From HC to Hi-Fi

admin_exported

New member
Aug 10, 2019
2,556
4
0
Visit site
Hi everyone. I think I am almost done on my home cinema set-up. Now I want to turn my attention to HI-FI. I am planning to add a budget cd player and amplifier combo to go with my MS 908i and I will use the pre-out of my Onkyo. I know some of you would not totally agree with my floorstanders but I got these for a bargain price a few years back and so far I am very happy with it.

So my question is what would be the best budget cd player and amplifier combination to outperform my Onkyo TX-SR806 stereowise? My budget is around £500 for both.

Any comments and suggestions would be highly appreciated. Thanks.
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
It's not absolutely essential but if you're going to connnect the front L/R pre-outs fom your Onkyo to a stereo amp, it's useful to get one with a fixed gain mode which allows you to control the overall volume from the Onkyo when watching movies.

The Cambridge Audio 740A has this feature, and is available from RS for £300 at the moment (silver version) . I'm currently using one and it's good value at that price.

As for a CD player, it may be worth using your DVD/BD player as a transport and buying a seperate DAC, the CA DacMagic is very well regarded at £200.

A couple of suggestions for you to think about at least.
emotion-21.gif


Brian.
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
Brian123:
As for a CD player, it may be worth using your DVD/BD player as a transport and buying aÿseperate DAC, the CA DacMagic is very well regarded at £200.

I think that's a great suggestion.

You could alternatively get a Beresford DAC for £110 which by my calculations will leave you £390 to buy a power amp to hook up to your Onkyo.
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
I'm quite interested in a seperate HIFI and AV as well, and have seen many posts using the preout route.
Is this the best way to go if you want to share the front stereo speakers?
My concern is that an AV receiver has been designed to have a matching sound for all speakers be it 5 or 7, if the front stereo speakers are then driven by a seperate amp then surely this will effect the overall tone for multi channel uses.
Wouldn't it be better to have a switch box that you change from one system to the other if there isn't any loss in the quality?
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
Brian123:

The Cambridge Audio 740A has this feature, and is available from RS for £300 at the moment (silver version) . I'm currently using one and it's good value at that price.

Brian.

I didnt know the 740 had unity gain mmmmm ;)
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
Del Smith:I'm quite interested in a seperate HIFI and AV as well, and have seen many posts using the preout route.Is this the best way to go if you want to share the front stereo speakers?My concern is that an AV receiver has been designed to have a matching sound for all speakers be it 5 or 7, if the front stereo speakers are then driven by a seperate amp then surely this will effect the overall tone for multi channel uses.Wouldn't it be better to have a switch box that you change from one system to the other if there isn't any loss in the quality?

The poor contrasting tones and levels involved in watching a ÿfilm or TV mean you will not here a difference. The difference arrives when you listen to stereo music, which is instantly appreciable.ÿ
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
Octopo:
Del Smith:I'm quite interested in a seperate HIFI and AV as well, and have seen many posts using the preout route.Is this the best way to go if you want to share the front stereo speakers?My concern is that an AV receiver has been designed to have a matching sound for all speakers be it 5 or 7, if the front stereo speakers are then driven by a seperate amp then surely this will effect the overall tone for multi channel uses.Wouldn't it be better to have a switch box that you change from one system to the other if there isn't any loss in the quality?

The poor contrasting tones and levels involved in watching a ÿfilm or TV mean you will not here a difference. The difference arrives when you listen to stereo music, which is instantly appreciable.ÿ

I'm not sure what you meen by poor contrasting tones for film etc, but do understand the difference in stereo which is why I'm interested.
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
From the very source of their existence the soundtrack of a film on DVD is played down. If you buy the soundtrack to a film on CD it will sound much better. BD has now offered a way of playing true lossless sound.

A stereo amp is built with a purpose in life - to play music, not films.
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
garethwd:Brian123:

The Cambridge Audio 740A has this feature, and is available from RS for £300 at the moment (silver version) . I'm currently using one and it's good value at that price.

Brian.

I didnt know the 740 had unity gain mmmmm ;)

Yes, you can set the gain to any fixed level - up to 0dB (unity gain)
emotion-21.gif
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
Thanks everyone. Apart from Cambridge Audio, I am also considering the Marantz PM6002 & CD6002 combo because they both have excellent reviews and I reckon that Marantz blends well with Mordaunt-Short speakers.
emotion-2.gif
 

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts