£1100 a fair price for the Solo Mini + B&W 685s?

[admin_exported]

I've been in to a well known Hi-Fi chain and spent quite a while trying out the Arcam Solo Mini with the B&W 685 speakers. They quoted me £700 for the Mini, £323 for the 685s (15% off when bought with the Mini) and £100 for the Chord Carnival Silverscreen cable at £12/m plus connectors (as they advise the cable should be bi-wired but go into a single connection at the 685 end - Chord's advice apparently). So the grand total came to £1123 from which they were prepared to knock £23 off. This is without the rDock which they want another £150 for. And all these prices were 'About to go up soon, Sir'.

Now, my question is . . . would you be happy to pay £1100 for this set-up (and another £150 if you want the rDock)? True, these prices individually probably far off the listed prices but I can't imagine there's too many people spending £1000+ on Hi-Fi kit at the moment so you would expect some flexibility and reduction, no? What do you do, if all you manage is £23 off the total and a blank reply 'Yes' when you ask if that's their best price? You see headlines for £0000s off cars but all I've managed is 2%!!

Okay, it's not in their interests to admit it's a buyer's market and you can take your money elsewhere I know, but the theory's easier than the practise as where do you go exactly?

Anyone experiencing similar or got any ways around it? I have no problem paying a fair price but not a mug's price! What makes it harder is I liked the Solo Mini with the 685s but I wasn't blown away by it - I couldn't help wondering if I was really going to notice that much difference between them and my old Denon DM-30 micro system under normal use conditions i.e., this thing is going to be at lowish to moderate volume most of the time as I need to think of the neighbours!

 

[Anonymous]

Shop around.

Do you know how much you would be saving against RRP of the individual products?

What are other dealers/websites charging for it?

 

[chebby]

I would forget about the bi-wire and get normal runs for £6 a metre and see if you can get them to come down to a grand. (Without rDock).

But yes the prices are going up massively and it is rare to see the Solo range discounted. Even Richer Sounds are now quoting £749....

http://www.richersounds.com/showproduct.php?cda=showproduct&pid=ARCA-SOLO-MINI

What your dealer charges will depend on whether it is stock bought in at the older prices or not.

It makes sense for a cable manufacturer to recommend bi-wire cable in any circumstances

I did not get the rDock after I realised just how many cables were involved! Looked a right mess sitting next to an elegant one box system. (I would suggest just getting the Russ Andrews GQ-24 lead for about £30.)

My dealer (Audio-T) gives a 3 year warranty on the Solo-Mini so make sure your dealer is offering this too.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the advice - good idea about the GQ-24. I've already got the iChord as well so I guess I can do without the rDock.

What's your review of the Solo Mini - I like that it's a step up the ladder and still gives me everything in one neat package, but am I going to notice much difference from my Denon DM30 do you think?

 

[Anonymous]

chebby:I would forget about the bi-wire and get normal runs for £6 a metre and see if you can get them to come down to a grand. was about to say the same. Unless they let you listen to both bi-wired and single wire you never will know if its worth it.

I've not heard a difference on my kit between single and bi-wire so would resent paying twice as much just because the shop said so.

 

[VoodooDoctor]

I second the comment about forgetting the biwiring.

More worrying is that you say you weren't blown away by it. That's a lot of money to be spending and not be that impressed. What else have you auditioned?

 

[Anonymous]

I think you could do better for the money, and doubt the micro system will drive the 685s anywhere near their potential.

 

[Anonymous]

I agree and especially because you weren't completely taken with it, that is a very good reason to look elsewhere.

 

[Anonymous]

Well, even more worrying is that I haven't as yet auditioned much else! I've got a figure of about £1000 to spend on this - I could go to £1500 at a push but can't really justify much else as there's still other things to buy! I'd really like a one-box system which does a good job but is also discrete. For me this pretty much rules out the Marantz CD/Amp combination and the Cyrus/Roksan is too far over my budget. I have to admit I did have a go with the Meridian F80 - it was a outside possibility and it was pretty good - bass was exceptional for the size of the thing, but you always knew the sound was coming from one place. As the assistant said, it's aimed at people who already have top kit in their lounge and want something nice for the kitchen!

I did try the solo with the MA RS1 but didn't like the look of them and they sounded a little too 'bright'. The other combination was with the KEF IQ30s - they actually sounded quite good, though whether they were as good or better than the 685s it was difficult to tell as by that point the 685s had gone back in the box (though I will go back and check the two of them). There's an emotional component to all this choosing however in that the 685s look like the kind of thing I'd be happy to look at in my lounge all day whereas the KEFs looked like they should be in a studio.

The point about the Solo per se was that I couldn't help thinking it looked like my DM-30 and I found myself thinking 'Do I really want to pay £700 to replace my current silver box with another silver box?!' Again, I'd have to take my Denon down to the shop to see if I could notice any difference.

 

[fatboyslimfast]

Jarnesque:Again, I'd have to take my Denon down to the shop to see if I could notice any difference.

And there endeth the sermon. You've answered your own question there - take the denon down, and see if it's £700 of difference. While the solo is good, I'm not sure it's £700 better than the denon.

But that's down to your ears. And as the others have said, forget the biwiring.

 

[d_a_n1979]

What is going to be your main source for music?

If its an iPod have you considered the B&W Zepplin? Stunning sound and a great price as well.

IMO the Arcam Solo Mini is superb but it wont drive the B&W 685's to their potential. The M/A BR2's or the RS1's would be more favourable i feel.

With your budget you could get a cracking seaprates system (NAD, Rotel, Arcam, Marantz etc...) and they'd all work well with the B&W 685's if youve got your heart set on them.

 

[chebby]

d_a_n1979:With your budget you could get a cracking seaprates system (NAD, Rotel, Arcam, Marantz etc...) and they'd all work well with the B&W 685's if youve got your heart set on them.

It is worth remembering the OP has already stated.....

Jarnesque:I'd really like a one-box system which does a good job but is also discrete. For me this pretty much rules out the Marantz CD/Amp combination and the Cyrus/Roksan is too far over my budget.

So rather than trying to state over-and-over again that he should get a seperates system, I think advice on more suitable speakers would be appropriate.

The BR2's are a good suggestion (I have heard them partnered with my Solo-Mini) and WHF also recommended this pairing in their Ultimate Guide.

It is also worth noting that the Arcam Solo-Mini is NOT some 'jumped up' clock-radio. It is a genuine piece of hifi kit and a WHF five star award winner and currently a 'Best Buy' in the review section. Used at sensible sound levels in a small-medium sized room with efficient, good quality speakers it can really sing. I know this.

It is not a 'powerhouse' (of course) or a headbanger's dream machine but used within it's intended parameters it gives a very good account of itself.

http://whathifi.com/Review/Arcam-Solo-Mini/