Good match for my NAD integrated?

[Rock&Roll Ninja]

I need a loudspeaker pair to go with my NAD C370 integrated amp. I am currently reading reviews of the Axiom M22Ti and Ascend Acoustics 340m loudspeakers (both twin-midrange "bookshelf" types).

Do you think one of these is a better match for my electronics than the other? Is there another make/model I should seriously consider in the sub-$500 range?

Thanks in advance.

PS: I'm currently using PSB 1B loudspeakers that are the weak-link in my stereo. I do like the PSB sound, but think the internet-direct companies might have a much better value. Luckily my Paradigm surround-sound system also needs some new speakers...I can recycle!

 

[smith101]

I think you're looking at a suboptimal choice

I use NAD amplification too, in my case, 2 bridged 218 THX amps and an older NAD preamp. There's no question they are more than adequate electronics. I only need that much power (780 NAD wpc) because my speakers have built in passive subwoofers that go down into the teens.

But for what you are spending, why are you being picky about the top 8.5 octaves of music and completely going without the bottom 1.5? You're only getting one tweeter per channel, so you're not going to have any more dynamic range than smaller systems. And these are big for bookshelves, which means you 're going to have a hard time mounting them high enough to get the full ambience from the more reflective (likely) top half of your listening room.

I suggest you use your C370 for a pair of smaller speakers used as satellites and also get a good powered subwoofer. And don't forget to put a high pass filter before the power amp section for the satellites if you like to play loud--it will increase your headroom dramatically. If you're truly picky about the sound quality, don't use any vented speaker design for satellites--all vents except passive radiators leak backwave energy noise.

If you're room is small, a $100 subwoofer like the Yamaha SW-015 will give you way way more bass (at least an additional octave) than these bookshelves ($75 online). If you like the Axiom sound, go with the smaller models (even though they are vented, you could experiment with plugging the vents) and put them up high. If you're room is not so small, buy two subwoofers and you'll still be about the same money, but with much more complete sound.

 

[Rock&Roll Ninja]

I'm already using a 200 watt RCA subwoofer with the system. Yes its a piece of crap, but I think I should be upgrading my main speakers before I improve just the "75 & lower" hz.

Thus: New loudspeakers now, and new subwoofer later.

 

[nibhaz]

Sub 500...hmm

If you do some looking you might be able to find a good deal on a pair of B&W DM602 S3's. They should be around the 500 dollar mark. Of course I'm slightly biased, but IMO they're a good deal. So do a alot other people : http://audioholics.audioreview.com/Bookshelf+Speakers/B&W/PRD_130193_4290crx.aspx Just some food for thought. Happy hunting.

 

[smith101]

can you be more specific?

Perhaps you can say what you expect to gain by upgrading. If there are things you don't like, what are they? Lack of resolution, coloration, fuzziness at loud levels? Certainly you can describe something about your expectations for upgrading. Throwing out a couple of model names is not adequate to help someone give you a useful recommendation. From what you say, your cheap subwoofer could be screwing up your whole system. If you've got overlap, it will muddy up everything. You need to make sure your mains and the sub are not duplicating any frequencies, and that the problem is not room resonance. For $5, download an audio test program for your computer and get a Radio Shack sound pressure level meter and do some slow frequency sweeps and find out if you've got a problem.

If your objective is to make the music more defined and detailed, and your imaging is ok, you're probably only going to do this with speakers with large cabinets that reduce the driver backwave energy that is not absorbed, and units with additional drivers mounted in a vertical row to increase power handling and headroom so that audio peaks are still smooth and relaxed. Upgrading to a model that still has only one tweeter won't do that.

If your objection is coloration, which is almost unavoidable in all modest size enclosures, consider a pair of the smallest 2-way Magnepan quasi electrostatics, about $750. They'll still need a subwoofer and have to be set up carefully, but will produce an openness and coloration free sound not available from any box. However, they're not real good at LOUD.

Your original question presumed that the improvement you sought was a matter of speaker and amplifier brand matching. As long as they don't run out of power, the differences in amps are way small compared to the differences in speakers. I would bet that if you can articulate what it is you hope to acheive, the solution will have little to do with your amp.

 

[Rock&Roll Ninja]

Hmm... I've not written on the discriptive aspects of loudspeakers before, but I'll explain what I can.

My PSB bookshelf speakers are pretty good. I'd say they are quite similar musically to my Paradigm Atoms (v3.). They both come from Canada and employ similar drivers so I suppose that isn't a huge suprise.

Anyway my two nits I have to pick are:

1. On brass material (French horns, trumpets, etc), they sound a little..fake. I don't want to say they are distorting horribly, but on a few notes during a "dynamic" (loud) part of a song, they suddenly sound...er..... "Not Right". I've heard that this is a problem shared by dome tweeters (whatever they are) and I should be using a speaker with a "horn" tweeter. Of course they also say horns are bad (maybe not "bad" but "fatiguing" is said alot) for good 'ol rock&roll which makes up 90% of my music listening.

2. Female vocals could be a little better. They sound subdued (is that even a word?) when compared to male vocals.

On top of those, a speaker can never have too much clarity. I don't have any real idea what "fuzzy" or "color" are supposed to mean when describing speakers (I'm new at this). Nor do I play my music extremely loud, so I'm going to assume that a lack of amp power is not my problem with my current speakers. I'd say that my speakers perform well enough that I don't even have a desire to upgrade except under the two 'aformentioned scenarios, and less than 5% of regular listening.

Yes, my subwoofer is a piece of crap. Especially compared to my SVS subwoofer that being used in my surround-system. I'd switch subwoofers but the RCA tends to distort badly and make funny noises when watching action films. I have a Radio Shack SPL-meter and have been using it, along with test tones to calibrate my set-up, but you can only polish a turd so much.

 

[Unregistered]

I'm using NHT SB2s with the same amp and I love the sound. It can be a bit bright at times, but I have a solid subwoofer to round it out and this only really occurs at obnoxious volumes. Highly recommended combo.