An opportunity to upgrade

[altruistic.lemon]

my other thought would be Sonus Faber. Personally I find them a touch warm, but for classical they can deliver that sense of scale you need.

Heard I Musici's 4 Seasons a while ago and it sticks in my mind as a truly memorable moment, just as Tchaikovsky's violin concerto with Janice Jansen does with Magnepan for me.

 

[CnoEvil]

my other thought would be Sonus Faber. Personally I find them a touch warm, but for classical they can deliver that sense of scale you need.

Heard I Musici's 4 Seasons a while ago and it sticks in my mind as a truly memorable moment, just as Tchaikovsky's violin concerto with Janice Jansen does with Magnepan for me.

Totally agree.

 

[plastic penguin]

I would advise the OP to visit a certain Coventry dealer and listen to Leema Elements, along with some Leema speakers (Xones or Xeroes). That should meet his criteria, nice and compact and fall within the budget. Or if the dealer doesn't stock Leema speakers then PMCs should do the trick nicely.

 

[Electro]

Many thanks for all the suggestions. I live in Birmingham, the UK's second largest city, and this is the result of my first trawl looking for dealers of the kit you variously recommend:

Arcam – Ok

Sugden – No dealers in West Midlands

Creek – Ok

Cyrus – Ok

Electrcompaniet – No dealers in West Midlands

Harbeth – No dealers in West Midlands

Kef - Ok

Musical Fidelity – Ok

Naim – Ok

Pathos – No dealers in West Midlands

ProAc – Ok

Quad – Ok

Spendor – No dealers in Birmingham

I fear this is going to be a frustrating exercise!

Chris

What about Midland Audio Exchange in Belbroughton , they stock Electrocompaniet

http://www.midlandaudiox-change.co.uk/index_frontscreen.htm

 

[CnoEvil]

What about Midland Audio Exchange in Belbroughton , they stock Electrocompaniet

ECI-3 reduced to £949 (under "special offers" - Amps)

Edit. They also have Diapason and SF under "special offers" - Speakers

 

[Electro]

Well spotted CNO

The ECI3 with those SF Luito towers or the Diapasons would be wonderful imo especially at those prices !

 

[CnoEvil]

Well spotted CNO

The ECI3 with those SF Luito towers or the Diapasons would be wonderful imo especially at those prices !

Job done..............Next please............

 

[plastic penguin]

Well spotted CNO

The ECI3 with those SF Luito towers or the Diapasons would be wonderful imo especially at those prices !

Job done..............Next please............

No it isn't job done. It's only job done if they have on special offer for a lengthy period, and not "until stocks last". With the OP's budget, and to buy brand new, you ain't gonna get Sugden amps, Electro, or any other obscure brands at 'cut price', unless they're second hand or ex-dem - and then they'll probably be twitchy about numerous dems,

At least the dealers I've alluded to (can't believe I'm recommending a specific dealer) he'll have a widespread of different brands - not just two or three - and won't object to swapping around.

I generally feel sorry for the likes of Sugden or Electros of this world. That said, if they can't get their distribution together they can't blame anyone except themselves. They need to be more accessible.

Gripe over.

 

[CnoEvil]

No it isn't job done. It's only job done if they have on special offer for a lengthy period, and not "until stocks last". With the OP's budget, and to buy brand new, you ain't gonna get Sugden amps, Electro, or any other obscure brands at 'cut price', unless they're second hand or ex-dem - and then they'll probably be twitchy about numerous dems,

At least the dealers I've alluded to (can't believe I'm recommending a specific dealer) he'll have a widespread of different brands - not just two or three - and won't object to swapping around.

I generally feel sorry for the likes of Sugden or Electros of this world. That said, if they can't get their distribution together they can't blame anyone except themselves. They need to be more accessible.

Gripe over.

I know........I wasn't being particularly serious........though in the OP's position, I would be paying them a visit. :shifty:

 

[plastic penguin]

I don't have a problem with any of those brands mentioned. I've not them but the rep seems superb, but my issue is with those dealers. The perfect example was when someone mentioned to me about Electro CDP. No-one on here had heard the PC-1 and was recommended to a dealer in Tonbridge Wells, Kent. "Really helpful" someone on here said. After a lengthy conversation with him I put the phone down totally deflated. Yes, he is a Electro dealer but refused to wholeheartedly recommend the entry-level version. Instead he wanted to sell me Exposure 3010S, saying it was a far better CDP. There was no-way I would travel 80 miles (round trip) to be palmed off.

Rather go to a dealer I know and trust (closer to home) and buy something more readily availble and be totally satisfied than put wear 'n' tear on my vehicles and find I've gained nothing.

 

[Hi-FiOutlaw]

For classical and voices how about a Sonneteer Campion...

