Brand new hi-fi or second hand home cinema kit and more on the speakers?

[admin_exported]

After saving my pennies I'm looking to buy my first hi-fi, with a total budget of £1000 (say £800, because I listen to Radio 3 a lot, so I'm reserving some cash for a high quality FM aerial on the roof).

I was going to split this roughly £150 each for cd, amp, tuner, £150 for stands and interconnects, £400 for speakers. But then a colleague offered me his old Marantz kit for £100: the SR 4300 receiver and the DV-4100 OSE DVD player. Although I don't have a TV and have no interest in playing DVDs or the surround sound output, he suggested that I'd get higher quality audio using his two boxes and spending £700 on stands, interconnects and a pair of speakers.

What do other people think? The DVD player and tuner got good reviews in their time, but as home cinema equipment, and I'm only interested in stereo. As a follow-on question: any equipment recommendations (I mostly listen to classical music, if that makes a difference)?

(I found the following links for the Marantz kit... http://www.marantz.com/new/index.cfm?fuseaction=Products.ArchProduct&cont=eu&bus=hf&prod_id=1816 for the receiver, and http://www.marantz.com/new/index.cfm?fuseaction=Products.ArchProduct&cont=eu&bus=hf&type=ose&prod_id=559 for the DVD player.

 

[the record spot]

Your mate's talking bollocks.

Not bad kit, and not a bad price, but you've no interst in movies and music sounds better through a dedicated amp and source on the vast majority of occasions and this is no exception.

A lot of folks on here recommend the Richer Sounds and Superfi deals (see their respective websites for special system offers; source, amp and speakers for a discounted price). I'd be inclined to shop around a little first and maybe have a mix and match and see what some independent dealers have to offer - both in terms of new and used kit; a lot of dealers will throw in a warranty for used gear.

 

[JoelSim]

Your mate obviously knows nada about hifi.

ÿ

 

[Thaiman]

Over price and you can buy better for £800 2nd hand.

 

[daveh75]

agree, your mate knows nowt. oh btw you shouldn't need to spend more than £100 on a decent rooftop fm aerial(fitted) so would leave you 900 notes for your hi-fi

 

[Anonymous]

Cheers everyone - that's really helpful. Thanks for sharing your experience.

 

[the record spot]

By a quirk of coincidental fate, the NAD/Q Acoustics combo currently on offer for £380 (I think) at the Superfi site is the very same one which WHF just recommended as a prime pick in this month's issue.

Gets you a great starter system and leaves you ample room for a decent tuner and aerial mounting, with at least a couple of hundred to spare.