Arcam vs Marantz? B&W / Dynaudio / or Audio Physic?

[admin_exported]

Good morning all.

I am going to have the opportunity to try the following amplifier - speaker combinations at a shop during the week :

a) ARCAM A28 (first with Dynaudio DM 3/7, then with B&W CM8, then with Audio Physic YARA II Superior)

b) MARANTZ Pearl-Lite (with the 3 speaker systems mentioned above)

c) NAD C356BEE (with the 3 speaker systems mentioned above, plus Focal Chorus 726V).

Prices are within my budget range and are as follows (in my local currency, whatever it may be):

NAD C356BEE : 750

ARCAM A28 : 1,000

Marantz Pearl-Lite: 1,200

Focal Chorus 726V: 1,100

Dynaudio DM3/7 : 1,450

B&W CM8 : 1,800

Yara Superior : 2,000

The room at home where the future system will be placed has 50 square meters surface, but I'll be seated approx. 4 meters from the speakers.

Yes, *I* am the one to be present at the demo, but *you* are the ones with vast knowledge of audio equipment. I would love to know which combination you would prefer out of the components mentioned above. I'll couple that info with the sound that my ears will hear on Friday. Thank you.

 

[Anonymous]

What would be handy to know is what music do you generally listen to? Also; the room that your hifi will be in; will be it bcarpeted and furnished or has it got wooden floors etc...

These elements above can make a difference to each system so they need to be taken into account

For me the Arcam and NAD amps would be the front runners along with the B&W CM8 and Dynaudio speakers. I've not heard of the Yara speakers so cannot comment. I have heard the Marantz amp but it wasnt for me; I'm just not a fan of the Marantz sound.

Are you able to demo other speakers in the Dynaudio or B&W range? What about the likes of Rega, PMC, ATC, QUAD, Monitor Audio etc... Are any of those makes of speakers available for you to demo?

 

[Anonymous]

- Music : Diana Krall...Coleman Hawkins...big band....Leonard Cohen...Tchaikovsky...classic jazz....salsa......

- The room has wooden floors and is furnished

- I am being told that I prefer "warm-to-neutral" sound in audio

- That particular shop can only demonstrate with the components that I've mentioned in my first post.

Thank you.

 

[Helmut80]

I was really impressed with the Arcam A38 + Dynaudio Xcite X32 combo I heard on the weekend, so I would definitely give the A28/Dm 3/7 a try, but I haven't heard either.

 

[CnoEvil]

- Music : Diana Krall...Coleman Hawkins...big band....Leonard Cohen...Tchaikovsky...classic jazz....salsa......

- The room has wooden floors and is furnished

- I am being told that I prefer "warm-to-neutral" sound in audio

- That particular shop can only demonstrate with the components that I've mentioned in my first post.

Thank you.

I don't know how much help this will be, but the only time I have heard Audio Physic speakers was on the end of a Bel Canto Amp/Dac. Nice combo and the sound was just to the warm side of neutral - to these ears anyway.

Although I have been told that they can sound bright, if incorrectly paired with the wrong amp.

 

[Helmut80]

Have you had a chance to hear the Dynaudio DM 3/7 yet?