New floorstander with RM5K to 7.5K budget for MF Set Up

Hi all,

I am looking into replacing my EPOS M12.2 standmounts with a floorstander with the budget between RM5000 to RM7500. Need to be able to bi amp. Also only looking for 'medium' size floostanders but with a big sound instead of the huge ones. If I can get a little bit more bass than the EPOS would even be better. Would love to get the similar sound I used to get from my previous RTL3SEs.

There is a catch though - currently still using MF X-A1 and XA50s monoblocks. But planning to upgrade to MF X150 and XP200 combo early next year. So the new speakers need to match both current amps and future amps.

Sources are mainly from MF XRAY V3 via M1 DAC and X10V3.

Room size is roughly 12 x 18 ft.

Thanks.

Increase your budget a bit more, go for Harbeth SHL-5.

Thanks kenny.

How much more? Where can audition?

I've PM you, pls check. Thanks

I think there are a lot of choices if you are willing to increase your budget until around RM10k. For e.g., the Magneplannar 1.7. Or the Eminent Technology. Both of them are just below RM10k. Of course you should definitely audition the Harbeth as well. I think there are some Audio Physics models in that price range. Others will have their own favoured speakers they can recommend as well.

Wilson Audio Tiny Tots....ooOps! These are over bajet!

WongKN wrote:I think there are a lot of choices if you are willing to increase your budget until around RM10k. For e.g., the Magneplannar 1.7. Or the Eminent Technology. Both of them are just below RM10k. Of course you should definitely audition the Harbeth as well. I think there are some Audio Physics models in that price range. Others will have their own favoured speakers they can recommend as well.

speaking of which, did u check out the et lft-8b?

wps

Not yet, unfortunately. Bassraptor is also very curious about the speaker, like me. I hope to be able to check out the speaker in the very near future. Unfortunately Summit is really out of the way for me, and not a very attractive shopping destination for the wife, so it will take quite a bit of planning to go there to listen.

10k? If I get the right dosage of poison, maybe can stretch to that

I assume the magneplannar and ET are easy to be driven speakers? My current MF only have 50 WPC and the future upgrade goes up to 75 and 100 WPC I think.

Where can it be auditioned?

The maggie I don't think you can listen to it yet. Dealer is Absolute HiFi in Taman Mayang. The ET I understand is available for audition at this shop in Summit, recently opened.

Suggest for DALI IKON 6 MK2 , from A&L audio. Audition youself, price should within your budget.

elhefe,
What would be similar or better than the RTL3s?

hehe. the ground-emitting bass comes back and bites a$$. elhefe, if you move the little m12.2 to the rears everyones gonna be and jealous.

You should definitely audition the Harbeth SHL5 and Compact 7ES-3 alongside WongKN's recommendations in Magneplanar 1.7s and Eminent Technology. I reckon the Epos sounds closer to the Harbeth than other speakers. You would get more of everything if going from the M12.2 to the Harbeth. The Epos M12.2 goes down to 54Hz while the Compact 7ES-3 and SHL5 go down to 46Hz to 40Hz respectively, hence you'll get deeper and more well-defined bass.

The main advantage going with Harbeth speakers is you don't have to worry about getting big powerful amps with big watts to optimally drive the speakers. All Harbeth speakers will sound at home with modest flea-powered amps. In other words, they will sound good with cheap budget amps(some folks are using AV amps to drive them) unlike most speakers which will sound terrible driven by less than mediocre amps.

WongKN wrote:The maggie I don't think you can listen to it yet. Dealer is Absolute HiFi in Taman Mayang.

Perhaps if you are willing to make a trip down south, this is the place to audition the Magneplanar 1.7.

ryder wrote: All Harbeth speakers will sound at home with modest flea-powered amps.

Boy! this would give you the itch to desire to own one.

