Help Speakers Wanted

 

New member
Username: Happychick251

Swindon, Wiltshire Uk

Post Number: 1
Registered: Nov-05
I am not into hifi quip that much and need some real good assistance.

I have a NAIM CD5i and a NAIM a NAIM NAIT 5i (at some point in the not so near future, i would like to upgrade up the NAIM trail - but not yet)

I have not yet decided to get floor standers or mounted speakers. My current speakers are small kef's.

I am looking at the spendoe 5se, FB1+(but heard my naim may not drive it) , B&W 805s or B&W 704(was told the timing not to hot on the 704's)(was told my naim could not drive these also), Monitor audio gold 10 or 20

The problem is my local dealer only has dynoaudio, JBL and PMC in stock. So I can't really hear the others.

Can any one advise. (personally i'd like to save money and but the spendors).

Music i listen to is rock, metal, thrash metal and normal stuff now and again: ben harpper, bob dylan,david grey,

Any advice would be great. I would like opinions on the spendors . and whatever my naim nait 5i can drive
 

New member
Username: Ptarmigan

Post Number: 4
Registered: Nov-05
I don't know your price range. I just bought some Missions and am very impressed. The M32i can put out quite a bit of bass. But if you want more and want to play it really loud, check out the Mission M34i and the Mission M35i. They are on Amazon half off. The small bass drivers are very tight and punchy, and can move a lot of air. Mission specs are realistic, if not conservative. Also, the Amazon specs for the Missions are wrong in spots. Check the company website.
 

New member
Username: Awafaehame

Post Number: 8
Registered: Oct-05
Veronika, I just bought a pair of B&W 704's and have them hooked up to a Rotel power amp, rotel pre amp and rotel CD player. They sound absolutely incredible. They also are the best looking speakers I have ever seen too.
Before I had these I had Bose everywhere in my house, so I didn't really have anything decent to compare them to, but these speakers are awesome.
 

Gold Member
Username: Frank_abela

Berkshire UK

Post Number: 1013
Registered: Sep-04
veronika,

I haven't tried it but I can't think that the 704s would be beyond the ability of the Nait5i. They're not that difficult to drive. Of course, if you decide to upgrade in the Naim fold you'll reap benefits. That said, the 700 series is not B&W's best, not having got hold of the UK imagination, even though they offer a lot of speaker for the money, beautiful fit and finish and a very good sound. 700 series needs a good amount of space around them, so be prepared to place them at least 18 inches from the rear wall. Certainly try before you buy if you can.

Are you so against Dynaudio? The Nait5i can drive Audience 42 (£400), 52 (£650), 52SE (£950) 62 (£800 floorstander) and 72 (£1200-ish floorstander). In fact it can even drive the most excellent Dynaudio FOCUS 110 (£850) which is a cracking little speaker.

Another brand you may wish to investigate is Totem. The Totem Arro (£1000 floorstander) suits the Naim combination you have very well indeed. It's a tiny little floorstander with a very big sound, and it's more room friendly than most. Totem's Mite (£600) is a lovely little speaker which matches well, too. Totem's Rainmaker (£900-ish) is another option, although I feel it doesn't match as well with the Nait5i. Then again, your opinion may differ from mine!

PMC do make speakers that can be driven by the Nait5i, but I am not that knowledgeable about the brand to be able to advise. I do know that Naim and PMC are good bedfellows.

The Spendors have had great reviews - but I have yet to fathom out why! They do not lend their strengths to the Naim presentation in my view.

Finally, is there a reason why you have discounted Naim themselves? The little nSat (£699 plus dedicated stands which are required really) is a great fun speaker which likes to reside against the rear wall to enhance bass. It's a very fast open sound which can really grab you, so it's particularly good with the kind of music you listen to. If there's not enough bass there, consider its bigger brother, the Ariva (£1300 or so). Again, it prefers to go near the rear wall, but it doesn't half motor when you want it to.

Obviously some of this depends on the size of your room. If you're in a very large room (bigger than say 20x18) then a floorstander may be preferable, but it's not a given...

Regards,
Frank.
 

w3wergsdf
Unregistered guest
axiom m80s any good
 

w3wergsdf
Unregistered guest
axiom m80s any good
 

w3wergsdf
Unregistered guest
axiom m80s any good
 

New member
Username: 2morex

Exmore, Virginia USA

Post Number: 10
Registered: Nov-05
Don't they come with a return policy? Try them,I personally have never liked metal dome tweeters, bright! I would think your room would have a great influence on their sound. Never heard the M80s however, so I am not much help, ask Jan V.
 

Unregistered guest
Will the NSat be enough for my listening room of 25m2. I will partner them with Nait5i and hesitate between CD5i and CD5x.

