£1000 Hi Fi, Please Help!!

[jala]

Hi,

I'm looking at spending around £1000 on my first Hi Fi seperates system. I guess this probably isn't much compared to what a lot of people spend but would please like some advice recommendations. Going off the website reviews, at the moment I am thinking:

Marantz CD6003 cd player £300

Marantz PM6003 amp £300

Arcaydis DM1 speakers £275

+ cables

Previously I have used a denon micro system which I have enjoyed using. However I feel it is the time for an upgrade. Another issue is I like to DJ Funk/Soul music and will want to connect the system to my mixer/cd decks.

Generally I listen to Funk, Soul, Jazz, Hip Hop (some)

Please could you give me any advice regarding a new Hi Fi system.

Thanks!!

 

[ear]

does your mixer have equalizer?

 

[Anonymous]

you could get the best out of your computer by purchasing an external dac

In terms of amps, I would recommend the Marantz PM 7001, or the NAD C355

Speakers, are you looking for floorstanders or bookshelves?

 

[jala]

Thanks.

No preference regarding speakers. All I'm looking for is best sound quality I could get.

 

[jala]

Yep, the mixer has an equalizer.

Think it is a Numark DMX09

 

[ear]

id also go for an amp that can handle well bass.rthe pm6000 itsnt it

 

[d_a_n1979]

With your budget I'm inclined to go along with hifinewbie's advice and use your PC as well as a DAC to get the best from your PC based music and possibly CD's as well.

As for amp and speakers I think along the lines of the NAD C326BEE or C355BEE integrated would be best along with either Monitor Audio RX2 or B&W 685 speakers on decent stands (i.e. Atacama Nexus 6's or Soundstyle Z2's).

If you want floorstanders then speakers along the lines of the Monitor Audio BR5's, Acoustic Energy Neo 3's or possibly somne decent 3nd hand Monitor Audio RS6's or B&W 603 S3's via eBay

As for cables; Chord Carnival Silverscreen or QED Silver Anniversary speaker cable would be bang on as would the Chord Crimson interconnects

 

[Anonymous]

Well in that case, here is what I would recommend. Three what hi fi
readers were in the last publication invited to test lossless played a
dac, against a cd player and all of them picked out lossless as
sounding the best.

So
this notion of needing a cd player is not necessary. If you want one
that's fine but they offer nothing in convenience, so what I would
suggest is ripping your cd's to lossless, you can do this with itunes,
connecting an external dac to your system via usb, here you have the
option of Beresford Caiman, MF Dac, and Cambridge Audio Dac Magic. Now
both the Beresford and Dac Magic do a great job, but I am biased
towards the Beresford because not only is it an excellent dac, you can
use it as a pre amp and a headphone amp.

Having mentioned amps, I
would like I said mention the Marantz PM 7001 and NAD C355, both have a
very open, powerful detailed sound and you could use them as standalone
amps, or use them as power amps if you bought the Beresford. Having
done with this myself recently the results have been something
fantastic.

In terms of speakers, again I admit I am slightly
biased but I would suggest floorstanders and these would include Tannoy
F4. Acoustic Energy Neo 3' or as Dan mentioned the Monitor Audio RS6.

I use Chord Carnival Silverscreen terminated with banana plugs and I know I will be villified for this, but I use a super cheap optical cable to connect my dac to my source and cheap rca cables from the output on the dac to the amp.

Once you have done those things, you should hopefully have a system you love

 

[ear]

F4 good suugestion!

 

[jala]

Thanks, I like the idea of using a DAC but in general I like buying cd's and have a decent collection. In error I burned them all onto my computer through ituns to mp3 (or it's equivalent version). So I'm guessing I'd need to burn them all again which would be quite a job.

Another issue is, my laptop I'm using at the moment is quite a basic netbook, so I'm not sure if that would have any impact.

One other thing that you guys may know about and is linked in... I am know buying/downloading music in WAV/FLAC as this I've been told is the highest quality and best for listening on a good system/DJing. However when using itunes and moving music to my ipod, I need a version in mp3 as well. So, in my itunes I would have each song twice (once in WAV, once in mp3 for ipod), this is pretty messy. Is there anyway around this?

I thought I'd get out all my music related dilemas together!

 

[Anonymous]

It won't get messy, just designate a different folder to rip them all into wav/flac. I know it's a bit annoying but it's only about 90 seconds per rip so not too painful

 

[basshead]

what cd decks do you use?

i also use my hi-fi for djing at home, currently using b&w 601 s2 speakers with NAD c325bee amp, works very well with a full and warm sound, great for djing with. bought second hand at way below your budget mind.

is the sound quality through the dedicated cd player your top priority? or do you want to make the most of your dj set up too? if so you may want to consider setting some funds aside for an upgrade of dj mixer, they can be the weak link in a set up

 

[JoelSim]

hi fi newbie:

Well in that case, here is what I would recommend. Three what hi fireaders were in the last publication invited to test lossless played adac, against a cd player and all of them picked out lossless assounding the best.

Sothis notion of needing a cd player is not necessary. If you want onethat's fine but they offer nothing in convenience, so what I wouldsuggest is ripping your cd's to lossless, you can do this with itunes,connecting an external dac to your system via usb, here you have theoption of Beresford Caiman, MF Dac, and Cambridge Audio Dac Magic. Nowboth the Beresford and Dac Magic do a great job, but I am biasedtowards the Beresford because not only is it an excellent dac, you canuse it as a pre amp and a headphone amp.

