Any recommendations for a 2.1 Hi-Fi system around £200 for a newbie?

[JoeMcc]

Guys im completely new to the audio world and after my old cd player from 10 years ago died im deciding to uprgrade and start fresh.

I mostly listen to music these days digitally, on my computer and from my phone so I decided on getting something to hookup to my laptop or phone.

Problem is i didnt realise how much there is to choose from, I was considering 2.1 PC multimedia system but after much research have found out these systems are not great at all and i should get a proper set of bookshelf speakers with amp and sub etc...

This is where things got confusing for me lol. All this talk about a DAC/Soundcards different kind of amps speakers and stuff wow...Overwhelmed! I wasnt hoping to spend more than £200 but this seems not even entry level, is there such system i could build within this price range??

Also would it be compatible with my laptop? Im guessing id just hve to get a 3.55 to RCA adapter to connect pc to amp? (sorry if this is really stupid)

I mostly listen to Electronic music and Hip-hop, but the odd bit of metal and indie rock here and there...

Hope someone can clear a few things up for me - would be greatly appreciated :help:

 

[steve_1979]

The Corsair SP2500 is an excellent 2.1 system for £180.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=corsair%202.1&sprefix=corsair+2.1%2Caps&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Acorsair%202.1

But considering your budget it may be worth looking at a more conventional 2.0 system aswell. StudioSpares active speakers with the amplifiers built into them are very good for the money.

 

[knaithrover]

Entry level amps start at around the £150 mark, speakers at around £100 then you need to look at your music source - laptop,cd player, mp3 player - in your case a laptop - very simply you can connect via the headphone socket direct to your amp via a 3.5mm to 2 x RCA cable, it will sound ok but not as good as it can. If that is your budget then i'm not going to suggest all kinds of things you can't afford (unlike a lot of smarty pants on here). What i descibe will work and sound a lot better than some horrid docking station and it is a start you can build on. An Onkyo or Denon all in one with speakers included is worth a look at around the £200 mark and you can connect the same way. Look at Richer Sounds website - Cambridge Audio is decent kit and there are some good package deals available. See what you like the look of on Richer Sounds then look at second hand on ebay - theres some good cheap kit out there. Read the reviews on here aswell before you buy they are pretty accurate. Your next step will be DAC's and wireless audio...

Good Luck

 

[steve_1979]

Also would it be compatible with my laptop? Im guessing id just hve to get a 3.55 to RCA adapter to connect pc to amp? (sorry if this is really stupid)

You can play music straight from the headphone output on your laptop and it will work fine. But if use a USB DAC you will get much better sound quality.

This Behringer DAC for just £25 has very good sound quality and would be a perfect match to the Corsair and StudioSpares speakers that I have suggested.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=behringer+dac&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Abehringer+dac

 

[Oldskool1976]

Hey Joe

If I was in your boat, something like a 2nd hand Nad C320 Bee, recently saw one in cash converters for £80.

Wharfedale diamonds 9.0 new at £39(richer sounds)Audioquest Dragonfly DAC £89 new at richer sounds or the Cambridge Audio Dac at £99.

You can always upgrade the speakers when you have more funds, but it will still wipe the floor with most PC 2.1 systems!

 

[davedotco]

A pair of Studiospares Seiwin 6a active speakers and an inexpensive usb dac such as the Behringer UC202.

About £160-170 all in, you will need some cables and, ideally, speaker stands, the 6as are too big and powerful to use on a desktop.

Very powerful for the money and outstanding value, if you still want a sub, save up for something decent.

If you really want a 2.1 setup, the Acoustic Energy aego M is pretty decent, cheap enough with money left over for a dac, as above.

 

[alienmango]

If you want to blast music:

Speakers Valdus 500 - should be around £40-100, depending on luck

Amp Second hand nad, preferably above 60w rms

Normal music sound levels with better quality

Alternative diamond 9.1 £100

+ second hand amp, you can always upgrade the amp later. If you buy second hand you will be able to sell it for nearly the same.

(It's possible the Seiwin 6a active's dave mentioned may be as good as the diamonds, I have not heard them)

 

[JoeMcc]

in your case a laptop - very simply you can connect via the headphone socket direct to your amp via a 3.5mm to 2 x RCA cable, it will sound ok but not as good as it can. An Onkyo or Denon all in one with speakers included is worth a look at around the £200 mark and you can connect the same way. Look at Richer Sounds website - Cambridge Audio is decent kit and there are some good package deals available. See what you like the look of on Richer Sounds then look at second hand on ebay - theres some good cheap kit out there. Read the reviews on here aswell before you buy they are pretty accurate. Your next step will be DAC's and wireless audio...

What is the best way of connecting it? My laptop only has one 3.5mm port nothing else :-/ im guessing hdmi and usb has nothing to do with the audio?

