around £1000 to spend on system suggestions please

[admin_exported]

Hi

Starting from scratch would like to have suggestions on a system (cd player,amp,speakers)that is an all rounder as music taste is varied .Room size is roughly 25ft by 11ft with the regular furnishings ,i would like the speakers to have a deepish bass if that is possible with the money ive got to spend.

Any suggestions appreciated

cheers

 

[Anonymous]

Shawn are you looking at new or would you consider second hand.......pre-loved will take your money further on your budget

 

[JoelSim]

[quote user="shawn"]
Hi

Starting from scratch would like to have suggestions on a system (cd player,amp,speakers)that is an all rounder as music taste is varied .Room size is roughly 25ft by 11ft with the regular furnishings ,i would like the speakers to have a deepish bass if that is possible with the money ive got to spend.

Any suggestions appreciated

cheers
[/quote]

B&W speakers are renowned for tight, deep bass. If you were to buy new/ex demo from one place you could do a bit of bartering and get £350-400 pieces for each of your 3 requirements for £1k including speaker cable an interconnects. Perhaps look at an ex demo Rega Apollo, B&W 685 and a Marantz/NAD amp. Also have a look at Monitor Audio BR5 and Epos M5 or M12.2 speakers.

 

[JoelSim]

Also look at Rotel.

 

[Anonymous]

I agree with the B&W and Rotel suggestion......I opted for these 8 years ago when I had a similar budget, and they kept me happy for that long until the upgrade bug set in. My other suggestions are Dali Ikon 2 (ex-demo cost 399), Marantz cd6002 (was quite impressed with the sound and price: 250-300 new) - matched with the pm7001 integrated amp (350) is definitely worth a listen.

 

[JoelSim]

What have you got now Sam?

 

[Anonymous]

Primare - CD31/Pre30/Two A31s.........biamping Dali Helicon 800s mk2....I rush home from work these days to listen to music!

 

[d_a_n1979]

I agree with looking at a system around the £1k mark, i'd go 2nd hand via Ebay or some of the other hifi seperates sites on the web

I think it would be worth looking at Arcam amps and CD players, Musical Fidelity Amps, Rotel and NAD amps also.

Amps for providing good, deep bass with well controlled midrange/treble would be Arcam Alpha 9 or 10 integrated amps, NAD C352 amp, Rotel RA-04/05 amps or the Musical Fidelity X-A1 or the X-A2 amps.

As for CD players i'd look at Arcam alpha 8SE, Arcam CD72 or the CD73, NAD C542, Rega Apollo or the Planet

As for speakers take a look at B&W 685's, 602 S2's, 602 S3's (all standmounters) or possibly the B&W 603 S2's or 603 Ss's (floorstanders). Other speakers would be Monitor Audio BR5's or the RS6's (floorstanders) or the Monitor Audio RS1's.

You can find plenty of very good examples of all on Ebay, you just have to keep looking. Make sure that the seller offers a good write up and obviously that the seperates are in pristine condition. Also make sure feedback is good!

 

[John Duncan]

[quote user="fr0g"]To be honest, if you are looking at a whole system, you get great value new...Just check out the system deals at some of the majors (look at the adds in What-HiFi.). Take advantage of dems, and preferably home-trials.

Personally I'd save 2nd hand for upgrades and when you have more experience.[/quote]

Agreed - get Richer Sounds' "Hifi System 4" for £550 quid - 640 cd and amp and free Mordaunt Short speakers thrown in. If it doesn't sound fantastic to you (though it ought to be a pretty good start), you have a) 450 quid in your budget left and b) you've saved 150 quid on the package deal, so there's 600 quid upgrade money (said the accountant).

As an example, sell the speakers for 100 quid on eBay, you have 500 quid to buy a pair of AVI Neutron IVs or B&W CM1s, there's a really great system right there. Alternatively, do the same with the amp and swap it out for something like a Creek Evo or Rotel RA-06. CD player can stay (some here will say otherwise)

jd

 

[d_a_n1979]

You can get the NAD C352 amp and the NAD C542 CD player from superfi for just over £500 in one of their 'systems' deals

http://www.superfi.co.uk/index.cfm/page/moreinfo.cfm/Product_ID/2164

http://www.superfi.co.uk/index.cfm/page/category.cfm/Category/253

Would be well worth looking at as youve got a fairly ok budget for speakers and cabling then too!

 

[John Duncan]

[quote user="d_a_n1979"]You can get the NAD C352 amp and the NAD C542 CD player from superfi for less than £500 in one of their 'systems' deals

Would be well worth looking at as youve got a fairly ok budget for speakers and cabling then too![/quote]
Yup, another good call. 500 quid on speakers will make them ac' real nice.

