Good budget system?

[admin_exported]

In the process of planning my first decent system but I'm on a pretty tight budget. So far I'm thinking

Musical Fidelity V-DAC - £129

Cambridge Audio 340A - £169.95

Wharfdale 9.1 £99.99

I would be using my pc as the source and all my music is ripped in FLAC.

Would this be a pretty good setup? Currently I'm using some cheap PC speakers so obviously it'll be a big improvement over that.

How much of an improvement is the CA DacMagic over the V-DAC as it's roughly £100 more?

Also are the wharfdale 10.1 much better then the 9.1 as there £100 more?

If anyone has any reccomendations on alternative parts (at roughly same price) or has seen any of these parts cheaper please let me know.

 

[Anonymous]

I would get a NAD amp, much better IMO.

Haven't heard the V-DAC but the DacMagic is very good.

Also haven't heard the 9.1s but you could probably get some better speakers on ebay second hand, maybe some B&Ws. I understand people preferring new for electricals for warranties etc, but if you buy speakers in good cond, they are extremely unlikely (impossible?) to go wrong.

Hope this helps.

 

[Anonymous]

with that budget,I'd get good used gear off ebay

pioneer A400 amp (under £100)

marantz CD63 MKII K1 signature cd player (plus minus £130)

Mission 753 speakers (not the freedom model) approx £150-£200

many who have owned the above setup have been very happy

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the suggestions I will look on ebay.

I don't want a CD player (at the moment, maybe I will pick one up in the future) as all my music is ripped to my computer so would rather buy a good DAC.

The mission speakers look great but unfortunatley I have to get bookshelf speakers as I have no room for floorstanders.

As for the pioneer amp I had a look on ebay but there are none at the moment.

Are there any good amps (within my tight budget) that have only 1 RCA input? As the computer will be going through the DAC and if I bought a CD player or tuner aswell they would both go through the DAC first so really the only thing that needs to plug into the amp is the DAC.

 

[Anonymous]

This has really confused me, looking on richer sounds the CA 340A is £169 in black, the 340ASE is £199 in black, the 540A V2 in silver is £149 and the 640A V2 in silver is £199.

Obviously if I was going to go for a CA amp it would be worth getting the 540 or 640?

 

[Anonymous]

The black models are sometimes more expensive than the silver as most people go for black. Graded items have a lower asking price because they are mail order returns or ex-service etc.

I'd say the CA 640 v2 was the best out of the ones you are looking at but there are probably not many around now the 650 is out.