Beginner - Budget system for £600 - 640A, 640C, 902i - any alternative sugegestions/comments

jaz9090

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Heya, I am a student and recently sold my z5500 surround sound computer speakers after deciding that I was looking for 'higher quality' sound and am looking for an amp/cd/speaker combination to hear my music to the full, I have sold a few bits and peices and managed to raise about £600 (max) for a seperates hifi. I have always been a bit of an audiophile but in general am a 'beginner' on all this hifi stuff.

Currently richer sounds are doing a deal, the cambridge 640A v2, 640C v2 and mordaunt short 902i for £550, so with interconnects £600 - I love the look of this system but was wondering what people think, bearing in mind I cannot go over £600, do people have any suggestions of what might be possible alternatives?

My general taste in music is All kinds of Rock/Guitar and Jazz

Thanks

James
 
A

Anonymous

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Hi James,

Not a great deal to say here - the deal that Richer is doing sounds very good indeed. The Cambridge equipment is just a touch long-in-the-tooth now, but both parts have received great reviews in the passed and work very well together. Given the good discount you're getting with the excellent Mordaunt Shorts I'd say you're on to a winner.
 

emcc_3

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Or Alternatively if you want a better all round sounf you could get this system from superfi

http://www.superfi.co.uk/index.cfm/page/moreinfo.cfm/Product_ID/3856

This is much cheaper than the cambridge audio system at £349 pounds and personally i prefer the NAD sound and build quality to cambridge. If you search for articles on this site you will find that many former owners have had probs with the amp breaking, balance and general unreliability. NAD on the other hand depends to be more reliable.

Super fi also had this cd amp combo avaiable and you can get fairly decent speakers such as diamond 9.1's on the net to match it or the above tannoys depanding on budget to match it.

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

Personally I believe that giving you musical taste is very eclectic then either one of these NAD combos would be a better bet than the Cambridge combo.

But at the end of the day its down to personal preference.

Check out of there is any super-fi stores near you at there website http://www.superfi.co.uk.
 

gpi

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If I was starting again with an entry-level system I would blow most of the budget on second hand speakers. Amps and CD players, regardless of the badge on the front, all sound very similar to me. Buy a second hand integrated amp (50-60 wpc) and CDP for about £100 each, pair with standmounts of the quality below and see how that system compares to the RS and Superfi offers.

Dynaudio Contour 1.3 MkII

AE1 Series II bookshelf

With the AE1's, I wouldn't pay that postage charge, the guy's having a laugh. Parcelforce 24 would only be £31.00 up to 20 kg and he's quoting for Parcelfarce 48. He has the original box too so no extra charge there.
 
A

Anonymous

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I'd get a C315BEE and C515BEE new, then chuck the rest at used speakers. Get some nice Epos or Tannoys.
 

Clare Newsome

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[quote user="gpi"] Amps and CD players, regardless of the badge on the front, all sound very similar to me. [/quote]

That's a joke, right?
emotion-42.gif

And forget the offensive terminology ('Jap' amp - ouch), please...
 

gpi

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OK, components made by the likes of Sony, Denon, Yamaha, et al. Is 'Brit or 'Scot' offensive too? I didn't mean it in a derogatory way. Re the line you quoted I was referring to new components in the £200-£250 budget category and it's just my opinion, not a fact.
 
T

the record spot

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[quote user="gpi"]OK, components made by the likes of Sony, Denon, Yamaha, et al. Is 'Brit or 'Scot' offensive too? I didn't mean it in a derogatory way. Re the line you quoted I was referring to new components in the £200-£250 budget category and it's just my opinion, not a fact.[/quote]

Scot isn't, as it's a recognised abbreviation and not considered offensive - take it from one (although there is one term for us that rattles my teeth on a near biblical scale when I hear it; I won't be divulging it here but it's a huge no-no)!! However, "Jap"/"Japs" has by and large always had negative connotations I think - I've never heard it used in polite or public circles so would assume to play safe.
 
A

Anonymous

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[quote user="fr0g"]...and there is no way the cheap NAD system can compete with the 640 CA system...[/quote]

Surely the only reason the "cheap" NAD can't compete with the Cambridge Audio 640A is the power difference...I would not put CA above NAD in terms of quality. Just my opinion...

I'd take a look at the new NAD C355bee if the CA 640A is on your audition list.
 

jaz9090

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Will this combination be OK for my taste in music? which is as I said all kinds of Rock/Guitar and Jazz I know nad have a warmer sound etc but for the price I am not sure if I could get any better?
 
A

Anonymous

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NAD C315= 159,95

NAD C325 (or the 315) 249,95 (or 179,95)

Epos M5 = 229,-

640 pounds roughly, or 570 pounds. Imho a much better balanced system. The Cambridge combination is nice, don't get me wrong, but I think that quite honestly the cd-player and amplifier deserve a little better than the 902i's.

The NAD prices are off of the richersounds website, and the speakers from Superfi. It's an open box pair, but there's nothing wrong with that. If you want a new pair, they'll run you 250 quid.

Still, and I can't stress this quite enough: go out for a demo. Listen to the Cambridge equipment, get a feel for it. I don't like it but you may love it, like others here on the board.
 
A

Anonymous

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Buy secondhand from ebay. If you shop carefully your money will go much further. How about a Quad 33, 303 for £150 ?
 

jaz9090

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I considered buying second hand, the trouble is for a relative newbie like me I just don't know what to look for, also I am conserned about buying stuff that isnt working properly.

J
 

gpi

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This is a chance you take and I was stung badly once buying a component off ebay. Generally sellers are trustworthy in my buying experience.
 

jaz9090

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I was just having a look at the whathifi buyer guide and it seemed to rate the 6002 series marantz over the 640 cambridge audio stuff for both the amp and cd player, seeing as they are going for £200 each at richer sounds and therefore with the 902is also £550, would that be a better combo than the cambridge audio ones? or is there a reason that they are cheaper?

thanks
james
 

gpi

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The Pioneer A-209R integrated amp is only £120 with free delivery from Superfi. You could pair that with something like the Marantz CD5001 CDP at £170. Buy a £10 RCA interconnect and that leaves you £300 for a decent pair of speakers and cable to connect them up. You really are spoilt for choice at this budget level - Sony, Marantz, Denon, even Rotel (more expensive generally), all make perfectly acceptable products. I owned a CA A500 amp and although it was good I wouldn't buy another one over the brands above.
 

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