Opinions on PMC vs. Neat, Monitor Audio

What is you amplification?  Room size?
What is your current speakers? 

@itzhak1969 
I mentioned some of that info in the post.

I use a Creek Classic 5350SE int. amp, in a small-medium room, but the speakers are placed on isoAcoustics stands on a desk in a near-field setup.
I currently use Neat Motive 3, and also tried Monitor Audio GX50 (both are up for sale in the classifieds)

I was going to suggest an amplifier upgrade until I noticed your setup is not exactly conventional with the speakers placed on a desk. Any full-sounding monitors wound be more appropriate than lean and analytical sounding designs for near-field setup. Apart from the PMC, other alternatives include Dali Mentor Menuet, Harbeth P3ESR to name a few. The DAC will be quite important too. You can look at the Chord DACs - 2Qute or Hugo.

These would fit the bill. You should find a used pair for about half of the $1595 new price!
http://www.spendoraudio.com/HTML/S35R2_main.html

What's the problem? I don't see how any recommendations can be without knowing that first.

PMC is a good choice.

@mb1audio02 I think due to the non-standard speaker placement, I am not getting the most of the speakers. The sound out of the Neat is a bit lean and not involving. The MA are a too laid back and also probably suffering from not being in a more conventional placement

Besides the PMC, and Spendor mentioned here, which may work better in my setting, I am also thinking about going to an active monitor approach, which is designed to work in near-field

I was pleasantly surprised when I heard the PMC dinky box speakers. They sound so much larger than they are. When I heard them they were connected to a McIntosh 602 amp, so they can handle plenty of power.

Active studio monitors create more problems than they solve. They're overpriced given the level of sound quality they deliver. I would only use them as a last resort.

If it was my system, I would get a preamp. You need one.

@mb1audio02 I would be interested to understand your considerations when you recommend a preamp?
Also, wouldn't the 5350 be a "waste" if used only as a power amp?

" Also, wouldn't the 5350 be a "waste" if used only as a power amp?"

Not at all. That's how you are using it now. Unless you bought the active line stage add on card, the Creek has no preamp. Just to be clear, I'm not bashing the Creek in any way. I've gone through an enormous amount of equipment in my life, and of all the components that I wish I never sold, my 5350SE is number 1 on my list. That said, it does have its limitations.

" @mb1audio02 I would be interested to understand your considerations when you recommend a preamp?"

Aside from the fact that you don't have one, reading through your description on how your system sounds, and where you would like it to go, the preamp seems like the most logical place to start. I need to stress, however, there's usually more than one way to fix a problem in audio. Throwing a new pair of speakers, or a bigger amp at the problem in a situation like yours, is the most common fix. Its direct and easy. The problem with that is it's a band aid type of fix. When it comes to timing, pacing, spacial placement, dynamics, dynamic contrast, etc... the preamp is a fundamental component. If your system is missing a fundamental, everything you put on top of it will fail at some level. I know your Creek very well, and I know MA very well. If you think that combo sounds too laid back, then a preamp is the right fix. If you choose to fix the problem a different way, with new speakers for example, you may have a short term fix that sounds acceptable, but the minute you upgrade to an integrated amp with an active line stage, or just a stand alone preamp, you'll almost certainly find your system to bright. And that's when the real fun begins. At this point, most people think they like all their components, and they're properly matched, so they start playing with cables, tubes and any other tweak they can get they're hands on. But all they're really doing is wasting money. 

(I typed all this out really fast because I'm in a hurry, so if I messed up explaining something, just post and I'll try and fix it.)

I didn't think passive preamp == no preamp ?

Let's say I keep the Neat Motive 3 (and not switch to the PMC which may be more suitable for nearfield)-

One option would be to add the Creek active gain card,
Second option I had in mind (which also relates to the previous thread I have on upgrading a DAC), is to go with something like a Benchmark DAC1.

The Benchmark would be an adequate DAC (used with something like a hiface USB->SPDIF converter from my PC), it would probably drive my HD650 better than the Creek, and I could use it as a preamp to the 5350.

Third option- I saw a used Classe SSP-30. Yes, this is an old HT processor, but I've read that it is very good for 2 channel stereo. It also has SPDIF input, so I can use it as a DAC as well. I don't love this option because of the extra box, but it is interesting.

@mb1audio02

Active Speakers bring many technical advantages. There are cheap not so good ones and low end PA types but there are also really good ones. The really good ones (like higher end PMC) are often much better than a speaker with a passive crossover.

No preamp can really make up for issues or deficiencies in the speaker. 

" I didn't think passive preamp == no preamp ?"

Correct. There's no such thing as an passive preamp. It doesn't have an amp. Everyone just calls them passive preamps. 

" Third option- I saw a used Classe SSP-30. Yes, this is an old HT processor, but I've read that it is very good for 2 channel stereo. It also has SPDIF input, so I can use it as a DAC as well. I don't love this option because of the extra box, but it is interesting."

I had one. For 2 channel, its mediocre at best. If you are going to use it just for music, there's no reason to buy something like that. You're paying a lot for features you'll never use. 

" Active Speakers bring many technical advantages. There are cheap not so good ones and low end PA types but there are also really good ones. The really good ones (like higher end PMC) are often much better than a speaker with a passive crossover."

I've had cheap ones and expensive ones (more expensive than PMC), and the SQ wasn't even close to what I could achieve with separate components for a lot less money. They may look good on paper, but that doesn't mean they will sound good in your listening room.

A few years back I switched to time and phase correct speakers. No active speaker offers that technology, so its not even an option for me. 

" No preamp can really make up for issues or deficiencies in the speaker."

Correct, but a poor quality, or mismatched preamp can destroy the sound of an otherwise great speaker. The sad part is that most audiophiles don't have a clue as to what the problem is.