Royd or not?

BreitlingBreitling
edited May 2011 in Loudspeakers
Despite loving my Royd Abbots I can't help thinking that they are note at quite the same level as the Meridian kit I have.

I'd be grateful for opinions on the Abotts and whether something like a pair of Rega RS5s would be a suitable/worthwhile upgrade - there are a pair on eBay at the moment at £500, which is about the limit of my war chest at the moment.

Maybe I should stick with the Royds, look more closely at the Regas or maybe there is a plan 'C' - I'd be very interested in views and opinions.

Many thanks!

Neil

Comments

  • AlanAlan
    edited May 2011
    Meridian do nice big active speakers....


    ;)

    More seriously, if you were able to track down some Royd RR2s or similar, you'd be very happy I'm sure. They are rare though... The older version (The Doublet) might be worth a look - they are reputed to go louder than the average Royd.

    I do like Royds, but I feel their real strengths are in the stand-mount models, the later models like the sorcerer would be ideal, perhaps the Eden would suit as well.

    The thing with the Abbots is they don't use the classic 5" -ish modified Royd bass driver that is so magical IIRC.

    I don't know the Regas you mention, save to say they have a history quite closely aligned with Royd.
  • AlanAlan
    edited May 2011
    More seriously, The Abbotts don't use the magical 5" modified driver the other models use, so they are a little different to most Royds. You might try the Doublet if you want a floorstander with the ability to go loud, the later RR2 would be even better but harder to find.


    I feel the Royd strengths are best heard in the stand-mount models though, some of the best ones are supposedly the Sintra (I & II) the Sorcerer and the Eden. I should point out I haven't heard all of these - Just the Sintra, Merlin & RR3. The only floorstanding Royd I have owned is the Minstrel - which I love - the rest of what I have posted is regurgitated web-talk, so you should take it all with salt.

    As for the Regas, I haven't heard them at all - sorry.
  • BreitlingBreitling
    Thanks Alan for the advice - loud is not on my list at the moment, my home just isn't suitable however, sound stage, timing and accuracy are all toward the top of the list.

    Meridian Actives are, of course, recommended over on the Meridian forum however, I just can't get past loosing my rack of nice shiny black boxes and, perhaps more importantly, the prices are less than cheap!

    The search continues ................
  • MervynMervyn
    Hi Neil My truppence worth as a former Abbots owner might be useful or not. I found them to be incredibly spacious detailed and musical in true Royd fashion. I have since switched to smaller Royd RR1's for practical reasons which whilst similar are a notch up in the refinement stakes. I have always tried to consider speakers and amps together and not in isolation. Some speakers just seem to perform much better when matched with complimentary amps ( in my case NVA and Royds ho hum !). I heard some Rega's ( not sure which ones ) many moons ago and recall being quite impressed with them. Unfortunately cannot comment on Meridians as I have never heard them. Like all hi-fi you find a 'sound' you like and build a system to achieve it which usually takes a bit of swapping around but is all part of the fun. Personally I would have happily kept my Abbots had I the space.Oh and sometimes the grass is not always greener !!
  • AlanAlan
    Looks like stand-mount Royds are the way forward perhaps - or something from the RR range if you can find it.

    Sergio, who used to post in these parts, rates the Rega XEL very highly. Here are a pair:

    http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Rega-XEL-Floor-Standing-Speakers-Bi-Wire-Bi-Amp-/180663338178?pt=UK_AudioVideoElectronics_HomeAudioHiFi_HiFiSpeakers&hash=item2a105fc4c2
  • uglymusicuglymusic
    Ugly buggers, aren't they?
  • AlanAlan
    edited May 2011
    Ugly is in the eye of the beholder. Apparently.


    I quite agree though, they'd better sound pretty fine to look like that!

    ;)

  • uglymusicuglymusic
    I couldn't possibly comment  :-D
  • BreitlingBreitling
    Hi All,

    Turned out to be "not" .......... listened to some Rega RS5s and a friends EPOS speakers and in the end opted for a pair of KEF Reference Model 1s ...........KEF seem to elicit the 'Marmite' response however, my ears preferred the sound.........

    I'm also testing some new, not yet on the market, Origin Live speaker cable, will take a will to run in but will let you know the outcome ..... initially sounds superb!

    Thanks for all the advice!

    Neil
  • BreitlingBreitling
    Hi All,

    Turned out to be "not" .......... listened to some Rega
    RS5s and a friends EPOS speakers and in the end opted for a pair of KEF
    Reference Model 1s ...........KEF seem to elicit the 'Marmite' response
    however, my ears preferred the sound.........

    I'm also testing
    some new, not yet on the market, Origin Live speaker cable, will take a
    while to run in but will let you know the outcome ..... initially sounds
    superb!

    Thanks for all the advice!
  • AlanAlan
    Sounds like you've had a result Neil - my first serious speakers were Kefs (Cadenzas I think). As long as you're happy that's all that counts.

    Is the Origin Live a new product? I am sure I have heard the name before - what's new about it? So much gear to learn about....
  • uglymusicuglymusic
    Don't forget to let us now about those Origin Live cables, Neil.


    Glad you found some speakers you like. My hi-fi budget has been a bit trimmed by a car purchase :( and :-) . It didn't cost too much, but the insurance is another matter! 
    :-O
  • AlanAlan
    No more rusty Cavalier?
  • uglymusicuglymusic
    Nope! Although there's some attachment to it - it was my late father's - it's time to bin it.

    Replaced by a Subaru Legacy GTB.
  • AlanAlan
    Cool!
  • uglymusicuglymusic
    Thank you ;-) (Is this going a bit off topic?)
  • AlanAlan
    Legacys are so cool they are always on-topic! End of.
  • uglymusicuglymusic
    LOL! 

    And thank you for the coolness rating 
    B-)
  • uglymusicuglymusic
    I always thought it was cheesy when people put pix of their cars on non-car forums, so here's cheese  :-q
  • AlanAlan
    I thought you were minty imperial, not dairylea!

    Nice Motah' mate!
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