 

[Anonymous]

[quote user="JohnDuncan"][quote user="d_a_n1979"]You can get the NAD C352 amp and the NAD C542 CD player from superfi for less than £500 in one of their 'systems' deals

Would be well worth looking at as youve got a fairly ok budget for speakers and cabling then too![/quote]

Yup, another good call. 500 quid on speakers will make them ac' real nice.[/quote]

Thats what i would go for. Not sure about speakers.I have the rs1's but if you want really deep bass they will not give it.They are all about speed and resolution with good bass for a standmount. Monitor audio Br5's are excellent and would go very well with the nad kit or cambridge for that matter.The epos M5 are good but probably come into a similar category to the mon audio RS1's in terms of bass. Sevenoaks did have 25% off all monitor audio speakers, that offer might still be going on.That would give you enough dough left over for some good speaker cable and interconnects. Should you buy mon audio speakers dont buy qed silver anniversary speaker cable. I am not a fan anyway, think its hugely overrated compared to some others at similar price, but its also not so great with monitor audio speakers as it can make things sound too bright.

 

[John Duncan]

[quote user="Fraziel"]The epos M5 are good[/quote]

And they do a NAD deal with those very ones......

 

[drummerman]

[quote user="d_a_n1979"]I agree with looking at a system around the £1k mark, i'd go 2nd hand via Ebay or some of the other hifi seperates sites on the web [/quote]

Certainly not. Dont listen to any muppet suggesting you should put a system together from ebay!

We had a similar thread not so long ago where a bloke was willing and happy to blow a grand on second hand stuff he never heard or seen. Only a complete idiot would do that ok.

If you KNOW what you want its ok to buy from auction. If on the other hand you have'nt got a clue and are putting together a system of unknown components, perhaps your first serious one, buy new from a dealer unless he has second hand gear you can audition. Richer Sounds, as mentioned, is ok too if they got something, you can return the stuff if you're not pleased.

Dont fall in to the trap of putting a system together from reviews only either. A good dealer will set up different options for you to audition. Once you found what you like take it home for a trial.

If you want to know what I suggest let me know. For now, ignore some of the advise given. They should know better.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the advice

I was thinking along the lines of the nad c542 with the nad c352 not sure on the speakers as yet though but the br5's are an option or may spend a bit more on the rs6's need to hear them first before i make a choice.

Any suggestions on what speaker cable and connects.

If im making a bad choice would you let me know please as will be thinking of buying near the end of the month or if there is another system roughly the same price thats a better option.

Many Thanks

 

[JoelSim]

I suspect that would sound pretty damn good. Do trial and see what you like. A dealer will give you a discount if you're buying 3 things and cables.

 

[Anonymous]

[quote user="shawn"]

Thanks for the advice

I was thinking along the lines of the nad c542 with the nad c352 not sure on the speakers as yet though but the br5's are an option or may spend a bit more on the rs6's need to hear them first before i make a choice.

Any suggestions on what speaker cable and connects.

If im making a bad choice would you let me know please as will be thinking of buying near the end of the month or if there is another system roughly the same price thats a better option.

Many Thanks
[/quote]

if you can afford the RS6's with the nad kit then go for them.They are better speakers than the BR5's.Do the demo and i am sure you will agree.

 

[Anonymous]

The nad 542 with the 352 is a great shout......and as said before, if you buy online at superfi you'll save over 170 pounds and get the pair for 500 .......provided you're happy with the demo first. I agree with the MA suggestions, but superfi also do the epos m22's for 750 (which is a real bargain)....that would take your system cost to 1250 which might be too much.....demo them with the nad kit and see what you think........if you're sold by them, decide on interconnects before agreeing on speakers, then tell them you'd like to consider the m22's, it would mean going over your budget but if they throw the leads in for free then you'll consider it Come back to us for leads suggestions when you're sure about your kit

 

[Anonymous]

[quote user="fr0g"]To be honest, if you are looking at a whole system, you get great value new...Just check out the system deals at some of the majors (look at the adds in What-HiFi.). Take advantage of dems, and preferably home-trials.
Personally I'd save 2nd hand for upgrades and when you have more experience.[/quote]

.........agreed.........I'm still in upgrade mode hence the ex-demo/second hand suggestion....but yes, when I started from scratch, I wanted to open my kit fresh from it's box, and as much as places like richer sounds get slated, they really looked after me.......demo'd stuff in the shop and my home repeatedly and they were really patient.