Switching from Thiel CS2.3, this is the Idea. There are some offers out there for the first version of the Fact-8, and my hearing is not improving with age, quite the opposite. The volume is never high in my condo apartment.
So given the above, is there anyone with experience on the described setting?
Thanks all!
I liked the Fact range of speakers and they do need a great amp, but brand new they seemed too expensive. Great sound and small footprint, second hand could be a good combo?
Listened to FACT 8s a few times on the end of Naim systems (not a 500 amp). If I could have justified the outlay to my wife they wound be residing in my living room.
Very fast sounding; not the most extended bass but well integrated. For my type of music; ideal.
And they also look fantastic in either white or grey…
I’ve not heard Fact 8’s with the 500 but a friend is using a pair with four 135’s. I’m told that they are quite power hungry and that a 500 on the Fact 12’s isn’t quite enough. It might also be worth having a listen to the newer range of PMC’s that have just come out. I heard them at the Bristol show this year and thought they sounded really good.
A couple of thoughts from that: firstly, most speakers will benefit from more powerful amps, and certainly it seems common with transmission line speakers to benefit from high current capability, the higher the better. That does not mean that if powered only by a 500 the speakers won’t sound very good, only that their ultimate potential might not be reached. However, the OP is talking about F8, which I have greater sensitivity than F12, so to run at the same sound level would take less power, meaning the 500 would have greater headroom on the F8, suggesting that the 500 would be a bit more effective with the F8 than with the F12.
Personally I’d go for the F12 not the F8 as they are better speakers, and if wanting Naim amplification a pair of 350s may well better a 500. Of course it all depends on available budgets…
They are indeed, although it isn’t in an obvious way as such. I’ve had FACT.8s since they came out. I don’t have a 500 system, but I do now have a 300 system, and the 350’s really do allow the speakers to do their thing.
I have used a Nait XS, Nap 200, Nap250 DR, and finally 350’s with them. They easily show the improvement upstream of source components and power amp improvements bring greater grip and dynamics without having to push the volume up.
I don’t recognise the comment above about being bass light. If there is deep bass on the recording I definitely hear/feel it via the FACTs.
Hope this helps a bit….
Thanks for the comments!
Here in Italy, used PMC do not come about very often however there are now 2 post offering used fact 8 at 4000 and 3,500 Euros. Now being weary there could be problems with some of the drivers on such low prices, so the question is does PMC offer parts service to secondhand customers? That would be very important for making the decision.
Salvo, if you do buy second hand, it is worth while tightening the main driver bolts, just a bit. Last time I did this, the bolts hadn’t been touched for several years and I was able to easily get a quarter turn on all of them. This made a significant improvement to the sound and tightened up the mid bass.
They are guaranteed for 20 years in the UK to the original customer…….send them an email.
If you hear the speakers before buying (always strongly advised), and they work well sounding good, then the drivers are OK. There is no such thing as a part worn speaker driver that then fails, unlike, say a well used car engine.
Whilst I think PMC’s normal 20 year warranty is not transferable ast the first owner, my understanding is that it is not difficult getting replacement drivers from them, or, possibly having a driver repaired, but I can’t vouch for it as I have never had to. Whether the same applies to another country is also relevant. You could telephone or email PMC directlyand ask.