£4000 budget

[plastic penguin]

Had this set up quoted at £2298 including the marantz cd6007.

If they are offering it at that price at least demo it to see if it fits into your requirements. We can only make suggestions. Sounds like a darn good deal to me.

 

[ArtieBucco]

Bit of a bargain, if you haggle I am sure they might throw in some cables.
However, can you actually get to audition it?

Includes the cables yes. They're not local for a demo unfortunately.

 

[Al ears]

Includes the cables yes. They're not local for a demo unfortunately.

I wouldn't spend this much money on something I couldn't demo to be honest...

 

[ArtieBucco]

I wouldn't spend this much money on something I couldn't demo to be honest...

I've emailed my local Richer Sounds and asked if they can do the set up for me to demo

 

[Al ears]

I've emailed my local Richer Sounds and asked if they can do the set up for me to demo

it would certainly be in their best interest to do so, if not happy take your money elsewhere

 

[Nico69]

I've emailed my local Richer Sounds and asked if they can do the set up for me to demo

Yes, but don't get RS to do the demo then go elsewhere to buy it. See if they will match or get near that price. Its the decent, honest thing to do.

 

[Al ears]

Yes, but don't get RS to do the demo then go elsewhere to buy it. See if they will match or get near that price. Its the decent, honest thing to do.

Indeed. I had assumed it was RS that gave him that price in the first place, maybe wrong...
The important bit is to make sure those speakers are going to work well in whatever room they are going in.

 

[Mark Dunlop]

Sounds ok.except for those speakers. They are more expensive if factory built, require stands, are too small for medium sizeded rooms, have limited power handling etc..... But apart from that they're fine 🙂

I did say "possibly" 🙂 The IMF 100s would require a bit of budget juggling, but could be achieved...
m.d.

 

[plastic penguin]

Yes, but don't get RS to do the demo then go elsewhere to buy it. See if they will match or get near that price. Its the decent, honest thing to do.

Yes, think most good dealers are a little more flexible with prices nowadays - one of my RSs were offering a price drop on Dalis Rubicons a month or so ago.

 

[plastic penguin]

I've emailed my local Richer Sounds and asked if they can do the set up for me to demo

Nice one.

What area of the country do you live? If you're close to either Manchester or Southampton Richer Sounds stock Leema Acoustics. See if you blag a demo of the Pulse MK4 or the Quasar. They should blow your socks off.

 

[James105]

If it was my money I think I'd go for the NAD M10v2 for 2K, then depending on your room size Dali Opticon MK2 currently £800, another £200 for stands, or stands from ebay in a 25 mile radius you can get heavy stuff dirt cheap. That leaves £900 for a turntable/phono stage and £100 for cables.

 

[gasolin]

You can get Dali Menuet instead of the Dali Opticon MK2

I guess it's £799 for a pair https://www.avfanatics.co.uk/shop-1/dali-oberon-on-wall-speakers-tw4y2-yymep

For the same price as the NAD M10v2 he can have a Cambridge Audio Evo 150 with more power

 

[James105]

You can get Dali Menuet instead of the Dali Opticon MK2

I guess it's £799 for a pair https://www.avfanatics.co.uk/shop-1/dali-oberon-on-wall-speakers-tw4y2-yymep

For the same price as the NAD M10v2 he can have a Cambridge Audio Evo 150 with more power

Good price for the Menuets normally see them for £1099, the NAD has room correction, of course the Opticon 2 Mk2 would suit a larger room.

 

[Al ears]

I did say "possibly" 🙂 The IMF 100s would require a bit of budget juggling, but could be achieved...
m.d.

those might be more like it if you wanted to build yourself but again, you cannot audition...

 

[Mark Dunlop]

those might be more like it if you wanted to build yourself but again, you cannot audition...

True, true... I was thinking along the lines that if your total system budget is "only" £4000 you're going to end up spending not more than £1500 on speakers, so how wildly divergent could speakers in that price bracket be? The OP's coming from a Denon micro system with Cambridge Audio speakers. I'd have thought more or less anything would count as an improvement without getting into auditioning the relative merits of e.g. Dali v KEF speakers. The idea is "Best system for 4 grand" so there has to be some compromise somewhere. There again, I'm still using mid-00s B&Ws so what do I know?
m.d.

 

[plastic penguin]

True, true... I was thinking along the lines that if your total system budget is "only" £4000 you're going to end up spending not more than £1500 on speakers, so how wildly divergent could speakers in that price bracket be? The OP's coming from a Denon micro system with Cambridge Audio speakers. I'd have thought more or less anything would count as an improvement without getting into auditioning the relative merits of e.g. Dali v KEF speakers. The idea is "Best system for 4 grand" so there has to be some compromise somewhere. There again, I'm still using mid-00s B&Ws so what do I know?
m.d.

You don't need to spend 4k to get an impressive set-up, otherwise I would mention the likes of Harbeth into the equation. Realistically spend between 500-700 pounds per item and that should satisfy for years. I've not heard a disappointing affordable kit for years.

 

[Mark Dunlop]

You don't need to spend 4k to get an impressive set-up, otherwise I would mention the likes of Harbeth into the equation. Realistically spend between 500-700 pounds per item and that should satisfy for years. I've not heard a disappointing affordable kit for years.

