I’m hoping for your advice and expertise. I have been happily running my Harbeth P3ESRs and an SVS3000 micro sub for a couple of years.
Speaker choice is really restricted to sealed boxes as the room dictates that I mount speakers on wall brackets which obviously means they are close to side walls (and quite close to rear wall). Room is c.20m.
Whilst I love the Harbeths, their physical size does restrict them is some ways, so I decided to experiment and have loaned some ATC SCM11s.
Initial impression of the ATCs was fantastic: a fuller sound - more dynamic and revealing, however, they just don’t have the magic vocals of the Harbeths.
My music taste is extremely eclectic: classical to drum and bass, jazz to rock. We also enjoy using them for films.
My question is, when I inevitably upgrade over time to separates (I imagine NAP250DR, then pre amp then streamer), which speakers will I be glad that I kept?
Speaker choice is very personal but I’m an ATC fan so that’s what I would choose.
My main point though was to point out that ATC offer versions of their entry series (except 19) specifically redesigned for wall mounting. They have an HTS prefix, so you’d be looking at HTS11s. They ought to perform even better attached to a wall than the SCM11s.
Thanks for your reply Roger, I did see those and that they are very well reviewed however there would be no chance of any artwork on the walls making way for speakers!
Hi @Landy99, considering your placement comments…..Epos ES-7N might be an option worth investigating especially if you are running a sub. They are often described as music genre agnostic and designed to be placed on shelf’s etc. with a front venting port. If you search you will find some comments on Naim forum, and also there are number of reviews from respected publications worth reading. All the best with your search.
Hi @Landy99 For my Nova, I auditioned ATC SCM11, ProAc Tab 10 Signature, Focal Aria 906 and Neat Iota Alpha. In the end it was between the ATC and the Neats. The ATC were much clearer, more clinical and I can definitely understand why they are popular with Naim.
However, for me, the Neats were more fun, had better bass, and a presentation that I was looking for (second system, not critical listening, ambiance and fun). Maybe give the Neats a try, I’ve found their vocals to be good - for example Lady Blackbird’s album Black Acid Soul, comes across beautifully.
I’d also consider, now, the Focal Kanta 1. I have the Kanta 2, which were too much for the Nova (although still sounded very good). @learningtofly has this combo and is very happy.
I know you said wall mounted but I will mention the Boenicke W5 anyway.
They are super small and sleek and can be placed either on slender stands or on springs in a flat surface. The slender stands mean they can be sneaked into any available space if you have it. Plus they can be run with the woofers pointing inwards or outwards, giving you options to adjust the sound profile in the room.
And they give an incredible sound. I have them in a similar sized room on a NAP250DR and they sound unbelievable.
I use N-Sats and a sub with my Nova and am very happy. They were designe4d with wall mounting as an option and I have used them with generic brackets as the Naim ones are like hens’ teeth.
If it’s a small sealed box that you can wall mount that also has has excellent vocals then you should definitely audition a pair of ProAc Tablette 10 Signatures
For sealed with a bit more substance than the P3esr I’d suggest Falcon Q7. Even better midrange than the Harbeth imo, more bass and can be played louder. Stereo image is very flexible too. Very reasonable price for the performance.
Just to throw a spanner in the works, I do wonder if a sealed box is essential to the proposed use. For one thing it doesn’t guarantee that a speaker will perform well close to a wall. My ATC SCM40s are sealed and whilst they’re less sensitive to positioning than some speakers I’ve had, they do sound rather better pulled away from the back and side walls. Secondly I don’t see why a front ported model could not do just as well in a close-to-wall situation. Including appropriately chosen ported models could substantially increase the list of possibilities.
Thank you all for your helpful replies. Behind the scenes I’ve been doing a fair bit of listening with different kit.
The decision over speakers was far from clear cut. I found I was auditioning less in terms of just sound ‘quality’ but in the huge differences between how speakers excelled in different ways and in music of different genres. The eventual upshot being I have decided to keep the ATC SCM11s and add a NAP250 DR when a fairly recent one comes up for sale second hand. I am however under no illusion that, once I have enjoyed that set up for a while, I will be chopping in the Nova for a 272. I am sorely tempted with the New Classic series but the gap between obtaining a NCS NAP250 and upgrading the streamer & pre would be longer then I want.
Thanks again to you all for taking the time to reply to my question.
Think carefully before you get a 272. It’s an old design that has limited streaming functionality, and parts availability may be an issue if a repair is needed. I would also question whether it is a significant improvement on your Nova when used with a 250 unless you add a power supply such as an XPS or 555.
Thanks @ChrisSU . On the natter of Nova vs NAP250DR + NAC N-272, I must admit I am relying on forum threads and AI sourced information, not my own ears. The overall feeling consensus there though suggests it would be a worthwhile upgrade sound wise. I would be interested to learn more, especially if anyone has firsthand experience?
especially if anyone has firsthand experience?
Streaming wise I have even less knowledge! I would intend to continue using the Spotify app on my phone (via my home network) to instruct the streaming unit (which will be hardwired ethernet). Is this likely to be an issue in the future with an older unit such as the 272?
I’ve owned all these boxes but it’s very hard from memory to give definitive advice. The 272/250DR is very good but the 272 doesn’t really come into its own without an XPSDR. The person who bought my 250DR added it to their Nova and found it made no appreciable difference. It didn’t matter to them as it was part of a move to an NDX2 and 282/Hicap. I certainly wouldn’t buy a 272 now, as it’s much less capable than the new platform boxes such as the Nova.
The SCM 11 is quite large and I’m wondering if you are wall mounting them and if so, how. I used my Nova with PMCs on stands and it was a good combination. After two years I swapped the Nova for an Atom HE and took the speakers active.
Taking all this into account, this is what I’d do. Save enough money for a New Classic 250. You can find them used for just under £2,950. Then sell the Nova and get an Atom HE. All done in one go, great sound and you keep the Nova’s functionality.
The 272 does support Spotify, although not lossless Spotify. If you can get one at a very good price it should work fine, but whether it’s a reliable long term option is another matter. Also WiFi isn’t great compared to the Nova, so plan to use Ethernet if you go for it.
Why do I get the strange and slightly terrifying feeling that your (genuinely) superb (and much appreciated) advice is going to cost me a fortune!
OK, point taken on the streaming aspect, and, come to that, the power amp aspect. If I were to (theoretically!) upgrade to a new classic 250, would the NSC222 be a significantly better sounding route to take than the Atom or not?