I ask for your advice.
I am desperately looking for speakers that I can match with my Uniti Nova (not PE!)
Current setup:
Naim Nova
Neat XPlorer
Room dimensions: 7.5 x 6.6 = 50m2
Even though I am running this setup since 2 years, I am not satisfied.
The speakers are not able to fill the room with music.
For testing purposes I moved them to the much smaller sleeping room, where the setup reveals its full potential. Thus I conclude that the speakers are just too small for such a room size.
Goal:
I need speakers that can be driven by the Nova to their full potential or near their full potential.
Speakers must be able to fill my room with sound
Criteria:
Floorstander
Speakers should be more or less in the same league as the Nova (means that I am not looking for 1000Ā£ or 10000Ā£ speakers to connect to a 4000Ā£ amplifier)
Speaker should be suited for electronic music as main genre, in other words should preferably be bass-heavy
Must not only sound good at lower listening levels, but also at elevated levels
Restrictions:
No, I wonāt upgrade to the PE
Also, no addition power amp such as 250dr allowed
No subwoofer allowed
What I considered so far:
Klipsch Cornwall IV => Divorce guarantee because too ugly
PMC Twenty5.26 => Nova probably not enough for its full potential
Focal Aria 948 / Evo X N4 => Nova probably not enough for its full potential
Kanta 2 => Nova probably not enough for its full potential
Most importantly:
I know that many speakers are a good match for the Nova, including the XPlorer that I am currently using. I probably studied every thread in this topic covering speaker discussions for the Nova. But I am specifically looking for recommendations for large rooms.
So I kindly ask you not to recommend me a speaker based on the fact that it is a good match for you in a small or mid-sized room. For such a case, I am well covered with the XPlorer already.
I know that it is an option to downsize on Twenty5 or Aria to the next smaller model, but I am afraid that they would be too small for my room then, especially for the lower frequencies.
I used a set of B&W 804d3s with my Nova and really enjoyed them. Kept them when I upgraded to a SN3. 4.5K used at the moment for a pair. Never felt the Nova wasnāt up to driving them.
Thanks for the recommendations, @Dan_M and @Dan360 .
Sopra and B&W 804 d3/d4: arenāt these screaming for a 250dr?
Wouldnāt the B&W 703 or 704 be āenoughā for the capabilites of the Nova already?
I just donāt want to spend extra bucks for more expensive speakers, if the amplifier wonāt be able to get anything out of the extra money spent.
And then, I am even more afraid that a more demanding speaker would make things worse, considering the large room. That would force me to buy a separate power amo such as the 250DR, which I want to avoid.
@Dan360 may I ask your room size? did you notice a big change on the 804s when upgrading to the SN3?
I have a big room - 7.5m by 7.5m with a circa 6m ceiling. I demoed B&W 805d3s and various Neat and Spendor speakers too. I bought the 804d3s because I felt the oomph and upgradability from the others was worth it.
When thinking about upgrading I demoed 250DR (and 300DR) with the Nova and the 804s and didnāt feel like it was a worthwhile upgrade. Whereas NDX2/SN3 was - the speakers were more than up to that upgrade.
I made the mistake of demoing 555/552/500 with 800d3s at the time which I couldnāt afford at that point. I ran the SN3 for a couple of year while I waited for sensible deals on 555/552/500 and 801d4s. Bought them all either second hand or ex-demo.
I still have the Nova and listen to it regularly in my office, now with a set of Kef LS50s. It sounds fab with those too - its a special piece of kit. If I need to downsize, it would be the expensive gear that goes, and the Nova Iād keep.
Thereās no substitute to listening to a few speakers with the music you love
@Dan360 Thanks a lot for the explanation. I will definitely have a closer look at the 804d3 and take them to the closer candidates then.
Searched a bit and saw that last 4 months ago a like new pair sold for 3kĀ£ in my countryā¦missed opportunity that hurts.
By the way, did you also consider the 703 at any point before buying the 804?
@LindsayM Thank you, but for aesthetical reasons I am afraid not.
Does anyone have any thoughts on Dynaudio with Nova for large rooms maybe?
I donāt think that a Nova would be any way capable of adequately driving large speakers such as the Sopra 2 or big B&Ws in a large room such as yours. Iād suggest you consider swapping the Nova for an NSC222 and then getting some active speakers such as PMC twenty5.24i or ATC SCM40A.
Out of your options this sounds most realistic and balanced with a Nova. They are fine speakers, Iāve heared them with an xs3 which is similar level to the nova.
Impressive the B&Wās are, you are looking at at least a 222 / nap 250 to have a kind of balanced system.
