Speaker Upgrade Advice

[Lizard King]

Fair point , for a large room the Aria 926 will not be sufficient for bass. A 946 would be the ideal and 936 would also probably work, the bass on Aria 926 is good for medium rooms or small. Mine comes in a small category with a 15 by 11 room & I find the bass opening up really nicely after an initial lean period for the first 100 odd hours. Not sure on how it compares to the Monitor Audio as I did not hear one till date.

Aria is high on my list. Lost the chance to go for the 926 when they were going dirt cheap.
The bigger Arias will stretch my budget a bit. Though there are people who have concerns about its brightness, I assume that the gentle nature of 8006 would tame it. I'm concerned about my amps ability to drive them meaningfully. Another PA means I'll be starting down the dreaded rabbit hole.

 

[fLUX]

Couldn't find A946 online. Did you mean Electra 946 or Aria 948.

Lol, yeah I meant the Aria 948..

Aria is high on my list. Lost the chance to go for the 926 when they were going dirt cheap.
The bigger Arias will stretch my budget a bit. Though there are people who have concerns about its brightness, I assume that the gentle nature of 8006 would tame it. I'm concerned about my amps ability to drive them meaningfully. Another PA means I'll be starting down the dreaded rabbit hole.

Personally i don't think Aria will sound bright on a neutral amp too. While the concern of rabbit hole is a genuine one , I would suggest to get the speaker of your choice and see if you like it with the PM8006 and if not then go for a PA. I was quiet happy with the PM8006 and the way it sounded with Aria 926 but decided to try out the Saptak regardless as there was a 15 day return window. Only then did I feel that PM8006 was lacking , else would have certainly continued driving it using the PM8006.

 

[Lizard King]

Going by the principle of
1. planning speaker for your room ~400 sq ft
2. Having synergy with your amp ~70 W

Considering music you like you will do ok with any of the above ( although the power requirement by Monitor audio looks highest) in most rooms but considering yours is larger room amplifier power would be important and hence anything which is more sensitive and needed lower power may be helpful

While specs can be very misleading, going by how there were Revel/Dynaudio do need more power. and from specs so does the monitor audio hence unless you hear it in your room with your amp you will never be sure.

I have been reading quite a bit on the Fyne audio speakers and the warm/non fatiguing/ resolving sound they seem to produce..seem to have got something right. maybe thats something you could consider ?

The focal, Dali and Fyne seem like reasonable options.

It helps listening to you tube videos of these speakers playing with similarly powered amplifiers and rather than sound quality try to hear if they are able to reproduce scale and dynamics with the those amps..

Even though the specs suggest like that, from user reviews, Revel Concerta2 F36 and Dynaudio excite x34 are quite easy to drive. But the x38 is not, thanks to 4 ohm impedance. That and the Focals would possibly cry for a PA, something I am trying to avoid if I can.
Again these are only as perceived by some hundred reviews I read over the last few days. Don't know if I should wait for another 6 months atleast to see auditions are starting.

Anyone having any opinion about the Dynaudios. They seem to get good reviews everywhere. X34 is not difficult to drive. May lose a bit of bass but is detailed yet musical, bit more so than Revel if reviews are to be believed.

 

[nvnaveen]

The difficult question again. But in absence of audition this is the best I can think of.

I have a pair of Wharfedale Diamond 230 floor standers. Entertaining as they are, specially for the money, the are not very transparent. There is also significant treble roll off. The bass is ample, but not very agile or taut.
With the philosophy that you don't upgrade your speakers too often, I thought of taking a biggish leap.

My chain is..
1. Marantz 6005 CDP, to be changed to 8006 CDP/ streamer soon.
2. Denon DP400 TT, with AT VM540ML cartridge and Musical Fidelity LX2LPS phono stage
3. Marantz PM8006 amplifier.

Source.... about 200 CDs, 50 old but good condition vinyls, 150 new vinyls. Planning to add Spotify, but not as my primary. I listen to vinyls 70% of the time.

Listening area 16 X 24 ft. Speakers placed 9 ft apart, 1.5 ft from back wall. Listening seat 9 ft from speakers. Listening volume - neighbor friendly. Floor vitrified tiles with carpet between the speakers and listening area. Rows of sofa with cushions on both sides walls.

Musical taste...
* Classic Rock like Dire Sraits, PF, LZ, CCR, Clapton, Eagles, Deep Purple, Sabbath, Rainbow, Doors, Tull etc... 60%
* Jazz... Trane, Mingus, MD, Hancock, Brubeck etc... 20%
* Classical.... mostly chamber and strings unless you consider the occasional Mahler/ Beethoven Symphony... 10%

I have been suggested
Revel Concerta2 F36 by a few knowledgeable friends. But also considering...

Dynaudio excite x34 / x38
Monitor Audio Silver 300
Focal Aria 926
Dali Opticon 6 Mk2

Also open to SF, ML etc, as long as they are within the above price range.

It should be musical, resolving without being tiring, fast and tight bass, but no need to be earth shaking.

I'm tilted towards Revel Concerta2 F36 or Dynaudio excite x34/X38. Read everywhere that X38 is power hungry. Wondering if PM8006 at with 100 wpc at 4 ohms can drive them. Revel gets equally excellent reviews from professional/ ASR/ users. But will it be too transparent for many of the not so great recordings that I hear?

What is the opinion/ advice of the wise men and women of our forum?

Thanks.

Hi, hope u r safe & healthy there.
I would like to say to try IndiqAudio their platinum speakers or diamond series for ur taste of sound u were saying above.
i personally feel its great in its details of instruments & mid bass with pleasant throw to ur ears , u will never feel irritating even if u listen for entire day .
And i see ur more on vinyls in that case i feel u never regret ur buy & ur buy will make u happy don't feel for next upgrade un till u have itch of trying new.
On the above list i have seen who bought focal , Dali & monitor audio also upgraded to this brand & very happy with their new product & happy listening till date.
as in pandemic we cant step out & take risk now so Indiq have 15 days return policy & also upgrade policy which is very good to end user & have choice & n no loss.
Speak once to Mr Amit & see will that help you & your requirement fulfill. then u can plan to above brands.

Happy hunting.

 

[Nagaraj S]

A meaty PA all the way/any time if:
- You have the budget
- Have an inclination, time and energy for separates (aka the rabbit hole )
I haven’t looked back after going the separates way- it has its pay offs. But that’s just me.

 

[fLUX]

A meaty PA all the way/any time if:
- You have the budget
- Have an inclination, time and energy for separates (aka the rabbit hole )
I haven’t looked back after going the separates way- it has its pay offs. But that’s just me.

Totally agree, there is no turning back once you go for separates. With the right components the improvements are quiet good and the flexibility to play around is another big advantage.

 

[shyamv]

Bach rather than bacchanalia.
Hence this is where I am

Not really!

'You are the Lizard King. You can do Anything!' - Jim Morrison.

 

[arj]

Even though the specs suggest like that, from user reviews, Revel Concerta2 F36 and Dynaudio excite x34 are quite easy to drive. But the x38 is not, thanks to 4 ohm impedance. That and the Focals would possibly cry for a PA, something I am trying to avoid if I can.
Again these are only as perceived by some hundred reviews I read over the last few days. Don't know if I should wait for another 6 months atleast to see auditions are starting.

if you are confident that they will work in your room, then they are options since specs can be misleading so assuming you are hearing this from people whose ears you trust

My experience with usual web reviews are not great since the room is the first thing which gets missed out by folks in recommendations especially the ability to move air which specs do not tell. That visceral feeling of the drum/double bass needs power and room size exponentially reduces it

I am of course assuming that your amp is here to stay and you are looking for speaker which will match that. The tekton suggested by Prem is another awesome speaker which will do it all and is full range unlike the other speakers but not sure of the amp matching.

