The crux of my question is whether forum folk would recommend a Denon DM39/Onkyo CR-N755 type mini system where you cannot physically separate the speakers and there’s not much room around them over an albeit more expensive, all in one Ruark R4i. I have an alcove at one end of my kitchen that is currently occupied by previous What HiFi 5 star system (and rather unreliable) Goodmans 1104 CD/DAB (don’t laugh). There’s room for the Denon D-M39DAB system with speakers placed against the main unit just as you see them displayed in store. There’s not enough room for a wider form factor system such as Denon Ceol RCD-N8 or Marantz MCR603 with speakers, although I could use these main units if I placed bookshelf speakers on their sides right against the ceiling on top of the kitchen cabinets either side of the alcove but I’m guessing that’s not going to give a particularly good result. In my search for “narrower” HiFi I read the What HIFI review of the Ruark R4i and the Denon Ceol Piccolo. I’ve discounted the Denon Ceol Piccolo after docking my iphone 4s and watching 5 mins of my life drift away watching it cycling through step 1 or 4, 2 of 4, 3 of 4 before going back to step 1 of 4 in Currys/PCWorld. I really like the look of the r4i. My budget of £450 is sufficient to buy a graded R4i direct from the manufacturer, or a DM39/Onkyo CR-N755 with any of the smallerbookshelf speaker options (Denon’s companion SC-M39, Monitor BX1, Q2010, Zensor1). There’s no room for a sub on , or near the alcove. Any thoughts?