Amp & Speaker recommendations

Jayney

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Hello

I’m looking to upgrade my amp and speakers and would like some suggestions/advice. Budget is around £6k.

My source is almost exclusively streaming (Naim ND5 XS2).

My current amp & speakers are c.2002 Arcam FMJ A22 (a dressed up alpha 10, I believe) and similar age B&W CDM 1NT bookshelf speakers.

Despite owning this combo for nearly 20 years, I’ve never really been that happy with it. (I upgraded in 2002 from an Arcam Alpha 7 and Monitor setup – which I really liked - thinking Alpha 10 must > alpha 7). But I’ve lived with it, because life…

So, having invested in the Naim streamer, I’m ready to do the speaker and amp thing.

Musical taste – pop, rock, jazz, some classical.

Speakers need to be stand mounted in a 6m x 4m room where the seating position will be about 5m from the speakers.

Suggestions/advice appreciated.

Thanks,
Jayne
 
How about a Naim Supernait 3 and B&W 705 S2 Signature speakers. £3.5K + £2.7K + B&W stands (price unknown).
 
To get the ball rolling -

Lyndgdorf TDAi2170 with room perfect stuff built in
Dynaudio Special 40's
Leaves a little bit of cash for stands.

Amp alternative would include the Rega Aethos.
Speaker Alternative would be PM Twenty5.22i or B&W 705 Signature

But I would not buy without a home audition, many dealers are now offering this with a substantial deposit.
 
A slightly off the wall suggestion -

Pair of active speakers plus preamp -

Focal trio 6 Be - around £2000 each (GAK have some in the black, fairly rare, ex demo for £1700 each)
or the new Dynaudio Core 59 with built in DSP at around £2500 each

Khozmo passive preamp - designed to spec - around £500 or a second hand Linn Kairn pro for £500 or if you want to remain with Naim a SH 152xs with Flatcap XS PS for around £750-1000 or step up to the NAC202 for around £1500
 
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I think the Dynaudio Special 40 would make a good partner for the Rega Aethos (or Elicit-R). If you have a difficult room then no doubt Room Perfect on the aforementioned Lyngdorf would be a good choice.

To be honest it's a really good budget and you could throw several combinations at you. Do you need a headphone jack at all?
 
the new Dynaudio Core 59 with built in DSP at around £2500 each

Those look astonishingly good - add a pair of those and your work is done.

I don't think an additional pre-amp will be needed with the Naim XS2 though will it? That is already a pre-amp with RCA output.
 
Those look astonishingly good - add a pair of those and your work is done.

I don't think an additional pre-amp will be needed with the Naim XS2 though will it? That is already a pre-amp with RCA output.

Good spot, you are correct the ND5 XS can be configures to provide a variable output so just add the Core 59's, job done.
 
1150W per speaker !! (500+500+150)

Total system 2300W.

I do wonder when people say that 60W is sufficient to drive a set of full-range passives. :)
 
Speakers need to be stand mounted in a 6m x 4m room where the seating position will be about 5m from the speakers.
Is there a reason why they HAVE to be stand mounted?

Both the Neat SX2 and the bigger Neat SX1 will take up the same (or less) space/footprint as a conventional stand mount sitting on a stand.
 
Good spot, you are correct the ND5 XS can be configures to provide a variable output so just add the Core 59's, job done.
Not entirely sure the ND5 XS2 can provide variable o/p either RCA or din.
 
No mention of it in the mk1 ND5 XS but the link below suggests the XS2 does.

 
No mention of it in the mk1 ND5 XS but the link below suggests the XS2 does.

I stand corrected.

You have to enable variable mode via the settings in the app.

The annoying thing would be if someone rings you on the phone you're using to control the streamer. You can't pause it or turn it down!
 
The Dynaudio Core 59s would be a stunning hifi.

All of Dynaudios decades of driver research and studio speaker goodness in a pair of awesome.

My own particular dream too.

A pair with the RP’d digital out from a Lyngdorf 2170... :eek:

 
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I stand corrected.

You have to enable variable mode via the settings in the app.

The annoying thing would be if someone rings you on the phone you're using to control the streamer. You can't pause it or turn it down!

It would be a pain, but when spending that much it would be worth getting an inexpensive phone or tablet thing to use as a remote only.
 
Is there a reason why they HAVE to be stand mounted?

Both the Neat SX2 and the bigger Neat SX1 will take up the same (or less) space/footprint as a conventional stand mount sitting on a stand.
It’s just aesthetics. I prefer the look of stands. I know I’m sacrificing some bass but I’m ok with that.
 
It’s just aesthetics. I prefer the look of stands. I know I’m sacrificing some bass but I’m ok with that.
Each to their own. I've a pair of Focal 1007s mounted on top of partington dreadnoughts, functional but ugly as sin.

Since you have the nd5 xs2, it would be worth considering the nait xs3. This would leave you with £3800 for speakers.

The Dynaudio special 40s are supposed to be rather good, but consider Neat , Audiovector and Sonus Faber. If you can live with the looks and stretch the budget, Focal Kanta are highly regarded.
 
Naim Uniti Star and Spendor A7’s. If you are going with stand mounts, MA platinum 100 or Dynaudio special 40’s.
 

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