Naim and the new Spendor Classics

I would suggest you listen to Kudos X3s.  They match!  Work up from there if you need to spend more.

SongStream posted:

I would suggest you listen to Kudos X3s.  They match!  Work up from there if you need to spend more.

As far as I know, Kudos is no longer distributed in Canada. I have not found any dealers near me that would permit me to hear them. 

What do you actually mean by 'fast'?  That description can be applies to more than one characteristic of a speaker.

When people criticise a speaker for not being 'fast' it often actually means that it's not performing optimally for the room (including not at optimal positioning), rather than reflecting any specific characteristic of the speaker itself.

One thing you can always do to improve the 1st cycle response and transient response of ported speakers is to block the reflex port (or TL port as appropriate).  Another thing you easily can do to tailor transient response is to reduce the amount of internal damping.

Annoying!  Well, they're just one option.  Personally, and bearing in mind your criteria which I relate to, I really quite like the Focal Aria 926s.  Now there is the Kanta no.2, and although I've not heard them, I would have high hopes based on the aria presentation.  Focal get a pretty bad, or at least mixed, review around here, but in my limited experience they're more affordable aria range is pretty damn good with modest Naim gear such as the SN2.

Huge posted:

What do you actually mean by 'fast'? 

Rhythmic, snappy, etc.

Hey Daniel, the newer Spendor D series is exceptional sounding, very dynamic, nothing like the Spendor of old.

As far as recommending one brand over another, I can only add that speakers are a very personal choice. The Spendor D series I have auditioned and have heard at recent CES shows are at a pretty elevated level of performance. I am pretty sure the new Spendor Classic line uses the driver technology from the D series, If not the same drivers for the mid-bass units, so I wouldn't be surprised if they are everything you're looking for.

I would seek out the new Classic series, and let your own ears decide if they are right for you or not. Recent speakers that I have heard or auditioned that goes really well with Naim and the SN2 are Proac's and the Twenty5 series from PMC. They are very fast, detailed and transparent, they also have excellent bass.

I personally preferred them to the other brands mentioned.

'Rhythmic' isn't too difficult and even the larger Spendor SP2s that I have can do that very well (with the ports blocked), but for what I would consider 'snappy', you'll really need very strongly marked (and possibly even artificially accentuated) leading edge transients; unfortunately this tends to have a deleterious effect on some of the more subtle genres of music

I suggest you look at smaller sealed box loudspeakers, and probably a more authoritative amp than a SN2 - I suggest a 282 + 300DR would be appropriate for 'snappy'.

I own the Spendor 3/1R2 for quite some time now. Probably more than 7 years.

They look boring but are great for me.

What I love about them is 1st the midrange. If you like the classic BBC 3/5 midrange, you will like this, but with a bigger sound and more bass.

The speakers are not the most detailed, but they got it covered if you do try to look for it. They just don't shout about it, it's all there as part of the music. With voices, they sound relaxing, smooth and touching. You can listen all day, and at high volume without listening fatigue.

I listen to rock a lot, they are plenty fast for me. My supernait 2 can easily drive it. I've listened to other systems and either they make rock sound confusing, or the bass just lags behind... that's a fail for me. If I'm not jamming with energy.... I'm not paying for it...... yeah, I was looking to upgrade... but they are hard to replace for me.

The best thing for me is that they are pretty room friendly. About 30cm from the rear wall, no boom bass and the midrange doesn't collapse.

SongStream posted:

 modest Naim gear such as the SN2.

Maybe modest by your standards, or even Naim's standards. What isn't modest compared to the Statement series?? But being named one of the 19 best amplifiers of all time is pretty high praise indeed! There's nothing modest about it's performance.

badlands posted:

SongStream posted:

 modest Naim gear such as the SN2.

Maybe modest by your standards, or even Naim's standards. What isn't modest compared to the Statement series?? But being named one of the 19 best amplifiers of all time is pretty high praise indeed! There's nothing modest about it's performance.

Chill, man. I love the SN2.  I ordered one three years ago, and it had me hooked straight away, I love it to bits, and it's not going anywhere.  It's not modest in real world standards, but as you pointed out with the Statement reference, modest in the grand scheme of Naim things.  

