Assistance needed in hifi set-up

[admin_exported]

Hi, I'm a newbie planning to get myself a new hifi system and need some advice from the gurus here.

My intended set-up is:

Cyrus CD 6 SE + Roksan Kandy K2 + ATC SCM 11/B&W 684

However, I'm wondering if the following set-up would make any significant difference:

Cyrus CD 8 SE (or Roksan Caspian M-Series 1) + Cyrus XP 8 or (Roksan Caspian M series) amp + ATC SCM 11 / B&W 684

Also, what speaker cables and interconnects would best complement the above set-up?

Thanks!

 

[Anonymous]

Errmm....can anyone help me? I know I'm new to all this and my question may sound dumb and ridiculous but any feedback or input is much appreciated. Thanks!

 

[the record spot]

Hi, welcome to the forum - from memory, WHF (and one or two other magazines) have muttered great things about the kit you mention. WHF said that while the Cyrus 6SE was good, the 8 represented a further step up again. Likewise with the Roksan gear. I think it depends on what you want to hear, how you want to hear and if the investment in the more expensive kit will deliver a performance that is improved to such an extent to warrant the additional spend.

My only queries would be have you already considered other kit and have you set your budget? The Caspian gear went up from £1200 to around £1500 I think, the Kandy is around the £850 mark...horses for courses and all that, but there is a lot of good kit around for that money...both new and used that will reap good rewards.

 

[matthewpiano]

Firstly, have you auditioned the suggested set-up(s)? This is vital to make sure that the sound these components make is what you are looking for.

Personally I was underwhelmed by the Cyrus CD player and would personally suggest also auditioning the full Roksan Kandy K2 system, including the Roksan speakers. I heard this set-up the other day and thought it sounded absolutely superb.

I would also strongly recommend listening to the Naim CD5i,and Nait 5i amplifier with the ATC speakers. I think the Naim kit is very very hard to better at its price point. I auditioned the CD5i and Nait 5i a few months ago, and I heard the Uniti the other day. I was very taken with both.

 

[the record spot]

Blimey Matt, more kit?! You change gear almost as often as I change amps - and that's saying something!

 

[JoelSim]

It all depends on how you like your music. I've never been a fan of the Cyrus sound, and I just don't get why Naim is so revered. I've heard both of these brands on a number of occasions and been underwhelmed.

You definitely need to listen to a Cyrus/Kandy system to see whether it's what you're after. Mellow it ain't!

 

[Anonymous]

the record spot:Hi, welcome to the forum - from memory, WHF (and one or two other magazines) have muttered great things about the kit you mention. WHF said that while the Cyrus 6SE was good, the 8 represented a further step up again. Likewise with the Roksan gear. I think it depends on what you want to hear, how you want to hear and if the investment in the more expensive kit will deliver a performance that is improved to such an extent to warrant the additional spend. My only queries would be have you already considered other kit and have you set your budget? The Caspian gear went up from £1200 to around £1500 I think, the Kandy is around the £850 mark...horses for courses and all that, but there is a lot of good kit around for that money...both new and used that will reap good rewards.

Thanks for the welcome and the comments. Yeah...I have made provision in my budget in the event I want to go for the more expensive gear.

 

[Anonymous]

matthewpiano:Firstly, have you auditioned the suggested set-up(s)? This is vital to make sure that the sound these components make is what you are looking for. Personally I was underwhelmed by the Cyrus CD player and would personally suggest also auditioning the full Roksan Kandy K2 system, including the Roksan speakers. I heard this set-up the other day and thought it sounded absolutely superb. I would also strongly recommend listening to the Naim CD5i,and Nait 5i amplifier with the ATC speakers. I think the Naim kit is very very hard to better at its price point. I auditioned the CD5i and Nait 5i a few months ago, and I heard the Uniti the other day. I was very taken with both.

Hi matthew, may I know what you mean when you said your were underwhelmed by the Cyrus? It didn't live up to the rave reviews it got from WHF?

Auditioning is pretty difficult due to where I reside so I'm afraid I'll have to depend greatly on magazine reviews.

 

[Anonymous]

JoelSim: It all depends on how you like your music. I've never been a fan of the Cyrus sound, and I just don't get why Naim is so revered. I've heard both of these brands on a number of occasions and been underwhelmed.

