Help a beginner choosing new budget system!

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Hi. I'm looking to buy a new stereo and speakers on a limited budget of £400. I don't know much about the technical specifications of equipment but have done a small amount of research on the internet.

I've been looking at a Denon DM35DAB CD and digital radio for £230 excluding speakers.

As for the speakers, I've been looking at three:

* Denon SCM73 speakers for £80 (which are designed to go with the unit),

* Mordaunt Short Avant MS 902i speakers on sale for £100,

* Monitor Audio BR2 speakers for £180.

Does anyone know if the Denon DM35DAB is the best option around that price range? If not, what is? And which of the three options for speakers (if any) is the best?

Thanks,

Simon.

 

[JoelSim]

I gather the best one at that price range is the Onkyo 515 maybe with the Monitor Audio speakers. Or you could look at Richer Sounds and their Cambridge package at £500.

You'd get much more for your money 2nd hand.

 

[Anonymous]

thanks. i hadn't considered the onkyo. any other opinions or advice anyone?

 

[Anonymous]

Hello,

I haven't heard the Denon or Onkyo micro hi-fi's, though a few years ago I had a similar Teac unit and it was good.
Here's the but... But if I was doing it again, I would look on ebay - but don't buy the first one you see, it's worth taking your time to see what people buy and for how much - I bought some Cambridge Audio gear and it served me very well indeed for 18+ months, and here's the best bit, I've just flogged it all and made a profit on it.

As for the speakers, I'm using Denon SM83's at the minute with my Marantz and Cambridge Pre-Power combo (soon to be replaced by a Rotel RA-05, £349 new, got it from ebay, £240 for a 6month old one...), they sound great for what they are - but that's it. I would suggest buying something like the Monitor Audio's which have had super reviews, and maybe I'm biased as I have some MA BR5's, but IMO they are the best of their type. Or possibly some 2nd hand Dynaudio or B&W ones...?
You may only have £400 to spend now, but if you're anything like me, you will be setting much more aside in the future, and the MA/B&W's will let you upgrade without having to change them later...

Neil.

 

[d_a_n1979]

Ah... ^^^

An Iron Maiden fan... Very nice

Anyways back on topic...

Id have to agree with Joel, you'd be better off looking at good 2nd hand items on Ebay rather then going brand new although the best out of the above mentioned are the M/A BR2 speakers.

 

[Anonymous]

You can build a great hifi set on a budget, I know this because I started out really simple also. If I were you, I'd be scourging second hand audio sides and eBay to find some great gear for low prices. People here can and will help you spot a bargain.

Micro systems can be nice, but they're not great as far as upgradeability goes, I'd suggest starting out with an amplifier and cd player. Apart from the fact that it's much easier to upgrade in the future (if you want to do so) it's also quite a bit better sounding.

For instance, I've compared the award winning Onkyo CS-515 with the Marantz PM4001, and the Marantz won it hands down.

 

[Anonymous]

I would go with the Marantz PM4001 amplifier, Marantz CD5001 cd player, Wharfedale 9.1 speakers and spend the rest on a tuner.

 

[Anonymous]

I think I'd second previos posts. If I were starting up again I'd buy second hand - you could do very well for £200-£300. My first stereo was a Teac 300 and a cracking little thing it was too I thought.

 

[Alec]

isnt it "let he/him who hath understanding..."...?

 

[Anonymous]

thanks for the help. from a quick look on the net, the marantz certainly appears to have had glowing reviews.

please keep your ideas coming! as a total beginner, everyone's help is much appreciated. it can be quite daunting when you don't know too much about where to start out.

 

[rich51080]

Go on ebay and Look for 2nd hand Rotel kit - Excellent bang for buck equipment and highly acclaimed.

You could kit yourself a good kit with your budget if your good at bargain hunting.

2nd hand you would get near your money back should you sell as depreciation will be less.

 

[Tibor]

I would prefer NAD C 515BEE player with NAD C315BEE amp(or NAD C325bee amp), Marantz CD 5001 has a bright treble, it is not for long term listening This my experience with this player

 

[Anonymous]

i've just picked up the what hi-fi ultimate guide today.

The latest Marantz set up - PM6002 and CD6002 - get rave reviews in the separates section, while the Onkyo tops the one-box systems.

I've quickly looked on the net to try to price them new and the Marantz with Mordaunt Short 902i speakers comes in at around £600, whereas the Onkyo is £300.

Would you say the performance of separates such as the Marantz are twice as good as a microsystem like the Onkyo and therefore worth the money (bearing in mind my original budget would have been around £400)?

I've not bought separates before and haven't yet had a chance to listen to them in a shop as yet.

 

[Anonymous]

[quote user="simondavid77"]
i've just picked up the what hi-fi ultimate guide today.

The latest Marantz set up - PM6002 and CD6002 - get rave reviews in the separates section, while the Onkyo tops the one-box systems.

I've quickly looked on the net to try to price them new and the Marantz with Mordaunt Short 902i speakers comes in at around £600, whereas the Onkyo is £300.

Would you say the performance of separates such as the Marantz are twice as good as a microsystem like the Onkyo and therefore worth the money (bearing in mind my original budget would have been around £400)?

I've not bought separates before and haven't yet had a chance to listen to them in a shop as yet.
[/quote]

Only you can tell if it would be worth the difference, you'd have to listen to it to really tell if you're wiling to spend that much more. I'd really advise you to listen to step into a hifi-store and see if you can demo both, possibly with the same speakers.

Richersounds has the Marantz PM4001 for 99 pounds, a cracking price for an excellent amplifier.

 

[Anonymous]

Yes, I've just seen that as well at Richer Sounds with the Marantz CD5001 for £150, and PM4001 for £100 so with £100 Mordaunt Short902i speakers I've seen on the net that would be £350.

Perhaps now my question should really be which should I go for - the (slightly older) Marantz set up for £350, or the latest Marantz totalling around £600?

As you say, I guess I need to give them a try-out in a hi-fi store to see if there's £250 difference to my ears!

Thanks.

 

[Anonymous]

Get the CD5001OSE with the PM4001, cracking value for money. Combine it with the 902i's and you've got yourself a system that (in my opinion) blows the Onkyo out of the water. Go for the older set, there's a different in sound quality, yes, but it certainly isn't worth 250 pounds!

 

[Anonymous]

I listened to the Marantz PM4001 and CD5001 today and thought it was outshone by the Cambridge Audio 640 amp and cd players. They seemed to have a smoother sound.

I also had a quick listen to the new Marantz PM6002 and CD6002 and that seemed pretty much on a par, or perhaps slightly better, than the Cambridge.

I'm going to have another listen tomorrow but think I'll plump for one of those two. The prices, including Mordaunt Short 902i speakers, are roughly the same at around the £550 mark.

Has anyone any experience of the Cambridge set up?

 

[Anonymous]

I decided to plump for the Morantz PM6002 and CD6002 and the cheapest I found was £538 plus another £35 for cables (compared to some dealers charging over £700 and a guide price of £690 in the What Hi Fi Ultimate Guide).

Thanks to everyone who provided suggestions - although I've ended up spending more than I'd originally intended, I've got a much better system than either of the two I'd originally considered.

I wouldn't have even thought at looking at the Morantz system without the help and advice given in this thread. Cheers - it's much appreciated!