Active 606/707?

I was listening to the 707s at last year's Bristol show with an LP12 as the source and Naim amplification (back then passive only). It all sounded limp and unexciting and I knew there was much, much more available. They were playing some rather poorly recorded Beatles album IIRC.  Then I spied a Yello album which I asked them to stick on.

Bl**dy hell! It was bonkers - in a good way. A massive grin appeared on my and others faces. OK, Yello might be a bit..well…err…gratuitous but at leat you could hear what these fine speakers are capable of.

Funnily enough I went back to the same room a few hours later and the same Yello album was playing!

What fun!

Apparently the 707 will be playing with Akurate Exakt at the Windsor show. It will be interesting to hear from anyone who makes it to Windsor and Audiobarn.

I will certainly feed back from the Audiobarn bash. Had it confirmed that the 707s will be demoed passive with a 300DR and active with 2 x 250DRs but the 606s will be passive only with both the 250DR and 300DR.

Looking forward to it.

I have just got back fro the Audiobarn Kudos Titan 606/707 demo, or should I say 707 demo. There was a problem. This morning the 606s tweeters were blown by a faulty Supercap (power supply for the SNAXO) but later suspicion fell on a dodgy Burndy. Anyway, the 606 was not heard today.

Which leaves us with the 707 passive with a 300DR or active with 2 x 250DRs with the SNAXO powered by a HiCap instead of the SuperCap which was feeling tired and emotional as previously explained. We also had the opportunity to hear the S20As passively fed by a 300DR. All power amp/speaker combos were fronted by the same 272/555PS source, which in my view became a limiting factor when we reached the 707/active pinnacle. Having said that, I was very impressed with the 272s capabilities.

To summarise first, I preferred the 707s driven actively by the 250DRs in comparison to the passive 300DR option. More scale, more extension top and bottom and more control at those extremes when listening to the active system. Music felt more, the only word I can think of is, complete. There was an ease to the active presentation, music was a little more relaxing to listen to but would still thump you fully in the chest when called to do so. The passive 300DR option on the 707s sounded very good but a little smaller in scale and to some extent a little more realistic in term of musical scale if truth be known. The frequency extremes were less extended but there was still an iron grip particularly over the bass with the 300DR. Indeed with active 250DRs the bass was very deep but very occasionally was reverberating around the rather large listening room. This I believe was caused partly by the limitations of the 272 but, as no other streamers or pre amps were on offer, I have no evidence as to the cause of this slight criticism.

Just before I left we had a bit of fun and went from S20A/300DR passive to 707/300DR passive and finally 707/250DRs active. The S20s use a different tweeter to the 707s which is a little hotter than the rather smooth tweeter used across the Titan range. But the S20 never sounded hard or harsh. The bass was all there but sounded a little disjointed at times in comparison with the beautifully intergrated and seemless presentation of the 707s. In isolation, the S20s were a thoroughly entertaining and satisfying listen. We finished off with them with Acoustic Revenge, a track off the Antonio Forcione Live! album. The audience felt this would be a great track to hear straight away again with the 707s.

Next up 707s passive with the 300DR and the same Antonio Forcione track. Blimey, the scale, the musicianship of this wonderful acoustic guitarist just took a huge leap forward. And there is that seemless integration you get with the 707s, down surely to the matching of drivers, careful design of cabinet and port loading and that wonderful smooth but detailed Titan tweeter. The 707s again displayed a jump up too in the extension at both ends of the frequncy spectrum but never losing control.

Finally, the 707s in active mode with 2 x 250DRs with the same track. I have listened to this track dozens of times at home but never have I heard such realism than today with active 707s. It was totally relaxing but exciting at the same time and that is a weird but wonderful sensation. Antonio's guitar sounded so much more, and here's that word again, complete. More natural, more satisfying to listen to. Bonkers good!

It is a shame we did not get to hear the 606s, and frankly these are the speakers that would probably suit my room and bank balance best. But to be honest I would have then spent less time listening to the wonderful 707s, and that quite frankly was a blast.

Sorry, but I forgot to thank Jack at the Audiobarn and the teams from Kudos and Naim for a wonderful demonstration of the new Titans and possibly a new era in Naim active amplification. A very interesting and thouroughly entertaining day.

Thank you, for a from the heart review, but with great detail. In the past I had an active Naim SBL system, going active is special. The potential of future Naim, non Focal systems is very enticing.

So 707s actively driven by a 300/300PS DR four pack might be rather nice? 

Yes Chris, rather nice indeed I bet. In fact the 707s will be demoed in active mode with 2 x 300DRs at an audio show in the East of England in early November. Not sure if forum rules allow me to say any more. I will certainly get along to it if I can. Having heard active 707s with 250DRs, I can't imagine how they will sound with 300DRs!

I've heard Kudos 707s driven by 552/500 and they were sublime. Without actually hearing the 707s with NAP300/300PS DR I sensed that they might need more oomph to really sing - but it will be fun finding out 

Chris, I think you have a point. The passive 300DR I heard with the 707s today I felt was the minimum required. However with 2 x 250DRs they certainly did sing. With 2 x 300DRs fronted with a NDS/552, well that should be something!

So I'm rather interested in the 808s driven by a trio of 500 DRs. Assuming you can use three amps on them?

nigelb posted:

I have just got back fro the Audiobarn Kudos Titan 606/707 demo, or should I say 707 demo. There was a problem. This morning the 606s tweeters were blown by a faulty Supercap .......

To summarise first, I preferred the 707s driven actively by the 250DRs in comparison to the passive 300DR option. More scale, more extension top and bottom and more control at those extremes when listening to the active system. Music felt more, the only word I can think of is, complete. There was an ease to the active presentation, music was a little more relaxing to listen to but would still thump you fully in the chest when called to do so. The passive 300DR option on the 707s sounded very good but a little smaller in scale and to some extent a little more realistic in term of musical scale if truth be known. The frequency extremes were less extended but there was still an iron grip particularly over the bass with the 300DR. Indeed with active 250DRs the bass was very deep but very occasionally was reverberating around the rather large listening room. This I believe was caused partly by the limitations of the 272........

Next up 707s passive with the 300DR and the same Antonio Forcione track. .........

Well, maybe I'm just old school.

But I would have loved to hear that set up with Naims middle of the road pre (282).

Easier set up than a 552/252, but yet, Naim's Marque Separate capabilities. And here's the kicker, imagine how sweet it would have sounded with the Supercap/Burndy to aid in the minute subtleties, which Naim's Marque Separates can deliver.

Thanks for sharing your experience at the Audiobarn!

Nice Album, Antonio Forcione!

Listening to it this very moment!

Cdx2>282>HCDR>3 x 250.2>Fraimlite

Passive Tri-Amped Briks!

Next up, Snaxo 362/SC!

Enjoy your Music, The Why!

Allante93!

PS. Once Again, thanks nigelb!

Thanks nigelb for your 'bonkers good review'.  You description very much matches with my thoughts.