One thing to consider: if the room is your living room, youāve probable tables, cupboards sofas chairs and lots of other stuff around and therefore details in music get lost - well thatās what I have. Despite lack of details, large and busy rooms can still sound fab but more in the space of dynamics.
@Faye I presume that by āfilling the roomā you mean not reaching the sound levels you want throughout itās fairly large area. If thatās not what you mean please explain. What happens when you reach maximum? Distortion, or simply wonāt go louder? Also, sorry if Iāve missed it, but I donāt think youāve said what speakers you currently have that donāt āfill the roomā? Edit: sorry, I see Neat Xplora, which I assume is the Iota Explora(?).
If you want to reach higher sound levels throughout that fairly large room then one thing you should do in shortlisting is compare the manufacturersā declared sensitivities (usually expressed as dB/W @1m). 3dB more than your present speakers would sound noticeably but not hugely louder with same source and amp settings. For a very significant difference you might want a sensitivity 10dB or more greater. Edit: If your speakers and Neat Iota Xplora, listed as 88dB/w, that suggests a need for mud 90s, which is higher than average, and limits choice. (I have to say that being unable to fill the room with sound made me expect lower sensitivity speakers, but then it depends on how loud you want! It would be useful to give decibel readings from the back if the room, and from an area that is ok (use a smartphone app.)
I have heard a pair of Dynaudio evoke 50s on a supernait 3 and they sounded awesome. Very nice speakers. Also the new Focal Aria Evo N4. Both the speakers are around $5000 USD
My girlfriend uses a Nova with Neat iota Alphas in a long but narrow room - they are great in that combination and that room.
The Nova sounded ok when briefly tried with my B&W 804D3s in a room smaller than yours, but no more than ok. The 804D3s worked really well with a 250 and much better with a 300DR, but to us got strained and ragged with the Nova if we wanted much volume.
I am currently listening to Xplorers in a room that is 9m x 5m x 3.5m or so. They sound great, even at high volume, because they are being driven by 82/HC/250. The limiting factors on room-filling and furniture shaking here are (in order):-
A. My girlfriendās ears
B. Reflections from the slightly odd ceiling
C. Blurring and stodgy bass (or it was until we tried Gaias under the Neats, as Mr. Surgeoner suggested).
Your ears and your room are the key variables of course, but I think your options are: -
Get a significantly more powerful amp to use with Xplorers (or 804D3s or several other options). If a 250 or higher is out, active speakers may well be the best option.
Get significantly more sensitive speakers that lose nothing in involvement and boogie versus the Xplorers and work with the Nova. Aim perhaps at 94dB for speakers to audition. Klipsch? Snell? Floorstanding Tannoys like the Westminsters might do the trick, but look at the costā¦Horns would work too, but you may well not like much else about them if you like Xplorers.
Listen in a different room or at lower volume only, perhaps sitting closer to the speakers.
I appreciate that none of these options will be what you want to see, but I fear that more minor tinkering will just waste your time and money.
I too use a Nova with Neat Iota Alphas in our living room which is 6.5x4m.
Iād echo what Nick says, I reach my wifeās volume tolerance long before they are maxed out! One bit of minor tinkering that might help though, is the surface you have them on - is it a hard floor? When I experimented with the Iota Alphas I found they sounded much worse on a hard surface. I think that downward firing bass is optimised for standing on carpet.
As to Dynaudio, Iām a big fan (currently own S40ās and Confidence 20ās). Iāve had Heritage Specials on my Nova in my room and they were wonderful (85dB). The new legacy Contours could really float your boat (90dB) although they comprehensively fail your price match test. Is the Nova good enough for them? Based on what I heard with the Heritage Specials Iād happily stake Ā£100 on the answer to that question being yes.
I have Totem Hawks on a Nova in our lounge, which is open-plan with the dining area and kitchen, over 80 sqm. I have a sub with it, but thatās not essential.
I have a Nova with Kanta 2 speakers in a big room (5x16m) and I love how they sound when Iām = 10 or 12 meters away probably even better then when Iām in the listening position at 3 meters. But our listening level is modest, between 65 and 75 dB because this is our living room with open kitchen where we spend most of our time.
Above 80 dB however I canāt listen to them for very long, it somehow becomes harsh.
Also I donāt find them very bass heavy, which is another reason I like them, but maybe not ideal if youāre into electronic music.
Tread very carefully here with B&Ws in my experience anything above the 805s need something more to drive them. I have the 803d4s and it wasnāt until I got into the 500 series that they came to life.
I know you want floorstanders BUT my 805s and a second hand Rel sub was an amazing combo in a room 8m x 5m and the subs richness was awesome.
Having had the Nova and a separates system in different rooms for years my sense is you are asking a lot of the Nova if you have a big space, and my experience is having learned the hard way. As I say filling the room was really helped with a sub.
