Naim Tea Party with EposM12i/Spendor A6/Krypton K100B & Amphion Helium 410 Speakers

[denom]

Had an interesting evening yesterday, hearing 4 speakers paired with the following electronics:

Naim Nait 5i Amp
Naim CD5 XS
Technics SL23 TT with Denon DL103 cart
Naim DIN interconnects
Naim NACA5 speaker cable

Speakers used to play musical chairs with above electronics were as follows:

1) Epos M12i
2) Spendor A6
3) Krypton K-100B
4) Amphion Helium 410

Music heard:
LP:
Explosions in the Sky - The earth is not a cold dead place

CCR - Cosmo's Factory

Hugh Masakela - Hope

Nirvana - Live Unplugged in New York

CD:

Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow

Rockstar OST

Rabbi - Avengi Ja Nahin

Explosions in the sky - The earth is not a cold dead place

KD Lang - Best Of

Zakhir Hussain - Making Music

Mark Knopfler - The rackpickers dream

Norah Jones - Come away with me

Coldplay - Up with the birds

Dexter Gordon - The Tower of power

I came a little late so could not hear much of the Krypton K100 B, but heard the rest quite a bit.

My thoughts on the synergy of the Naim & The speakers:

1) Spendor A6:
Nothing much to excite. The A6 sounded pretty lifeless & un involving. Most of the time played 1 dimensionally.

2) Krypton K-100B:
Pretty much similar to the Spendor A6 as described above. Where it lost out to Sepndor was in the appearance, fit & finish but then we are talking about 2 speakers in different price brackets Having said that, the Kryptons were better value for far less outlay.

3) Epos M12i:
Have heard this speaker a lot due thanks to couple of FM's I know, who own them. Pretty much a safe bet in the price range it was available in, sadly its a discontinued speaker & hence its value in todays market is un appreciated.

4) Amphion Helium 410:
These never seize to amaze me. Yet again, they were plonked into a huge room (400 + Sq Ft) & demanded that they perform. That they did without much fuss is yet again brought to the fore. The magnetic effect they have on one is simply irresistible to run away from. They exhibit an unfazed approach, making you throw it into the deep almost straight away. The strongest attributes of the Helium 410's is their dynamic & wide soundstage, coupled with sheer pace of timing. It plays most of the genres of music with aplomb & gets you involved straightaway. Brings a huge smile to ones face with ease

Arguably the best synergy was achieved between them & the Naim.
Having said that, yes they have their issues as well, which is related to their diminutive size, they can't go low & get you the LF extension. Complex music can trip them slightly but then its really when one listens to music very analytically. Place them close to the back wall & they can get tantalizingly close to having everything right in the mix wrt the LF reproduction.


For me they were the stars of the evening yet again.

Will await for the others present to share their views & experiences. Pics to follow

 

[Shahrukh]

Re: Naim Tea Party with EposM12i/Spendor A6/Krypton K100B & Amphion Helium 410 Speake

That's the thing with Naim. Those expecting "magic" will awlays be dissapointed. Despite all its good qualities, it just doesn't do 3D. Some say it's for more mature ears. Maybe so. But the best I've heard of Naim was an all Naim system with Neat speakers. It's been my observation that most Naim fans aren't image/stage fans. Let the the debate begin.

 

[docd]

Re: Naim Tea Party with EposM12i/Spendor A6/Krypton K100B & Amphion Helium 410 Speake

I concur broadly with Denom's take on the audition. I had to leave early so I did miss out on the Kryptons. As for the rest:
Spendors are bit over rated. Whathifi has heaped praise on the A6 but I feel it's not justified. Sound was dry and unidimensional. Some commentators have remarked on their ' miserable frequency response'. Maybe there was a lack of synergy with the electronics. Of course the session was a bit short so I would like to reserve my final opinion. Possibly a change of amps would improve the sound. Spendor by the way is now an Indian owned brand so I would love to give it more marks!
The Epos M12i is value for money, excellent depth and soundstaging, well detailed. A little lacking in the bass and the highs may sometimes be a bit irritating. Non the less an engaging sound, maybe Iam a bit biased since I own a pair!
Amphion Helium 410 was without a doubt the star of the show. Amazing sound from a tiny speaker with unassuming looks. You wouldn't believe it by just seeing the speaker. Hearing it was a shock! Excellent timing, punchy and unbelievable lows from a tiny driver. Slightly less detailed that it's other two rivals of the evening but I guess you can't have everything!
.

 

[arj]

Re: Naim Tea Party with EposM12i/Spendor A6/Krypton K100B & Amphion Helium 410 Speake

Specifically regarding Naim-Spendor. they perhaps may not be a great Combination. I have heard the Older S5s with a Sugden and that sounded very well (thats all i remember !) definitely good soundstaging..but that was many years ago !

 

[heliumflight]

Re: Naim Tea Party with EposM12i/Spendor A6/Krypton K100B & Amphion Helium 410 Speake

I googled to check out the pics of Amphion Helium 410, thinking it to be big bold speakers and what do I see?... a diminutive, unattractive speaker.

