First HIFI System

Mclark84

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Hi Everyone,

I would really appreciate some advice please.

I have saved a budget of £800 to spend on a HIFI system with the aim of playing vinyl records.

Having looked on What Hifi and other places, I have to come to the decision that I am a bit stuck on what to choose and need some advice.

I will be going to a HIFI showroom to test the below equipment but having no previous knowledge would greatly appreciate any advice given.

I believe the Onkyo A9010 is the best intergrated amp for my budget?

Speakers I cannot decide between Monitor Audio Bronze 2 and Dali Zensor 3.

Turntable I cannot decide between Project Debut Carbon or Rega Planar 2 (Also is a turntable like this needed or should I go for something like the Rega Planar 1?)
 

Nelis87

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If you have a setup and budget in mind go to a Hifi dealer and demo the speakers you are reading about. One member will recommend BX2 and another likes the Z3. A friend of mine went to the store to buy Monitor Audio or Dali, but after hearing left the shop with PSB. The Onkyo is fine, also amp like Marantz pm6005 or Pioneer a-30 are nice.
 

insider9

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All the components on your list are very good at their respective price points. I'd say as far as saying that it will be hard to be at the price and slightly over so your research is spot on.

Make sure you demo but don't forget about decent quality speaker stands. They're very important to make the best out of your new system. Best to get them second hand to save money.

Also remember you'll need speaker cables and interconnects. If you buy from the same dealer I'd suggest you haggle and try to get them for free. You don't need anything fancy so look at the thickness of cables first and foremost and not brand. If the dealer is unwilling to throw them in for free it's probably best to skip them all together and buy elsewhere. In that case negotiate a good discount on the whole package and buy cables separately as it's likely to be cheaper. Again second hand will do just as well and the price difference may be significant.
 

CarlDW

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The Onkyo amplifier is a sound choice, as are the turntables that you mention. Speaker wise, again they are well regarded (I have Zensor 3's and I am very happy with them). Your best bet is to head to Richer Sounds (if there is one nearby) and take a listen - I believe they stock what you are looking for.

As for cables - I use Van Damme speaker cable (bought from Amazon) - it's cheap and very good quality. I don't think there is a need to spend any more. No need to spend silly money on interconnects at this stage either.
 
You started this thread in the Turntables and LPs subsection so I will copy my response here as you seem to be getting more replies here.......

"The Onkyo should be fine although I cannot say I am aware of the quality of the phono stage within it. Speakers are a very personal thing and a lot will depend on the room you're looking to set them up in, so cannot advise you on these.

Regarding the turntable I would always advise you spend most of the money on the source but in this instance I would suggest another option and that is buy the cheaper RP1 but have them fit it with a better cartridge using the money you have saved.

Budget also for some decent speaker stands and, if buying the lot from one dealer, ask them to throw in some speaker cable.... you never know...."
 
CarlDW said:
The Onkyo amplifier is a sound choice, as are the turntables that you mention. Speaker wise, again they are well regarded (I have Zensor 3's and I am very happy with them). Your best bet is to head to Richer Sounds (if there is one nearby) and take a listen - I believe they stock what you are looking for.

As for cables - I use Van Damme speaker cable (bought from Amazon) - it's cheap and very good quality. I don't think there is a need to spend any more. No need to spend silly money on interconnects at this stage either.

If this is a purely vinyl system as indicated by OP then he will not need any interconnects.... ;-)
 
...so good, and I too would suggest starting at Richer Sounds. They don't stock Rega, so compare speakers using a Project. Don't be wedded to either MA or Dali, as there may be others that suit you better. (It's not just about putting three 5* products together!). Once you've decided on speakers, find a Rega dealer, and if you are lucky they'll have Project too, so you can compare. (Also check some other speakers you've not already heard if poss). Otherwise, the Project should be fine.

Do bear in mind that starting an LP collection is costly compared to CD or streaming from a premium service at c. £20 per month.
 

Mclark84

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Thank you all your replies it is much appreciated and nice to see that this is an active forum.

I have taken onboard the advice given and have booked in for a demonstration with Richer Sounds.

I have decided that it would be best to get the best turntable I can afford and the amp and speakers can be upgraded at a later date.

Again another difficult choice is between the Rega Planar 2 or project Debut Carbon Esprit.

I do think there is something special about vinyl. I do know that collecting vinyl is more expensive but for me worth every penny.
 

muljao

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While you are at richer sounds, try out the Q acoustics 2020i. There approx 100 pounds, so you probably would overlook them as being cheap and mediocre quality. They are one of those things.
 

MajorFubar

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Well you're certainly going about it the right way. Views differ regarding digital sources, but with vinyl it's an agreed consensus across the board that the more money you throw at the turntable the better the sound gets. That's convoluted a bit by second hand prices for people who choose to go down that route, but is still largely true.
 

rainsoothe

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When you demo, don't be affraid to ask for alternatives. If you don't like something about the sound, tell the dealer what it is. There are a lot of brands that are not so well known, but still make very good stuff - Indiana Line speakers, for example.

Also, add Mission lx 2 to your list.
 
MajorFubar said:
Well you're certainly going about it the right way. Views differ regarding digital sources, but with vinyl it's an agreed consensus across the board that the more money you throw at the turntable the better the sound gets. That's convoluted a bit by second hand prices for people who choose to go down that route, but is still largely true.

I would temper that with 'the more money you throw at a cartridge'. I suspect the sonic differences between an RP1 and an RP2 would not be that apparent if both fitted with same cartridge. Yes the tonearm obviously makes a difference but I see little point in spending good money on a turntable if the fitted cartridge is improveable for a little more outlay.
 

gasolin

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I like my Mission LX-2's with my marantz amp and Q Acoustics 2010 with a nad amplifier with a dvd

Don't thing Q Acoustics 3020 is the best budgte speaker for marantz amps, the are a bit to bright sounding and lack a bit bass
 

Mclark84

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Jul 9, 2017
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Hi everyone,

Thank you for all the advice.

I went to Richer sounds today and with a demo & great customer service bought my first HIFI system.

I decided on the Onkyo A9010, Monitor Audio Bronze 2 and the Project Carbon Debut Esprit.

Richer Sounds I could not recommend enough as they price matched everything and was able to buy this for £788.

I'm now on the hunt for a pair of white Speaker Stands.
 

insider9

Well-known member
Mclark84 said:
Hi everyone,

Thank you for all the advice.

I went to Richer sounds today and with a demo & great customer service bought my first HIFI system.

I decided on the Onkyo A9010, Monitor Audio Bronze 2 and the Project Carbon Debut Esprit.

Richer Sounds I could not recommend enough as they price matched everything and was able to buy this for £788.

I'm now on the hunt for a pair of white Speaker Stands.
Excellent, congrats!

That sounds like a very good purchase indeed. As to white speaker stands have a look on eBay. There's a pair of Atacama 6i in Crewe (hope that's close to you as it's local collection) that are likely to go for no more than £30 and hopefully the starting £20. They're the perfect height for your speakers.
 

rainsoothe

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Congrats, enjoy your stuff! +1 to Atacama Nexus 6i recommendation. If you get other stands, make sure you place some small pads (rubber/silicone or, even better, small balls of bluetak) between the speakers and the top plate of the stand (if the stands you get don't have them)
 

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