I'm getting crazy with this. I want to get a budget, entry point, starting hi-fi, and I'm thinking about a NAD320BEE+NAD C-521BEE. The guy from the shop is recommending me a pair of Monitor Audio B2 as first option, and if can't afford it a pair of Wharfedale 9.2. Which one do you recommend me? Is there any other alternative?
I would avoid Monitor Audio in general. Are you in the US and open to Internet-direct speakers? That would definitely get you the best bang for your buck.
Also check eBay for the Wharfedale 8.2 which should be quite a bit less.
Audioadvisor.com also carries the Diamond 9.x series and usually has great prices.
MA is fine if a bit overpriced. I would say if it is outside of your budget don't concern yourself with it. The salespeople try to sell what their store carries.
My third system that I have set up in the basement consists of a NAD 7175PE receiver and a pair of Monitor Audio B-2's, pieces that have been left over from various upgrades to my other two. In my opinion the B-2's are not a good match with NAD. The B-2's bass is boomy, not tight. They lack resolution. I have listened to the GR-10's at a dealer before. As Patrick stated they are good speakers. However they may not be the best match, as MA tends to be warmer sounding. NAD tends to be warm as well. I once had a pair of Paradigm Studio 40 v.3's that I used with the NAD. The brighter sounding Paradigm's matched quite well with the NAD. If it helps you might try to listen to a pair of Dynaudio Audience 42's. My bedroom system consists of NAD c320bee, c542 cd player, c422 tuner, and Dynaudio Audience 42. I am very pleased with it.
My favourite speaker in that range is the B&W DM600. It's the most neutral of the lot. Diamond 9.1s are a bit rich for my taste, but a lot of people like them because of that warmth. MA offer a lot of speaker for the money (at least, they do here in the UK) but I always find them a bit coloured and mechanical.
Please note that NAD are replacing the C320BEE with the C325BEE imminently. This is happening at the moment. The 325 is about 10% more expensive I believe.
I've tried the Warfedale 9.2 and the sound is with NAD is quite well. I haven't tried the MA B2s but the cost is about 40% greater. I also tried the B&W but I personally found the bass a little bit boomy, ... I've also tried a pair of Mordaunt Short 902i that are also quite nice, but not as good as the Warfedale having a similar cost.
I'm going to try Dynaudio Audience 42's, and the MA B2s.
Would I get a significant improvement having floor stand speakers? The guy also tried to sell me a set of NAD+PSB that sounded quite well. I'll be very happy with bookshelf ones but...
Thanks Frank Abela,Bill Bretz, PatrickBateman, Stof, Dan and Edster922 for your help. If you have any other suggestions...
Floorstanders would make some sense in a music-only system without a sub and in a medium to large room, but they usually require a beefier amp than bookshelves in order to sound their best.
I woulda if I coulda, but the Emmas now cost almost double a $350-400 pair of Wharfedale 9.2s --- except for that one b-stock Emma for $499 that's been on the Alegria Audio website for quite some time now...hope it's not already long gone.
I took all the components out of the black Emma pair that went on tour and touched up the cabinets. They had a couple of scuff marks and a tiny ding on the rear corner of one. They look pretty darn good but it's enough to stop me from selling them new. So, I'll build them up with all new components and sell them for $499/pr. That includes the improved crossover design as well.
So, mcmcmc, there's a heck of a deal on some speakers that will easily take you into incredible sound and they mate up very well with the NAD equipment.
I'm still waiting to get a long listen at my friend's system on a bunch of different material but what I've heard so far is very impressive. Can't compare to the Wharfdales because I haven't heard them but I think Ed has heard them both, no? Give it up, Ed.
FYI The new crossover design has significantly improved Emmas mids. There are only two people on eCoustics that have heard the new crossover; Dak and Stephen Munz.
Thanks for your help!!! I'm snowed under with job and I haven't been able to enter the forum.
I've been trying to get more information about the Alegria Audio on my local dealer but I can't find them. I'm not sure that those beauties are distributed in Spain...
The cost of a pair of Wharfedale 9.2 is 199€ (255$) that I think that is a bargain. I'm going to try the Dynaudio Audience 42 that are distributed here but the cost is much higher (575€--> 735$) and I've to notice a significant improvement to be comfortable paying for them.
I'm not sure about the floorstanders but I'll like to compare them to the bookshelf ones. Which one do you recommend me? Again Wharfedale is a winning horse with 9.6 for 399€-->511$. Klipsch RF 10 (320€-->410$), Mordaunt-Short 906i (375€-->480$) and KEF iQ5 (480€-->613$) are good priced options, but I have no reference about them with NAD.
I'm going to buy it next week, so I appreciate your comments. Tell me if you have any other ideas.
Highland Audio out of France. Speakers were the surprise lower priced really good stuff for me at the Consumer Electronics Show in January in Vegas. No US distributors yet but likely easy to get in Spain.