Advice wanted for playing vinyl through Hifi speakers

[invisibleginger]

Hello,I am looking for some decent speakers to accompany my partner's Soundlab G056C turntable and a Cambridge Audio Topaz am 5 amplifier for their 21st birthday present. I want to spend a decent amount - between £200- £300 pounds but that's my limit as I am a (fairly) poor student. I've been looking at the Wharfdale Diamond 121 and the Boston Acoustics A26. It seems that both have good reviews but seem to focus on playing CDs. As these speakers will be used to play vinyl is there anything that I need to keep in mind upon purchasing them? They will be used to play mostly 70s and 80s pop/ rock records. Any advice, warnings, or suggested products would be much appreciated.

 

[John Duncan]

Hello invisibleginger. You don't need to consider anything in particular for vinyl as opposed to CD, but given the amp I wouldn't spend as much as £300 tbh. Personally I would see if I could still get a pair of Wharfedale Diamond 10.1s, which are lovely and available at a discount since the 121s came out. Spend the rest on records.

One question though - does the turntable have a built in phono stage as I don't think the Topaz does?

EDIT - it does, ignore me.

 

[invisibleginger]

Yes the turntable does have a built in phono stage, would this affect the speakers you would recommend? I was considering more expensive speakers with the intention that they might outlast the other sound equiptment if it is upgraded, which is why I was considering the more expensive speakers, would you not recommend this? Thanks for the reply

 

[John Duncan]

No, presence or absence of a phono stage would not affect my recommendation, only wanted to check that your system would actually work as it is, but it will

I understand the logic of wanting to get the very best speakers you can afford now - I myself have had PMCs on the end of my Cambridge to excellent effect - but given the pice of the 10.1s (£130 at Superfi) you would have to spend quite a bit more money to get something offering a step change improvement (IMO). I heard the Diamonds on the end of £3k worth of Quads and the sound really was sublime.

 

[plastic penguin]

Agree about Wharfedales. Superb. Also worth checking out, if you don't mind the option of s/hand speakers, look at older Dynaudio Audience 40s or Dali or Epos.

 

[nopiano]

Agree with general advice to avoid overspending on speakers. They cannot improve anything, they simply throw the window open wider - so more muck can fly in!

 

[drummerman]

Perhaps consider some mission MX-2's too. They measured/reviewed superbly in Hifi World and sounded great connected to some Rega stuff.

regards

 

[matthewpiano]

Personally I'd be looking for a pair of Wharfedale 10.1s or 9.1s and using the rest of the budget to get a better amp. It isn't hard to improve on the Topaz amp.

 

[invisibleginger]

General consesnsus seems to be that paying more than around the £200 pounds mark wouldn't be worth it to accompany the current gear. I'm tempted to go for the Wharfedale 10.1s at the moment.

 

[stevebrock]

Get the Wharfedales, it will be a nice budget TT system for not much money!

 

[John Duncan]

General consesnsus seems to be that paying more than around the £200 pounds mark wouldn't be worth it to accompany the current gear. I'm tempted to go for the Wharfedale 10.1s at the moment.

I would be. The Dali Zensor 1 is an alternative, having heard them in a 5.1 set this week, they're very sweet. Harder to find deals on those though as they're still current, not discontinued.

 

[invisibleginger]

Thanks will check them out.

 

[invisibleginger]

Dali Zensor 1 is the same price as Wherfedale 121 on Superfi, do they compare at all?

 

[matthewpiano]

The Zensors have more focus but lack some warmth compared to the Wharfedales. The Zensor 3s are a big step up from both but another £100.

Also worth considering the Q Acoustics 2020i if you stick below £200.

 

[MakkaPakka]

'Open Box' Zensor 1's for £155 on ebay might be worth a look.

 

[invisibleginger]

The dali zensors are appealing to me now but not sure whether to go for the 1s or the 3s, unsure as to whether the extra 100 would be wirrth it for the 3s.