Speaker advice again i'm affraid.
Posted by: CraigP on 26 March 2003
After having done a search i can see this is a popular one on the forum, but i just need some more input.
I am looking at getting a new pair of speakers to match my recently aquired CD5 112/150 FC2 system.
I have approx £2000 to spend (but would happily spend less!). I have demoed a few (JMLAB electra, Linn Ninka, Opera Super Pavarotti), but fell in love with a pair of B&W nautilus 805s as soon as i heard them. However on taking them home for trial the girlfriend was less than impressed by the looks of the tweater and stand(understatement of year) and i have no chance of getting them so its back to the drawing board.
Last night i tried a few more pairs (inc Spendor S8s), but think that the Naim Alaes are the nicest of the ones i listened to (if not a bit lean of bass??). Will the Alaes be a good match with my system, or do they require a bit more to drive them?? (will i still get lots of detail at low volumes?) Also i dont know if room size is a consideration. The speakers will be firing width wise accross a 4.62m X 3.45m room, with 1.75m space in between.
Due to marriage and kids being on the way, whatever i buy now is going to have to last me for a while as i dont know if i will have much spare cash in coming years. This is my main reason for thinking Alaes as i would hope they wouldnt need changing even if my amp etc. do. However if they are not right for the system/room size then i wouldnt get them now.
Yours comments would be much appreciated.
regards
Craig
Posted on: 26 March 2003 by J.N.
Craig
Allaes are of course, the obvious choice and will work very well with what you have.
They are good enough to show the benefits of possible future upgrades to your player or amps, and I would expect them to have a pretty high w.a.f.
They are not bass-light by nature. A friend gets a rather fruity bass from his; but uses them actively from two 250's. You should be able to experiment with positioning to give a satisfactory bottom end.
BUT; if you don't like 'em - don't get 'em. One man's meat and all that.
Good luck.
(Any 'end-of-line' SBL's left at Naim?)
Posted on: 26 March 2003 by garyi
See if naim have any SBLs left gong cheap, they will work well with your combi (I know) and will see you through many upgrades in the future
Posted on: 26 March 2003 by maxwellspeed
And if you can't get new SBLs, buy used ones with the new drivers. You won't be sorry.
Posted on: 28 March 2003 by Maxi Me
Craig
As someone who is contemplating the same electronics as you I would love to know what speakers you finally end up with, and more importantly, why.
Posted on: 28 March 2003 by CraigP
Thanks for the advice from everybody,
John, believe you me, i have tried everything under the sun to get her to accepth these speakers but it just isnt going to happen. I wont go into detail but in 6 years this is the closest we've come to having a major fallout and i think i am just going to have to conceed the point. I have to agree that they do look a bit diiferent, but when you close your eyes to listen to the music because it sounds so great you cant see them.
Anyways i am getting a pair of Allaes for a dem this weekend, and from what i have heard and read so far i think these will be what i go for (although i am having to compromise again by paying the extra for the rosewood finish (anybody got that finish?)). I will report back with my findings in a few days, but i've decided to make a decision quickly before the prices go up at the begining of next week.
TTFN
Craig
Posted on: 28 March 2003 by Jonathan Gorse
Craig,
Why not try B&W 804's? They're quite an attractive floorstander and should do everything the 805's do and more.
At £2500 they're a little more than Allae's but if they offer the sound you're after either save a bit more or buy secondhand/ex-dem.
Just a thought.
Jonathan
Posted on: 28 March 2003 by CraigP
Jonathan
Great idea which i have tried, unfortunately that nautilus tweater is a major problem for her, but i am still trying to soften her up. As you say the price isnt hugely different, especially as i would pay £2200 for Allaes in rosewood, so when we go to the dealers tomorrow i will get her to look at them again
Thanks
Posted on: 28 March 2003 by andrew mcmullins
I think I just spotted the problem !
Its the tweeter on top that makes it look like a dalek and more to the point ... means you can't stick flowers on top of it. Solution is to put a shelf above the speakers to put the flowers on.
What you think?
Andrew
Posted on: 28 March 2003 by Jez Quigley
I suppose briks are out of the question then
Posted on: 28 March 2003 by Max Bass
A GUIDE TO THE MARRIED MAN
Craig, have you considered Wilson Benesch Arcs?
I have demoed a pair in my home with the same Naim electronics and thought them to be a very good match.
Lots of detail/uncolored. Excellent, tuneful, quick bass.
A very, very fun speaker to listen to.
I believe these are in your stated budget. They received a high approval rating from the fiance and have even been awarded the symbol of excellence in the Guide to the Married Man.
Regards
Max
Posted on: 28 March 2003 by Rico
Intro II's. The obvious choice.
Rico - SM/Mullet Audio
Posted on: 29 March 2003 by bjorne
Craig.
Yesterday a friend brought his new Monitor Audio reference 10 (standmounted) to my place and I must say I was very impressed with them. Even if my Nait 3r really isn't powerful enough for them, they made some really nice music and are quite pleasing for the eyes as well.
Considering your room size it might give better results using a smaller speaker. They also fit well into your budget and leaves plenty of cash for music and other fun. Maybe worth consideing or even some cheaper good standmounted speaker. It might well give you great sound for a small outlay. Remember that humble speakers can sound great being fed a good signal!
Just some thoughts.
Good luck
Posted on: 29 March 2003 by achandoke
Craig,
I think you should consider perhaps the new Dynaudio Contour s1.4 or even the 3.4. I am not sure if the 150 will drive them well, but they are worth the listen. In addition, do yourself a favor and listen to the Vienna Acoustics Haydn, Bach or even Mozart. All 3 are within your price limits. The Rosewood Finish is very wife friendly and Vienna Acoustics gets the wife approval every time
Posted on: 31 March 2003 by CraigP
Many thanks for peoples kind suggestions,
Dont quite know what happened when i was out on Saturday with the girlfriend looking at speakers but she all of a sudden decided that she could live with the Nautilus tweeter but not stands so we went and had a dem of the 804s and Allaes, and as gorgeous as the Allaes are it simply has to be the 804s every time. I am not a technical person when it comes down to describing what i am hearing but the sound was just that bit more detailed and luxurious that even my girlfriend could hear the difference (and she noticed no difference in sound when i whent from Marantz CD40 and Technics suv470 to current Naim sistem). So the 804s it is and now i just cant wait for them to run in properly (they sound bloody brilliant now).
Thanks once again
Craig
Posted on: 31 March 2003 by JohnMak
Hi CraigP,
I was following your posts and noticed that in your first email you were looking at B&W 805's but your last posting indicates that you have bought 804"s after comparing with Alaes.
Did you change model?
Posted on: 01 April 2003 by CraigP
JohnMak
Yes i did change model as this was the only way i could get away with Nautilus speakers as the girlfriend didnt like the 805s on stands, and doesnt think much of the tweeter either, so we comprimised on having the tweeter but with the boxes being floorstanders. Have to say that the 804s are better than the 805s due to more depth/bass. They are just marvellous compared to anything else i listened to near the price.
Craig
Posted on: 03 April 2003 by Carpe Diem
Hi,
Personally I favour my Royd Doublets - which sadly aren't available now but maybe have a listen to the RR2s. Another speaker range which seem to highly thought of are Shahinian from the US. I have heard Compasses and Arcs - both very impressive.
Jon.
Posted on: 03 April 2003 by Lightkeeper
CraigP !
I agree with mista Rico
Ozren
