500 v 2x300 active?

Mark - the Kandid arrives on Thursday and with the Keel came Radikal Klimax and Urika so am all set :grin:

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I run 808s with my 500 and they sound amazing. They are 13” off the back wall. The icing on the cake was the recent addition of a pair of ex dem Super Lumina jumper leads which seemed a logical thing to do as my entire system is cabled with SL and was the way I heard them at my dealers. They are not difficult as far as room placement goes, but Peter R did not get on with them in his room and settled for Fact 12s instead, so you do need a good home dem before committing to them.

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The 500 I heard a whisper of went away so not the current thought. The 808s have popped up and taking active away and trading supercap, snaxo and one of the 300s together with some other stuff would get me close. Getting the 808s in the house without spending many £££ would be more acceptable to my wife. The SL2s are the only purchase my wife has asked the cost of and having to explain how much 808s cost new doesn’t bear thinking about. Although in an ideal world being able to get them in a rustic farmhouse finish would help :grimacing:

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There is space in the room but the main view of them as you enter the listening room from the kitchen / living room will be side on. Am a bit nervous what my wife will think. The 808s are certainly at the limit size wise of what would be acceptable. Know where I can get cloaking devices for them?

I live in an old 16c barn … I have found that modern well designed items sit well against the old. Don’t be afraid be bold and proud … :blush:

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I am obviously thinking too much about this. But having a single 500 (fewer boxes) would allow creation of much more space around everything. I expect that could bring performance benefits also

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Tim If you can get a good deal on the ex dem 808s and they work in your room then snap them up. I am sure the 300 will drive them Ok and you can then upgrade to an ex dem 500 when you are ready and one comes along.

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Good Man! Peter should point you in the appropriate direction for the IC from Urika…Made a big difference for me.

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Hi Michael, and thank you for the Steely Dan cd :wink:. In fact the comparison I made between my now Fact 12s at my old house with a lounge twice the size over now, was with the Titan 88s and NOT 808s. Would love to hear 808s but never have. ATB Peter

Sounds great. You’ll have to sneak them in when she’s out and the 500. Fewer boxes, less cables and ultimately a better sound.

I don’t think there is any chance of sneaking 808s in…

Ah I stand corrected sorry about that! You are welcome to come and listen to the 808s as you know any time you are up Norfolk way.

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Tim if it was me, then i would try a home demo using just one 300 on your system and see how it goes, sure its going to sound very different to the SL2’s, you will have bass to start off with, deep bass as well, that will certainly make the room move, more than it ever has, also details that you have never heard in tracks on your system, basically i think it will totally wake up your system and it will sound, fast and on its toes, compared to it now and that might come as a shock, that you like or not.

If then you like the 808, the next step would be for me, 500dr against 3 x 250dr’s, that i can’t give any advice on, as never heard that set up, but i feel 3 x 300dr’s might be a step to far for you, in boxes and cost, but having a 500dr myself and running passive once again, into my PMC fact’s, i certainly dont miss my active system at all, and wouldn’t really want to go back to active, unless it was absolutely necessary

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That’s very kind of you Michael and I might well take you up on it, as I’m hoping to go and stay with J.N for a couple of days possibly early December. We will get back to this off the Forum :+1:t3: All the best Peter

In my experience one of the benefits of the naim boxes is they all look pretty similar to the untrained/uninterested eye and can swapped in and out without raising too much suspicion. Speakers, of course, are a slightly different matter! :wink:

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Slightly? :eyes:

Thanks Dunc. The 3x300 option is a non starter - just no space to do it. If I can get 808s at ex demo money then trading the snaxo, supercap and a 300dr (plus other bits I have that I could sacrifice eg, sn3 and ndx in the loft/study) I could get a pair of 808s in the house with still an excellent front end and amplification without splashing much cash out. And then the 500/3x250 choice can be kicked down the road a couple of years

Or maybe I will leave all hifi fora so you lot cannot lead me astray any more and stick with what I have :grimacing:

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Its the way i would go, but really you need to get them 808’s in your room and see how you get on with them first, as you could well not like them, as its certainly going to be different, just the size and different placement to start off with, will take some getting used to

Have just messaged acoustica. Will confess my rash moves in due course :man_facepalming: