I own a pair of Kudos C20 coupled with a 282/DTC/250DR and I’m very satisfied. Lately I moved from a 16sqm room to a bigger one ,almost 28/30sqm and the bass response is lighter than before. I’d like to hear S20 but I think it may not solve the problem. Titan 606 may be the solution but price is 3-4 times my C20 and I cannot spend that money. Unfortunately I cannot place the right speaker at more than 50cm from the right side wall, the distance apart is 220cm. May be alternative loudspeakers with similar family sound of Kudos ? I’d like something easy to position in the room becase the room is quite big but the positioning is quite forced.
I’ve owned C20’s and now have S20’s. A need to change colour prompted the upgrade and S20’s came up first!
Sonically they are very similar, the S20 sounds like a C20 that’s been fine tuned and improved which is exactly what it is really. Their placement requirements seem identical, I installed mine in the same place the C20’s were previously.
Whilst everything is better about the S20 and the improvement justifies the price difference but tonally they are very similar so I’m not sure that it will resolve your issues.
Changing the DTC to a Naim power supply may be an answer. Your profile doesn’t seem to be up to date, is your source still the same? I ask as I improved my source recently (555ps on an NDS) and the speakers seem to have doubled in size!
Thank you trickydickie for your prompt and detailed reply. My source is still CDX2+XPSDR and I was evaluating also to move to a NDX2 or NDS .
Since you moved from C20 to S20, can you give me some details about the differences? Is the S20 brighter than C20? My C20 is Cherry but my new living room now is modern and a white finish may be widely better. If I also change the finiture I’d like to find a S20 but I’m afraid that it can be more forward and spike treble. Bass response is different?
In my region is very difficult, quite impossible, to get a home demo and I’m concerned about a blinded change since I’m already satisfied with my C20 but sometimes they are brighter, I think this is caused by the bigger room which make the bass response a bit lighter.
Another very happy C20 owner here.
If the very desirable Titan 606 is out of reach, how about a discontined C30 which should have deeper bass response, but i have heard can be a bit room fussy.
Or one of the floorstander Neat Ultimatums.
Just a thought.
Unfortunately I have a furniture that does not allow me to move close to the rear wall more than 55cm!
2 Likes
Actually I felt in love for 606 in white finish. I hope to have the possibilty to get it in the next years when they’ll be available s/h 
. C30 may be a possibility but in white.
I do not know how is the placement of Neat Momentum, are they fussy? They have rear reflex duct while the Kudos one is to the bottom and I never had issues with their placement
Sadly don’t seem to see or hear much about the Neat Ultimatums these days. I’ve heard a lot of speakers over the years; the Ultimatum MF7 with 252/SC/300 was a very memorable experience which, to quite a large extent, put me on the Naim road map in the first place. An experience I won’t forget and one I will always look back on with fondness. Of course things move on and I believe these have long since been superseded by later versions such as the XL10. I guess there’s plenty of new kids on the block, but Neat always did have a special synergy with Naim, maybe that was Derek Gilligan’s influence, before he started Kudos!
1 Like
A screwdriver and a hammer is all you need. Get the speakers 20cm from the back wall and you’ll be amazed.
1 Like
As a side question, I’d be interested by any feedback describing the sonic improvement of Titans 606 over C20s.
2 Likes
Unfortunately I can’t. Furniture is 50cm dept, and speakers are less than 5cm from it, about 55cm in total from the rear wall. Anyway furniture is not a closed type so no bass boomy or furniture vibration come out.
Hi Arnaud, I’m also interested on this. Specially about the 606 drive capability and positioning compared to C20. Is a 250DR enough and good for a 606?
Just a thought but what about adding a subwoofer or two from the likes of REL, BK or JLaudio etc? The challenge is integrating them correctly but they can be effective and would give an increase in bass response etc.
A dealer was demonstrating it with s 282/hicap/250 , so yes it would appear.
I thought it would need a 300.
Wish I could afford the 606. Can’t even afford the S20.
1 Like
OUR VERDICT
The Kudos Titan 505s are seriously impressive performers, but their uncompromising upfront attitude won’t appeal to all
FOR
- Fast, punchy and detailed
- Solid build
- Engineering content
AGAINST
- Not the most relaxing listen
Whathifi review: KUDOS TITAN 505
3 Likes
I think the problem is that the speakers are too far out in the room, this is losing your bass and making them sound more forward. You’re likely to have similar issues with alternative speakers too so home demos are essential unless you are prepared to buy a lot of speakers used and sell them on as you get through them.
My S20’s are quite close to the back wall and sound pretty even handed tonally. If you remove the cabinet I suspect things will improve. Can you put them on a different wall?
S20’s will not resolve your issues as they are sonically very similar tonally to C20’s. I’d say the difference between the two models is similar to adding a power supply to a Naim source, i.e. more insightful and more engaging but superficially very similar sounding.
Both the C20 and S20 have a reputation for being a bit ‘hot’ in the treble region. To some extent this is true although my view is that they are very revealing and demand a top source. I’ve noticed this ‘issue’ being gradually eliminated as I’ve upgraded my source and with an NDS/555dr it’s all but eliminated.
Here’s how my S20’s are positioned.
3 Likes
I’d have a look for a free space design, not something that relies on bass reinforcement from the back wall.
3 Likes
Alex, unfortunately I do not have enough free space to place properly a subwoofer. I prefer change speaker with a bigger model to fill the bass response properly. Anyway C20 with current positioning is not bass free but I’d like something a bit more
Christopher, I’m spending time with several positioning test, moving closer both loudspeakers, forward, back, toe in, something has changed but not as I’d like. I suppose that with these C20 and forced placement in front of this furniture, it’s not possible to get more.
1 Like
I have never really got on with speakers being close to the wall. I understand speakers have to be domestically acceptable and some speakers (e.g. older Naim) are designed with that in mind but the compromise so often seems to be bass quality. I would rather work to place a speaker in free space and let the sound from the speaker dominate rather than trying to get it closer to the wall and listen to the room. Quality over quantity.