Bristol Show - listening for CDP and Amp upgrade

[admin_exported]

OK, I attended the Bristol Show with the intention of listening for a CDP and Amp upgrade.

I onlty found two rooms with the sound that I was looking for - and guess what - both sources of music were turntables!

All other demo's were either aggressive and too bright or muddled and not very musical.

In the words of Terry Wogan - "Is it me"?

Can anyone suggest a CDP and Amp combination which could help?

 

[The_Lhc]

john jed: OK, I attended the Bristol Show with the intention of listening for a CDP and Amp upgrade.
I onlty found two rooms with the sound that I was looking for - and guess what - both sources of music were turntables!

All other demo's were either aggressive and too bright or muddled and not very musical.

In the words of Terry Wogan - "Is it me"?

No it isn't you, after three years attending I can pick out the turntable equipped rooms just from walking past the doors with my eyes shut (although people get a bit annoyed if you wander around with your eyes shut typically).

After hearing the Wilson Benesch demo coming from vinyl I know any future 2-channel upgrades are going to concentrate on the turntable side of things...

 

[Anonymous]

JJ, I think you have answered your own question unless you want to compromise.....

 

[John Duncan]

Whereas the Wilson Benesch demo I heard was CD, and the best other (music) sounds I heard were from an AV Receiver and a 24/192 stream

To the OP - what were the systems that you heard that you liked?

 

[Anonymous]

Hi Raym87,

Problem is I have hundreds of CD's

 

[Anonymous]

Hi John,

Sorry - cannot remember - I should have taken note!!

 

[John Duncan]

John, just so's you know: several systems - including very expensive ones - that I heard at Bristol sounded overblown or aggressive, so it's not just you. Now I can't believe that they all actually do always sound like that, so I gave them the BOTD and put it down to choice of music or room acoustics or maybe just poor setup. I'd also say that this applied as much to turntable setups as CD or streamed, so it's not just CDs fault per se.

So I say again - what were the systems that sounded good with vinyl?

 

[Anonymous]

John,

Sorry cannot remember - Obviously it was not one of the more recoconisable systems i.e Naim, Marantz, etc. I believe one was the Chord room.

 

[John Duncan]

OK, in which case, first principles: what've you got already and what's your budget?

 

[The_Lhc]

JohnDuncan:John, just so's you know: several systems - including very expensive ones - that I heard at Bristol sounded overblown or aggressive, so it's not just you. Now I can't believe that they all actually do always sound like that, so I gave them the BOTD and put it down to choice of music or room acoustics or maybe just poor setup.

I heard a number of representatives complaining about the room acoustics upstairs, and a few saying they thought they were going to get bigger rooms, which was compromising their sound. I wouldn't have thought much had changed from previous years but I've not heard anyone complaining about it before.

 

[Anonymous]

John,

Denon Micro Ststem (DRA-F101 and DCP-F101).

Budget: £1000 tops.

 

[Anonymous]

john jed:

John,

Denon Micro Ststem (DRA-F101 and DCP-F101).

Budget: £1000 tops.

I am assuming that is to include CDP, Amp and Speakers?

 

[chebby]

 

[Anonymous]

Ray,

Yes, CDP Amp and Speakers.

Thanks to everyone for replying

 

[Anonymous]

Now this is only a suggestion but my first call would be to look at the Cambridge 650 amp and cdp...then consider mating them with a pair of MA BR2s.

I have the CA 540A and 640C and with BR2s on the end they are very nice....