Ive checked the richer sound website and ive saw a few deals which seems perfect for my price range http://www.richersounds.com/products/hi-fi-separates/separates/mini-hifi-system-deals Not sure if this is the right thing though. Mini hifi system with wharfdale speakers?

So will i need a DAC to replace my soundcard? Do these need to be expensive?

Thanks for the feedback!

 

[steve_1979]

What is the best way of connecting it? My laptop only has one 3.5mm port nothing else :-/ im guessing hdmi and usb has nothing to do with the audio?

Ive checked the richer sound website and ive saw a few deals which seems perfect for my price range http://www.richersounds.com/products/hi-fi-separates/separates/mini-hifi-system-deals Not sure if this is the right thing though. Mini hifi system with wharfdale speakers?

So will i need a DAC to replace my soundcard? Do these need to be expensive?

Thanks for the feedback!

If you use a DAC your laptop can output digital audio from its USB sockets. Using this method will give you much better sound quality than using the 3.5mm socket.

The Behringer UCA202 has very good sound quality and at £25 it will leave plenty of money for the most important stuff - the amplifer and speakers.

 

[JoeMcc]

Wharfedale diamonds 9.0 new at £39(richer sounds)Audioquest Dragonfly DAC £89 new at richer sounds or the Cambridge Audio Dac at £99.

You can always upgrade the speakers when you have more funds, but it will still wipe the floor with most PC 2.1 systems!

This seems like great idea! I suppose i could spend a little more on a good amp now and get those £40 Whafedale 9.0 and a DAC and then i can always upgrade the speakers a few months down the line! Any good amps in the £100-150 range then? Or is it better off second hand?

 

[JoeMcc]

If you use a DAC your laptop can output digital audio from its USB sockets. Using this method will give you much better sound quality than using the 3.5mm socket.

The Behringer UCA202 has very good sound quality and at £25 it will leave plenty of money for the most important stuff - the amplifer and speakers.

Ah i see! So the DAC basically overwrites the sound card? Or not? So instead of connecting the amp to my 3.5mm I would connect it to the DAC and the DAC connected to my laptop via USB? (again sorry if im asking really stupid stuff, just want to make sure i get it right so i dont waste money)

 

[steve_1979]

Wharfedale diamonds 9.0 new at £39(richer sounds)Audioquest Dragonfly DAC £89 new at richer sounds or the Cambridge Audio Dac at £99.

You can always upgrade the speakers when you have more funds, but it will still wipe the floor with most PC 2.1 systems!

This seems like great idea! I suppose i could spend a little more on a good amp now and get those £40 Whafedale 9.0 and a DAC and then i can always upgrade the speakers a few months down the line! Any good amps in the £100-150 range then? Or is it better off second hand?

Considering you only have a budget of £200 I think that spending £100 of that on a DAC would be a waste. You'd be much better off spending more of your budget on the amplifier and speakers.

 

[steve_1979]

If you use a DAC your laptop can output digital audio from its USB sockets. Using this method will give you much better sound quality than using the 3.5mm socket.

The Behringer UCA202 has very good sound quality and at £25 it will leave plenty of money for the most important stuff - the amplifer and speakers.

Ah i see! So the DAC basically overwrites the sound card? Or not? So instead of connecting the amp to my 3.5mm I would connect it to the DAC and the DAC connected to my laptop via USB? (again sorry if im asking really stupid stuff, just want to make sure i get it right so i dont waste money)

Yes that is correct. Using a USB DAC will bypass the laptops sound card.

Set it up like this:

Laptop USB socket > USB DAC > amplifier* > speakers

* If you use the Corsair or StudioSpares speakers which I suggested you won't need an amplifier because they already have an amplifier built into them.

 

[JoeMcc]

Yes that is correct. Using a USB DAC will bypass the laptops sound card.

Set it up like this:

Laptop USB socket > USB DAC > amplifier* > speakers.

*If you use the Corsair or StudioSpares which I suggested you won't need the amplifier because they already have the amplifier built into them

Ok thank you very much that has cleared a few things up for me. The corsair does seem like a good buy in all fairness. But I am kinda hooked on the Amp +DAC +Speakers as I can always upgrade the speakers later (maybe Q acoustics 2020i or Monitor AudioBronze BX2)

As for Amps what amps do you recommend? If i get the Wharfdale 9.0 (£40) for now, and that DAC for £25 then I am willing to spend around £150 on an amp.

 

[steve_1979]

Ok thank you very much that has cleared a few things up for me. The corsair does seem like a good buy in all fairness...

The Corsair is the best 2.1 system I've heard for under £200 and is very good if you like deep bass. But at that price you'd be able to get a 2 speaker stereo setup which will have better sound quality but won't have as much bass.