 

[Lizard King]

A meaty PA all the way/any time if:
- You have the budget
- Have an inclination, time and energy for separates (aka the rabbit hole )
I haven’t looked back after going the separates way- it has its pay offs. But that’s just me.

You guys are dragging me down.
I understand that the speakers that will make me happy, would definitely benefit from adding a PA.
I have the budget for a PA, but I have to juggle with the allocations a bit and maybe push the ND8006 streamer/ CD back by a year.
I checked the price differences of PA that I have in mind (Parasound/ Audiolab) are ridiculously expensive in India. I'll have to wait till I travel abroad at the end of the pandemic and hand carry from there. That frees up resources for some time, and I can go easy on my speaker budget.

 

[Nagaraj S]

You guys are dragging me down.
I understand that the speakers that will make me happy, would definitely benefit from adding a PA.
I have the budget for a PA, but I have to juggle with the allocations a bit and maybe push the ND8006 streamer/ CD back by a year.
I checked the price differences of PA that I have in mind (Parasound/ Audiolab) are ridiculously expensive in India. I'll have to wait till I travel abroad at the end of the pandemic and hand carry from there. That frees up resources for some time, and I can go easy on my speaker budget.

And, don’t forget the preamp.

 

[Lizard King]

And, don’t forget the preamp.

I'll sell my PM8006 to fund that. And one kidney to fill up any further deficit.

 

[drkrack]

Dynaudio excite x34 / x38
Monitor Audio Silver 300
Focal Aria 926
Dali Opticon 6 Mk2

I upgraded from MA Silver to Aria 926 (in a Room of 18x14); the treble in MA Silver is quite fatiguing , quite better in focal 926. Aria 926 are quite good speakers over MA Silver. I am skeptical of Dali Opticon , because Dali Helicon failed to impress me in many departments while I was auditioning. MA Platinum or Newer Gold is definitely better option.
Focal is more full bodied sound and on the warmer side . The bass was really amazing and I didn't feel the need to use the subwoofer for music listening at least. Upgrading itch bit me , I got B&W 804 D3 after Focals recently. (I was Considering ATC SCM40 or 8xx series in B&W or Higher end Focal, or SF). I have heard Dynaudio Emit 30s, nothing very impressive to write about, Excite x38 May be a better upgrade I believe. Excite x38 vs Aria 926 maybe a close call. Dynaudio usually need high current amplification, though Aria 926 are easy to drive on than dynaudio, but they really shine with high quality amplification. They gelled very well with Parasound a21 , but they did sound decent enough with Crown XLS 2502 as well. Do factor in the power amp part when you are looking to upgrade.
Focal 926 need a bigger Room, though need 3 ft from back wall, but the manual has some good ideas on Placement very near to the back wall.
Teckton DI, Saadhanas are on HFV Classifieds consider buying them if budget permits.

Note of Caution: as you go higher with speakers you will start noticing lots of deficiencies in up stream electronics, and you need to budget that too. Smaller things like Cables and isolators start mattering.

Aria is high on my list. Lost the chance to go for the 926 when they were going dirt cheap.

You can take my Aria 926 for Home audition, I am being Lazy to put them on Sale (Or greedy to keep them for HT after renovation or 2nd Room Setup ). but without a correct amplification at your place , you may not perceive its true strengths. PM 8006 should drive Aria 926 adequately, I have tried with Rega 50wpc, PSA Sprout etc , a good PA (at least a Crown ) is advisable.

Has heard tons of speakers, including many in the price bracket you are considering. And has finally got focals for himself. So Iam hoping he will chip in soon, as I've neither heard the focals or the revels.

Naah, i just have a Speaker & DAC Fetish

have been suggested
Revel Concerta2 F36 by a few knowledgeable friends. But also considering...

Unfortunately I haven't heard them , but from the reviews they seem to be pretty good contenders.

