Speakers again !?

al9315 posted:

Hi Trickie

I would absolutely LOVE to hear your speakers !!!!

Al

An email has just come your way!

trickydickie posted:

al9315 posted:

Hi Trickie

I would absolutely LOVE to hear your speakers !!!!

Al

An email has just come your way!

Richard - Really enjoyed the session - I think the c20s sounded great !!

Very dynamic exciting sound - perhaps prone to a little over brightness, but compared to what I am used to - Wow !!!

So far listened to Kudos X3 & c20, PMC Twenty5.23, Naim SL2

Naim SL2s were really smooth, well integrated sumptuous sound - gorgeous

C20 - Brighter, faster, very dynamic sound

X3 - perhaps the listening room, but I found the bass "boomy" and seperated from the rest of the music, good midrange

Twenty5.23 - again, perhaps the listening room, or amp ? - found the sound to be a bit hard, though the bass was better integrated than the X3

So - the journey continues - SL2s are size wise more or less out of the question + almost impossible to find - leaving the C20s - will be considering them further

Any other suggestions - most welcome - keep 'em coming !

Thanks again to HH & trickiedickie for the generous hospitality and most enjoyable musical experiences 

Regards,

Al

Erm - going back to an earlier suggestion..... SBL. Not quite as good as the SL2 but smaller, cheaper and rather importantly, available. 

Hungryhalibut posted:

Erm - going back to an earlier suggestion..... SBL. Not quite as good as the SL2 but smaller, cheaper and rather importantly, available. 

Not forgotton them ! Thank you

Al  about tthe c20 does bright means to bright to the point that  can have matching problem with source( cdx2 bare for example) l am considering the s20 but since they have the same tweeter l was wondering....

al9315 posted:

Not changed my speakers for nearly 30yrs and feel my system is easily capable of something better (currently Kans II) - looking for a bit more bass clout and nice musical soundstage - no need to blow the walls off volume wise............

Due to space etc. I have at the moment decided to try to audition the following:-

Neat SX2 / SX1 - Kudos X3 - PMC Twenty5 25 23

The ones which would best fit - would b Neat / Kudos

I wonder if anyone here has any opinions before I contact a dealer........ ?

Thanks

Al

 

I can highly recommend the PMC range both the twenty 5 24 and the twenty 5 23 of which i auditioned both very recently, i chose the 24 purely because they offered that little more scale and weight the 23 could not deliver but make no mistake the 23 are stunningly capable 

Good luck with whatever you decide

leni v posted:

Al  about tthe c20 does bright means to bright to the point that  can have matching problem with source( cdx2 bare for example) l am considering the s20 but since they have the same tweeter l was wondering....

Heard along with NAC282 250DR - some do say NAC282 can be a bit bright, so perhaps changing pre-amp or indeed with a different set up to the one I heard, this would tone down a little?

Muisc was from bare NDX - perhaps XPS added would reduce "problem"

I did enjoy them though !

Al

al9315 posted:

I did enjoy the [C20s] though !

Hopefully tells you all you need to know.

C.

If you can try ATC SCM40. I'm delighted with mine (I own the active versions). Really nicely balanced with tight weighty bass and excellent soundstaging. Very special mid making vocals and instruments such as piano sound incredibly realistic and three dimensional. Very transparent and insightful (will reflect the music as it is without colouration) yet very forgiving and an easy listen. ATC are highly regarded amongst both pro audio and hifi communities.

How close can the ATC's go to rear walls ?

My view is that they are about as placement friendly as you can get from a conventional full range speaker because they are a sealed design and bass fires from the front. so if any conventional full range speaker is going to work near the rear wall it would be these.

Thanks for the info HM - will investigate 

Don't make the mistake of comparing specs as ATC are very conservative compared to other manufacturers. SCM40 are full range speakers that do deep sub bass.

Another thought, atc scm19, although standmounters, might also be worth considering. For a two way speaker they are very hard to beat. They are quite a bit less expensive than scm40, may be better close to rear wall due to less bass, and will be easier for an amp to drive. Atc also do an active tower version of scm19.

Its funny, I have ATC 19s, but am wanting to reorganise my listening area now it appears I can't easily demo active ATCs I was earlier considering, I have reconsidered and so would like to try smaller less obtrusive speakers and see if they still do the magic for me.. ... I am considering the Russel K50, Neat SX2 and the Neat Iota Alpha...  the last speakers intrigue me... and where there are no obvious room resonances and volumes are not required too loud seem to be well considered by various voices I have in some regard...

The 19's are of interest - i like the no nonsense engineering approach that goes into ATC speakers. It's a shame that they only come in the tower version as active speakers which would mean a change upfront. There is a dealer (in a barn) about an hour or so from me that stocks most of what i'm interested in (apart from Kudos) so must get a bit of time off work and go and do some auditioning. 

The Iota Alphas look interesting Simon. I think Mr Everard (of this parish) reviewed them recently for HFN and was very impressed with something so small and discrete but all the models you mention are good choices - the SX3 may be more suited but i suppose it depends what is happening to your listening room. 

James

Interested how you get on Simon. I've had all three of them at home, and my conclusion in my room was that the Red 50s were by far the more interesting speaker. The Neat's are ok, but  you know you are listening to tiny drivers with a bass boost, and in some way so is the Red 50, just less noticeably so. The Red 100 may be worth a listen too...  By the way, have you ever heard any Shahinians?

gary yeowell posted:

 have you ever heard any Shahinians?

Have prices really shot up on these Gary ? - I'm sure the Compass used to be around 2.5k and now it's up nearer 5 

Afraid so James! bonkers really. I've had 3 pairs of Compass. The first i bought new for 2.9k, the 2nd ex dem for 2K and the last, my current, 1K used. I would not pay 5K for a pair now i'm afraid, but at 1K used, nothing new can get close and they are far better than an Alpha.

James, as you've had your GB1is for ever, have you thought about trying the new 25.23s? I found the 20.23 sufficiently better than the GB1i to make the change, and the 25.23 is reputed to be even better. It may be a slightly dull option but it would give you an improvement over the house sound you clearly appreciate. 

This is all very confusing. Al is looking for speakers, then James, and now maybe Simon too. Should I start looking as well? It's clearly the thing to do. 

Hungryhalibut posted:

This is all very confusing. Al is looking for speakers, then James, and now maybe Simon too. Should I start looking as well? It's clearly the thing to do. 

You must be glad you do not have the problem !!!???

Yes indeed. I can't stand trying speakers. It doesn't help when you need them to go against or very near to the wall either, which seems to rule out 90% of those out there. 

Not much else out there better than an SL2 in that situation HH.