Focal Speakers or PMC

Audio Gear Talk
1

Hello there folks. I intend to listen to two pairs of speakers in the coming week, the PMC Twenty5 26 and the Focal Kanta 2 with my Hegel H160.
I have toyed with taking my Nucleus with me also, though I do not have a hard drive embedded within as my Innuos acts as the server for my CD collection. Will I have issues just using the nucleus and connecting to their network?
Would I just be better listening to Tidal tracks through a Nad device he has offered?
Advice please gents.
Regards

2

If possible: try to listen to the speakers at home. Gives the best results…

3

Thanks, I intend to, however what I should have said, this would be my first listen and i was trying to decide on a pair as nether are small speakers to have installed in the house.
The question was more centered on the Nucleus and its use in the selection process.

4

I’d just go with what they have first. They are very different speakers so that should be interesting - are you taking the hegel with you?

5

OK, then I’d say an usb stick with some of the files you want to listen to should suffice. The Nucleus would be transparent so for a first SQ evaluation you wouldn’t need it. As @ged_hickman1 said: the amp is more important.

6

Yes Hegel, AKA the “Back breaker” is going to be lugged up hill to the shop.
I will suffice with the Amp I think and use the suppliers Nad tidal stream.
Thanks

1 Like
7

Thats also a valid option too. Like the simplicity of that.

8

Which shop are you going to go to?

9

Sevenoaks HifI in Guildford, though im lucky to have options i guess as there is always Winchester HiFi, which is great as the owner loves Led Zep and has some epic kit

1 Like
10

Speakers always sound good in any decent dealers demo room. I’d just get the first set you can get at home to try - it kind of makes no odds what they sound like elsewhere. Learnt that the hard way.

11

This formula of speaker down selection has worked for me before, where I use the listening room as a neutral zone to evaluate the manufacturers sound and decide if thats what i want, then home audition.
I have done this with all sorts of components and why I know that I will never own the likes of Cyrus, marantz or Nad components of certain types.
I also need to accept that open mindedness with these speakers is important, as I will also move house again in 6 years when i retire, so versatility is important and im hoping they will be the final speaker purchase.
Thank you for your opinion.