I am currently in the process of revamping my entire system. I have recently purchased a ND5XS2 and XS3. Will get 5 meter runs of NAC A5 soon. My room is relatively squarish and small, around 12 feet by 14 feet. I listen to almost anything.
In the past, I was focused on an analog / turntable front end. Nowadays, I listen more via streaming. Yeah, I’m getting old…
In the past, i prioritized soundstage height, depth and width, pinpoint imaging with lots of air, and a rather laid back and mellow presentation.
With my current Naim gear, I am now favouring, good timbre, cohesion, dynamics, speed and attack over the characteristics mentioned earlier.
What speaker brand(s) would you recommend that has a “house sound” I’m looking for that would compliment my humble Naim set up? I’m looking for standmount models. I don’t like a separate sub woofer, so the standmounts should have a decent bottom end on its own.
Morning,
In a similar size room and with similar Naim gear I have ordered a pair of ATC stand mounts. A dealer dem showed they have all the characteristics you desire. Also easily driven.
Naim’s own. With that set and in that room look for some used Naim allaes. In an 11’ square room with similar level Rega kit they worked a treat, they’re also something of a bargain these days. To get an even bass response you need a bit of precession with the distance to the rear wall. S400 might work too.
Other candidates are ProAc tablets, Kudos X series (used), Russell K and slightly left field and if you can use the corners Audionote K or maybe J but get a home demo of these with dealer setup.
Best standmount I’ve heard and with an excellent bottom end is the PMC MB2, though I’m not sure how well the XS3 would control them, and they may feel imposing in your room…
N.B. Floorstanders occupying the same room space as standmounts have the potential for more extended bass without needing a sub to fill in, though the added design complexity puts the price up significantly
I wouldn’t say your room is particularly small; mine is 15 by 12, plus bay, and I’ve accommodated some fairly large speakers. But…. no reflex design that I’ve tried has ever worked satisfactorily. Think about how far from the wall you want your speakers. For example, the Kef LS50 needs lots of space behind it, and the rear ported Neats a reasonable amount. The ATCs are sealed and will go close, as will the transmission line PMCs, but both benefit from a bit of a distance. The most important thing is to try them at home, making sure that those you borrow are well run in. A new pair of speakers will sound very different after a few weeks’ use.
Very? I would expect some settling in, particularly with the bass driver with significant flexing, but not great difference, and certainly the character should remain. This was the case with speakers I built myself, and with the one pair I bought new.
Of course, maximising buying power by buying secondhand or ex-demo solves the question!
Very? Yes has been my experience, or I wouldn’t have written what I did. I once bought some speakers after a home demo and bought the demo pair. Over the weeks the bass grew, and grew, and grew, and they had to go.
I was loaned a well used dem pair of my current speakers to trial and loved them. I was warned that the new set I ordered would be very different and that was right. Much tighter with very little bass extension. It took quite a while for them to open up and for the bass extension to appear.
Your experience may differ from mine and all I can do is pass on mine to the OP as part of helping them to make a good decision.
I have Focal speakers with Naim since 2004 and have always been very satisfied. With my current system, ( SN2/HCDR/Focal 1008BEII) i have what you are looking for : good timbre, cohesion, dynamics, speed and attack . If the Kanta range is not in your budget maybe audition the Aria 906.
ProAc D2 speakers can work nicely with your Naim ND5XS2 > XS3 > NAC A5 system. I had a pair with a ND5XS > XS2 > NAC A5 configuration years ago and enjoyed the sound.
I demoed this exact system only a week ago and it was the best in the shop for me when compared to other ProAcs and PMC. I listened to Graham Audio LS5/9s also, very, very nice but more expensive and it would be hard to justify the difference compared to the Response D2s.
Graham Audio is worthy of consideration though I think, especially if you don’t listen above 80-85db.
If I were in your shoes, I would hear the ProAc D two or the Twitter version - R
A must hear in your space with your amplification and source.
Good luck on your journey.