Thanks
 

Gold Member
Username: T_bomb25

Dayton, Ohio United States

Post Number: 1278
Registered: Jun-05
Check out the Epos M5 or the M12.2,the Naims major on speeed and timing,which the Epos do with aplomb.The old older ES series was voiced with Naims,while the new Mseries is voiced with Creek,both amps have different pressentaion,but both still major on timing and speed.The M5 got a best buy award in HiFi Choice in 2005 and 5 stars in What HiFi and one a group test,the M12.2s won a Best Buy Award in HiFi Choice and and won a group test and a supertest,they also won a Best Buy Award in What HiFi and runner up for product of the year and a supertest winner and a Best Buy Award in HiFi World.The M5 is $350 pounds in the UK and the M12.2 is $459 pounds in the UK,good luck!
 

Gold Member
Username: Frank_abela

Berkshire UK

Post Number: 1034
Registered: Sep-04
The NSat doesn't have a big bass, so it needs to be placed near the rear wall. However, it is very fast and great deal of fun, one of the most musical speakers around. I really like the NSats, but you must use them with their own NStands which have a special mounting system that was designed for the speaker. Excellent fun...

Tawaun's suggestion of EPOS is also a good one. Personally I think the M12.2 is a fabulous speaker. Again, it needs its own EPOS open frame stand to work well. Very musical, very fun.

As to CD5x vs CD5i, the 5X is a lot better, but it's also much more money...

Regards,
Frank.
 

Gold Member
Username: T_bomb25

Dayton, Ohio United States

Post Number: 1283
Registered: Jun-05
Frank mine are working pretty good on my stands,I know The Epos benfit on a lively stand,Roy Hall told me that the open framed stands wont be availible until Feb.He said they had some price problems and he needed to find another company to build them,he said the stands will be exactly the same as they have always been,so im glad of that.
 

Gold Member
Username: Frank_abela

Berkshire UK

Post Number: 1037
Registered: Sep-04
Tawaun, don't get me wrong. They work, but they don't sing. You lose a little of that one-note bass and speakers just seem to find a whole lot of fluidity and poise which is missing on a mass loaded stand - some people complain that there isn't enough bass with the open frame stand but I disagree with that.

I think the EPOSs suffer from this more than most speakers. Last I heard Mike was working on a mass stand that would work with the 12s but I haven't seen it yet and this was over a year ago.

Regards,
Frank.
 

Gold Member
Username: T_bomb25

Dayton, Ohio United States

Post Number: 1290
Registered: Jun-05
Frank My stands are not mass loaded they are similar to M5 and els 3 stands.I have heard the M12.2s on their open frame stands,and they do go to a challenge any speaker level with those stands,but M12.2 owners are gonna have to suffer for a few months until the stands become availible again in either Feb. or March,and from with Roy Hall said they are gonna be exactly like they have always been,and not massed loaded.Well I know whatever Mike Creek comes up with its gonna work better than any other stand for the M12.2s,hey its a Epos tradition all the way back to ES14 & ES11,great legacys by the way to.
 

Silver Member
Username: Twebbz

Ann Arbor, Michigan USA

Post Number: 278
Registered: Apr-04
The top of the line Athena Audition AS-F2 LOVES TO ROCK and sings sweetly with easier listening. The price is extremely attractive too. They will be bright at first but calm right down in a couple weeks.

They are now in Series Two and called the AS-F2.2.

www.athenaspeakers.com

Professional Reviews...

http://www.athenaspeakers.com/awardImages/ASF2%20Stereophile%20final.pdf

http://www.goodsound.com/equipment/athena_asf2.htm
 

Silver Member
Username: Gavincumm

Post Number: 377
Registered: Feb-05
honestly, take a look at the Klipsch Reference series towers. They require very little power, and will give you rock concert dynamics one minute, then give you a jazz quartet the next.

They have a distinctive sound to them, and you may not like them (I myself listen to and love many types of speakers)but it would be worthwhile to hunt them down.
 

Silver Member
Username: Fps_dean

Williamstown, MA USA

Post Number: 125
Registered: Oct-05
^^ I should add to Gavin's comment that some of the smaller Klipsch floorstanders that only have midrange drivers are a little bit overkill in the mids. The larger models with an actual bass drivers are much better and also very efficent as Gavin said. I could definitely live with a pair of them. The B&Ws do want more power than the Klipsch.

Also I found my mother a pair of Infinty Beta 50s (typical price is $1000 a pair but check ebay!). Those sounded great with my Mcintosh 1900 and are certainly loud enough with 55 watts, although most if not all Klipsch are a bit more efficent. I want to buy myself a pair now because I have column IIs and they sound great but are just too quiet with my 55 watts.
 

Christopher Paul
Unregistered guest
My experience is that my Nait 5 [not 5i] was very good with Totem Arros, not so good with the n-sats. However, have also heard the n-sats driven by a 5i in a well furnished room (at a different dealer) where they sounded incredible, with speed, dynamics etc. The dealer who demonstated them for me (with my Nait 5) had a very live room, to such an extent that I was astonished that he managed to sell anything from it.
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