£3,500 to spend on new setup - Where to Start??

Jason36

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Ok I have £3,500 to spend on a new hi-fi setup...with the source predominantly being my ipod containiong appless lossless quality music.

I'm therefore initially looking for an amplifier and speaker setup that would get the best from my ipod (and please I dont want to debate the ipod is not real hifi argument).

Budget would be to include, amplifier and speakers....ideally standmounts as I live in an appartment so space is restricted, and obviously would need interconnects and speaker cable and thinking of the Russ Andrews Ipod connection to amplification. Would be looking to add a CD player at a later date with an additional £1000 to £1500 to spend on this in probably six months.

I just dont know where to start :-(
 

Craig M.

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wadia ipod dock into moon i3.3 with onboard dac into 1500 quid standmounts of your choice. i'd be looking at b+w 805s or atc scm19.

any idea of what sort of sound you're after?
 
A

Anonymous

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I started a similar thread over on the computer based music forum.

Looking for amps with dacs or active speakers with dacs

http://community.whathifi.com/forums/t/240199.aspx

The Wadia at 350 pounds is a good starting place.

There is a google spreadsheet http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=r01HFYbgfD-zxZ8Ymy2LZrA

which it would be great to collate this information into.

thanks

Gavin
 

chebby

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The new NaimUniti £1995 (CD player, amp, DAC, DAB/FM and internet radio, built-in wireless connectivity)

Naim n-Link cable for the iPod £95 (gives full remote control - and charges iPod)

PMC DB1i stand-mount speakers £895

Total £2985

plus some decent stands and speaker cables... £???
 

Frank Harvey

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I'd agree with Chebby regarding the system, which will also get you a CD player now rather than later, along with an internet radio, which I find far more useful than a DAB. Because the Uniti has a built in DAC, the Wadia dock can still be used, and would be the better bet if the Naim cable doesn't take a digital signal into the Uniti (not sure at this point myself).

There will be a number of speakers that can be used as the Uniti's power isn't lacking. Either the ATC's or PMC's as already mentioned, and there's a few different Proac models that can be considered too.
 
A

Anonymous

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The music on your iPod is also on your computer, so use that, and plug it into a pair of AVI ADM9.1 or anything else of a similar design.
 
A

Anonymous

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AVI ADM9.1 - excellent value for money and the performance is very good indeed. Buy the matching sub to go with it.
 

Superaintit

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Having heard the avi adm9.1 with sub, I thought I'd add my 2pence...

The avi's are very talented indeed, but do have a particular "sound" that you either love or hate. In my experience they have a very fast, lean,analytical sound. 3500 Pounds is a lot of money to spend and the only way of knowing what you're after is listening for yourself.
 

Jason36

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Thanks guys,

Hmm I really like the look of that Naimuniti and I can add upgrades at a later date as well (power supplies, power amp etc).

Just out of curiosity it says the Naim has an onboard DAC and also connections on the back to utilise this DAC for external sources....so in theory, rather than going for the Naim N Link Cable, could I utilise the Wadia iPod dock (which accesses the ipod digital signal) and hence the Naim's onboard DAC? I take it the N link cable doesnt access the ipods digital source information.

I hope that makes sense.....I know it may increase my original budget, but would the extra £250 spent on the Wadia be worth it??

Also any advice on Speaker cable and can I biwire with the Naim??

Thanks guys
 
A

Anonymous

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Superaintit:
Having heard the avi adm9.1 with sub, I thought I'd add my 2pence...

The avi's are very talented indeed, but do have a particular "sound" that you either love or hate. In my experience they have a very fast, lean,analytical sound. 3500 Pounds is a lot of money to spend and the only way of knowing what you're after is listening for yourself.

Studio neutral as opposed to coloured you mean
emotion-5.gif
 
T

the record spot

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Cheaper actives but killer performance if you can stand the looks, Acoustic Energy AE22 Active; circa £850-900. Brilliant reviews in WHF about a year ago. Studio type monitors, but anything but lean, very detailed - looks like a killer speaker from what I can see and worth shortlisting if looks aren't important to you/your partner.
 

Jason36

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Thanks for all the advice guys......So bearing in mind that the Naim Uniti doesn't come out for another couple of weeks for Demo and apparantly on back order for delivery until probably July..this is the system I am going to Demo:

NaimUniti

Wadia iPod Doc

Neat Motive 2 speakers......apprantely these speakers whilst floor standers are smaller than most standmounted speakers and have had good write ups.

This system comes well under my initial £3500 budget and leaves me enough to get some decent speaker cable and I assume I will need a connection for Wadia to the Naims DAC.

I cant wait!!!!!!!
 

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