Buying HiFi for 200 to 400 pounds

[admin_exported]

Hey ive been looking on various websites and decided this would be a good forum to join and see what people recommend. have no knowlege of what to buy or where to buy from, i want to get a good first setup that i can add to and build on when or if needs be. Also i think im looking for smaller speakers as i rent a room in a house and so ideally bookshelf would be the best.

I listen to alot of Hip-hop and music with bass, also i do listen to brass music, i often play music through an ipod and bought a cable which goes into the red and white sockets into my surround sound, but i often listen to CD's too. So for speakers i was either looking at some B&W 685's or some Wharfedale Diamonds, but i'm not sure which model. Also i take it that the more you pay the more you get, and so speakers like Wharfedale 9.1's and Tannoy Mercury f1's wont be as good as the B&W's ive fallen in love with?

But other than that i have no clue where to start as in terms of what i need to buy... CD Player... Amp etc.

Thanks in advance for any replies and sorry for my incompetence

 

[matthewpiano]

I'm starting to sound like a broken record now but I'd say NAD is the way forward. A C315BEE or C325BEE with a C515BEE or C525BEE CD player will work really well.

You just can't beat NAD at the budget end and its becoming more and more obvious to me as I look for a newer CD player.

 

[Anonymous]

i've just looked at them and they do seem to be the cheapest options for my hifi really, so i need a hifi amp and a cd player to go with some speakers?

thanks for the reply

 

[matthewpiano]

Look at the System Sizzlers on the Superfi website. They do NAD C515BEE and C315BEE with either Tannoy Mercury F1 or Q Acoustics speakers for less than £400. This would make a great start and you can then upgrade to the B&W 685s (£375) when you are ready to.

 

[Anonymous]

would the b&w's run with the setup you had suggested? my friend blew his speakers and i didnt quite understand the role the amp played in working with the speakers? do you suggest me trying to get used cd player and amp so then i can maybe afford the B&W's aswell, i wanted to make a quite good first HiFi, or is the 200 quid more for the speakers not worth it?

 

[matthewpiano]

The C315BEE amp will have no problems with the B&Ws but if you are happy to go 2nd hand try to pick up a NAD C320BEE for about £100. I'd stick with new for the CD player though, so you're still looking at the best part of £300 in total for the electronics. Adding the B&Ws will take you up to just under £700 without even thinking about stands and cables.

The 685s are a great thing to aim for but bear in mind that unless you put them on solid stands (Partingtons at about £150 are the minimum here) and use at least Chord Co. Carnival Silverscreen speaker cable, you are never going to get the best out of them.

My suggestion would be to go for the new NAD/Q set-up to start with, with some decent cables and stands. That way, once you've saved up more for the B&Ws, you'll be in a position to get the best out of them and you'll have a little used pair of Q speakers to sell on (that you effectively got free) and get some money back from.

 

[Anonymous]

well, i've reconsidered my thinking, if i play music from my computer through the amp i can cope without the cd player for a while, and so i was thinking of just getting the B&W 685's as cheap as possible (any recommendations where?) and then hopefully you guys can give me advice on a decent amp that will get the best out of them while i get the other parts of my hifi... i was thinking something like the Rotel RA-04, but i was told to try to avoid japanese products lol... i really appreciate your help trying to set me up with a good hifi but i think that my budget was a little low for what i was aiming for, or am i being stupid starting with speakers and amp?

 

[matthewpiano]

Sounds sensible to me, if you can live without CD for a while. I'd look at finding a good second hand NAD C320BEE in that case. The Rotel is also excellent but there seems to be mixed opinions about how well it matches with the 685s. The other amp to look at would be the Marantz PM6002, but like the Rotel this would take you over budget.

 

[Anonymous]

So what would you recommend i do now then, are there any bargains to be had? B&W seem to be in very short supply second hand, or is it better to buy speakers first hand?

Also can youÿrecommendÿwhere to look for the amp, i have spent all morningÿlookingÿfor ÿdiscounts on the b&w and have found some for about 350 ex display.. but you said that buying a second hand amp was ok..?

 

[matthewpiano]

Best place for the amp is Ebay. Usually some good NAD amps on there. Don't be tempted by the old 3020s though. Stick to something newer like a C320BEE.

If you don't feel confident buying second hand, look for a deal on the C315BEE instead. It punches massively above its price point.

 

[Anonymous]

thanks for all of your help it was very kind of you... i'll look out for the amp 2nd hand but should i definatley get the b&w's first hand? im finding it hard enough to find them never mind someone whos selling them lol. and ideas where is cheapest to get them i;ve been looking for hours?

 

[Anonymous]

anyone know cheap b&w shops?

 

[matthewpiano]

You won't find the 685s cheap. B&W products are only sold face-to-face in bricks and mortar dealers and demand is such that there is little need for anyone to discount this product. Its been a real sales success and there are plenty of buyers willing to pay the full asking price so why would dealers discount?

 

[Anonymous]

ah right, i realise that they are some of the best speakers for my budget, and i know buing new not to expect to save much, the cheapest i've found is 350 anyway...

 

[progwardy]

Hi,

Needed a second Hi-Fi solution to replace an all-in one Denon (ie non-theatre set-up) for the conservatory and went with the NAD C515BEE / C315BEE combo. FANTASTIC! Have added an Airport Express for WiFi. Also a universal iPod dock for the 'pods and iPhone. I'm using the existing (old) Mission M71i speakers with this and they're really demonstrating what a budget system can deliver. As others have said, each part of the system can be upgraded as and when... Am intrigued by Hip Hop and Brass.... but then I listen to organ music and prog...!!

K.

 

[Anonymous]

as sweet, im glad to see people saying the amp is a good bit of kit, where did you buy yours from then? would you mind telling me how much you payed for it?

thanks manchÿ

 

[John Duncan]

This is a very good deal, effectively getting the speakers for nothing...

 

[Anonymous]

so do you recon i get that deal and then sell the speakers, then get the 685's to go with it? does anyone know if the amp and speakers are good together or should i try this combo out at the hifi shop?

 

[Anonymous]

so anyway, i made a visit to superfi today and i really wasnt blown away by the 685's, also there is a waiting list at 3 shops i called today because of something to do with b&w changing their suppliers or something.... anyway im going back tomorrow to check them out, can anyone reccoment good amplification to go with these speakers?

manch

 

[Anonymous]

Nads C355 should be a good match with enough power