Usually when buying new speakers, there is possibility one may have to change the amplifier to match the speakers, either power-wise, sonically or both if there is a mismatch between the existing amp and new speakers. With Harbeth speakers the need to upgrade the existing amp to match is not as critical compared to most "fussy" and demanding speakers. For instance, if one just upgraded to the Dynaudio C1 or Sonus Faber Cremona Auditor and his existing amps are Rega Brio3 or Classe CAP-101, an amp upgrade is almost mandatory to get the best out of these wonderful speakers. Otherwise they will sound like crap. On the other hand, the Harbeth will still sound musical at the end of these "cheap and cheerful" low-powered integrateds(not to imply they won't sound better with superior electronics).

The message to the OP is it is highly unlikely he would need to upgrade his Musical Fidelity amps if he were to consider Harbeth speakers.

Thanks all for the suggestions. Spoilt for choices now. Need to audition them. In general, would them be OK me bringing my amps to their shop and audition their speakers hooked up to my amps?

Harbeth is being spoken off very highly, I will give it a shot althought its actually another standmount then. Was looking for floorstanders. BUt if its really good, who knows hehehe.

If you are interested in Audio Physics, you can definitely bring your amps to Audio Image to hear how they sound together. You can even bring your CD player. It is if you to take the speakers home for demo that most dealers won't be willing to consider. Having said that, I understand that some dealers like Center Circle in TTDI might still be willing to consider but only for exceptional cases. Of course you need to check if they have something within your budget range lar.

Be honest and professional about it, if you are not serious in buying, meaning if on listening you don't like a certain speaker, don't follow up and don't misled the dealer. What I suggest is you should try to listen to as many choices as possible in the dealer's environment, with the dealer's demo system and this is for shortlist purposes. Then with a shortlist of say 3 choices, bring your amp/player to the dealer's place for final listen.

So besides the Harbeth, other box speakers to consider are Audio Physics, Odeon (both at Audio Image), Spendors (since the Harbeth are stand mounted, you owe it to yourself to audition the alternative which are the Spendor SP2/3), perhaps others like Morduant Short which sounded quite nice at the A/V show from what I remember. I myself is more biased towards the plannar speaker sound, esp ribbon midrange/highs. Again that is personal preference.

Thanks for the tips Wong. TTDI would be the nearest to me, having to grow up there and also now living in Valencia. I will pop in Centre Circle first.

Yes I do agree on not to misleading the dealer. I am the type that if I dont like the sound, I would immediately say so. And I am not the type to listen to a demo for hours. First 30 mins to me its enough to get me hooked on or not.

Good for you. I am sure dealers welcome potential customers like you - no nonsense and upfront honest. Let us know how it turns out. Center Circle carries Thiel and one of the lower range models might be within your budget. However, their sonic balance may or may not appeal to you (tuned more for the younger generation weened on MP3s).

wonder where to go for Paradigm speaker signature series. Heard that it is quite good. Is it in Amcorp ?

Asia Sound (Amcorp Mall) sells Paradigm, if not mistaken they are the distributor.

Went to Amcorp Mall last 2 months and saw they expended their business, additional one shop on higher floor. I think I saw the signature series there.

I will go audition a few speakers. Dont want to rush especially if I will hit the RM10K price. However, I sually only limit myself to 3 or 4 speakers. More than that just confuses me more

Wow! thats how i describe today's demo of ProAc Studio 140 and Response D18. I am really thinking of purchasing the Response but I told the dealer to give me time.

My concern is that the WoW may come from the the set up used for demo which was a full Naim set up.

Looking at the sensitivity of 91, my MF amps should be able to drive them. But will they do it as musically as the Naim?

Why not take the trouble of moving your amp to the shop and test the speakers?
It will certainly clear the doubts, right?

Thought of that as well but then might as well bring my whole set up hehehe. Was trying to avoid dismantling the set up. But might do it anyway.

There is no other way since you are not sure how it will sound.
Bringing the amp is way way easier than bringing the whole thing right?
After all, the speakers are the components which directly connect to the amp. So, just the amp will be suffice.

My dua sen

Betul jugak. Will ask dealer tomorrow. Hard work also. Maybe have to wait till deepavali weekend.

