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best speaker ( 10k euros range) to match with for Naim electronics

topa said:
Matt,
what's wrong with your Cremonas?
Seriously curious, I was considering them, but chose a totally different path.
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TBH I only bought them (second-hand) as a stopgap. Back in the summer I bought a new amp and wanted some decent speakers so I could really enjoy the new kit. I only intended to keep them for a year at most while I did some serious speaker research.

I do love most of what the Cremonas do. 80% of my listening is classical, and the Cremonas are great at rendering the timbre of acoustic instruments. However, my amp tends to overdrive the woofers at very low frequencies (a not uncommon problem with rear-ported two-way speakers). Also the Cremonas don't produce the scale I'd like for opera.

I've heard the Olympica IIs a couple of times and really like them. They seemed to be as fast and coherent as my Cremonas, but they also do the scale thing.

Matt
 
lindsayt said:
Louis, have you discussed this with your wife? Have you told her that you intend spending 10 000 euros on a pair of speakers?

Have you put it to her that you could spend 1000 euros on speakers that will look unfashionable but sound better than speakers that look fashionable and cost 10 000 euros? And that you would split the savings with 4 500 euros going to you and 4 500 euros going to her for her to spend on anything she wants?


Just thinking, on today of all days, it'd be nice to get her full and honest thoughts and feelings on this major purchase decision.
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What???

Bloody daft man.

Unless you're a girl?
 
You could try the ovators...might be worth a shot?

Or a third call for SL2's. They are curvy, pretty and can be placed against a back wall.

And if you really need to spend the whole ten G then get another 300, a snaxo and activate the SL2's.

I'm not a naim fan as a rule, but these are good looking speakers to my eye.

dxk70i.jpg
 
Another vote for SL2s. I've run mine actively since I got them years ago. Every now and then I think about a change, but I've never found a speaker to compete with them. Gratuitous photo of the old rig before the 252 and SC DR went in :D:

8610674071_927d3eeb80_c.jpg


Actively, SL2s are magnificent. You do suffer with the box count though. I need six boxes just to get signal from amp to speakers. It would be eight with 300s! And that is before you drop in a source!

I've also had fantastic results with Neats, but they can require some care in setup otherwise they can sound a bit hard and unforgiving. A good home demo with some run-in speakers and a careful setup is a must.
 
htm_1968 said:
Another vote for SL2s. I've run mine actively since I got them years ago. Every now and then I think about a change, but I've never found a speaker to compete with them. Gratuitous photo of the old rig before the 252 and SC DR went in :D:

8610674071_927d3eeb80_c.jpg


Actively, SL2s are magnificent. You do suffer with the box count though. I need six boxes just to get signal from amp to speakers. It would be eight with 300s! And that is before you drop in a source!

I've also had fantastic results with Neats, but they can require some care in setup otherwise they can sound a bit hard and unforgiving. A good home demo with some run-in speakers and a careful setup is a must.
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Damn they look good!!

Isn't it just a pre, a Snaxo and a pair of power amps though?
 
arthur said:
Damn they look good!!

Isn't it just a pre, a Snaxo and a pair of power amps though?
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You've forgotten the power supplies (it is a Naim rig after all). Currently the setup is a 252, a pair of SuperCap DRs, a pair of 250.2s and the SNAXO 242 diving the SL2s.
 
Hello Lavi, there are plenty of good suggestions above for you to consider, especially Neat as they work very well with Naim amps.

I'll offer just one more - the ProAc K6 which is one model below ProAc's top speaker, the Carbon Pro 8.

Where I live the K6 is slightly more expensive than 10k euro so it might be beyond your budget but if you are going to spend that kind of money, I think it's worth auditioning as many speakers as you can, so at least give the K6 an audition.

Good luck!
 
I'm certainly no expert when it comes to expensive speakers, but I've recently wondered how would Linn's passive Akubariks sound with the Naim electronics. One dealer here in Finland is about to have a demo/had one already.. maybe next month.

I've heard Active Akubariks twice, and they were really very good. Whathifi gave only 4/5, which I can't understand at all, as I've heard many 5/5 stuff not nearly as good.

Anyhoo, if I were you, I'd demo Passive Akus at home. They can be had with that 10k€. Actives are double.
 
Simples, WHF are charlatans that don't measure anything and claim to be able to discern audible differences between £100+ USB cables. It's an interesting mag as it mentions a much greater volume and range of products than many, but I take their reviews with a pinch of salt...
 
mattgbell said:
TBH I only bought them (second-hand) as a stopgap. Back in the summer I bought a new amp and wanted some decent speakers so I could really enjoy the new kit. I only intended to keep them for a year at most while I did some serious speaker research.

I do love most of what the Cremonas do. 80% of my listening is classical, and the Cremonas are great at rendering the timbre of acoustic instruments. However, my amp tends to overdrive the woofers at very low frequencies (a not uncommon problem with rear-ported two-way speakers). Also the Cremonas don't produce the scale I'd like for opera.

I've heard the Olympica IIs a couple of times and really like them. They seemed to be as fast and coherent as my Cremonas, but they also do the scale thing.

Matt
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Matt: I also feel my Cremona Auditor M suffer from bass bloat. What will you choose? How did the Olympica 2 compare with the other brands you listened to?
 
hi if you like the sound of the sonus fabers , im thinking of selling my mint condition sonus faber elipsa's , a big leap forwards of your Ms, and a truly outstanding speaker, i listened to the Ms a v good speaker but the sound was small and lacking real definition and incitement IMO, moving up to the elipsa's everything just fell into place, so much so i bought them, never looked back, looking for about £6600 ONO, willing to haggle about £14000, new, probably the best speaker pound for pound sonus make, something to think about, demo welcome,, and your wife will love the looks,,,,
 
If you are willing to check out a relatively obscure brand such as Usher you may be surprised by the quality of their gear. I have a pair of CP 8571 DMD that are a joy both for the ears and the eyes. Your budget could get you some mighty fine BE 10 Ushers, you can read some reviews here:
http://www.usheraudio.com/news1.htm
 
If your room is big enough...

Ditch the sub. Invest some time in persuading your wife that big is beautiful and look for a pair of Naim DBLs. Run them passively until you can afford another couple of 300s or sell the 300 and feed them with 3 x 250s for now. I have 3 x Avondale NAP250s running mine and they are breathtaking. I have listened to speakers costing five times as much as I paid for mine and they didn't even come remotely close (IMO).

Your budget should buy you a nice pair in an aesthetically pleasing cherry or walnut finish.

I would advise you to seriously think about it. They will catapult your listening experience into a completely new dimension :)
 
What scottcarpenter and andy k said. I'm getting my DBLs and trading in my N-Sub tomorrow. They'll be replacing my SBLs, which will get mothballed until the next move (will NEVER part with them - they sound glorious at the end of my LINN Klimax DS/1/NAC 552/NAP 500 setup. Can't wait to be drugged by the DBLs, though :-D
 
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