SongStream posted:

Annoying!  Well, they're just one option.  Personally, and bearing in mind your criteria which I relate to, I really quite like the Focal Aria 926s.  Now there is the Kanta no.2, and although I've not heard them, I would have high hopes based on the aria presentation.  Focal get a pretty bad, or at least mixed, review around here, but in my limited experience they're more affordable aria range is pretty damn good with modest Naim gear such as the SN2.

I am looking for stand mounts or small tower speakers. The Kanta are too big for my room. The Focals I would consider are the 1008Be or maybe the Sopra 1 if I stretch my budget. 

badlands posted:

Hey Daniel, the newer Spendor D series is exceptional sounding, very dynamic, nothing like the Spendor of old.

As far as recommending one brand over another, I can only add that speakers are a very personal choice. The Spendor D series I have auditioned and have heard at recent CES shows are at a pretty elevated level of performance. I am pretty sure the new Spendor Classic line uses the driver technology from the D series, If not the same drivers for the mid-bass units, so I wouldn't be surprised if they are everything you're looking for.

I would seek out the new Classic series, and let your own ears decide if they are right for you or not. Recent speakers that I have heard or auditioned that goes really well with Naim and the SN2 are Proac's and the Twenty5 series from PMC. They are very fast, detailed and transparent, they also have excellent bass.

I personally preferred them to the other brands mentioned.

Thanks! The Spendor D7 look very interesting. They are a bit big for my space, and they are rear ported which might pose problems. Ideally, my new speakers would be front ported. 

kmchow98 posted:

I own the Spendor 3/1R2 for quite some time now. Probably more than 7 years.

They look boring but are great for me.

What I love about them is 1st the midrange. If you like the classic BBC 3/5 midrange, you will like this, but with a bigger sound and more bass.

The speakers are not the most detailed, but they got it covered if you do try to look for it. They just don't shout about it, it's all there as part of the music. With voices, they sound relaxing, smooth and touching. You can listen all day, and at high volume without listening fatigue.

I listen to rock a lot, they are plenty fast for me. My supernait 2 can easily drive it. I've listened to other systems and either they make rock sound confusing, or the bass just lags behind... that's a fail for me. If I'm not jamming with energy.... I'm not paying for it...... yeah, I was looking to upgrade... but they are hard to replace for me.

The best thing for me is that they are pretty room friendly. About 30cm from the rear wall, no boom bass and the midrange doesn't collapse.

The new Classic 3/1 don't look boring to me. They no longer have holes for the grilles, and the woofer is all black. They look great in cherry finish. I find them better looking than the Harbeths. I love the Harbeth rosewood finish, but dislike all the screws on the front plate. I very much like the uncluttered classic style of the Spendors! There is beauty in simplicity. 

They sound very interesting from your description. I am glad to hear they are room friendly as well. They would be about 60cm from the rear wall in my setup. They are also the perfect size for me. I will try to audition them when I am ready to buy.

There is only one dealer who sells both Naim and Spendor in my area, but I think he only carries the A and D lines. The only other Spendor dealer in my area, is still selling off the older Classic models and does not seem to have the new ones yet. 

Daniel H. posted:

There is only one dealer who sells both Naim and Spendor in my area, but I think he only carries the A and D lines. The only other Spendor dealer in my area, is still selling off the older Classic models and does not seem to have the new ones yet.  

So why not audition the older models? You will certainly get the Spendor flavour from doing so & will also probably get a good bargain on end of line stock.....

S3/5R-2's here - love the Spendor sound 

Daniel H. posted:

Canada

Totem. Too easy?!

I have an old pair of Spendor SP2/2s somewhere here.  They're lovely speakers, very nicely balanced, and particularly adept with smaller scale classical pieces, voices etc.. They're a real classic of the BBC type monitor and in many ways one of the best speakers Spendor ever made (and still make as a series 3).  However, they are not what i would call a particularly "rhythmic and snappy" speaker. In that sense a modest pair of Linn Kans runs rings round them.  However, I know which one I'd rather listen to when it comes to Songs of the Auvergne, or Starker on the Cello.  

Considering what you say you're looking for, I'd probably be looking to listen to something else.  Have you tried Totems or Neats?  Either mate well with Naim and would likely give you more "snap" and rhythmic ability.  I'd imagine that Totem is well distributed in Canada?

Daniel, on what aspects of the sound of the Sonus Fabers are you trying to improve?

What do you like about them and what do you dislike about them?
What are the dimensions of your listening room, how is it constructed and how is it furnished?
To what genres of music do you usually listen?