Got even a better deal. Dealer offered home demo instead with no commitment. So today had the pleasure to listen to a brand new ProAc Response D18.

The sound was very rough in the first half an hour. Bass was so tight it sounded like the woofers going to tear up. But after 2 hrs, things start to change. Things start to balance out.

Still could not decide as the new speakers are not at their full potential. So I hav till Monday to decide in which they will then take it away if I decide not to buy.

before u make up u mind = try the new Elac 247 floorstanders from a&l audio station - very kind on amp . price below rm 10k . what more lalest tech.

I may go and have a listen to the elac although dont really like the looks of it. Its also a big too big for my room.

The proac sounded much better this morning after 18 hrs of run in.

Andrea bocelli sounds so alive and vibrant.

u be surprise by the sound - this is not those old elac models which i dont like previously - they all are new silky gloss black models with latest air ribbon tech tweeter . i am using model 248 (3.5 way ) out beat my proac D25 . anyway these only a suggestion - always goes by u own ears

elhefe,

I believe you have now found out and understood one of the seldom known pitfalls of a home demo. Yes, we are ecstatic when we hear that a dealer is willing to let us take home the equipment we are eyeing, for a trial at our very own home. So we eagerly cart the equipment home and hook it up. THAT's when the problem starts. Subconciously we are now under lots of pressure, even if the dealer is a kind soul and is not pressuring us to buy. We -desperately- want the equipment to sound fantastic because we are so indebted to the dealer for the opportunity that we really want to repay the kindness and buy the equipment. Subconciously too we start to worry and get stressed about the possibility of having to return the equipment - we start to dread the day we might have to break the bad news to the kind dealer "I am sorry but I don't think it is good enough for me". Especially if the dealer is a very nice guy. He might just ask casually "you really don't think it is that good eh ?". It is probably an innocent question and he didn't mean anything other than to make you feel better. But instead it makes you feel very bad and very small.

Hi Wong KN,

Thanks for the tip but I dont feel any pressure in deciding on the speakers because:

1. This is a long time dealer friend in which he values my support to the company and him specifically (of course lah he get commision)

2. Hifi and music is my passion. I will never let my passion becomes a pressure to me. Have enough pressure at work. Will not let my passion and hobby becomes a headache to me.

3. Its all about how the music sounds to my ears. It has to sound right with my set up, my armchair, my room with the air cond on and with the lights on hehehe. If not happy, I will reject even an RM100K speakers.

4. They send their people to install and take back the speakers if I dont want it. Its a 25 KG a piece speakers. Cannot carry it up to the 3rd fllor in my house. I really appreciate their determination in satisfying the customer.

Now just have to think on how to pay for the speakers. Now thats pressure hehehe

Thanks all for the suggestions. But the speakers sounds so sweet this morning with an old local classics Francisca Peters. And saw a smile on the Financial Minister face. So I guess thats final then.

elhefe,
I like to add in to your confusion search of a floorstander. I suggest Dynaudio Focus 220. Dont worry so much of the 4 ohm load. Since you are going to upgrade the amp later, it should be enough power.

I believe it will have lesser twitchy nature of the ProAc.

Or you still can go back to Epos floodstander if you like the house sound. Cheer.

Adrian,

I already heard the DynaAudio, side by side with the ProAc. Too much bass for me from the Dynas.

I was thinking about EPOS floorstander since I do like the vocals on the EPOS standmounts. Hhhhhmmm, not sure why I didnt auditioned for that.

how about epos m22i or its big brother encore 50?

wps

I might stop by DHT this evening to see whether they have the m22i or not as I bought my M12.2 there.

elhefe, you mean the Epos' mid is sweeter than the ProAc?

Yes Epos mid is sweeter. Partially i think its due to the lack of low end. They give a more natural sound.

I agree. My friend has the Studio 140 but he still yearns for the lush mid of my Tablette. My only problem is lack of bass after listening to other larger speakers...

I'm guessing you're pretty much sold on the Response. Did you manage to audition the Harbeth?