Graduation present to myself

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I've just graduated and am now a fully qualified mental health nurse. To celebrate having money again I decided to buy myself something I have always wanted, a decent hifi.

Heard many great things about the Yamaha a-s500 combined with the Monitor audio bronze BX2's. Anyone heard these two together?

I own nearly 80gb of music which I am currently transferring to a new 1tb NAS, so will be getting a Sonos Z90 to stream most of my music.

I also love my CD's and want to find a player that can also play blu-ray's, so does anyone recommend any that might work well with the Yamaha?

Basically I have around a £1000 ish to buy an amp, speakers, speaker stands, and a blu-ray player that plays CD's properly.

Please help, one day I might be looking after you.

Staff Nurse Morgan
 

roger06

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Many congratulations on graduating!

Yes I've heard this combo. Yuk. I can't understand the good rating and review for that amp, it's brash and bland.

Listen to the Marantz PM6003. It's cheaper than the Yamaha and blows it away, it's an awesome amp. I auditioned it with those speakers and the Kef Q300 and B&W 685 as my cousin was buying a set up for audio streaming.

I would have chosen the MA speakers – a bit more revealing I thought. My cousin though chose the B&Ws as he thought they had more oomph and party-appeal. So depends on your preference.

A Blu Ray player will sound nasty with CDs. You could consider a DAC which could be used for the Blu Ray for CDs and for your SONOS?

I experimented with the digital output from my Sony BDPS370 Blu Ray player (£100) into my rDAC and was blown away. The sound was only just short of my £800 Naim CD player.

Just stay clear of that Yamaha!
 
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Anonymous

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Personally i'd forget about the Monitor Audio BX2's, cheap little buzzy things.

I'd buy a sony BDP-S370, about £70.

A yamaha S-500, about £280,

A pair of soundstyle Z2i speaker stands, about £55.

And a pair of Dynaudio DM 2/7s, about £550.

You can get cables and interconnects with the change, and you really will have a fine sounding Hifi.
 

CnoEvil

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A fully qualified mental health nurse will be a great addition to this forum, so you are most welcome. :)

FWIW I agree with Roger 06..... Marantz + Kef or MA should be on your audition list.

Cno
 
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Anonymous

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roger06 said:
Those Dynaudios are way to good for that amp...

I was going to pick your brain a bit Roger and ask about the type of qualities you get when you cross Naim and Dynaudio? I guess you love it
 

roger06

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The Limey said:
roger06 said:
Those Dynaudios are way to good for that amp...

I was going to pick your brain a bit Roger and ask about the type of qualities you get when you cross Naim and Dynaudio? I guess you love it

Well it's a combo I love. Dyns are often recommended as Naim partners (many prefer PMCs I gather). I value clarity, neutrality and good mid range (ie vocals). My set up gives me this.

I mainly listen to music to relax and like a lot of female vocalists, Sarah McLachlan, Norah Jones, Nina Simone, Neko Case, to name but a few. The Naim / Dynaudio seems to handle this type of music very well. I love hearing the nuances in the voice, the intakes of breath etc.

I think I'm addicted to Dynaudio as when I auditioned some other Naim kit I just couldn't get on with it until a pair of Dyns were on the front end.

I don't think I've answered your question very well, it's hard to explain. But if you like the characteristics of you 2/6s, you'll love other Dynaudios. I'm toying with the idea of an upgrade to Excite X32s...
 

Sizzers

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Congratulations!, but forget the BDP for CD's.

You can pick up a Marantz CD6003 for around £250, although personally I'd wait to check out it's replacement the CD6004 which should be available within a couple of months for a tad over £300.

Totally agree with the Sony BDP-S370 (opinion based on my 380 which I gather isn't a massive improvement), and the Soundstyle's are a great buy at less than £60 from Superfi. Leaves you more than enough left over for amp and speakers, but I'll leave others to suggest suitable combos depending on your musical tastes of etc.
 
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Anonymous

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roger06 said:
The Limey said:
roger06 said:
Those Dynaudios are way to good for that amp...

I was going to pick your brain a bit Roger and ask about the type of qualities you get when you cross Naim and Dynaudio? I guess you love it

Well it's a combo I love. Dyns are often recommended as Naim partners (many prefer PMCs I gather). I value clarity, neutrality and good mid range (ie vocals). My set up gives me this.

I mainly listen to music to relax and like a lot of female vocalists, Sarah McLachlan, Norah Jones, Nina Simone, Neko Case, to name but a few. The Naim / Dynaudio seems to handle this type of music very well. I love hearing the nuances in the voice, the intakes of breath etc.

I think I'm addicted to Dynaudio as when I auditioned some other Naim kit I just couldn't get on with it until a pair of Dyns were on the front end.

I don't think I've answered your question very well, it's hard to explain. But if you like the characteristics of you 2/6s, you'll love other Dynaudios. I'm toying with the idea of an upgrade to Excite X32s...

Thanks for the reply Roger and sorry to the OP for off piste action.

I have totally fallen for my 2/6's . they produce such an unforced natural sound, it's really hard to describe, Just for kicks it would be really interesting to try them with the Nait 5i, just as an audition you realize. What really impresses me is the enjoyment the dyno's have brought to television audio. So impressive.
 

roger06

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I guarantee you'd buy the Nait 5i if you heard one with your speakers. My Audience 52SEs could probably survive an amp upgrade so the 2/6s would pair the amp well.

I love the NAD stuff I've heard - I think Naim is a natural progression for a NADdy.
 
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Anonymous

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First of all: congratulations on your graduation!

barry2882 said:
Please help, one day I might be looking after you.
Careful there, someone could construe that as blackmail :)

Aside from the given suggestions (which are great), be sure to listen to some Dali speakers if you come across them. And the Rega Brio-R should be on your audition list, although it might push you slightly over-budget. There is also the cheaper Brio-3, which should be a good match with the aforementioned Dynaudio speakers (haven't heard the combination, though).
 
