Amp and CD Player Upgrade

lixa

New member
May 20, 2008
3
0
0
Hi there! I've currently got a pair of ProAc Response 1 SC which I absolutely love the sound of. However, I now need to upgrade my amp and cd player - Musical Fidelity X-A200r Amp and X-Ray CD Player. I have a budget of about £800 for an amp for now, and know that the ProAcs require a lot of kick, but at the same time, I'm not looking to blow thousands (just yet) on components. I've been thinking of the Naim 5i or Cyrus 8, maybe the new Musical Fidelity X-Ray gear, does anyone have any recommendations? Or if these speakers are so damn hard to get a good sound from, should I change them? (I'd rather not as they were a bargain and they are so sweet (sounding)!) Thanks again, Alex
 
[quote user="lixa"]Hi there!

I've currently got a pair of ProAc Response 1 SC which I absolutely love the sound of. However, I now need to upgrade my amp and cd player - Musical Fidelity X-A200r Amp and X-Ray CD Player.

I have a budget of about £800 for an amp for now, and know that the ProAcs require a lot of kick, but at the same time, I'm not looking to blow thousands (just yet) on components.

I've been thinking of the Naim 5i or Cyrus 8, maybe the new Musical Fidelity X-Ray gear, does anyone have any recommendations?

Or if these speakers are so damn hard to get a good sound from, should I change them? (I'd rather not as they were a bargain and they are so sweet (sounding)!)

Thanks again,
Alex[/quote]

I'll take the X-Ray off you.........

Depends on how you like your house sound - Cyrus - forthright but award winner, MF - detailed and Naim - no idea tbh!

See this recent thread though - http://whathifi.com/forums/t/12043.aspx
 
I would personally avoid Cyrus, I bought Cyrus kit on the strength of reviews and realised, when I Iistened to what else could be got for the money (a Sugden A21a amp and what is now the Creek Classic CDP), how uninvolving the Cyrus was I was gutted! Consequently sold the Cyrus and have upgraded sharply since. If you can get an ex-dem Sugden, which you should for £800, I'd certainly give that a listen. Ignore what anyone says about the Sugden's power rating, just try and have a listen.
 
i heard the response 1sc with the sugden and the sound was excellent. Good match imho.
 
I heard Sugden too but i think they're a tad over my budget? Naim or Cyrus, or new X series MF no good?
 
I noticed that X-Ray v8s are not selling on eBay (new with the £300 dedicated triple XXX power supply!) for £500.........

Personally, I just want to try an MF CDP with my amp. Not sure if Andrew and co want this forum turning in sales but I'm deffo interested in yours........ just to compare with my Arcam CD93 really as a 'matching' product.

If I like it there are cracking offers available of X-DAC v8 and X-Ray v8 for £800.00
 
[quote user="lixa"]I heard Sugden too but i think they're a tad over my budget? Naim or Cyrus, or new X series MF no good? [/quote]

lixa, both the naim and especially cyrus are very good amplifiers.
 
[quote user="drummerman"]
[quote user="lixa"]I heard Sugden too but i think they're a tad over my budget? Naim or Cyrus, or new X series MF no good? [/quote]

lixa, both the naim and especially cyrus are very good amplifiers.
[/quote]

Steering away from the coma inducer I play? 😀
 
[quote user="Graham_Thomas"]Steering away from the coma inducer I play? 😀[/quote]

Not sure what you mean Graham_Thomas but I have heard MF x-rays with and without separate DAC with a number of different speakers. Its an involving sound that never grates or offends but at the same time failed to set me alight when it needed to. It's no bad product and can tame overly bright speakers. It will also add a nice bloom to lower frequencies if thats something you like but bass is loose and detail/leading edge attack lacking compared to same price alternatives or cheaper ones as in cyrus'es case.
 
It is a X-Ray V1 if I've not made that obvious!

The difficulty is finding a shop with all of the brands I want to try under one room - Sevenoaks are good with Cyrus, but nothing else on my list!
 
[quote user="drummerman"]
[quote user="Graham_Thomas"]Steering away from the coma inducer I play? 😀[/quote]

Not sure what you mean Graham_Thomas but I have heard MF x-rays with and without separate DAC with a number of different speakers. Its an involving sound that never grates or offends but at the same time failed to set me alight when it needed to. It's no bad product and can tame overly bright speakers. It will also add a nice bloom to lower frequencies if thats something you like but bass is loose and detail/leading edge attack lacking compared to same price alternatives or cheaper ones as in cyrus'es case.
[/quote]

you pronounced my Arcam as coma inducing 🙂
 
[quote user="Graham_Thomas"][quote user="drummerman"]
[quote user="Graham_Thomas"]Steering away from the coma inducer I play? 😀[/quote]

Not sure what you mean Graham_Thomas but I have heard MF x-rays with and without separate DAC with a number of different speakers. Its an involving sound that never grates or offends but at the same time failed to set me alight when it needed to. It's no bad product and can tame overly bright speakers. It will also add a nice bloom to lower frequencies if thats something you like but bass is loose and detail/leading edge attack lacking compared to same price alternatives or cheaper ones as in cyrus'es case.

[/quote] you pronounced my Arcam as coma inducing 🙂[/quote]

... never
emotion-1.gif
 

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts