Speaker and Integrated Amp Dilemna

Make up your mind yet?

I just heard the Nait XS for the first time and was totally blown away. I was paired with a very expensive older Naim CD with outboard power source and Naim floor standing speakers and all stock Naim cables. Have to say I have never heard a stereo system sound more like real music than this set up playing a disk with recorded acoustic guitar. Maybe some as musical, but not more so.

If the Naim sounded good with the notoriously hard to drive Dynaudios, then it can very likely drive any of the others which are more efficient. If you like the sound of the NAD and think you need more umph for bass heavy music, then it may be for you. M3's are already appearing steeply discounted, which makes me think NAD may be going to update this model soon. The M3 is a very nice amp, but the Nait XS is really special.

If you are concerned about resale value, the M3 will probably not hold up as well as the Naim.

As for the speakers, My guess is the Dyna's are going to be strongest for rock or more uptempo music, with a bigger sound once they get up on plane. The Sonus Fabers are going to excel at Jazz, vocals and small acoustic groups or chamber music. The PSB's will be more well rounded and do a pretty good job at everything. What has your experience been? The Sonus Fabers have to win the WAF contest hands down.

I think you are asking for trouble to put ported full-range floorstanding speakers in a room that small. You will have a hard time keeping the bass from overwhelming the tonal balance. You'd at least have to stuff something in the ports to keep bass output under control, and even that would be hit-or-miss guesswork, and could still result in lumpy bass response.

I'd recommend a high quality minimonitor or slightly larger stand-mounted speaker, preferably with sealed cabinet or with the port on the front so it doesn't get too much wall reinforcement. Then get a small high quality subwoofer so you can dial in the right amount of bass for the room.

One approach would be the Mirage Omnisat OS3 FS, a slimline floorstanding speaker that rolls off around 55 Hz, combined with a Mirage MM8 subwoofer. Or you could get another brand sub, though the Mirages are famously lively and musical and easy to blend with the main speakers.

Another candidate would be the now-discontinued stand-mounted Energy Veritas 2.2i combined with a sub. The Veritas was originally $1900/pr. The speakers and matching stands are available from Audio Advisor at a substantial discount here. I've heard the Veritas series, and a few years ago one of their floorstanders was an S'phile class B, borderline class A. All the Veritas spkrs shared the same mid/tweet assembly, and it is fast, sweet, musical, detailed, and transparent.

Or you could get any number of minis or small columns with limited bass that are beautiful and look good, such as the Usher tiny dancer, Dynaudio Excite X16, Concertino Domus w/matching stands, or Totem Sttaf or Model 1 Signatures. The Totem Sigs in mahogany, cherry, or maple with Totem stands would also have a high WAF factor. You could match it up with Totem's little Dreamcatcher sub.

Also, here's a tip about comparing speakers (or any system component) when you can't audition them all in the same room. Don't always be too analytical. A really good indicator of a system's ability to convey music is how it connects to you emotionally, and that is easy to remember from location to location: Does the passionate music want to make you cry? Does the upbeat music make you want to dance? Does your favorite music put a smile on your face? How big? You'll remember those experiences from place to place. Pay attention to them. If a system has good resolution and inner detail in perspective to the rest of the sonic presentation, the emotional connection will follow.

Good advice Johnnyb53.