 

[matthewpiano]

One of the nicest combinations I've heard for classical music is the Arcam A38 amplifier with Focal Chorus 806v speakers. Might be worth trying the Arcam with several different speakers. It hasn't got the glamour of some of the other options but it is a bloomin good amplifier.

 

[CnoEvil]

I don't have a problem with any of those brands mentioned. I've not them but the rep seems superb, but my issue is with those dealers. The perfect example was when someone mentioned to me about Electro CDP. No-one on here had heard the PC-1 and was recommended to a dealer in Tonbridge Wells, Kent. "Really helpful" someone on here said. After a lengthy conversation with him I put the phone down totally deflated. Yes, he is a Electro dealer but refused to wholeheartedly recommend the entry-level version. Instead he wanted to sell me Exposure 3010S, saying it was a far better CDP. There was no-way I would travel 80 miles (round trip) to be palmed off.

Rather go to a dealer I know and trust (closer to home) and buy something more readily availble and be totally satisfied than put wear 'n' tear on my vehicles and find I've gained nothing.

I'm not sure that you can infer from this experience that it's not worth following up leads that may well sound great to the OP.

Every dealer has their favorites, which may not coincide with one's own taste. One of my dealers prefers Linn amps; the other Focal speakers.......neither of which would be on my list of favorites.

 

[Covenanter]

Many thanks for all the suggestions. I live in Birmingham, the UK's second largest city, and this is the result of my first trawl looking for dealers of the kit you variously recommend:

Arcam – Ok

Sugden – No dealers in West Midlands

Creek – Ok

Cyrus – Ok

Electrcompaniet – No dealers in West Midlands

Harbeth – No dealers in West Midlands

Kef - Ok

Musical Fidelity – Ok

Naim – Ok

Pathos – No dealers in West Midlands

ProAc – Ok

Quad – Ok

Spendor – No dealers in Birmingham

I fear this is going to be a frustrating exercise!

Chris

What about Midland Audio Exchange in Belbroughton , they stock Electrocompaniet

http://www.midlandaudiox-change.co.uk/index_frontscreen.htm

I missed these people and they are fairly close. Their website is incredibly tedious but they are not alone in that! I wonder if hifi manufacturers and dealers ever look at their own websites?

The point I was making is that it's really hard to see how anybody can organise any comparitive auditions of all this kit when nobody stocks it! My aural memory isn't so great that I can listen to something one week and remember it well enough to compare it with something else a week or more later (unless it is grossly different).

Chris

 

[CnoEvil]

My aural memory isn't so great that I can listen to something one week and remember it well enough to compare it with something else a week or more later (unless it is grossly different).

Chris

It is well worth taking notes, which can help bring back the experience.

 

[BigH]

Many thanks for all the suggestions. I live in Birmingham, the UK's second largest city, and this is the result of my first trawl looking for dealers of the kit you variously recommend:

Arcam – Ok

Sugden – No dealers in West Midlands

Creek – Ok

Cyrus – Ok

Electrcompaniet – No dealers in West Midlands

Harbeth – No dealers in West Midlands

Kef - Ok

Musical Fidelity – Ok

Naim – Ok

Pathos – No dealers in West Midlands

ProAc – Ok

Quad – Ok

Spendor – No dealers in Birmingham

I fear this is going to be a frustrating exercise!

Chris

What about Midland Audio Exchange in Belbroughton , they stock Electrocompaniet

http://www.midlandaudiox-change.co.uk/index_frontscreen.htm

I missed these people and they are fairly close. Their website is incredibly tedious but they are not alone in that! I wonder if hifi manufacturers and dealers ever look at their own websites?

The point I was making is that it's really hard to see how anybody can organise any comparitive auditions of all this kit when nobody stocks it! My aural memory isn't so great that I can listen to something one week and remember it well enough to compare it with something else a week or more later (unless it is grossly different).

Chris

It is quite hard to compare hifi at different dealers but you have fairly large ones near you so that helps. From my auditions I did not like half the speakers I heard so its easy to elimate speakers I found. Also some will allow a home demo for a few days or even longer. I would just go along to several dealers and hear different gear and see what you like and then narrow down the choice. And try active as well as passive speakers, if you want clarity and soundstage I think actives have an advantage.

 

[Covenanter]

Just to update this, I've put it on the back-burner for now and bought a new car instead. 8)

I may revist it later this summer.

Chris

 

[CnoEvil]

Just to update this, I've put it on the back-burner for now and bought a new car instead. 8)

I may revist it later this summer.

Chris

I hope it's got a good sound system in it. :bounce:

 

[Covenanter]

Just to update this, I've put it on the back-burner for now and bought a new car instead. 8)

I may revist it later this summer.

Chris

I hope it's got a good sound system in it. :bounce:

It's got 6 speakers and I think it will do!

Chris

 

[davidvann]

hi convenanter have a look at definitive audio website he stocks really good hifi equipment and will be able to advise you well with your hifi needs.

cheers david