What speakers match well with a Naim Nait 5i? I might get an Epos ES11 on ebay , I don´t know yet. Also Elac or Kef are good alternatives?What speakers are a good match for Naim amplifiers?Proac, for example?
Totem
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The only component that hasn’t changed since I started down the NAIM rabbit hole many years ago are my speakers. They’re Allae’s, and they just kept sounding better with every upgrade.
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It really depends on your listening environment and speakers are such a personal, and of course depends on your budget. For the 5Si I would suggest nothing too demanding e.g. Neat Iota.
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I suggest Harbeth HP3s. If anything, to have the pleasure of finally hearing a pair of Harbeths sound alive and well.
I fully agree with @LindsayM here. In my experience at least as important as matching speakers to amplifiers is matching them to the listening environment and your personal tastes.
What may appear to be a perfect amp/speaker match can sound brilliant in one room and dreadful in another even to the same ears. Different ears will percieve different impressions even in the same room.
In my experience it is easier to find speakers which I like positioned in my room and match the amplifier to those.
Good luck with your search but I think home demos are necessary to get the best amplifier/room/ear match.
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Brands such as Neat, Naim, Spendor, Epos, Focal have their devotees with your Naim amp.
All have different styles of presentation. But only you can decide which you prefer. Enjoy your music, whichever you choose.
C.
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I have a 5si driving Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G - this pairing provides excellent overall performance value with the 8" LF driver. Best low bass for your money for a standmounter!
The amp section of an Atom is supposedly based on the Nait 5si and mine worked well Neat Iotas in a small room used as an office. A new version of the Iota has just been introduced, which I heard recently. It sounded most impressive, on dedicated stands.
At a cheaper price point, Dynaudio Emit 20s should also work well.
Roger
Quick one - new Iotas significantly better than the previous version?
Dali Menuet SE. I comprehensively tested about 15 pairs of speakers with the Atom and the two clear winners were the Dalis and the Linn 109 bookshelf. I ended up with the Dalis as I love detail.
Hi @nbaptista
With my two different Naim systems I use Graham Audio and Wilmslow Audio speakers.
They both have a lot to choose from to suit room size and budget.
The Loon Monitor and the Rainmaker? The latter one sounded great when I tested it some years back.
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Epos ES11 are brilliant
Good luck
R
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I noticed that the advice of others does not help, everyone has different preferences, you will have a long journey
Not done a direct comparison, but I heard them at this summer’s North West Audio Show. When I went in the room I assumed some reasonably sized speakers were playing and very surprised to learn they were the new Iotas. I think it’s mainly the bass driver and crossover that have been changed and they certainly created a remarkably room-filling sound in a good-sized room.
I’m not minded to upgrade mine as they’re in a very small office, but if considering new small speakers at around £1k, I’d put them on a short list.
Roger
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Whichever one fits the room and the budget. I started with Model 1 Signature and now run Mani-2 Signature with a Supernait 3.
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I think your speakers need a powerful amp like the SN3 at least, Totem speakers are a bit power hungry. But they just sound fantastic. Unluckily I’ve never heard either the Model 1 Signature or the Mani-2 Signature. The latter one seems quite intriguing with its technology.
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Thx Roger - confirms what I’ve heard elsewhere. Same as you - I have Iota MK1s in my office at the end of a Unitiqute2. No need to change, but always good to hear the latest buzz on an already excellent product.
They are an excellent match for Naim electronics. Slightly pricey, but still very good. Even the MK1 version is able to fill a medium to large-ish room.
FWIW - I had a pair of Elac Debut Reference 62s for a week connected to my 172 & 155XS. They’re unfussy on placement and have a forward firing port so you can get them near the front wall. The cabinet volume is also quite big, so they’ll play low.
They took over from my reference KEF LS50 Metas and the sound is significantly different. The KEFs are very transparent and produce a tremendous amount of instrument separation. They don’t go as low, but the imaging and soundstage are far superior. Twice the price of the ELACs though and they require power - I’d need to hear them with a 5i before committing. I have also had them on the end of a UQ - they need more power than what that can produce. Not bad, but you don’t get the extra ‘sparkle’ that you would with something bigger.
I would say get something with a reasonable sensitivity (89,90+) that can be driven with a 5i (50w should be good for anything sub £1,000) and that has a sound signature you like.
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