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Anonymous

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roger06 said:
I guarantee you'd buy the Nait 5i if you heard one with your speakers. My Audience 52SEs could probably survive an amp upgrade so the 2/6s would pair the amp well.

I love the NAD stuff I've heard - I think Naim is a natural progression for a NADdy.

If you guarantee it I may have to leave off an audition for a few months! The NAD is truly excellent for the money I paid. I am totally loving my hifi. Just trying to sort out a decent media hub.
 

roger06

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The Limey said:
roger06 said:
I guarantee you'd buy the Nait 5i if you heard one with your speakers. My Audience 52SEs could probably survive an amp upgrade so the 2/6s would pair the amp well.

I love the NAD stuff I've heard - I think Naim is a natural progression for a NADdy.

If you guarantee it I may have to leave off an audition for a few months! The NAD is truly excellent for the money I paid. I am totally loving my hifi. Just trying to sort out a decent media hub.

Yeah I do... if you like the Dyn sound, it'll only get better with a Nait5i powering them. NAD stuff is cracking value. If I was to buy a system for £1000 it would be NAD (or perhaps Marantz). But the jump up to Naim is a significant one. The Nait 5i, while not cheap, is actually cracking value. I thought about upgrading to the £1425 XS amp so had a listen and it really wasn't that different, so didn't bother.

What you looking for in a media hub? I'm streaming off a WD NAS into Apple TV into an rDAC into my Nait5i and lovin' it.
 

roger06

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Sizzers said:
I'd wait to check out its replacement the CD6004 which should be available within a couple of months for a tad over £300.

I'd be amazed if it was better - I've never heard such an awesome amp for the money. I guess if it's being replaced the price might drop, but then it may also become impossible to find one...

Edit: have just re-read and yes, have got CD players and amps muddled up here! Doh.
 
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Anonymous

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roger06 said:
The Limey said:
roger06 said:
I guarantee you'd buy the Nait 5i if you heard one with your speakers. My Audience 52SEs could probably survive an amp upgrade so the 2/6s would pair the amp well.

I love the NAD stuff I've heard - I think Naim is a natural progression for a NADdy.

If you guarantee it I may have to leave off an audition for a few months! The NAD is truly excellent for the money I paid. I am totally loving my hifi. Just trying to sort out a decent media hub.

Yeah I do... if you like the Dyn sound, it'll only get better with a Nait5i powering them. NAD stuff is cracking value. If I was to buy a system for £1000 it would be NAD (or perhaps Marantz). But the jump up to Naim is a significant one. The Nait 5i, while not cheap, is actually cracking value. I thought about upgrading to the £1425 XS amp so had a listen and it really wasn't that different, so didn't bother.

What you looking for in a media hub? I'm streaming off a WD NAS into Apple TV into an rDAC into my Nait5i and lovin' it.

Currently running a Samsung net book, whilst it serves me well, IT has no optical out and I crap power supply, so only usb out. It's connected to a 2tb hard with apple lossless files all run through Spotify Premium as the interface.

I was thinking Mac Mini to do the job including streaming Iplayer, you tube etc and then eventually streaming films.. Plus I get a pretty useful p.c.?
 
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Anonymous

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diversityfg said:
Personally i'd forget about the Monitor Audio BX2's, cheap little buzzy things.

I'd buy a sony BDP-S370, about £70.

A yamaha S-500, about £280,

A pair of soundstyle Z2i speaker stands, about £55.

And a pair of Dynaudio DM 2/7s, about £550.

You can get cables and interconnects with the change, and you really will have a fine sounding Hifi.

good plan, although I would replace the Yamaha with the NAD 326
 

Lee H

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diversityfg said:
Personally i'd forget about the Monitor Audio BX2's, cheap little buzzy things.

Not true. I have them and they sound just fine in my set up. Are they the best speaker money can buy? No. But are they, "cheap little buzzy things"? Again, no.
 

Cypher

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"cheap little buzzy things" ???

The BX2 is a fantastic speaker. It has a different presentation than the Dynaudio but just as good IMO.

I had the Yamaha a-s500 for a while.........one of the few amps who gave me a really bad headache. Try the nad c326bee or Marantz PM6003/PM6004.
 
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Anonymous

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Anonymous

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The Limey said:
diversityfg said:
Personally i'd forget about the Monitor Audio BX2's, cheap little buzzy things.

I'd buy a sony BDP-S370, about £70.

A yamaha S-500, about £280,

A pair of soundstyle Z2i speaker stands, about £55.

And a pair of Dynaudio DM 2/7s, about £550.

You can get cables and interconnects with the change, and you really will have a fine sounding Hifi.

good plan, although I would replace the Yamaha with the NAD 326

The nad is also good IMO, though i don't agree with other posters that claim the Yamaha is poor, in fact i thought it worked very well with the Dynaudio 2/6 and 2/7s, which are beautifully smooth yet crisp sounding speakers.
 
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Anonymous

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If you like the MA BX2 speakers you might want to give them a listen with the Pioneer A-A6MK2-K, pioneer and MA mix quite well.
 
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Anonymous

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Thanks for all your feedback.

May hang on to see what Marantz drops next month, it is reading well. I have heard the B&W 685 on several occasions and thought they sounded great, so may go down that road but will try to audition first.

Reading your feedback I think I will get a CD player and leave the Blu-ray player for films.

Trust me guys, I love Naim but don't have Naim money. Maybe one day, till then I'm after the next best at a healthy budget.

If you have any other suggestions for a full hifi kit that would be streaming and CD playing they will be more then welcome.
 

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