Hello,

Anybody using Living Voice with Naim amplification? Tried the search machine, didn't work.
Any recommendations?

Thanks. Reto
setup: CDS3/252/300

Don't do it. Its a complete mismatch, bringing out the best in neither. The Living Voice are much better with valves or DNM.

Or would Totem be worth a listen?

Reto

Reto,

I have Totem Arro's with a Niat3/CDX and it sounds great! Use to have Living Voice Auditoriums with CDX/Lavardin with also sounded great. They will give a super open easy sound but I'm not so sure they'll go with the Nait!

Steve

I love Living Voice. I've only heard them on the end of toobs. I expect Alex is spot on. Nothing wrong with a Naim CPD on the front of that lot but that isn't your question.

Cheers

Harry

quote:

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Originally posted by Alex S.:
Don't do it. Its a complete mismatch, bringing out the best in neither. The Living Voice are much better with valves or DNM.

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Im sure your view is subjective and based on plenty of listening experience??? but i strongly disagree....

You might have a point with the auditoriums which do sound a bit laid back on the end of anything, and for sure wouldnt make the most of the naim sound but you cant write living voice off just like that... i use a pair of avatars on the end of a CDS3/282/supercap/250-2 with great effect.. They are highly sensitive and easy to drive hence they are popular with tubes... but that doesnt mean they wont match anything else!? These speakers are fantastically fast and have superb tonal balance... They complement the CDS3 very nicely thankyou...

The only true answer is to listen for yourself but make sure you try the Avatars or OBXR's..

We're all different aren't we?

Whilst looking to upgrade recently, I borrowed a friend's OBXR's to try on the end of my CDX/XPS/Supercap/135's and I couldn't get on with them at all. They did a great number of things superbly well, but overall just weren't right for me and my musical tastes. My friend's system is all-USA, all-valve and in his room, with his music (choral and acoustic stuff mostly), they sound utterly magical.

Trouble is, when he takes the occasional notion to rock out, he turns up at my house with an armful of CD's, because good as his system is, it won't do what mine will do when PRAT and bass are required in plentiful measure.

I don't think it's wise for any of us to generalise or dismiss something because it's different. Just remember Brian May's extraordinary guitar sound - a guitar home-made out of a lump of old fireplace, played through a clapped-out 30-year-old Vox amp..........

Best regards

quote:

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Originally posted by KevinB:
Trouble is, when he takes the occasional notion to rock out, he turns up at my house with an armful of CD's, because good as his system is, it won't do what mine will do when PRAT and bass are required in plentiful measure.

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Kevin,

Interesting!
Which valvel amps does your friend use with Avatar OBX?
Was it push-pull or single-ended?

Living Voice is one of the few high sensitivity dynamic speakers thatI am interested in listening.
my concern also is that how they fair in terms of speed and transient recovery compared to my current pair.

Check out JR's show setup in 2002. Best sound - according to many non-flatees.

http://www.soundscapehifi.com/hifi_show_demo_room_pics.htm#SYS

Hello Kuma (with apologies to reto for this thread-on-the-side),

The system in question's a real oddball - he has an Audio Research valve CD player, but the preamp and power amps are one-offs built for him by an ex-AR man from Minneapolis. All I can really tell you is that the (monoblock) power amps use 300B's running single-ended and putting out about 8 watts each.

As I said,with gentle acoustic music it's wonderful, but with anything else it just doesn't happen, hence his propensity to visit me quite regularly.

Back to the OBXR's - dynamics,balance,leading edges, etc etc etc are all unquestionably first-class, but they just didn't do certain things I was looking for.

Kind regards

quote:

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Originally posted by KevinB:
Back to the OBXR's - dynamics,balance,leading edges, etc etc etc are all unquestionably first-class, but they just didn't do certain things I was looking for.

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Kevin,

Thanks for your reply.

What didn't they do, say, compared to speakers such as SL2?

I could see the bass on the Avatar might be compromised by 300B amplifiers.
As your friend realises one can't live only for the midrange. I haven't heard any dynamic speakers that can be properly driven by a single-digit SET power, yet. ( very midrangy and unrewarding in a long run )

I haven't heard the SL2's so I can't comment. Regarding compromised bass from the valves and the mid-forward nature of that system, you're absolutely right.

But... this thread was about LV's in the context of a Naim system, so to return to the original topic, trying to describe a sound is like trying to describe a colour, and keeping this as simple as possible, they were (to my ears) too bright with some programme material (I mostly listen to rock music), and the bass didn't go low enough for me. My opinion, however, is just that - an opinion, and other replies to thread are equally valid for the individual tastes of the contributors.

FYI, I eventually purchased PMC OB1's which I'm really happy with.

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Originally posted by Hawk:
The only true answer is to listen for yourself but make sure you try the Avatars or OBXR's..

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Hawk,

did you listen to Auditorium?
If so, what do you gain moving up to the Avatar OBX?

also, what types of music do you listen to most?

Kevin,

Thanks.

I could be wrong but, I got an impression that a Naim power might respond better to a speakers with a bit of a load rather than easier. It seems that they come to their own when a level is pushed higher.

