advertisement


Ideas for a speaker upgrade?

JezmondTutu

pfm Member
I’ve recently switched from six years of running Event Opals back to my ‘spare speakers’ which are Epos ES14’s.

There is an inherent musicality to the Epos’s which is not there to the same extent with the Opals. Don’t get me wrong, they are fantastic (amazing mid range, bass is more powerful and probably more detailed too), but I think it’s probably just that studio monitor thing, you hear so much but it lacks a little PRaT compared to my passive system.

The Epos’s are superb in many respects and the amps seems to be a fantastic match (never heard ES14’s sound this good) but I’m interested to hear how something more modern (and of course far more expensive) might better them. I may try to get to listen to Kudos & ATC (SCM40’s?). Speakers need to be either oak or black and be wife friendly!

I sold my dream speaker (Shahinian Obelisks) as her indoors hated the look of them. Have previously had Naim SBL’s (sold as they didn’t work in my old room), Shahinian Compass, Ruark Talisman 2’s, Dynaudio Contour 1.1’s and Neat Petites.

Oh, system is LP12, Avondale TAPS, TA Plateau, Karousel, Aro, DV20XL into a Brinkmann Fein plus a modified Node2i into a Weiss DAC202. Amplification is Avondale Grad One + TPX2 and a ‘ZAP250’.

Thanks Jez
 
Try active ATC’s, does your Dac have balanced outs? Active 40s are £7400 now but you should be able to get a good pair 2nd hand for circa £4k. No need for power amps, I think they are excellent.

I’ve had SBLs, they did work on my room but ATC40S are on a different level.
 
Try active ATC’s, does your Dac have balanced outs? Active 40s are £7400 now but you should be able to get a good pair 2nd hand for circa £4k. No need for power amps, I think they are excellent.

I’ve had SBLs, they did work on my room but ATC40S are on a different level.

Thanks Woodface and the sort of reply I’m looking for!

My DAC has balanced outs and also variable output. I ran the Opals without a pre as just switched XLR’s - the Fein has a volume control.

AudioT in Brighton said they preferred passive (with Naim amps) to active 40’s, I think this is perhaps unusual?
 
Have you considered ProAc? Tried lots of speakers over the years and keep ending up back at ProAc when I’m after stand mounts, I use a REL Sub but they are really good without on decent heavy stands.

The latest B&W 804 didn’t float my boat when a mate had me over, the amp was a 300DR. I use Logans in my main system but they are not to everyones taste - looks or sound wise.
 
Have you considered ProAc? Tried lots of speakers over the years and keep ending up back at ProAc when I’m after stand mounts, I use a REL Sub but they are really good without on decent heavy stands.

The latest B&W 804 didn’t float my boat when a mate had me over, the amp was a 300DR. I use Logans in my main system but they are not to everyones taste - looks or sound wise.

I’ve heard Tablette 2000’s on the end of my system before, but nothing else. I’d say they weren’t too far off my Dynaudio Contour 1.1’s. Heard bery good things about Martin Logan, hadn’t considered them as an option.
 
Thanks Woodface and the sort of reply I’m looking for!

My DAC has balanced outs and also variable output. I ran the Opals without a pre as just switched XLR’s - the Fein has a volume control.

AudioT in Brighton said they preferred passive (with Naim amps) to active 40’s, I think this is perhaps unusual?
ATC say their speakers sound better active, Audio T probably like to sell naim amps so…

I have no axe to grind here, I replaced a naim CDX/XPS2/252/sc with an ATCCDA2 , my system doesn’t sound worse; quite the contrary. I reckon active operation has the biggest effect on the sound, you may not like it of course?
 
ATC say their speakers sound better active, Audio T probably like to sell naim amps so…

I have no axe to grind here, I replaced a naim CDX/XPS2/252/sc with an ATCCDA2 , my system doesn’t sound worse; quite the contrary. I reckon active operation has the biggest effect on the sound, you may not like it of course?

Yep - die hard Naim dealers. But also ATC stockists. I’m more inclined to believe you but clearly need to audition some!
 
I’ve heard Tablette 2000’s on the end of my system before, but nothing else. I’d say they weren’t too far off my Dynaudio Contour 1.1’s. Heard bery good things about Martin Logan, hadn’t considered them as an option.
The Contour 1.8Mk2 were really good way back but I need stand mounts these days, I did consider Special 40's but am now settled on finding some used ProAc DB1 for that system, currenlt using ProAc 115.

My main rig is a Class A intergraded into ESL11a, if you've not demo'd Logans or Maggies I'd defo try to, I love what panel speakers do.
 
The Contour 1.8Mk2 were really good way back but I need stand mounts these days, I did consider Special 40's but am now settled on finding some used ProAc DB1 for that system, currenlt using ProAc 115.

My main rig is a Class A intergraded into ESL11a, if you've not demo'd Logans or Maggies I'd defo try to, I love what panel speakers do.

The Contour 1.1’s were the compact stand mount.
 
How about Boenicke W5. Tremendous 3 way sound that defy the laws of physics on thin, wobbly stands. Go figure.
I slipped a pair into my system and my missus loves them, as do visitors. I managed to get away with the premise that being small, they were a downsize in stature as well as cost from their predecessors.:eek: Reassuringly expensive.
 
Last edited:


advertisement


Back
Top