Come on... you know you want to go to the darkside... try some tubes! Cary SLI 80 in triode mode would sound heavenly with your musical tastes and small room. Other well respected tube integrateds to consider:
- ARS Sonum Filarmonia
- Leben (take your pick)
- McIntosh MA2275
If you absolutely can't get yourself to go with tubes:
- LFD
- Pathos Twin Towers
- Sugden |
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The amp and speakers you have are an excellent match. I think your problems lie elsewhere. Naim products are excellent on their own, but the upgraded power supplies really take the products to a new level. I would definitely try a HiCap on the Supernait before ditching this combo, as I think it's going to be difficult to achieve better sound without spending a lot more money. Get a HiCap - it really pulls everything together more than you might think. Also, what are your sources? |
Personally I think you may want to try some better interconnects (not knowing what you may be using). I just switched to some Nordost Frey ic's got a much nicer soundstage and imaging. Definitely more air between the instruments and vocals. I also found the same when I switched to Frey speaker cables a couple of years ago.
The Supernait was my first affordable choice when I upgraded my Bryston B100 but I did go the 'dark side'. I ended up with an Octave V70se with a black box (comparable to the HiCap with Naim) with KT88 - 6550 and EL34 output tubes. The HiCap is a great suggestion for your Supernait. Tube rolling for me is a ton of fun. The El34's have all what you seem to be looking for in sound which is what I'm currently listening to. I do also use a Rel B3 sub and would say I'm in heaven. Note I have never heard the Harbeth lineup but I do have the Dynaudio C1's. |
8'x10' is a pretty small space. You may want to try some room treatments, diffusors on first reflection points of side walls. You can look at the rear wall when you are done with that. |
I think Ryder is on the right track here. However, even before doing room treatments, I would suggest playing around with speaker placement and listening position. Given the room size there may not be much you can do, but it is free and completely reversible. If you can set up the room to listen in the near field, that may give you the sound you want. If you cannot get the sound you want with position changes, room treatments would be the next step. As others have said, the Harbeth/Naim combination is a good one. I would try to get them working in your room before spending money on different components. |
My room is 10 X 12. The Harbeth 7's just did not work in there. The HLP3, now that is a good size Harbeth for that room. |
Definitely P3's... I'm in an 11'x18' room and switched from Ohm MicroTalls to the Harbeth P3ESR. Even those little Ohms overloaded the room. The Harbeths are the perfect size - incredible little speakers. |
Thank you all for the inputs.
Guess I'll try fiddling around a lot more during X'mas and then decide.
To Muzikat and Zkzpb8, I've thought of smaller speakers, but liked C7 too much to let it go.
I've also tried the Hi-Cap, very impressive indeed, but I think it tighten the sound a little too much. More acurate, better definition, just a little...too...tight, pity. If I were using different speakers, say kef 201/2 or Dynaudio C1, probably. Then again, do like these speakers.
What do you guys think Larvadin amps, Jeff Rowland Capri S+102, and Marantz KI intergrated? Has anyone tried any of those with C7?
Regards. |
The pairing of the C7s with LFD integrateds is legendary, of course. Much discussion on that if you haven't done a search already. Haven't heard it myself, but can testify that LFD with the P3ESRs is a very pleasant pairing indeed. |
I'm a Harbeth dealer and carry LFD and Luxman. One a budget my pick is the Rogue Cronus Magnum. Laugh all you want. This amp is simply astoundingly good for the money. Almost unbeatable. On a super tight budegt we are getting great results with Audiolab 8200A. Real nice on the cheap. |
Under the heading of "Better late that never" I use EAR 70 watts with great success. |
When I had my C7es3's I used a Rogue Cronus Magnum and to my ears it couldn't have been a better pairing. I wish I kept that integrated. I see the Audiolab suggestion above but that would be nearly impossible to sell for more than a few hundred bucks when you're done with it. The Rogue won't take such a big dump in value. |
Id love to hear a Quicksilver versus a comparable Rogue amp driving the C7's. For instance, a Rogue St-100 vs Quickie Silver 88's or the new quickie monos that use a pair of KT 150's per side. I believe all of the above fall in the $3,000-$3,500 range.
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ran the wonderful C7ES3 with rogue audio cronus magnum ii amplifier. truly a captivating sound that is more pleasing than most regardless of price. |
Thanks Avanti and donjr- I've heard others like yourselves also wax enthusiasm about Cronus Mag/ C7 pairing. Im running a Shindo pre/phono in an all analog setup, so that's why I'm looking for a stand alone amp. I should correct my last post to Quicksilver Sixty Watt Mono or Mono 120, which after checking the QS site, were the two amps I have interest in. Price on the Sixty is $3K, the Mono 120's are 4K, and the Rogue Stereo 100 $3,500. I just finished listening and Love Over Gold was really impressive, but The Cars S/T and The Allman Bros debut no less fun. I'm really enthused about the C7's. Unusual to run a Full function pre in to a line input on a Croft phono integrated, but damned if it isn't enjoyable. The Croft is a 50 watt hybrid amp which uses a single 12AX7 driver. |
Mc452 with c52 great combo for these speakers! Still very satisfied 2 years later! |
I heard the MC 452 with the 40.2.... Really nice combo! It was a Mac preamp, just not sure which one. |