Like you said, we're all different. I think something is wrong in your system, Living Voice bright ? My friend using a 250 replaced his PMC OB1 with the entry-level Auditorium, and I agree he made the right decision - cheaper and better to our ears and suits his room better.

I have since then moved on to the OBX, and my Naims to the NAP300. I listen to everything, and I'm one happy owner. They're no subwoofer bass monsters, but what's there is high quality.

To each his own

quote:

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Originally posted by KevinB:
I haven't heard the SL2's so I can't comment. Regarding compromised bass from the valves and the mid-forward nature of that system, you're absolutely right.

But... this thread was about LV's in the context of a Naim system, so to return to the original topic, trying to describe a sound is like trying to describe a colour, and keeping this as simple as possible, they were (to my ears) too bright with some programme material (I mostly listen to rock music), and the bass didn't go low enough for me. My opinion, however, is just that - an opinion, and other replies to thread are equally valid for the individual tastes of the contributors.

FYI, I eventually purchased PMC OB1's which I'm really happy with.

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quote:

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Originally posted by kuma:

quote:

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Originally posted by Hawk:
The only true answer is to listen for yourself but make sure you try the Avatars or OBXR's..

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Hawk,

did you listen to Auditorium?
If so, what do you gain moving up to the Avatar OBX?

also, what types of music do you listen to most?

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Kuma,

Yes, i had the auditoriums on home demo for a fortnight... at the time i used them with some chord amps (CPA2200/SPM1200B) and my then 202/200 Naim combo... I remember at the time they were a revelation in terms of detail and tone but were best described as 'nice' to listen to.. relaxing almost if you can understand what im driving at? but to my ears they just couldnt Rock. Polite rather than exciting maybe is a better description. I was very suprised when i tried the Avatars next... it was like moving to the front of the concert! much deeper bass, and more forward sounding yet still retaining the ability to disect every part of the performance with believable detail and honesty... I only heard the OBXR's in the shop, i couldnt afford them at the time! so i refused the home demo! and satified myself that some of the magic they displayed was down to the electrics they were plugged into.. Ignorance is bliss and cheaper!!

One of the factors for me is that 80% of the time i have to be a little careful with volume levels... (neighbours, 4 year old etc!)Nothing excessive a s such but about 8 o clock on the 282 rather than 9 o clock if that makes any sense? You know that you have to hit a certain volume for things to sound right??? well i guess because of their sensitivity they sound right at a lower volume than others ive tried so for me that was a big plus.. My music tastes are pretty diverse and i listen to and own examples of most genres... Live acoustic rock has always been a favourite though and probably accounts for much of my love affair with the Living Voice Avatars..

Rgds

Neil

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I remember at the time they were a revelation in terms of detail and tone but were best described as 'nice' to listen to.. relaxing almost if you can understand what im driving at? but to my ears they just couldnt Rock. Polite rather than exciting maybe is a better description. I was very suprised when i tried the Avatars next... it was like moving to the front of the concert! much deeper bass, and more forward sounding yet still retaining the ability to disect every part of the performance with believable detail and honesty... I only heard the OBXR's in the shop, i couldnt afford them at the time! so i refused the home demo! and satified myself that some of the magic they displayed was down to the electrics they were plugged into.. Ignorance is bliss and cheaper!!

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Neil,

thanks for your reply.
Yes I do understand 'polite' sounding speakers who can't rock.

I've a frieind who recently switched from Sonus Faver EA II to Auditorium. He claims they are lot more dynamic and quick albeit still some box coloration present. Everything is relative, isn't it? Coming off from SF, pretty much everything probably sounds open and less colored, perhaps.

Interesting that Avatar actually can boogie better than Audiotrium. In general, costlier piece of kit
has a tendency to sound ultra refined and boring.

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You know that you have to hit a certain volume for things to sound right??? well i guess because of their sensitivity they sound right at a lower volume than others ive tried so for me that was a big plus.

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Their high sensitivity is definitely a part of attraction for me since I run SET amplifiers. A pretty powerful 30 watts but my speakers are not that sensitive ( 87db ). Saving grace is that their xover isn't that complicated and impedance curve stays relatively flat. It would be nice to give 'em a bit more of a headroom.
I know what you are saying about keeping the music together at a volume. I think that's related to both speakers and the rest of electronic's dynamic envelope. One of the reason I am staying with valve amplifiers is because they tend to retain dynamics at low level.
And of course Naim gear is one of the few solid state amplifeirs that do well at low volume,too. I found that playing music well at a low volume is much harder to do than at high SPL.
If Avatar has more forward midrange, then, you don't have to up the volume much to get that presense, too. I don't think that's a bad thing.

quote:

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My music tastes are pretty diverse and i listen to and own examples of most genres... Live acoustic rock has always been a favourite though and probably accounts for much of my love affair with the Living Voice Avatars..

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But can they rock like ATC?
Although, my system does well on acoustic material I don't listen to much of them at all. Dance and electronica likes of Dzien & Kamien and Tom Middleton are more in keeping of what I'm into.

Thanks again for your thoughts!

Unfortunately LV does not sell their products in Switzerland, neither does Neat (shame on them ;-). Maybe I have to concentrate on Totem's, ProAc's or yes what else?

Seems to be a long and difficult travel to get new speakers....

Anyway, thanks for your replies.

Reto