Budget upgrade advice needed

[womble72]

Hello to anyone reading this. My first post and already i'm firing questions at you all. My current hifi system is very basic and comprises of a Denon DCD685 cd player, a Denon PMA 355uk amplifier and some Kef Cresta floorstanding speakers. All were bought brand new many years a go and I'm quite keen to see how i can improve the sound quality. I listen to varied types of music, for example, Massive Attack, Foo Fighters, Badly Drawn Boy are the cds I can see before me. I find my current set up quite tiring to listen to at higher volumes... it's quite 'boomy' and even with adjustments to the amp it then sounds weak.

I've changed the interconnect cables and speaker cables but it has only made slight improvements so now I'm thinking of changing equipment and would like to know whether its a case of replace the amp or the cd player or the speakers or all of it. I'm open to 2nd hand stuff and have a budget of around £800 at the moment.

Thanks in advance for any advice given.

 

[plastic penguin]

Hi and welcome...

All your set-up was decent in its day, the amp is the only component I've had first hand experience with. However, that was so long ago, can't remember much about its sound. That said reviews of the day - if memory serves me well - were pretty favourable but commented on it being slightly forward in presentation.

Am I right in assuming you are based around Wimbledon? I would suggest you visit Richer Sounds, they used to sell your kit, and listen to different options. You may only need to change one item...

 

[womble72]

Thanks for the reply PP. Yes, I know of the Richer Sounds Kingston branch, I shall pop over and see what goodies they have to tempt me with. My system is ok, would be quite happy to stick with it until it goes pop but this was my bachelor system and now I'm married it is a constant source of nagging from the wife about bulky boxes :-D I think a smaller system is a priority but I really don't want to compromise on sound.

 

[ifor]

now I'm married it is a constant source of nagging from the wife about bulky boxes :-D

Does she like cushions?

 

[omnibeard]

Does she like cushions?

Like duh!

 

[ifor]

Does she like cushions?

Like duh!

Keep the sofa parasites = stick with hi-Fi separates.

Lose the sofa parasites = need to find another basis on which to negotiate.