To conect with NAD C352 amp and NAD 542cd. Local dealer sells all three, so the question is 11L's vs M5's or if I can stretch it are the 12L's worth it?

The 12L's definately are worth it if you can stretch, though both the 11L's and the m5's are very capable. I'd take into consideration the room which you're going to be using the speakers and where they will be displayed as, for example, the 12L's are perhaps a bit power thirsty for a bookshelf. Where do you have your set up? What kind of size room is it, etc?

The room is quite a decent size, currently will be on shelves but am thinking of investing in speaker stands.

Also now see that Epos have released the M12.2's that are approx. £50 cheaper than the 12L's?

I think speaker stands are definately a good idea.

I haven't seen nor heard the m12.2's but I'd like to hear some views on them if anybody else has?

I bought some Quad 12Ls a while back and I'm generally very pleased with them. I did miss the deep base I'd had from previous speakers (very old Monitor Audios) which were inferior in every other way.

I decided to get a subwoofer (Rel Quake)to get back that lost base and depth of sound. If you know you're going to do this from the outset you'd be as well to get the smaller 11Ls or equivalent and let the subwoofer deal with the low frequencies.

At the risk being patronising, the idea of subwoofers in this context is that you don't actaully hear them as a separate speaker - they should really just enhance the sound you hear coming from the main speakers - and I definately think my set up has been vastly improved by the addition of the Rel Quake.

Steve,

In the end I plumped for the Epos M12.2's which are very detailed but like your 12L's they lack some of the bass of my old system. I am also considering whether to purchase a subwoofer to bring back some of that bass. Have heard that adding a subwoofer doesn't always work, so was pleased to hear it did in your case, did you try out a few different ones first to see which suited your system first? And how much did it cost you?

Hi Nick

No, I didn't try out any other subwoofers. To be honest I think it would have been really difficult to get a true impression of the nuances of different ones at the Hi Fi Shop - it's not like auditioning stereo speakers where the differences can be quite marked.

I knew I didn't need anything with awesome power as it was for Hi Fi purposes only and my room is not large. The Rel Quake was well reviewed and cost about £350.

The one "downside", I guess, is that, as someone who can be a bit anorakish about sound I'm never satisfied I've got the settings quite right!