Now I truly believe hearing is believing!

 

[mpw]

Re: Naim Tea Party with EposM12i/Spendor A6/Krypton K100B & Amphion Helium 410 Speake

Here are some pics i managed to take..

Many thanks to Cadence for the A6 demo.

mpw

 

[denom]

Re: Naim Tea Party with EposM12i/Spendor A6/Krypton K100B & Amphion Helium 410 Speake

I googled to check out the pics of Amphion Helium 410, thinking it to be big bold speakers and what do I see?... a diminutive, unattractive speaker.

Now I truly believe hearing is believing!

But you only had to refer to this link to have a look see at the Helium 410's

http://www.hifivision.com/av-lounge/48215-amphion-epson-meet-pune.html

Maybe you haven't seen this link

 

[arhantd]

Re: Naim Tea Party with EposM12i/Spendor A6/Krypton K100B & Amphion Helium 410 Speake

The Helium 410 sure seems like a little wonder!!
Will hopefully check it out soon.

Is the slightly bigger brother 510 also available? If it has the same sound characteristics and
goes down a little deeper due to the 5.25" driver, it might be the answer to the few shortcomings of 410?

Price difference between the two models might be an issue, of course.

 

[mpw]

Re: Naim Tea Party with EposM12i/Spendor A6/Krypton K100B & Amphion Helium 410 Speake

the christmas tree done up by the kids looks nice.. doesnt it ?

wonder why we talk about imaging and staging and all these complicated terminologies when there is no unanimity on these. From room to room there are variations and considering the fact that none of us have ever heard the original - the way it was played / recorded / mastered / digitised// whatever..

There are so many variables.. The Zakir Hussain CD - Making Music - the Tablas on the right - but some older recordings have it on the left as per a very well respected FM.

so where does the 3D go ?

I heard an all Naim on a visit to Singapore paired with the Neats and i thought they sounded bitter. ( Seriously )

are we missing the woods for the trees ?

to my mind the enjoyability in music is foremost - naim or no Naim.

The advantage of a setup from the same stable is that you dont have to worry too much about little things.. it is generally very sorted.

The Amphion Helium 410 is no doubt a very good speaker for a small / medium room. Even in the largish room it was played it.. it acquitted itself very creditably. It is very unfussy and easy to setup.

It is highly recommended..ofcourse please do audition with your setup to check if your ears like it.

It was very nice to interact with KJ too..

PS : was there any tea served at the tea party denom ?? :lol:

mpw

 

[kapvin]

Re: Naim Tea Party with EposM12i/Spendor A6/Krypton K100B & Amphion Helium 410 Speake

PS : was there any tea served at the tea party denom ?? :lol:

mpw

well, as a really late entrant, I remember that the coffee was top class.

 

[denom]

Re: Naim Tea Party with EposM12i/Spendor A6/Krypton K100B & Amphion Helium 410 Speake

the christmas tree done up by the kids looks nice.. doesnt it ?

wonder why we talk about imaging and staging and all these complicated terminologies when there is no unanimity on these. From room to room there are variations and considering the fact that none of us have ever heard the original - the way it was played / recorded / mastered / digitised// whatever..

There are so many variables.. The Zakir Hussain CD - Making Music - the Tablas on the right - but some older recordings have it on the left as per a very well respected FM.

so where does the 3D go ?

I heard an all Naim on a visit to Singapore paired with the Neats and i thought they sounded bitter. ( Seriously )

are we missing the woods for the trees ?

to my mind the enjoyability in music is foremost - naim or no Naim.

The advantage of a setup from the same stable is that you dont have to worry too much about little things.. it is generally very sorted.

The Amphion Helium 410 is no doubt a very good speaker for a small / medium room. Even in the largish room it was played it.. it acquitted itself very creditably. It is very unfussy and easy to setup.

It is highly recommended..ofcourse please do audition with your setup to check if your ears like it.

It was very nice to interact with KJ too..

PS : was there any tea served at the tea party denom ?? :lol:

mpw

Giving a dose to the anti naim ers eh??? :lol:

I remember having very cold 'green' tea served in pints, hence the heading

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

Re: Naim Tea Party with EposM12i/Spendor A6/Krypton K100B & Amphion Helium 410 Speake

I googled to check out the pics of Amphion Helium 410...

Me too, and clicking on a couple of links I happened to read this:

The premise of an advert, inviting you to listen to a speaker with the volume turned down, might not be the most obvious way of selling it to a wider audience. For Amphion however, there is a reason for this unusual approach. The entire range is designed to offer excellent intelligibility and clarity even at very low volumes.

Hifi Choice​

Nobody ever told me about Amphion!

Good sound at low volumes has been the quest of my hifi life. There are limits imposed, whatever the equipment, by the hearing response of the human ear ...but still, some gear seems to do it better than others.

Conclusion of the above short review from HiFi Choice:

If you can accommodate a larger speaker, the very compact size of the Helium and with it, the limitations to bass extension may not appeal. But if you have less room and are looking for a speaker that will work in confined spaces and still provide a satisfying listen at lower volume levels, then the 410 makes a great deal more sense. This is a well-built and exactingly thought out speaker, that has much to recommend it.

