18yrs on and finally upgrading!

[Airwave]

Hi all,

having recently been bitten by the hi fi bug again i am starting upgrade my old hi fi which i have listened to for the past 18yrs.It all started when my Arcam black box 50 died last winter,which i had been using with a meridean 200 transport.This promted me to switch to pc based source using FLAC files.Firstly i purchased a cheap DAC to get me going this fed a Nad 1000 pre amp which in turn was hooked up to my Quad 606mkll driving a pair MA 14s.I was very suprised at the quality&convenience of the new pc based system however as allways i started to look on ebay for bargains to further improve the sound.The first change was a Beresford TC-7520 which can also be used as a pre&as it turned out this was a good improvement on the nad pre amp.The next purchase was a pair of MA gr10s to replace the MA14s which were bought when i had a bigger listening room so they were never quiet right in a smaller room.I also used these with a Rel Q100 sub&still use the Rel with the GR10s they work very nicely in my room which is 9ft x 14ft so quiet cosy!So far the uprades have worked out very well&i'm enjoing the sound from the new additions.Plenty of detail&open with a good midrange with plenty of controlled low end.But now i'm trying to evaluate the Quad power amp but i'm not sure which way to go.Is it still a good power amp compared with what i could get on ebay say the Arcam p90/A85/p9/10s or the music fedilty amps A3/5.Having not listed to a lot of different systems i'm not exactly sure where the Quad falls in terms of sound i.e lean&nuetral,warmth.Not in any rush just considering my next move any suggestions would be warmly welcomed.I listen to a wide range of music bob dylan,the who through to ub40&dance.

 

[ID.]

Hi all,

having recently been bitten by the hi fi bug again i am starting upgrade my old hi fi which i have listened to for the past 18yrs.It all started when my Arcam black box 50 died last winter,which i had been using with a meridean 200 transport.

This prompted me to switch to pc based source using FLAC files.

Firstly i purchased a cheap DAC to get me going. This fed a Nad 1000 pre amp which in turn was hooked up to my Quad 606mkll driving a pair MA 14s.I was very suprised at the quality&convenience of the new pc based system however as allways i started to look on ebay for bargains to further improve the sound.

The first change was a Beresford TC-7520 which can also be used as a pre&as it turned out this was a good improvement on the nad pre amp.

The next purchase was a pair of MA gr10s to replace the MA14s which were bought when i had a bigger listening room so they were never quite right in a smaller room. I also used these with a Rel Q100 sub & still use the Rel with the GR10s they work very nicely in my room which is 9ft x 14ft, so quite cosy!

So far the uprades have worked out very well & i'm enjoing the sound from the new additions. Plenty of detail & open with a good midrange with plenty of controlled low end.

But now i'm trying to evaluate the Quad power amp but i'm not sure which way to go. Is it still a good power amp compared with what i could get on ebay, say the Arcam p90/A85/p9/10s or the music fidilty amps A3/5?

Having not listened to a lot of different systems i'm not exactly sure where the Quad falls in terms of sound i.e lean & neutral, warm. Not in any rush just considering my next move any suggestions would be warmly welcomed. I listen to a wide range of music bob dylan, the who through to ub40 & dance.

Edits and bold by me.

I love how everyone says they listen to a wide range of music, irrespective of how wide-ranging their tastes actually are (I'm guilty of this too).

What would you like to improve on? Anything you feel is lacking? Hopefully those with more epxrience of your kit than me can give guidance.

 

[Airwave]

Yes maybe not wide ranging mucical taste but a bit more of a mixed bag :rofl:
Having done a bit more reading i think i've narrowed it do to arcam p10 pwer amp with the possabilty of adding another to biamp later on.Or a music fedelity A300/A3.2 or A5.Both the arcam&MF seem to be a good match for my MA gr10s&are on the warmer fuller side which as well as improved imaging is what i am after.Or is my quad as good as these &there would be minimal difference.Buying 2nd hand off ebay is great but can't demo&i don't really want to make a sideways step.