Focal inverted dome tweeters have quite a wide dispersion, even off axis. They can tend to sound quite detailed and extended which can be a little fatiguing, so the pairing electronics will be critical.

technically yes, but somehow they were pretty warm to the extent of overwhelming Bass in my setup. Focal have an excellent dispersion and good imaging. I Upgraded the spikes to Isoacoustics Gaia 3s , Transparent audio Speaker Cables, that might have been the reason for extra Warmth.

Musical taste...
* Classic Rock like Dire Sraits, PF, LZ, CCR, Clapton, Eagles, Deep Purple, Sabbath, Rainbow, Doors, Tull etc... 60%
* Jazz... Trane, Mingus, MD, Hancock, Brubeck etc... 20%

Focal Aria 926 serves these genre very well, other option is ATC Scm40 or Magnepen with musical subwoofers

 

[Lizard King]

I upgraded from MA Silver to Aria 926 (in a Room of 18x14); the treble in MA Silver is quite fatiguing , quite better in focal 926. Aria 926 are quite good speakers over MA Silver. I am skeptical of Dali Opticon , because Dali Helicon failed to impress me in many departments while I was auditioning. MA Platinum or Newer Gold is definitely better option.
Focal is more full bodied sound and on the warmer side . The bass was really amazing and I didn't feel the need to use the subwoofer for music listening at least. Upgrading itch bit me , I got B&W 804 D3 after Focals recently. (I was Considering ATC SCM40 or 8xx series in B&W or Higher end Focal, or SF). I have heard Dynaudio Emit 30s, nothing very impressive to write about, Excite x38 May be a better upgrade I believe. Excite x38 vs Aria 926 maybe a close call. Dynaudio usually need high current amplification, though Aria 926 are easy to drive on than dynaudio, but they really shine with high quality amplification. They gelled very well with Parasound a21 , but they did sound decent enough with Crown XLS 2502 as well. Do factor in the power amp part when you are looking to upgrade.
Focal 926 need a bigger Room, though need 3 ft from back wall, but the manual has some good ideas on Placement very near to the back wall.
Teckton DI, Saadhanas are on HFV Classifieds consider buying them if budget permits.

Note of Caution: as you go higher with speakers you will start noticing lots of deficiencies in up stream electronics, and you need to budget that too. Smaller things like Cables and isolators start mattering.

You can take my Aria 926 for Home audition, I am being Lazy to put them on Sale (Or greedy to keep them for HT after renovation or 2nd Room Setup ). but without a correct amplification at your place , you may not perceive its true strengths. PM 8006 should drive Aria 926 adequately, I have tried with Rega 50wpc, PSA Sprout etc , a good PA (at least a Crown ) is advisable.

Naah, i just have a Speaker & DAC Fetish


Unfortunately I haven't heard them , but from the reviews they seem to be pretty good contenders.


technically yes, but somehow they were pretty warm to the extent of overwhelming Bass in my setup. Focal have an excellent dispersion and good imaging. I Upgraded the spikes to Isoacoustics Gaia 3s , Transparent audio Speaker Cables, that might have been the reason for extra Warmth.

Focal Aria 926 serves these genre very well, other option is ATC Scm40 or Magnepen with musical subwoofers

Sage advice. I'm narrowing down to Focal Aria 926, Dynaudio Excite x38 and Revel concerta2 f36.
Will fix a time with you and pick up the Aria pairs for demo. Will PM you. My room is pretty bassy and I am not much of a bass head. The reported lower bass of 926 may not be an issue for me.

 

[prem]

Lizard King, if you are open to used stuff, look for a B&W 801 Matrix 3. They should sound wonderful in your 400 sq ft. room. I have had those long back. Absolutely stunning. Wilson Watt Puppy 6 used will also be very good. These speakers play at a much much higher level than the speakers you are considering. If you ask me, honestly the ones you are considering are toys compared to the 801 or the Puppy 6. Get them from abroad. You should be able to get it at a good price. You might even luck out with the 801 Matrix 3 in India. The Puppies you will not get here

You are one of the few lucky guys on the forum who has a 400 sq ft listening space. Make the most of it

 

[Lizard King]

Folks, I am really grateful for your guidance. Even though I am not any closer to my final decision, I have found a path and able to prioritize.

