Thinking of adding a pair of Wilson Audio TuneTot bookshelf speakers to 202/200 setup.
Just wondering if anyone here has experience with these speakers working with 202/200 ?
Setup:
Ndac/555PS (non DR)
CDS3/XPS2(non DR)
Nait 05XS, 02 Tuner
202/200
Thanks
That is a very expensive pair of speakers for a relatively basic amplification system imho , I don’t know what you have at the moment but I would say 805 D3 would be a more coherent standpoint choice , I would always feel uncomfortable about speakers that are twice the price of the amplification, simply because I would feel that the speakers deserved better amplification.
I should say that I also have a 200/202 combo (plus HiCap)
I have a pair of Wilson DAW with my 500 system. Wilson Audio and Naim are good match. I listened to Tune Tot with 500 system previously. The combination procedure wonderful music, the bass extension is amazing and the top is smooth.
Having said that, it was fully loaded 500 system.
If you have a chance, try home demo.
J
The answer is simple because I can get it for half of its price, which is equivalent to the pre/power setup costs.
Would the 200 face issues realizing these speakers’ potentials?
Anyone here using these with their Naim setup now?
there’s always other speakers in the market.
Why not audition those too?
like the new Proac D2R? or Focal Sopra 1?
Upgrade the pre-amp to at least a 282/Hicap DR and purchase a nice pair of used speakers. £2k used will get you a £4 to £5k pair of speakers.
If you were to purchase all used you’d be in for a 282/HicapDR/250DR and a pair of decent speakers.
To really max things out, take a look at used Naim SBL’s, then there would be room for a Supercap in the budget too!
Unfor only have limited space for bookshelf speakers…
I was looking at…
PMC fact 3
Dynaudio C1 signature
Now Wilson Tunetot
Budget is US$5k for good condition used speakers…
I’d suggest all of those speakers are inappropriate for a 202/200 unless you plan a significant amplifier upgrade at some point.
I had C1 non signature before. It was all good.
Happy with 202/200, Ndac/555, CDS3/XPS2
Of course I know the typical answer is " upgrade pre to 282 plus HC, blah x100" Everyone knows that for obvious reason.
But I disagree and would like to take an unconventional path… due to potential 272/555/200 or 552/200 shift at some point.
Go for the Wilson speakers.
I bought Wilson System V many years ago and before that Linn Isobariks.
The conventional advice at the time was “source first”
The speakers all worked wonderfully in their initial systems eg 52/Supercap/135s into the Wilsons. They also enabled a relatively painless upgrade path.
Sounds like you have a potential bargain.
That is a much better amplification system than a 202/200.
Why ask the question then instead of just buying them?
Because I value opinion of those with “real” experience on Wilson speakers instead of speculative answers based on imagination.
Just so long as the speaker is right for you as well as the deal. Hope it works out for you.
C.
The problem is that nobody here has such expensive speakers with 202/200. So only general points of views can be given.
However if nap 200 can power them decently, why not. But personally I would go better for 282/200 and cheaper speakers instead.
Ok, in that case I’ll share mine.
A dealer that was demonstrating streamers to me setup a system that had an ND5XS into a Nait XS into Wilson Duettes. It sounded absolutely atrocious, with no sense of coherence to the music whatsoever. Have no idea why they would ever build that setup.
Thankfully they had Majik 109s in the store and that brought back the music; indeed, it’s a lovely pairing for lower-end Naim amplification IMO.
Is it that the Wilsons were terrible or was the amplification unable to drive them properly? Hard to tell with such an unbalanced pairing.
Not sure whether this is helpful to you at all, but you asked about real life experience with them.
Wilson speakers – always used in conjunction with relatively high current amplification. I’ve heard them (not the little TuneTots) with Moon (Simaudio) amplification and they can be stunning. And I’ve heard them with Spectral amplification. The TuneTots are not ‘small speakers for small systems’ and my prediction that I would back up with a wager (I’m that sure about it, despite not hearing said combination) is that that’s too little amplification to do get out of those speakers what they are designed (very well) to produce.
That said, if you connect it all up, I am sure you’ll hear something out of the speakers. You might even convince yourself its good, given how much you spent on them.
From Analog Planet
“Despite its compact 14.83”x8.61”x10.19” (HxWxD) size, each TuneTot weighs an impressive 29 pounds. Frequency response is spec’d at 65Hz—23kHz ± 3dB. Sensitivity is 86dB, which is moderately low, but the 8 ohm/ minimum 6.61 ohm impedance should make TuneTot a relatively easy speaker to drive”
So the 202/200 will cope, the tots might expose any shortcomings but might not.
I bought NBLs with 282/250 when the consensus from some of your respondants was that a 300 was needed and a 500 better, well a 500 is better but the 250 was good enough to enjoy them with. It’s just that temptation will likely eat up any spare cash that comes your way but that might happen regardless.
That’s correct. But then, the System V is probably a much better speaker than the TuneTot bookshelf speakers.
I have never been persuaded by the “source first” mantra. Even though I have lost count of the hours (literally) that I was indoctrinated by Julian himself !! I did once, just to test this mantra, try a pair of Alpine Car speakers on the back end of a CDS3/552/500 system. But guess what ? I wasn’t impressed !! And before you all jump in … I know I should have upgraded to a Statement 
It’s not my understanding that “source first” refers to power amps, or for that matter ‘anything in the chain before the speakers.’