Time for a change??

davidf posted:

So what are u using for speakers now, PB?

david

I am currently using an old pair of Mission 780 SE until I can get a permanent pair sorted. 

Foot tapper posted:

I wonder if a pair of Kudos Titan 808 might make an appearance?

Yes, they certainly will FT. They are one of the very few pairs of speakers I have heard which I could live with rather than the ART's.  You may recall I had a very early pair of the original 88's at home and concluded that if I didn't already have the ART's then they would have stayed. 

Kudos have recently released new models (606, 707) which others have commented on in an extremely positive manner.  I'm wondering if Kudos have any imminent plans to incorporate any lessons learned into the 808's in some form of mid-cycle upgrade (launched 2015) or are such evolutionary changes ongoing throughout the model life cycle?

Peter

I think they’ve been pretty busy in developing a complete Titan range, all of which - I think - are utterly outstanding. I was going to add “at their price point” but I think it goes beyond that; you just need to match the model to your room. I wouldn’t think there would be any specific changes to the 808s at this stage.

northpole posted:

Kudos have recently released new models (606, 707) which others have commented on in an extremely positive manner.  I'm wondering if Kudos have any imminent plans to incorporate any lessons learned into the 808's in some form of mid-cycle upgrade (launched 2015) or are such evolutionary changes ongoing throughout the model life cycle?

Peter

And not forgetting the new 505's which I had the pleasure of a long listen to at Peters, in fact I have heard all four of the new models at Peters and I have to say they are all great speakers. Whatever they learned by making the 808's has been passed down through to the 707's, the 606's and now the 505's, they all display the Kudos signature sound and you can hear the improvements going up through the range.

Well Wayne from Cymbiosis has just been and dropped off the first few boxes 

Oh, what a tease!

Don't worry, I'm sure PB is just editing the photos before posting, 'cause pretty soon this thread will be no use without....

Peter

Pictures on the Naim FB page, no idea how to post them on here 

At which point I finally discover there is a Naim FB page! :-)

Michael_B. posted:

At which point I finally discover there is a Naim FB page! :-)

Long after Cambridge Analytica...

G

Michael_B. posted:

At which point I finally discover there is a Naim FB page! :-)

It’s a closed group Michael, hence why you probably haven’t picked up on it.

you can see pictures of the Kudos 707’s on there.

Polarbear posted:

Michael_B. posted:

At which point I finally discover there is a Naim FB page! :-)

It’s a closed group Michael, hence why you probably haven’t picked up on it.

 

you can see pictures of the Kudos 707’s on there.

Hi PB, yes saw them on FB & darn nice it all looks. Glorious room....but....drum roll...how does it sound?

First impressions please. 

Polarbear posted:

Well Wayne from Cymbiosis has just been and dropped off the first few boxes 

Containing?

Innocent Bystander posted:

Polarbear posted:

Well Wayne from Cymbiosis has just been and dropped off the first few boxes 

Containing?

The clues above IB ????

Dustysox posted:

Polarbear posted:

Michael_B. posted:

At which point I finally discover there is a Naim FB page! :-)

It’s a closed group Michael, hence why you probably haven’t picked up on it.

 

you can see pictures of the Kudos 707’s on there.

Hi PB, yes saw them on FB & darn nice it all looks. Glorious room....but....drum roll...how does it sound?

First impressions please. 

First impressions are very good Dusty, I love the bright open and fast presentation, which is what I was looking for. The ART’s were great, very enjoyable but they were  thick and heavy in the lower mid and bass.

Okay - had the pleasure of a visit to the Bear’s last night. The 707s are excellent speakers with no obvious traits except perhaps a little edge in the treble with digitally sourced material. Kudos speakers are renowned for being relatively easy to integrate but we did feel that they were somewhat congested early in the session so Nigel moved them out further into the room and that was night and day - the music just flowed more naturally. Early in the session I had asked Nigel to play Soul Kitchen by the Doors and I commented that I had preferred it on my system the previous day, but when we listened to it again later all the syncopation had returned - gorgeous to listen to. We concluded with the Vodoo Child and Can’t Find My Way Home from Eric Clapton and Steve Winwards Madison Square concert - it was mesmeringsly sublime.  Superb speaker - all for Nigel and Karen to think about. I understand there is another option to consider!

Regards,

Lindsay

Well its time for a report, its day four of having the 707's in my house and I am getting to understand them more.

Thursday and Friday nights were just spent enjoying loads of our favourite music, Rush, Moving Pictures, Jeff Beck live, Gary Moore live, Tom Petty live, London Grammar Metallica, Pink Floyd, David Gilmour, you get the picture. First impressions very positive, fast, open and dynamic, musically cohesive and the system had seemed to have great synergy.

Most of the listening was done using the trusty CD 555 and yes as Lindsay states, there is a slight edge to the treble, but I like my music to have an edge to it.  However it was late on Friday when I was playing Antonio Forchioni, Compared to what when I realised that there was something wrong with the mid, it just wasn't right. Then when Lindsay announced that he prefers the Doors on his own system  and asked why he states unprompted that the mid was just plain wrong.  I wasn't offended, I always prefer an honest opinion, we discussed what to do about it and the 707's were moved six inches further into the room. Wow, night and day shouts Lindsay and yes that was much better. The mid opening and the timing improved as did the musical tones and cohesiveness. We revisited a few tracks to reassert what we had found with the doors track.

So what now, well more listening and then something bigger is going to turning up soon 

11 to 12 Pm really has to be the golden hour for listening. I am playing Chris Jones, Roadhouse and Automobiles, a great album. The 552 is just nudging 7 on the volume control, yet there seems to be more detail and dare I say it, the soundstage seems wider. There is less bass energy to excite my curious corners and it’s all very enjoyable. I love the tones and nuances the 707’s are digging out of the CD.  I am not sure I agree with Lindsay that there is a slight harshness to the treble, certainly not at these listening levels.

Polarbear posted:

Well its time for a report, its day four of having the 707's in my house and I am getting to understand them more.....

So what now, well more listening and then something bigger is going to turning up soon 

I'm sensing a numbers game playing out here - what might come between 7 (707) and 9 (MF9)....?!!

Peter

Hi PB,

Had a look through the thread and saw no mention of the new Tannoys. I am a great fan of the DCs, which I think are open and dynamic ....but, need a space larger than I can give them. Apparently Tannoy have used new materials on the DCs in the new speakers. If I was in your position I would include one of the new models on the list. No, I haven't heard them myself, but I would be interested in your opinion.

M

Polarbear posted:

11 to 12 Pm really has to be the golden hour for listening. I am playing Chris Jones, Roadhouse and Automobiles, a great album. The 552 is just nudging 7 on the volume control, yet there seems to be more detail and dare I say it, the soundstage seems wider. There is less bass energy to excite my curious corners and it’s all very enjoyable. I love the tones and nuances the 707’s are digging out of the CD.  I am not sure I agree with Lindsay that there is a slight harshness to the treble, certainly not at these listening levels.

Roadhouse is a very well produced record.   To be honest the treble issue is something I have always found with all digital sources although I must say it certainly wasn’t troubling me when you played Voodoo Child late on Saturday evening. 

I think I know how this is going to play out

Mr Underhill posted:

Hi PB,

Had a look through the thread and saw no mention of the new Tannoys. I am a great fan of the DCs, which I think are open and dynamic ....but, need a space larger than I can give them. Apparently Tannoy have used new materials on the DCs in the new speakers. If I was in your position I would include one of the new models on the list. No, I haven't heard them myself, but I would be interested in your opinion.

M

which models were you thinking?  I don't know a lot about Tannoy speakers and they wouldn't normally be high on my want to hear list.  I have heard a few Tannoys at various shows and haven't been blown over by them.

Westminster Royal is the obvious one!

Does physically need a reasonably sized room, though...

and what do you consider to be a reasonably sized room?