Have sounds, will travel - will Cyrus 6vs, Monitor Audio BR2 & iPod work?

[admin_exported]

I find myself with an interesting problem to solve. I have been posted to India to work there for the next 18 months. While there, I want the comfort of being able to listen to my entire music library through a quality system (I need something to keep me sane through this ordeal). While price is not the most limiting factor in this quest, the items I have short-listed so far give an indication of the kind of spending I think is appropriate - £800 for amp and speakers - but don't let this stop any alternative suggestions.

My current idea is to use this as an opportunity to start building a new system that, upon my return to normal life in the UK, will become a good quality music system that will see me through a good few years. The components will be sourced from the UK (I'll be returning regularly) and so the issue of portability does enter into the equation (so floor-standers are probably not an option). I listen to all sorts and anything, but Indie is the main course with jazz for dessert and I like weight to my sounds.

The single source will be my iTunes library, currently encoded at 320kbps AAC and playing from an iPod through the line out on the dock. It could move to Apple lossless if I find the time to re-encode the CDs during my brief visits home and the source will then become a Macbook.

My choice right now falls to amplification from a Cyrus 6vs hooked up to a pair of Monitor Audio Bronze BR2 loudspeakers. I reckon this is a less-than-typical pairing (£200 speakers with a £600 amp playing sounds from a compress digital source - am I crazy?!), so I'm open to any comments and suggests. Bear in mind that I am totally won over by the Cyrus look and design, and being a shoe box it will help with the portability requirement.

Once back home I reckon I can then improve this system with an upgrade to the Cyrus to the 8vs, a Cyrus CD, speakers and so on.

Questions:

1. Will this setup hold together or is this combination just not good?

2. Is it possible to get away with any speakers smaller than the BR2's and still have a bearable system?

3. What are the best/appropriate options for a quality interconnect from iPod to amp?

4. What else do I need?

5. Does anyone have any experiences to report regarding using a Macbook as a source? Do I need a DAC?

Please comment, criticise and recommend.

 

[Thaiman]

Answer.....

1. More than good enough imo.
2. Not for that price.
3. Gotham GAC-1 3.5mmJack to 2xRCA you can buy them from ebay just type Gotham in the search box and look under consumer electronic, only £10 per metre but many fans out there, me included
4. You need some good coffee as coffee in India is bloddy horrible oh and a lot of injections too.
5. Beresford TC-7510 MK-6 DAC (£100, again from ebay) it better than many DAC that cost lots more.

I am sure you will enjoy your trip as long as you don't expect to be eating a lot of chicken tikka masala as they don't have any over there!

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the straight-forward responses.

Surely it's not that simple - it never is in the world of hi-fi, from what I see in these forums!

Given India's notoriety regarding its electricity supply (or lack of), does this level of system benefit from something particular to clean up the mains?

Any advice regarding transporting the amp and speakers by 'plane? I was probably going to carry the amp as hand luggage and put the speakers inside a suitcase in their original packaging, if they'll fit.

Also, given the price of the Beresford DAC, would anyone recommend the Apple AirPort Express as an alternative to feed the signal from a Macbook to the amp?

 

[Thaiman]

I am sure someone else can suggest a more "not quite simple way but expensive way"!

My answer could even be more simple, suggest that you buy all the gears in India!