I quite agree, but since the OP wanted a set-up recommendation for not more than £4000 I thought that's where we were going with it. My own set-up, not counting the old B&Ws, cost about £1300. My speaker stands were second-hand and speaker cable was £12/m. It's fine. Not "audiophile fine", but fine. If someone handed me £4000 and said "Spend it on hifi" I'd have a field day!
m.d.

 

[plastic penguin]

I quite agree, but since the OP wanted a set-up recommendation for not more than £4000 I thought that's where we were going with it. My own set-up, not counting the old B&Ws, cost about £1300. My speaker stands were second-hand and speaker cable was £12/m. It's fine. Not "audiophile fine", but fine. If someone handed me £4000 and said "Spend it on hifi" I'd have a field day!
m.d.

Fair play.

The OP did say, though, 4k but anything less is "happy days".

Not really sure these days if you can get a bad system. It's more about logistics and/or room compatibility.

Not sure how you define a "audiophile" set-up. I don't class myself as one. Those Rubicons were a one-off extravagance due to downsizing rather that actively looking for something better.

Strange old hobby/interest.

 

[Al ears]

True, true... I was thinking along the lines that if your total system budget is "only" £4000 you're going to end up spending not more than £1500 on speakers, so how wildly divergent could speakers in that price bracket be? The OP's coming from a Denon micro system with Cambridge Audio speakers. I'd have thought more or less anything would count as an improvement without getting into auditioning the relative merits of e.g. Dali v KEF speakers. The idea is "Best system for 4 grand" so there has to be some compromise somewhere. There again, I'm still using mid-00s B&Ws so what do I know?
m.d.

No I quite agree it's just that whatever budget you have the most important bit is that the speakers work well in whatever room you happen to set your kit up in.
If you cannot audition speakers, let alone audition in your own home then they are best avoided, in my humble opinion, no matter how much of a bargain they might initially appear.
Compromise does not mean spending £1500 on speakers that you cannot audition in your own home,as far as I am aware.... Could be wrong.
Don't get me wrong, I quite like the look of them but to me kit loudspeakers are something you get if you can afford to take a chance on them fitting in. Never understood how and if any warranty can be given on something you construct yourself and not too sure on how it works even if factory assembled which sometimes defeats the cost benefits.

 

[record_spot]

Can't begin to understand, given the budget, why active speakers aren't in scope?

 

[plastic penguin]

Can't begin to understand, given the budget, why active speakers aren't in scope?

Concur. I can only assume he has a turntable, not only does he need a full-blown streamer but also a phono stage in a budget ideally below the 4k.

And where do you demo different actives to optimise his listening pleasure?

 

[record_spot]

Concur. I can only assume he has a turntable, not only does he need a full-blown streamer but also a phono stage in a budget ideally below the 4k.

And where do you demo different actives to optimise his listening pleasure?

Where do you demo different gear? There's so many options, not all shops carry enough brands, it's all the usual stuff for the most part anyway and it's not your living room, which is the best place, IMO, the only place to dem gear.

Find a decent pro audio dealer that carries a good range of actives, or go to a dealer that's carrying more active options - KEF, Dynaudio, Adam, etc. I'd have a look at Sound on Sound and do plenty of reading up. Have to admit, I haven't demo'd instore for over a decade.

As for connectivity, I don't really need a preamp just now as I just swap out the DAC and turntable when I need to use that, but a simple passive pre with enough inputs works well too. Got rid of the Linn preamp a few weeks ago as it was redundant.

 

[Mark Dunlop]

No I quite agree it's just that whatever budget you have the most important bit is that the speakers work well in whatever room you happen to set your kit up in.
If you cannot audition speakers, let alone audition in your own home then they are best avoided, in my humble opinion, no matter how much of a bargain they might initially appear.
Compromise does not mean spending £1500 on speakers that you cannot audition in your own home,as far as I am aware.... Could be wrong.
Don't get me wrong, I quite like the look of them but to me kit loudspeakers are something you get if you can afford to take a chance on them fitting in. Never understood how and if any warranty can be given on something you construct yourself and not too sure on how it works even if factory assembled which sometimes defeats the cost benefits.

I did something that'll probably make your hair curl 🙂 I previously had Gale 3020s, and one day I went into a hifi shop with a budget of ... well, I think it was £600. I asked the guy in the shop what his best speakers were for £600 and he said "B&W DM602s" and I said "I'll take them". That was the end of the audition! We established that my amp was powerful enough to drive them, so that was it. I took them home, plugged them in and I'm still using them. When I eventually get around to buying new speakers I might try to audition some at home, though. Older and wiser now... older, anyway.
m.d.

 

[Al ears]

I did something that'll probably make your hair curl 🙂 I previously had Gale 3020s, and one day I went into a hifi shop with a budget of ... well, I think it was £600. I asked the guy in the shop what his best speakers were for £600 and he said "B&W DM602s" and I said "I'll take them". That was the end of the audition! We established that my amp was powerful enough to drive them, so that was it. I took them home, plugged them in and I'm still using them. When I eventually get around to buying new speakers I might try to audition some at home, though. Older and wiser now... older, anyway.
m.d.

whatever works for you...

 

[Din5]

Plastic Penguin has offered sound advice, look to spend 500 to £700 for each unit and you won't go wrong. For me the laws of diminishing returns kick-in after this price point. There are numerous combinations at this price level to choose from, and I bet they will all sound good. So read up on reviews / suggestions and visit dealers to view and audition.
Alternatively, pop into your local dealer and say you have £4k to spend, that will make their day ....