Advice on new Rotel/B&W hi-fi set up please

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Hi

I am relatively new to high quality hi-fi. I've been doing some research, listened to systems in shops and read reviews but I need some more advice please!

I want a high quality (a relative opinion I know) system to enjoy CDs (such as The Beatles remasters/in MONO, classical music etc). I also want to 'pump' my TV through the system (I have an LG panel with all the usual digital/optical outputs). I also want to stream music from my i-devices via bluetooth. In summary: I require: CD player, bluetooth, digital/optical inputs (and therefore DAC), good speakers + a phono stage (for later addition of turntable).

I am considering a Rotel RA-11 + Rotel RCD-12 + B&W CM1s. What's the problem? Price. It's too expensive!

The RA-11 seems to meet all my needs. I think it is a good compromise rather than the RA-12 which is £100 more- although £500 is still quite a lot

The RCD-12 is expensive... but it seems excellent. I was impressed when listening to it (with B&W 386 S2s and the CM1s). Could I get a cheaper CD player? Will I regret it in years to come if I do?

The speakers... I tried B&W 386 S2s and CM1 S2s. The CM1s were better. I couldn't try 385 S2s as they didn't have any- but I hear they are amazing and they are £150 less. CM1s or 385s with the Rotel set up above? Maybe the 386 S2 would do? Could someone advise whether they would recommend the 385s over the CM1s? £150 price difference is quite significant.

All advice gratefully received.

 

[BigH]

My advise is don't buy B&W speakers for classical music, they maybe ok for pop/rock but for classical I would choose something more neutral, maybe Kefs.

 

[plastic penguin]

Hi

I am relatively new to high quality hi-fi. I've been doing some research, listened to systems in shops and read reviews but I need some more advice please!

I want a high quality (a relative opinion I know) system to enjoy CDs (such as The Beatles remasters/in MONO, classical music etc). I also want to 'pump' my TV through the system (I have an LG panel with all the usual digital/optical outputs). I also want to stream music from my i-devices via bluetooth. In summary: I require: CD player, bluetooth, digital/optical inputs (and therefore DAC), good speakers + a phono stage (for later addition of turntable).

I am considering a Rotel RA-11 + Rotel RCD-12 + B&W CM1s. What's the problem? Price. It's too expensive!

The RA-11 seems to meet all my needs. I think it is a good compromise rather than the RA-12 which is £100 more- although £500 is still quite a lot

The RCD-12 is expensive... but it seems excellent. I was impressed when listening to it (with B&W 386 S2s and the CM1s). Could I get a cheaper CD player? Will I regret it in years to come if I do?

The speakers... I tried B&W 386 S2s and CM1 S2s. The CM1s were better. I couldn't try 385 S2s as they didn't have any- but I hear they are amazing and they are £150 less. CM1s or 385s with the Rotel set up above? Maybe the 386 S2 would do? Could someone advise whether they would recommend the 385s over the CM1s? £150 price difference is quite significant.

All advice gratefully received.

Amplifier wise I'd be looking at this. It perhaps isn't ideal but it ticks practically all your boxes given you limited budget. Another poster had its predecessor with CM1s - loved the sound combo.

Alternative speakers would be Q Acoustics 2020i. Fabulous speakers and works well with Marantz.

 

[davedotco]

A few thoughts.

Since Rotel and B&W are part of the same 'group' they are often recomended together. Personally I think they have a 'distinctive' signature that you might or might not like. If, as appears to be the case, you do like them, then bite the bullet and get them.

I have not used a CD player regularly for many years, again I like the visual and electronic integration you get with matching player and amp, this would be the clincher for me.

Finally if I was streaming from an iThing i would try and avoid Bluetooth, it's implementation in apple devices is so mediocre that I suspect it might be deliberate, if at all possible use Airplay via an Airport Express.

 

[manicm]

My advise is don't buy B&W speakers for classical music, they maybe ok for pop/rock but for classical I would choose something more neutral, maybe Kefs.