The review also states that they found it to be exceedingly unfussy, performing well on stands, table top or even desktop. Maybe it's a bookshelf speaker that actually would work on a bookshelf? :lol:

600 seems to be the price in UK, but I did not check the dates of the reviews. No money for speakers just now, but just curious: what is the India availability and price?

 

[jls001]

Re: Naim Tea Party with EposM12i/Spendor A6/Krypton K100B & Amphion Helium 410 Speake

There was an elegant solution to boosting the bass - simply move it closer to the front wall. You just need to move it close, but not so close that the boosted bass muddies the rest of the audio spectrum. That was exactly how mpw and denom placed the speakers. A bit of experimentation was all it took the get the sound right (as heard by two very keen-eared gents in the persons of Prem and Khushrau Jilla).

The sound heard at mpw's (rocking) hot seat from the tiny Amphion being driven by the all-Naim electronics was indeed very agreeable. The only area where it perhaps faltered owing to its small size was when confronted with complex and dense passages. This is in relatively terms. In absolute terms, it is barely noticeable.

Given its pedigree, the sound from the CDp was a given but I was surprised by how well his Technics SL 23 sang with the new Denon DL 103 cartridge. It kept up with the big boys manning the rest of the chain.

 

[denom]

Re: Naim Tea Party with EposM12i/Spendor A6/Krypton K100B & Amphion Helium 410 Speake

Thad,

Will answer your queries:

1) Amphion has been in India for a while but actually started getting momemtum once a proper dealer was inducted for its sales. Mumbai to start with, other cities will follow in the near future.

2) Yes, the Helium 410's attributes of sounding fantastic at low volumes is one of their USP's.

3) They are incredibly unfussy wrt placement. Tried them with stands(Single centre beam/open ended) to tables/shelves & nothing seems to un ruffle them

4) Retail Cost is 83k, but can be had for 65k post discount.

Organise a Chennai Meet & you will have the opportunity to listen to these pocket rockets

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

Re: Naim Tea Party with EposM12i/Spendor A6/Krypton K100B & Amphion Helium 410 Speake

Thanks!

Here's Stereophile on turning down the volume with Amphions...

Amphion Turns Down the Volume, Turns Up the Emotion.


~

 

[ghatgepatil]

Re: Naim Tea Party with EposM12i/Spendor A6/Krypton K100B & Amphion Helium 410 Speake

I had the opportunity to very briefly hear .. Guru Audio

 

[mpw]

Re: Naim Tea Party with EposM12i/Spendor A6/Krypton K100B & Amphion Helium 410 Speake

GP,

the Gurus are supposed to be darn good especially the Guru QM Two i think..

where did you hear the gurus ??

mpw

 

[mpw]

Re: Naim Tea Party with EposM12i/Spendor A6/Krypton K100B & Amphion Helium 410 Speake

There was an elegant solution to boosting the bass - simply move it closer to the front wall. You just need to move it close, but not so close that the boosted bass muddies the rest of the audio spectrum. That was exactly how mpw and denom placed the speakers. A bit of experimentation was all it took the get the sound right (as heard by two very keen-eared gents in the persons of Prem and Khushrau Jilla).

The sound heard at mpw's (rocking) hot seat from the tiny Amphion being driven by the all-Naim electronics was indeed very agreeable. The only area where it perhaps faltered owing to its small size was when confronted with complex and dense passages. This is in relatively terms. In absolute terms, it is barely noticeable.

Given its pedigree, the sound from the CDp was a given but I was surprised by how well his Technics SL 23 sang with the new Denon DL 103 cartridge. It kept up with the big boys manning the rest of the chain.

===================================================

JLS,

it was my pleasure to have you over and also to your keen sense of audio and precise workmanship.

The credit for integrating the DL103 with my Technics SL23 is yours totally.

The TT provided a very "human " "organic" element and this is what makes me have 2 sources.

The Naim CDP is a class apart.. a world apart from what i was used to ofcourse.. to the credit of the Marantz SA7001.. the price point is much different.

mpw
=================================================

 

[indialogue]

Re: Naim Tea Party with EposM12i/Spendor A6/Krypton K100B & Amphion Helium 410 Speake

Thanks!

Here's Stereophile on turning down the volume with Amphions...

Amphion Turns Down the Volume, Turns Up the Emotion.


~

You too Thad? I'm also looking for bookshelf speakers for "polite listening", that do well placed next to the wall (due to limited space). These look like a very good option indeed (next year probably :lol

 

[mpw]

Re: Naim Tea Party with EposM12i/Spendor A6/Krypton K100B & Amphion Helium 410 Speake

Giving a dose to the anti naim ers eh??? :lol:

I remember having very cold 'green' tea served in pints, hence the heading

===================================================

under the influence of the cold "green" tea sitting in belgaum i can say that there is no anti and no pro.

Just differing points of view which can be settled over a some more "green teas "

PS : i would love to hear the Merlins someday..



mpw