Upgrading speakers

This is an interesting thread as I'm in a similar position as wanting to upgrade the speakers for my U2. I'm thinking about the smaller Proac D20R and PMC twenty.22 amongst others.  One of the difficulties I have is that the nearest HiFi shop is over 80 miles away.  Borrowing a pair for a weekend isn't an option.

Well - the only other option is to book a demo, grab your UQ and drive up to the dealer.

I would not recommend buying blind. 

Adam

If you think about what makes a very good loudspeaker better than another one you realize that it has nothing to do with sources and amplifiers. A better loudspeaker is a better loudspeaker no matter the rest of the system. It will sound better if you feed it with a better source and a better amplifier but it will always sound better than a less elaborate loudspeaker. So simple! 

cat345 posted:

If you think about what makes a very good loudspeaker better than another one you realize that it has nothing to do with sources and amplifiers. A better loudspeaker is a better loudspeaker no matter the rest of the system. It will sound better if you feed it with a better source and a better amplifier but it will always sound better than a less elaborate loudspeaker. So simple! 

Well maybe. Many 'better' (or costly) speakers can be quite demanding of power amps and many can be fussy about positioning and proximity to walls. Add to this the element of personal taste in the area of SQ and presentation and you may or may not be happy with the result. So ideally it is best to test new speakers with your own kit in your own listening environment if at all possible. If this is not possible, at least try at the dealers with the same electronics as your own. If that is not possible then you are taking a risk.

nigelb posted:

cat345 posted:

If you think about what makes a very good loudspeaker better than another one you realize that it has nothing to do with sources and amplifiers. A better loudspeaker is a better loudspeaker no matter the rest of the system. It will sound better if you feed it with a better source and a better amplifier but it will always sound better than a less elaborate loudspeaker. So simple! 

Well maybe. Many 'better' (or costly) speakers can be quite demanding of power amps and many can be fussy about positioning and proximity to walls. So ideally it is best to test new speakers with your own kit in your own listening environment if at all possible. If this is not possible, at least try at the dealers with the same electronics as your own. If that is not possible then you are taking a risk.

True, and many better speakers are not quite demanding of power amps.

cat345 posted:

nigelb posted:

cat345 posted:

If you think about what makes a very good loudspeaker better than another one you realize that it has nothing to do with sources and amplifiers. A better loudspeaker is a better loudspeaker no matter the rest of the system. It will sound better if you feed it with a better source and a better amplifier but it will always sound better than a less elaborate loudspeaker. So simple! 

Well maybe. Many 'better' (or costly) speakers can be quite demanding of power amps and many can be fussy about positioning and proximity to walls. So ideally it is best to test new speakers with your own kit in your own listening environment if at all possible. If this is not possible, at least try at the dealers with the same electronics as your own. If that is not possible then you are taking a risk.

True, and many better speakers are not quite demanding of power amps.

But you are not suggesting the purchase of speakers blind (i.e. without audition with your own electronics), are you?

nigelb posted:

cat345 posted:

nigelb posted:

cat345 posted:

If you think about what makes a very good loudspeaker better than another one you realize that it has nothing to do with sources and amplifiers. A better loudspeaker is a better loudspeaker no matter the rest of the system. It will sound better if you feed it with a better source and a better amplifier but it will always sound better than a less elaborate loudspeaker. So simple! 

Well maybe. Many 'better' (or costly) speakers can be quite demanding of power amps and many can be fussy about positioning and proximity to walls. So ideally it is best to test new speakers with your own kit in your own listening environment if at all possible. If this is not possible, at least try at the dealers with the same electronics as your own. If that is not possible then you are taking a risk.

True, and many better speakers are not quite demanding of power amps.

But you are not suggesting the purchase of speakers blind (i.e. without audition with your own electronics), are you?

Of course not but I think the Uniti2 would be perfectly adequate  with the 8ohm 88.5db sensitive ProAc D28's.

Here in the US dealers generally don't offer home auditions. Store only. 

Other than that, HH's advice seems right on. 

The one "unusual suspect" you have to try with the U2 is Piega 3.2.

Just had my 250 back from Naim, now DR'd and decided to trial the new Sopra 2 to replace my previous Electra speakers. What a difference they both make..I now have a new system with new boundaries, or should I say, without limits. 

Did you reply to the wrong topic?

Sorry, I was replying to rule #2 in this: 

There are a few 'rules' when buying speakers. These include:

Don't buy something that is too good for your electronics;

Don't buy speakers without listening to them at home;

Don't buy something based on reviews;

Don't buy something because it looks like a bargain.

DrMark posted:

Source first is not a dogma, it's a guideline, and must take into account the most "out of whack" aspect of a system if in fact one exists. So balance, with source first as a general guideline, all things being generally equal.

I think we have to be "careful" when considering source first and balance to consider the performance of components rather than absolute costs these days.

Back in the days when the LP12 was the only source worth considering (not quite but you get my drift); this was a precision engineered mechanical device which cost many man hours to build so the cost relative to a modern streamer was higher, though modern streamers require more in the way of on going development which does balance it back in the other way.

On the other hand amplifiers are for the most part mature technology; while there is development (see the Statement) there has been little change (except for the addition of streamers to certain pre-amps) for a long time.

Speakers are now where the mechanical parts are found ... and where (IMO) the greatest differences can be heard.  So yes you need a good amplifier to drive a good speaker ... but that doesn't automatically mean a £3,000 amplifier for a £3,000 speaker.

dcp posted:

Sorry, I was replying to rule #2 in this: 

There are a few 'rules' when buying speakers. These include:

Don't buy something that is too good for your electronics;

Don't buy speakers without listening to them at home;

Don't buy something based on reviews;

Don't buy something because it looks like a bargain.

And if there is no way to try them at home, what do you do?  Customer reviews and opinions are the only option then, right?