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Speaker upgrade - please advise.

Hi, I'm looking to upgrade pretty soon - most likely speakers, and I'm looking for any ideas you guys may have on the right choice. I'm looking to spend up to $6,000 used. My current system is listed on in the 'virtual systems' on Audiogon, but here goes:
Bryston 4bst power amp
Sonic Frontiers Line 3 Preamp (with tube upgrades)
B&W Nautilus 805 speakers
MSB Link DAC III & Monolithic Power supply & Upsampling
Muse Model 5 Transport
Kimber KCAG, Cardas Golden Cross analog interconnects.
Nordost Silver Shadow digital interconnect.
Stealth Triple Ribbon & PC Premier speaker cable
PS Audio 300 Powerplant
3 Shunyata Sidewinder Power Cords.

I'm thinking of moving to tube amplification at some later date (BAT or Sonic Frontiers), so will need speakers to match that set up. The speakers I'm really considering are Dynaudio Confidence 5. I'll also consider B&W Nautilus 802, but suspect there's better out there at the price. Anyway, any advice is much appreciated (also, if you see other potential upgrades in other components, let me know). Thanks!
John (Outlier)
128x128outlier
subaruguru
1,375 posts
 
You didn't describe your room...nor listening geometry.
My setup required nearfield (7.5' triangle) 10' out from the front wall. Nautilus simply doesn't cohere in the nearfield. I ended up blowing the wad on Parsifal Encores
(truly amazing), but for less than 1/2 their demo price would have bought Revel F30 new ($3k) over Nautilus, Aeriel 7b, 8, Thiel 2.3., if my wife and I could've lived with their California-moderne look....
I cannot emphasize enough the requirement to listen IN YOUR ROOM. Frequency response issues, bass-loading, and geometry of listening position are overwhelmingly determined by the speaker/room interaction. Buying a speaker to match a previously-chosen amp is completely ass-backwards.
Get the transducers right first: speaker, then source, then electronics, finally cabling.
Good luck! Ernie
gregm
3,405 posts
 
While I'm in line w/ Ernie, above, I've had wallet-busting experience relating to "transducer" choice. I have purchased "great sounding" speakers in the past (A Physic Medea) -- great sounding with other amplification, that is. For "other", please read 3x the price and current capabilities of my resident amps. Result was great speaker, sensitive enough, room OK -- but I couldn't really drive it to greatness, now, could I? (The answer is I couldn't & didn't).

Whatever tickles your fancy, getting the transdicers right means, in my book, within reasonable limits of your driving capability, including projected amp upgrades.

Cheers!
gregm
3,405 posts
 
Errr, transd*u*cer. Sorry.
outlier's avatar
outlier OP
381 posts
 
Thanks everyone for the good advice. I'm thinking I will have to upgrade both my amp and speakers now. I may go with the amp upgrade first as it's a bit cheaper to do. The Coincident Total Eclipse sounds like a great speaker, but my room is not that big (about 18x15 feet). I think I may lean toward the Revel Studios - I have heard such great things about them I suspect they'ld match my tastes well - I should audition though :-) On the amp front, despite my yearning for tubes, I may have to get a good solid state amp to drive them. I've had the Levinson 335 recommended but it's rather expensive (over $5k used). Hence, I may consider the BAT VK500 - supposed to offer some of the warmth of tubes, and it should be far more refined than my Bryston (and half the price of the Levinson used). Anyway, I'll let you know what I end up with. Thanks again for all the good advice. Cheers,
John.
leafs
414 posts
 
If I had 6000.00 to spend I would use it to upgrade your source.You can buy an Audio Aero Capitole Cd Player new for that price.Its a 24-192 unit tube output.Then use the Money you get for you DAC/Transport and 805 and buy a used pair of Super Eclipse.The Cd player will blow you away.
If you can look for a local dealer and audition one in your present system.
I am a big beliver in the SOURCE being your most important piece.
Garbage in Garbage out.
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