This will allow us to give a more focused set of recommendations for audition (never buy speakers 'blind' but you have already implied that you're well aware of this!)

I had the SP 3 / 1R with NAP 200 and I was delighted. Now I have Stirling LS3 / 5a and they adapt better to my room, but Spendor and Naim is a perfect combination

Hi,

Not that this will bring much to the party here but I heard recently a pair of Spendor A2 (part of a new range) floorstanders, albeit on the end of the latest Rega Brio amp and I have to say these sounded very fast and articulate. Not a million miles away from the Kudos X2 or Neat Motive SX2 speakers. 

Daniel H. posted:

badlands posted:

Hey Daniel, the newer Spendor D series is exceptional sounding, very dynamic, nothing like the Spendor of old.

As far as recommending one brand over another, I can only add that speakers are a very personal choice. The Spendor D series I have auditioned and have heard at recent CES shows are at a pretty elevated level of performance. I am pretty sure the new Spendor Classic line uses the driver technology from the D series, If not the same drivers for the mid-bass units, so I wouldn't be surprised if they are everything you're looking for.

I would seek out the new Classic series, and let your own ears decide if they are right for you or not. Recent speakers that I have heard or auditioned that goes really well with Naim and the SN2 are Proac's and the Twenty5 series from PMC. They are very fast, detailed and transparent, they also have excellent bass.

I personally preferred them to the other brands mentioned.

Thanks! The Spendor D7 look very interesting. They are a bit big for my space, and they are rear ported which might pose problems. Ideally, my new speakers would be front ported. 

Daniel, they are actually bottom ported, so they may be easier to place in your room.

The D7s are actually rear ported via the large Venturi type port as shown and can go fairy close to a wall depending on the room.

I actually thought I was going to buy some PMC speakers during a system update but ended up much preferring these, speakers are a very personal choice so try to listen to as many as possible a home demos is a must 

Pcd posted:

The D7s are actually rear ported via the large Venturi type port as shown and can go fairy close to a wall depending on the room.

I actually thought I was going to buy some PMC speakers during a system update but ended up much preferring these, speakers are a very personal choice so try to listen to as many as possible a home demos is a must 

 

Always like to see a well spiked carpet - the sign of a committed audiophile!

G

badlands posted:

Daniel H. posted:

badlands posted:

Hey Daniel, the newer Spendor D series is exceptional sounding, very dynamic, nothing like the Spendor of old.

As far as recommending one brand over another, I can only add that speakers are a very personal choice. The Spendor D series I have auditioned and have heard at recent CES shows are at a pretty elevated level of performance. I am pretty sure the new Spendor Classic line uses the driver technology from the D series, If not the same drivers for the mid-bass units, so I wouldn't be surprised if they are everything you're looking for.

I would seek out the new Classic series, and let your own ears decide if they are right for you or not. Recent speakers that I have heard or auditioned that goes really well with Naim and the SN2 are Proac's and the Twenty5 series from PMC. They are very fast, detailed and transparent, they also have excellent bass.

I personally preferred them to the other brands mentioned.

Thanks! The Spendor D7 look very interesting. They are a bit big for my space, and they are rear ported which might pose problems. Ideally, my new speakers would be front ported. 

Daniel, they are actually bottom ported, so they may be easier to place in your room.

Spendor refers to them as bottom rear ported, so they are not a traditional rear ported design, more of a PMC flow port type design, I would guess both descriptions would be correct.

badlands posted:

badlands posted:

Daniel H. posted:

badlands posted:

Spendor refers to them as bottom rear ported, so they are not a traditional rear ported design, 

Aren't we all ? 

Daniel H. posted:

SongStream posted:

Annoying!  Well, they're just one option.  Personally, and bearing in mind your criteria which I relate to, I really quite like the Focal Aria 926s.  Now there is the Kanta no.2, and although I've not heard them, I would have high hopes based on the aria presentation.  Focal get a pretty bad, or at least mixed, review around here, but in my limited experience they're more affordable aria range is pretty damn good with modest Naim gear such as the SN2.

I am looking for stand mounts or small tower speakers. The Kanta are too big for my room. The Focals I would consider are the 1008Be or maybe the Sopra 1 if I stretch my budget. 

I've heard both on the end of Naim systems and both are excellent. The Sopra 1s are though a bit pricey and are perhaps not that much better than the 1008be's, given the price differential.