You definitely need to listen to a Cyrus/Kandy system to see whether it's what you're after. Mellow it ain't

Wow Joel.....you're the 2nd person to say that you were underwhelmed! Hmmmmm....http://www.postsmile.com/

Well, auditioning kits will be quite a challenge since I reside in a town in Malaysia that doesn't have any hi-fi shops. I'll have to travel to KL (the capital city) in order to do that.

I listen mostly to R&B, jazz, rock and a few other genre so I guess I need a system that's a good all-rounder and I do favour non-mellow systems.

 

[chebby]

JoelSim:It all depends on how you like your music. I've never been a fan of the Cyrus sound, and I just don't get why Naim is so revered. I've heard both of these brands on a number of occasions and been underwhelmed.

jtein:Hi matthew, may I know what you mean when you said your were underwhelmed by the Cyrus? It didn't live up to the rave reviews it got from WHF?

Auditioning is pretty difficult due to where I reside so I'm afraid I'll have to depend greatly on magazine reviews

That is going to be a pretty unsatisfactory way of choosing a system Even amongst the WHF staff you will find those who love Cyrus (just check the reviews and awards) and you will also find comments from other WHF staff who are definitely not Cyrus fans. I am sure the same goes for Naim.

I too did not 'get' the Naim sound for a long time (actually until just over 5 months ago) but now cannot imagine why I listened to anything else.

I am afraid you are not going to get anywhere with deciding by reviews (WHF, other magazines, or our own opinions) and - this is from personal experience - listening to systems at a dealer is pretty useless too.

You will need to get home demos and presumably you cant', so I am sorry to say that - unless you get really lucky with choosing based on reviews - you are unlikely to ever find the system that really suits you.

Good luck anyway.

 

[Anonymous]

chebby:That is going to be a pretty unsatisfactory way of choosing a system Even amongst the WHF staff you will find those who love Cyrus (just check the reviews and awards) and you will also find comments from other WHF staff who are definitely not Cyrus fans. I am sure the same goes for Naim.

I too did not 'get' the Naim sound for a long time (actually until just over 5 months ago) but now cannot imagine why I listened to anything else.

I am afraid you are not going to get anywhere with deciding by reviews (WHF, other magazines, or our own opinions) and - this is from personal experience - listening to systems at a dealer is pretty useless too.

You will need to get home demos and presumably you cant', so I am sorry to say that - unless you get really lucky with choosing based on reviews - you are unlikely to ever find the system that really suits you.

Good luck anyway.

Thanks Chebby.....looks like I'll just have to live with it. Home demos? Absolutely impossible in Malaysia.

Anyway....what are the characteristics of the Naim sound that you didn't 'get'? And what are the characteristics of Cyrus products?

 

[matthewpiano]

jtein:
matthewpiano:Firstly, have you auditioned the suggested set-up(s)? This is vital to make sure that the sound these components make is what you are looking for. Personally I was underwhelmed by the Cyrus CD player and would personally suggest also auditioning the full Roksan Kandy K2 system, including the Roksan speakers. I heard this set-up the other day and thought it sounded absolutely superb. I would also strongly recommend listening to the Naim CD5i,and Nait 5i amplifier with the ATC speakers. I think the Naim kit is very very hard to better at its price point. I auditioned the CD5i and Nait 5i a few months ago, and I heard the Uniti the other day. I was very taken with both.

Hi matthew, may I know what you mean when you said your were underwhelmed by the Cyrus? It didn't live up to the rave reviews it got from WHF?

Auditioning is pretty difficult due to where I reside so I'm afraid I'll have to depend greatly on magazine reviews.

I find the Cyrus sound too overtly 'hi-fi' and a bit on the clinical side. Others (including WHFS&V) love it. I was only making the point that you should listen to a few things before making your decision so that you are sure you are going down the right road.

 

[matthewpiano]

the record spot:Blimey Matt, more kit?! You change gear almost as often as I change amps - and that's saying something!

Yeah but I'm not in the Cyrus/Naim ball-park. Finances won't stretch that far and I'm not convinced its enough of a step up from a good budget system. I'm looking at the Marantz 6003 amp and CD player which I was very impressed with at the weekend.