Listen first as they are not everyone's cup of tea, but I thouroughly like the shahinian range..

If you don't get on with them, then I may have someone who may want them!! ( no promises though!!)


There is a review in Hifi plus online edition 6 I think??

All the best
Goose

Posted on: 05 April 2002 by Top Cat
Do Shahinian do any cheaper floorstanders than the Starter? I mean, I'm having difficulty accepting that these fairly recent-spec speakers could be THAT cheap... and I think that these ones are Compasses, not Starters (as they are taller than the Starters appear, and have an oak finish which is seemingly not available for the Starters).

I'll almost certainly buy them if 'er indoors has no objection. Sure, it's £400 that perhaps I could do without spending, but I just thought that they sounded pretty good indeed (even though I knew they weren't giving their best). Not in the same league as my Neat Petite III/Gravitas, but a different yet equally valid sound - sort of like the difference between a bacon sandwich and an ice-cream cone - both wonderful in their own little ways and not really competing in any way.

TC '..'
"Girl, you thought he was a man, but he was a Muffin..."

Posted on: 05 April 2002 by Top Cat
quote:
I think you're going to have to accept that these are Compasses and a bargain!

Cool! Hey, those Elfs look like Rehdekos!

So, by this time tomorrow I will have some Shahinians. I had a quick search of the forums here and couldn't shed any light on setup tips - i.e. distance from walls, toe-in or not, etc.

Also interested to hear if anyone's tried them on Mana SBL bases as that would be something I'd consider doing later...

TC '..'
"Girl, you thought he was a man, but he was a Muffin..."

Posted on: 05 April 2002 by Top Cat
Just had the guy from the hifi shop call. He confirmed they ARE compasses (he thought they were Obelisks, but the website showed that to be wrong) and so they are MINE... all MINE!!!

If I don't get on with them I'll sell them on for the same as I paid for them - can't say fairer than that, eh?

TC '..'
"Girl, you thought he was a man, but he was a Muffin..."

Posted on: 05 April 2002 by Mike Sae
Congrats, TC.

For a sec you had me worried.
By the topic header, I thought your were switching out your P/Gs, thus renouncing your membership from the Neat Army.

Enjoy the Compasses (but don't forget your duties to the Neat Army wink ) !

mike

Posted on: 08 April 2002 by Top Cat
Well, we popped in to the dealer's on Saturday and picked up the speakers - original boxes and all. The dates on the original box place the speakers at around 1998 vintage, and I know that the bass drivers had been replaced with current drivers around a year ago. Speakers are in great condition all round, I'm quite happy.

Anyway, spent a bit of time over the weekend shifting things to try to get them to work well with the Nait-2. Using some horribly un-cooperative NAC-A5, which works but I suspect isn't the best cable between Nait-2 and Shahinians - although I can't be bothered changing it now.

Sound quality-wise, they're really rather good. They're wider apart than I want them to be (due to the fact that they have to share a room with a lot of other things like rabbit cages and a tv) and they're a wee bit too close to the corners for my liking, but nevertheless they seem to work pretty well. Some fine tuning is still required, I suspect, and they're more discriminating over source material than the cheapo Missions that we'd been using before.

Initial impressions are of a very different sound to that of my Neats - not as fast nor as punchy as the Petite, but refreshingly different in the way only a radically different design can be. The acid test will be when I use them with a better amplifier and source - the Nait-2 is a great little amp but perhaps could do with more grip - but nevertheless the overall result is cohesive, musical and quite enjoyable.

Let me emphasise that bit once again: they are different sounding speakers in every sense of the word - they don't do round-earth things in the way of round-earth speakers, neither do they do flat-earth things in the way of flat-earth speakers. They do their own thing, which is something I suspect will take a little adjustment to.

They look good, are well built and the bass is reasonably extended and controlled. Treble is a tad more rolled off than I expected, but that's probably the A5. Detail isn't really there in the classic sense, but it all hangs together well.

More once I have a chance to really audition them properly...

TC '..'
"Girl, you thought he was a man, but he was a Muffin..."

Posted on: 08 April 2002 by Carpe Diem
Top Cat,

Serious bargain you have - most s/h Compasses go for around £1000 as I was offered a pair recently.

If you ever want to 'upgrade' let me know - I would probably be willing to let you make a profit!