Exposure & Usher

[Conan]

I current system involves a Sonos Connect, Exposure XXV amp and Usher S520.

These speakers are quite familiar to me has I have had them for many years ending up selling them last year, regretting and buying them back.:rolleyes:

I used to drive the ushers with Naits (2 and 5i) and they were great, but with the exposure the highs are quite shut creating the impression of lack of clarity. Bass is also less present that what i am used with these speakers.
I do not feel that the sound at low volume is as clear as with a pair of Sonos Play 1 that I also have placed above the Ushers.
I know that this must sound crazy but I tend to find the Sonos more pleasurable to listen to. I even asked my wife to listen to both on a blind AxB test and she also choose the Sonos.

Speaker cable is talk 3 and interconnect Van damme XKE.
i also have a Beresford TC7510 dac.

I know that the Ushers can sound clearer that they are sounding now so what advice would you guys give?

[southall-1998]

The 5i is a very good amp in its own right. Did you also use the Talk 3 with the 5i?

Perhaps try to source another 5i, Carlos.

S.

[Pieoftheday]

Carlos,' I use my 520's with a pioneer a30, caiman mk11 with breeze audio power supply to great effect, though I'm looking for a more gutsy amp, I've a thread going in this section. I found they're very picky about positioning,finally settling on tweeter outside firing straight on, mite be worth a play ? They drove me mad for a while though:steam: jim

[walpurgis]

Hi Carlos! :wave:


Sounds like a Nait needs to come back too.

[struth]

not a great exposure lover so I'd go with what you had b4 amp wise. at least you know you liked that combo

[Conan]

Hi Jim
I am not familiar with the Pioneer but I do know that the ushers need current to get them going. Weaker amp will not control their bass. From my past experience naim work very well with the ushers.

[Pieoftheday]

Hi Jim
I am not familiar with the Pioneer but I do know that the ushers need current to get them going. Weaker amp will not control their bass. From my past experience naim work very well with the ushers.

I've only heard one naim amp and found it rather soulless, I'll add them to my list thou:) the pioneer is I suppose a 'budget' amp but does well, knocks the socks off my previous marantz pm8003, better than an amp costing many times its price,
:lol: true for me though

[Conan]

at the end of the day it is all down to personal taste.

[Pieoftheday]

at the end of the day it is all down to personal taste.

Your not wrong there! Do you think you will go back to main amps?

[Conan]

Your not wrong there! Do you think you will go back to main amps?

Probably. I also like valve amps but they are a no-no because of the kids.

[kirstysdad]

My 520s run well pushed by a hefty Naim 180 power amp, but are very sweet with my 70w Primare, which is a bit more open than the typically Naim sounding Nait I used to have.
Glad to hear you got yourself sorted with another set of 520s.

[Joe]

not a great exposure lover so I'd go with what you had b4 amp wise. at least you know you liked that combo

I'm normally very reluctant to recommend stuff, because there's so many variables involved, and because tastes differ so widely, but in your case you had a 'known good' option in the Naims, so I'd go along with the advice to get back there. (Personally I use Exposure amps and am very happy with them, but that's beside the point).

[Conan]

I have changed the speaker cables for van damme and things did improve.
The Exposure has got a very good grip of the speakers particularly the bass which is very tight.
What speakers do you use with the Exposure amps Joe?

[Joe]

I have changed the speaker cables for van damme and things did improve.
The Exposure has got a very good grip of the speakers particularly the bass which is very tight.
What speakers do you use with the Exposure amps Joe?

Harbeth PS3esrs (I always have to check the model number!), little black bookshelf speakers. I use Exposure's own speaker cable. Before that I used Mordaunt Short MS20s (slightly larger black bookshelf speakers).

[Smegger68]

Having owned an XXV I would characterise it as a little dull and shut in, which I lay entirely at the door of it's passive preamp stage. In comparison, a Super XV I owned before sounded much more open and got your toes tapping every time. It's the one I'd buy again :)