According to who? From my experience the sheer scale of B&Ws make them especially suited to classical music.

 

[BigH]

My advise is don't buy B&W speakers for classical music, they maybe ok for pop/rock but for classical I would choose something more neutral, maybe Kefs.

According to who? From my experience the sheer scale of B&Ws make them especially suited to classical music.

I was talking about the budget speakers. Several people have said that, one was a pianist, another was a piano tuner, both said something along the lines when I play piano music I like it to sound like a piano. Another is a british loudspeaker designer, he said the CM1s were som eof tne worst speakers he ahd ever heard, the bass was so slow. My experince they were nice looking but the bass was all wrong, disjointed it was if the music was being played separately. Others have discribed as being coloured. They are not reknown for being neutral. Many people like them for their bass but its typical of many speakers at the budget end of the market.

 

[manicm]

My advise is don't buy B&W speakers for classical music, they maybe ok for pop/rock but for classical I would choose something more neutral, maybe Kefs.

According to who? From my experience the sheer scale of B&Ws make them especially suited to classical music.

I was talking about the budget speakers. Several people have said that, one was a pianist, another was a piano tuner, both said something along the lines when I play piano music I like it to sound like a piano. Another is a british loudspeaker designer, he said the CM1s were som eof tne worst speakers he ahd ever heard, the bass was so slow. My experince they were nice looking but the bass was all wrong, disjointed it was if the music was being played separately. Others have discribed as being coloured. They are not reknown for being neutral. Many people like them for their bass but its typical of many speakers at the budget end of the market.

Their 'budget' speakers? Like the 685 s1 and 685 s2?? I've had the older 685 s1 and their bass was anything but 'wrong', if set up correctly. The CM1s were always controversial and were always meant as a small scale speaker as its size would suggest, just as every manufacturer will have such a speaker in their range.

Even the best speakers can be mismatched in systems.

 

[BigH]

Well I think he should try some other speakers as well. The CM1s are not very sensitive so maybe not suitable for some budget amps. Suggest he tries Kef, AE and Q Acoustics 2020i with wahtever he decides as source, the Denon suggestion looks a good one for his budget.

 

[matthewpiano]

My experience of B&W speakers has been very mixed, but the message from that experience is very clear. B&W speakers are excellent, and can sound superb with a full range of music, including classical. Whether they do or not depends very much on the amplifier you pair them with and, of course, their positioning within the room.

I've heard the original 685s sounding very good with Denon 720ae electronics (CD and amp), with extremely fine tonal reproduction and a lovely sense of space. I've heard them sounding very disappointing with Marantz 6002 electronics, back when both the 685s and the 6002s were new products. That combination was splashy in the treble, muddy in the mid-range, and heavy footed.

I've heard the original 686s sounding poor with Arcam A18 and CD17. I had this combination for a while and no matter what I did with positioning, cables, source etc. the 686s sounded bloated and confused. Using them with a Rotel RA04SE and Marantz CD6003 made them sound like a completely different pair of speakers.

To the OP, in your position I would recommend auditioning Marantz CD6005 with Rotel RA10 or RA11, and B&W 686 S2 or B&W 685 S2. That may suit you, and it may not, but if it doesn't a good dealer will be able to suggest some changes to that system to take you closer to your desired result.

 

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I just wanted to thank everyone for their input. I've probably spent around 8 weeks auditioning systems and reading reviews and it has all been extremely helpful. I started out looking at a Denon DM40 but where I've ended up is quite different!

After a lot of thought and advice I've opted to ditch the CD player in favour of a NAS system to stream WAV CD rips; I found a Naim UnitiQute 2 barely second hand for £675; paired it with the B&W CM1s and I was totally blown away... I also tried the 685s (which were super) but the CM1s just made me really happy... simple really.

I'll add a phono stage later and buy a turntable but for now I'm chuffed to bits with what I'll be picking up at the end of the week.

Thanks again!