Audition Time

[KayJay85]

So alot of the helpful forumgoers at WHF have given me sound advice (no pun intended) and I am going to setup some auditions for this weekend. I am going to try and build a lossless collection of music but in the meantime want to audition a kit w/o a CDP as I will connect my ipod/laptop directly or through a DAC to the amp. Can I ask dealers to setup a DAC system or will I just have to use an RCA connector with my ipod there?

Secondly, what are recommended dealers in central london? Closest to me is Hifi Confidential but I also want to check out Sevenoaks and Richer Sounds. Any good places I am omitting?

Lastly, what I am considering auditioning are:

Amps: marantz pm6002, CA azur 340A SE, NAD 325BEE, Rotel RA04

Speakers: B&W 685, Dali Lektor 1, Acoustic Energy Neo 3, Monitor Audio BR2/Silver SR1

thoughts on good combos? anything particularly bright or anything?

thanks again

 

[Anonymous]

The Rotel and B&W pairing catch my eye (ears?) there. Nice and smooth, dynamic and punchy. Used to have the MA RS1s with a Rotel and found it too bright for me, it was the speakers at fault.

Not sure how you'll get on testing DACs because I don't ever see them in high street dealers. The CA DACMagic is only available at Richer Sounds so makes it a tricky audition. The Beresford is online only. You might find the Musical Fidelity though.

Good luck.

 

[Anonymous]

MA speakers go well with the NAD as would the AE

 

[d_a_n1979]

Hmmm

Some nice separates there:

IMO id be looking at either the NAD or Rotel partnered with the B&W 685s, the Dali's or the M/A RS1's.

Good cable and interconnects will calm down the forwardness of the RS1's in most cases but that shouldnt be an issue with the NAD amp.

What kind of music do you listen to?

 

[Anonymous]

Can't comment on the NAD or Rotel, but the Marantz is significantly better than that Cambridge 340A. Would be fairer to pitch it against the 540A. RS are still advertising a big discount on the silver model of the 640A, although I have a feeling you will be lucky to find them in stock.

As regards the speakers, I found the B&W with the Marantz to be spectacularly dull. This may be due to the amp not have sufficient oomph to drive the speakers sufficiently... or it may just be that they are shockingly dull. For me, first on that list to audition would be the BR2s.

All just my opinion of course. Enjoy the auditions.

 

[KayJay85]

Thanks for the quick replies!

So looks like the amps have narrowed down to the NAD and the Rotel (though I am a bit put off by the lack of remote on the Rotel

) while the speakers coming out on top are the B&Ws and the MAs

I listen to alot of rock followed by pop, dance/electronic and just getting into some jazz

Can the B&W type standmounts work well in a room 12x15 ft with room to grow? My current lounge is smallish but I want these speakers to be able to move with me into a new place when that happens.

 

[the record spot]

Dealer suggestion: Billy Vee in Lewisham, I should be on commission for the number of times I mention the shop on here, but they do some great stuff, offer a 1 year warranty on used kit, member of BADA (maybe worth checking the BADA marketplace too incidentally, Google it) and been very helpful whenever I contacted them.

Suggested other kit: Look for a deal on the Marantz PM7001-KI, now replaced by the PM8003. Check out the Dali Lektor 2s which look to be a shortlist for Speaker of the Year and £100 cheaper than the B&Ws.

 

[KayJay85]

So I have been wandering around online and it seems that there are few (if any) dealers where I can really audition all the kits I would like to. Is this a common occurrence or am I just not looking at the right places or are the pieces of my kit just so random?