CA640v2 Amp & Cdp with what speakers recommendation?

 

New member
Username: Blackgt

Post Number: 1
Registered: Sep-09
Hi Guys,

I am getting the CA640s setup, wonder if any of you have paired it with PSB T45 or MA BR5s?
Which would be a better synergy with CA?
Thanks in advance!
(or i should get the NADs..)
 

Gold Member
Username: Exerciseguy

Fort Hamilton, NY United States

Post Number: 2873
Registered: Oct-04
Which have you listened to? What did you think? Budget please? Room? Music?
 

Platinum Member
Username: Nuck

Post Number: 13425
Registered: Dec-04
What were the CA pieces mated with at the shop that made you decide on them?
 

New member
Username: Blackgt

Post Number: 2
Registered: Sep-09
My kind of music are mostly slow rock, guitars and vocals. Pink Floyd,Tesla, Eagles. The shop i auditioned had the 640s with Dalis Concept 6 and Psb T45. Felt the Dalis were kinda bright and bass was muddy But the vocals was smooth. The T45s was transparent and sound stage was good, bass was tight too. But felt that the mid wasn't too warm. Am thinking of the BR5 (RS6 is over my budget), but they dun carry MAs..
 

Gold Member
Username: Exerciseguy

Fort Hamilton, NY United States

Post Number: 2878
Registered: Oct-04
And what is that budget? Are you in the USA?
 

New member
Username: Blackgt

Post Number: 3
Registered: Sep-09
I'm in Singapore. Budget is S$1000 or USD700-800
 

Gold Member
Username: Exerciseguy

Fort Hamilton, NY United States

Post Number: 2879
Registered: Oct-04
I have no idea what speakers sell for in Singapore, so making recommendations might be tricky.
 

Gold Member
Username: Exerciseguy

Fort Hamilton, NY United States

Post Number: 2880
Registered: Oct-04
Consider, Monitor Audio has revamped the RS Silver line, it's now the Silver RX line, so there might be some deals to be had on the discontinued RS models.

Have you auditioned Wharfedale, the new Diamond 10 series & Evoultion2 series might be affordable options?

I would also consider both a step up from the MA Bronze series.
 

New member
Username: Blackgt

Post Number: 4
Registered: Sep-09
Thanks, there are Wharfedales here and there's
a MA shop but they run with only tube amps for
audition. Will give the diamonds a listen :-)
 

Silver Member
Username: Soundgame

Toronto, Ontario Canada

Post Number: 983
Registered: Jun-08
What does the RX stand for?
 

Silver Member
Username: Kbear

Canada

Post Number: 268
Registered: Dec-06
If you want midrange warmth I tend to think Wharfedale isn't it. I've got Evo2-10 and they are quite harsh on a lot of rock albums. Other times they are phenomenal. It's a little frustrating. I should mention they are not broken in yet. They are worth a listen.

I listen to primarily rock as well, though much of it is of the harder variety (but slow too). I'd try to listen to some Tannoy speakers...from reading some British audio sites I believe Richer Sounds often pairs Tannoy with CA. I've got Tannoy Mercury F2 speakers which are fabulous, the tweeter is a bit bright but I've found with better positioning and a better amp and CD player that has been tamed quite a bit. I think this speaker is discontinued now. I'm not sure what Tannoy offers in that entry level price range today.
 

Gold Member
Username: Exerciseguy

Fort Hamilton, NY United States

Post Number: 2884
Registered: Oct-04
With all due respect, I can't agree that the EVO2 as being "harsh" in any respects.
 

Silver Member
Username: Kbear

Canada

Post Number: 270
Registered: Dec-06
What types of music do you listen to CM? Not every song makes this quality apparent, but then others make it quite apparent.

I didn't know what the source of the harshness was, but in searching online for information about kevlar drivers I found an article that satisfied me that what I was hearing was caused by the Evo's woofer. I posted the article in the Evo2 thread. There are so many variables involved in each of our listening experiences however, that we will all hear different things.
 

New member
Username: Blackgt

Post Number: 5
Registered: Sep-09
I'm narrowing down to Psb Image T45 vs MA RS6.
Price for RS is abit higher though. Appreciate if anyone have these setup with the Cambridge 640s to comment. Both sounded good to me so its kinda hard to decide. (especially for extended listening)
 

Gold Member
Username: Exerciseguy

Fort Hamilton, NY United States

Post Number: 2885
Registered: Oct-04
I read the article you posted, and might even agree with the overall categorizations, but having lived with the EVO2 for a few months now I think they are a fine speaker, perhaps a notch down from a Paridigm Studio in overall presentation, and perhaps even a step off from the Monitor Audio RS (I haven't heard the RX yet). It might be fair to note that both those speakers use metal drivers.

(EDIT: Only the MA use a metal driver, the Paridaigm uses Polypropylene, sorry)

I listen to everything but heavy metal & hair bands, so perhaps that is the difference?
 

Silver Member
Username: Malco49

Baltimore, Maryland Usa

Post Number: 161
Registered: May-05
i have cambridge azur 540 V1 integrated amp w/cambridge azur 640 V2 CDP w/PSB image B25 speakers
and it is a mindblowing combination for both cd and vinyl(pro-ject debut lll) with some upgrades(speed box stylus)
i think the cambridge/PSB combo will please your ears
 

Platinum Member
Username: Artk

Albany, Oregon USA

Post Number: 10689
Registered: Feb-05
Apparently Dan's gear or room is harsh because the Evo2-10's are certainly not. I'm with Chris on most of what he has stated.
 

Silver Member
Username: Malco49

Baltimore, Maryland Usa

Post Number: 162
Registered: May-05
i have cambridge azur 540 V1 integrated amp w/cambridge azur 640 V2 CDP w/PSB image B25 speakers
and it is a mindblowing combination for both cd and vinyl(pro-ject debut lll) with some upgrades(speed box stylus)
i think the cambridge/PSB combo will please your ears
 

Gold Member
Username: Dmitchell

Ottawa, Ontario Canada

Post Number: 3046
Registered: Feb-07
I agree. Generally the CA/PSB combo would be quite good.

Dan, I've had Tannoy Mercury F2's in the past and really liked them as well. I even had them paired with a Yamaha receiver (which most people would describe as harsh), and they sounded quite good.
 

Silver Member
Username: Kbear

Canada

Post Number: 271
Registered: Dec-06
Well Art, my Tannoy's aren't harsh, the PMC's were nothing close to harsh (the complete opposite in fact). The Quads were pretty harsh, and lo and behold the Wharfedales (with perhaps the exact same drivers) sound almost the same. Same room. Same gear. So it ain't either of those.

The article I dug up goes into the physics of why a kevlar driver can sound this way. So I'm quite comfortable with my take on the speaker. Maybe harsh isn't the best descriptor. A bright, thin, metallic kind of sound, at certain frequency levels. Again, other than this it's a great speaker. I can still enjoy listening to them. I hope the quality I'm not loving right now settles down once some more breaking in happens, as it should.

David, I'm going to let the Evo2's break in over the next few months and then switch back to the Tannoy's...this should re-confirm what I think I'm hearing. The more I was able to listen to the F2's, the more I appreciated what they could do.

This thread wasn't about the Evo2 though. I propose if we want to discuss them in detail we go to the Evo2 thread.
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