...But I am kinda hooked on the Amp +DAC +Speakers as I can always upgrade the speakers later (maybe Q acoustics 2020i or Monitor AudioBronze BX2)

As for Amps what amps do you recommend? If i get the Wharfdale 9.0 (£40) for now, and that DAC for £25 then I am willing to spend around £150 on an amp.

Richer Sounds and Superfi often have budget amplifier and speaker packages which are good value. It might be worth checking out eBay to see what bargains are on there too.

Personally if I had £200 to spend I'd go for the StudioSpares Seiwin 6a active speakers which davedotco suggested. They have the amplifier built into them and for the price will be very hard to beat using a separate amplifier and speaker combo.

 

[knaithrover]

Marantz PM5004 is a very very good amp for the price (around £150)

Check out HP Wireless Audio which will transmit to your amp (if you get one) via a dongle - sounds great and now only £25 on Amazon

(they were a ton) no wires no DAC.....

 

[CarlDW]

With your budget, I would agree with DDC. A pair of active speakers would get a better sound for the money and the Studiospares suggested look like a good deal.

 

[altruistic.lemon]

Unless you go secondhand I don't think you can get close to a proper HiFi system, outside of decent headphones, irrespective of the type of amp and speaker.

 

[steve_1979]

Check out HP Wireless Audio which will transmit to your amp (if you get one) via a dongle - sounds great and now only £25 on Amazon

(they were a ton) no wires no DAC.....

A wireless transmitter with a built in DAC. That looks like a bargain for £27.

 

[d_a_n1979]

£200 isnt a bad budget at all for a decent 2.0 system and TBH you'll do better going 2nd hand via Ebay and IMO better than powered speakers at that price unless you're lucky enough to find a set of AudioEngine A5's or EPOZ Aktimate Maxi's for that budget etc...

Have a look on eBay for:

Amps:

NAD C320 or C320BEE

Arcam Alpha 5 or 6

Marantz PM66-SE or PM6003

Speakers:

Acoustic Energy AE100's or 109's (floorstanders)

Wharfedale Diamond 9.0's or 9.1's

Tannoy Mercury V3 (floorstanders) or V1 (standmounts)

Mission M72's or M74's or M30i's etc...

As for the DAC; the Behringer ~USB DAC for sale on Amazon would be spot on for your needs currently; speaker cable can be catered for easy enough with Van Damme Blue Series studio speaker cable at c£2.50 per meter and for speaker stand s(if you go for standmount speakers); the likes of 2nd hand Soundstyle Z1's or Z2's or Atacama Nexus 6i's. You'll need interconnects to connect the DAC to the amp so something like the QED Qenex 1 or Qenex 2 would be more than sufficient

All available within your £200 budget and can be found on eBay currently

 

[the record spot]

Have a look around and see the reviews for Tannoy's excellent active 601A. You might land a pair ex-dem in budget. A cheap DAC is easily had as mentioned. The 601 enjoyed an excellent review and their tonal balance might make them a good option.

Ebay is a good option but less appealing if you're building a whole separates system from scratch. Waiting for each bit to come etc. Better to go down a simpler path that will deliver good results with a bit less hassle. Shop around, research a little and you'll get there.

 

[Native_bon]

The record spot think has given the best advice.

 

[knaithrover]

Check out HP Wireless Audio which will transmit to your amp (if you get one) via a dongle - sounds great and now only £25 on Amazon

(they were a ton) no wires no DAC.....

A wireless transmitter with a built in DAC. That looks like a bargain for £27.

Well worth a look - i hate wires- i now have 2 of these and like i said they sound great

 

[davedotco]

Have a look around and see the reviews for Tannoy's excellent active 601A. You might land a pair ex-dem in budget. A cheap DAC is easily had as mentioned. The 601 enjoyed an excellent review and their tonal balance might make them a good option.

Ebay is a good option but less appealing if you're building a whole separates system from scratch. Waiting for each bit to come etc. Better to go down a simpler path that will deliver good results with a bit less hassle. Shop around, research a little and you'll get there.

This is not a bad call as they can be had at aboiy £200-210, about half their original price. Not entirely to my taste but at that price....... :?

 

[JoeMcc]

Thanks for all the help guys really do appreciate it!

I guess by the looks of it im going to get the £25 DAC as quite a few of you have recommended it. As for an amp I guess ill do my best and have a shop around for a decent one whether it be second hand or new. Hopefully pick one up for around £150 (maybe the marantz)

For now im going to get cheap speakers (probably wharfedale 9.0) and then upgrade them after xmas. ive realised to get a decent system I should be looking at more than £200 so if i can get a half decent amp for £150-175 now I can always get a nice set of £200 speakers later.

I should mention though, this system will be on a desk in my bedroom which is a pretty small room so i dont need extremely loud speakers or amps with huge capabilities hence the budget. Also I will be using it for casual music listening only, no games or movies etc...