Having mentioned amps, Iwould like I said mention the Marantz PM 7001 and NAD C355, both have avery open, powerful detailed sound and you could use them as standaloneamps, or use them as power amps if you bought the Beresford. Havingdone with this myself recently the results have been somethingfantastic.

In terms of speakers, again I admit I am slightlybiased but I would suggest floorstanders and these would include TannoyF4. Acoustic Energy Neo 3' or as Dan mentioned the Monitor Audio RS6.

I use Chord Carnival Silverscreen terminated with banana plugs and I know I will be villified for this, but I use a super cheap optical cable to connect my dac to my source and cheap rca cables from the output on the dac to the amp.

Once you have done those things, you should hopefully have a system you love

I don't think there was a CDP involved in that test, unless I'm much mistaken. The test was about a higher quality recording vs a CD quality recording wasn't it? Funnily enough the better recording won.

 

[Anonymous]

Yeah my mistake, just checked and it was to illustrate that downloads have now bettered cd quality

 

[JoelSim]

hi fi newbie:Yeah my mistake, just checked and it was to illustrate that downloads have now bettered cd quality

Eh?

An incredibly small number of downloads can be purchased at higher quality than CD from dedicated audiophile sites. That's not news.

99.9% of downloads remain inferior to CD quality.

 

[Anonymous]

I am not disputing that, 320 kbs is the best that is offered from like you said, 99.9% or whatever the figure is just saying in technical terms 24 downloads have eclipsed cd's

However external dac's are excellent quality, superb in fact, especially when you pick them up relatively cheaply, so my recommendation remains

 

[rymidd]

as long as your netbook has usb and running windows a dac should be fine. yes laptops sound diffrent from each other when used with a dac, like my old clap out sony viao sound much better than a new mac book pro which i tried . A dac which i thick is great is CA dacmagic amp wise nad 326bee or nad c355 ,speakers quad 12L or 11L if not looking for powerfull bass and have small room but work well with nad. b&w speaker have more bass punch kick but i find them a bit bright. but you need to demo with diffrent types of music which you often play.

 

[Anonymous]

An external dac bypasses the computer, so it doesn't matter what laptop you have, whether it's super cheap, or super expensive.

 

[drummerman]

Imo 1k is no-mans land in hifi terms. From my experience it will neither get you a brilliant system nor will it be a substantial upgrade from something like the 3 or 4 hundred quid package deals offered by superfi/Richersounds to mention but two. Now I cant claim I've heard every sub £1000 permutation possible but my guess would be you'd soon be dissatisfied in one way or another, read matthewpianos problems if you really need some proof.

I'd go for something a bit lefty, like some AVI's or a myriad mi. You're save in the knowledge you have something unusual, good value and you can use those in the future even if you'd at some point decide you really wanted a serious separates system, which, I can promise you, will cost a lot more than a grand. Happy deciding.

 

[AL13N]

The system you've suggested in your OP would make a great budget Hi-Fi setup.

However, for your needs, I'd agree with all the above recommendations for a DAC setup. Also, don't rule out active speakers. Especially with your DJ setup you don't need to focus on ones with volume control/equaliser built in, as your mixer can control this.

The current issue of WHF has a DAC group test and the next issue a round up of active speakers, if you need more info/suggestions on either. Also, check out computer and head-fi forums for more info on DACs.

Good look with the search.

 

[AL13N]

drummerman:I'd go for something a bit lefty, like some AVI's
Good call for absolute simplicity. Simply hook up your laptop to the toslink input and your mixer to the analogue input (or second toslink input if it has digital out). Sorted.

Just make sure you can audition them and return (with no 'restocking fees') if your unhappy with the sound.

 

[jala]

I have been reading around the net/whf website and have had a slight change of plan....

I'm thinking along the following lines. Going for either the Rotel RA-1520 or Naim Nait 5i amps

Would these amps be significantly better than say the NAD C326 or NAD C375

For speakers EB acoustics EB1, B&W685, KEP IQ5SE would any of these combinations work well?

Any thoughts?

Think I'm going to hold of on a DAC for the meantime and maybe look to get one in 6 months or so...

 

[d_a_n1979]

jala:
I have been reading around the net/whf website and have had a slight change of plan....

I'm thinking along the following lines. Going for either the Rotel RA-1520 or Naim Nait 5i amps

Would these amps be significantly better than say the NAD C326 or NAD C375

For speakers EB acoustics EB1, B&W685, KEP IQ5SE would any of these combinations work well?

Any thoughts?

Think I'm going to hold of on a DAC for the meantime and maybe look to get one in 6 months or so...

You need to demo really.

All of the above can be demo'd apart from the EB Acoustic speakers.

With the nads look at the NAD C355BEE as well and also the Rotel RA06SE integrated amp.

For me; the best amp above would be either the NAD C355BEE or the Rotel RA-1520 (but that's around £700 so a lot of your budget on one item).

As for speakers the above mentioned are very good (dont forget to budget for stands for the standmount speakers). Try and get a demo with the M/A RX2's as well