* Speaker will last more than a decade. So no skimping on that. However if something equally good comes at a lesser price, who am I to complain.
* Start with the speaker. If PA is necessary, go for it. PAs, like speakers are long term investment. So I will wait for something good and pick up from abroad when/ if the need/ opportunity arises.
* The ND8006 streamer/ CD can wait. My front end is mainly vinyl. The existing CD player is doing a good job. If the need is felt I will add a Yamaha WXC 50 or similar streamer. Spotify is only used to pick and choose which albums are worth spending in vinyl format. The money saved will partially fund the PA.
* Will go one acquisition at a time.

 

[Lizard King]

Lizard King, if you are open to used stuff, look for a B&W 801 Matrix 3. They should sound wonderful in your 400 sq ft. room. I have had those long back. Absolutely stunning. Wilson Watt Puppy 6 used will also be very good. These speakers play at a much much higher level than the speakers you are considering. If you ask me, honestly the ones you are considering are toys compared to the 801 or the Puppy 6. Get them from abroad. You should be able to get it at a good price. You might even luck out with the 801 Matrix 3 in India. The Puppies you will not get here

You are one of the few lucky guys on the forum who has a 400 sq ft listening space. Make the most of it

Thanks that you mention it.
Hold your breath.
I actually have a friend/ acquaintance who is begging me to take her B&W 800 D3. Her brother has relocated to another country leaving the speakers behind. She has threatened that she will throw them in the pavement if I don't take them. I have promised to find a buyer.
I've seen them, though not listened. They are intimidating monsters. I can hardly think of placing them in my room.
Yeah Yeah.... some guys have all the luck....

 

[Lizard King]

Coming back to reality...

* Will hear the Aria 926.
* Dynaudio X38 and Revel F36 are equal contenders.

All those have excellent reviews from users as well as professional reviewers and ASR. Chances that I won't go wrong.

I'm also calling Amit to find out about his speakers and if I can listen to them in Hyderabad.

Though it is tempting, I am definitely not shooting my budget. And not buying pre owned or any difficult to obtain exotic stuff.

I'm about to commit the cardinal sin of getting a pair of speakers without audition. I fall on my knees and seek forgiveness from St. Cecilia and St. Gregory, the patron saints of music

Thanks for generous help from fellow music lovers. You have shown me the light and lightened my wallet.

 

[Sean de Silva]

Thanks that you mention it.
Hold your breath.
I actually have a friend/ acquaintance who is begging me to take her B&W 800 D3. Her brother has relocated to another country leaving the speakers behind. She has threatened that she will throw them in the pavement if I don't take them. I have promised to find a buyer.
I've seen them, though not listened. They are intimidating monsters. I can hardly think of placing them in my room.
Yeah Yeah.... some guys have all the luck....

What are you waiting for ? There'd be a beeline outside your friend's place for these beauties!!! If you're having second thoughts about it pls send me the exact location of that pavement LOL

 

[prem]

Lizard King, the D3 is different from the Matrix 3. I don’t care for the D3. Having said that the 800 D3 will still be a cut above the models you are looking at.

Ideally it’s the 801, not the 800 you should look for. For home use the 801 is better. The 801 Matrix 3 is from 1979. Incidentally the DSOTM has been mastered on the B&W. Many classical recordings have been mastered on the 801.

 

[Lizard King]

What are you waiting for ? There'd be a beeline outside your friend's place for these beauties!!! If you're having second thoughts about it pls send me the exact location of that pavement LOL

Haha... she is now in US, like many wealthy desis, hiding there from COVID. I'll call her. Seriously I want to find a home for those speakers. But I don't think in HFV I can do proxy sale.