b&w 685, cambridge 540a V2 and marantz cd6002

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HI All,

Quick question would you put the items in the subject line together as a system? I'm looking to buy a new system, but only have a finite budget, and these appear to fit my needs. I'm a big fan of rock music!

Thanks,

Tom
 

Clare Newsome

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Hi Tom,

While all these components are excellent, five-star products in their own price-class, they're not ideal partners to make a balanced system - the amp simply wouldn't do the player or speakers justice.

Replacing the amp with the Rotel RA-04 (£250) would be a move in the right direction - though the speakers (especially if you enjoy rock music) would take being driven even harder (though this could be a future upgrade).

Make sure to budget for speaker stands (really solid stands, like Partington's Superdreadnoughts, willl really help the B&Ws punch out your music) and cables, too.

If you simply don't have the budget for these extras, you'd be better off with more basic components and moving up as your budget allows. For example, the Cambridge Amp with its matching 540C CD player and Mordaunt-Short Avant 902i speakers would be a really energetic budget system, plus Mission Stancette or Soundstyle Z2 stands and some decent interconnects (Chord Crimson or Atlas Equator, for example) and speaker cable (QED Silver Anniversary XT).
 
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Anonymous

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http://www.richersounds.com/information.php?cda=static&cst=hifisystems

THRY SISTEM 5 I HAD SOMTHING VERY SIMILAR AND WAS VERRY HAPPY WITH IT AS ABUDGET SISTEM
 
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Anonymous

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thanks for the quick reply Clare... My budget could potentially stretch to about 1k. Anymore thoughts knowing my budget?
 

Cypher

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I would choose Monitor Audio BR2 as speakers, they are brilliant for the money. As Clare already said, try the Rotel RA-04 also.
 

DNICE1

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[quote user="Cypher"]

I would choose Monitor Audio BR2 as speakers, they are brilliant for the money. As Clare already said, try the Rotel RA-04 also.

[/quote]

Cypher I had a chance to listen to the combination you are suggesting at a local Sevenoaks store last Saturday and to my ears the Rotel RA-04 although sounding much clearer lacked in bass to an extent that it almost sounded like someone was punching a hollow plywood box from the outside (very tinny). But since I had listened to the newer Marantz PM6002 just before the Rotel I could only compare the two at the time.

I now own the PM6002 which produces really deep and solid bass and quite open and rich sound with the BR2s and the CD6002. The only thing I can notice is that in order to have a good bass reporduction I have to crank up the volume to nearly 1/4 otherwise I cannot hear the same punch from the speakers. Maybe its just the speakers or could be that amp is lacking in power. Anyway I thought I'd share my experience.
 
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Anonymous

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Thanks for your thoughts on the PM6002. I'm currently looking at buying a new amp, to replace the Technics that's currently bottlenecking my system. My system consits of B&W DM601 S3 speakers, Marantz CD5000 Supra cables, and said Technics amplifier. Would you think the PM6002 would work well with my speakers and cd player?

I'll have to say though, I'm really torn between buying a new amplifier (I get a nice discount on Marantz stuff because I work at an electronics store) or I could buy a second hand amp, most likely a Marantz too. What would you do?
 

Cypher

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Dnice1 : The Rotel gives more than enough bass for me. I have a fairly small room. In the past i've always had Marantz amps but since the purchase of the Rotel RA-04 ; no more Marantz amps for me. The Rotel is so much clearer, more accurate, timing is so much better, dynamics are better, bass is more controlled and the music sounds lively. I've not heard the PM6002 already but most of the Marants amps I heard sound dull and lifeless in comparison. But that's just my opinion
emotion-5.gif
 
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Anonymous

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[quote user="DNICE1"]

Cypher I had a chance to listen to the combination you are suggesting at a local Sevenoaks store last Saturday and to my ears the Rotel RA-04 although sounding much clearer lacked in bass to an extent that it almost sounded like someone was punching a hollow plywood box from the outside (very tinny). But since I had listened to the newer Marantz PM6002 just before the Rotel I could only compare the two at the time.

I now own the PM6002 which produces really deep and solid bass and quite open and rich sound with the BR2s and the CD6002. The only thing I can notice is that in order to have a good bass reporduction I have to crank up the volume to nearly 1/4 otherwise I cannot hear the same punch from the speakers. Maybe its just the speakers or could be that amp is lacking in power. Anyway I thought I'd share my experience.

[/quote]

We have a similar system but we went with the B&W 685 as we were informed that the BR2 wouldn't have the same Bass at the lower volumes; at higher volumes we will hold on any judgment as we have not passed 1/3 volume but all we can say is its a very good system for £1000.
 
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Anonymous

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thanks for all the advice, I think I'll now go with the Rotel RA-04, the B&w 685s and the marantz cd6002. I'll all look into good stand mounts, and some god quality cables. This may put up my budget a little, but probably not beyond the bounds of reason...
 

DNICE1

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[quote user="Jan Hibma"]

Thanks for your thoughts on the PM6002. I'm currently looking at buying a new amp, to replace the Technics that's currently bottlenecking my system. My system consits of B&W DM601 S3 speakers, Marantz CD5000 Supra cables, and said Technics amplifier. Would you think the PM6002 would work well with my speakers and cd player?

I'll have to say though, I'm really torn between buying a new amplifier (I get a nice discount on Marantz stuff because I work at an electronics store) or I could buy a second hand amp, most likely a Marantz too. What would you do?

[/quote]

I haven't heard the DM601s with PM6002 so I cannot comment on that. You should try and have a demo from your local retailer. But I can easily say that the PM6002 sounds a lot better on the BR2s than the Rotel. I am eagerly awaiting a review of this model. I read somewhere on the forum it is to be done in the December issue.

If you can get a significant discount on the Marantz and you already have a Marantz Cd player I would think that it would pair better with the PM6002 but please don't take my word for it as I have never owned B&W speakers. Have a listen for yourself and then decide.
 

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