Help me improve my system

[jonboywalton75]

My system

Nad 325 bee amp

Nad 521 bee Cd

Dacmagic (original)

SB duet

Focal Jm Labs Chorus 714s

Qed Cables

Just wondering if i could improve my system with a second hand amp (around £200)

I like a detailed sound and i listen mainly to Flac files.

I love my speakers, so don't want to change.

Also wondered if the MarantzM-cr603 would improve the sound of my kit and reduce the box count.

Cheers in advance for any help.

 

[matthewpiano]

The amp you have is very capable. Have you tried swapping out the cheap links between the pre and main connections with better quality jumpers? I'm using Audioquest amp jumpers on my '326BEE and it made a substantial difference to the sound, really opening things up.

Otherwise, I'd be looking at second hand Arcams. Something like an A65+ would work very well with your Focals and provide you with lots of detail. If you can find a nice Alpha 9 in budget this should be even better.

 

[jonboywalton75]

Cheers for the reply

No idea what jumpers are or where to fit them.

What sort of cost are we talking?

 

[Blackdawn]

Its the cable between pre out and main in, to the right hand side of the tape connections.

 

[matthewpiano]

£25.

On the back panel of your amp you will see two little bars linking the pre-amp outputs to the main/power amp inputs. These links are cheap steel ones and can be taken out and replaced with something better quality. As always with cables, IMO, there is no need to go mad with the exotic options out there, but I have found that the Audioquest ones make a good improvement to the amp without breaking the bank.

If you go down the Arcam route you will trade some of the punch of your current amp for a more controlled and more detailed sound. For example the A65+ has particular strengths in soundstaging, both left to right and back to front, and its tonal reproduction of instruments and voices is extremely good.

 

[jonboywalton75]

These any good?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-CHORD-CARNIVAL-SILVER-PLUS-JUMPER-CABLES-SET-4-/221013135288?pt=UK_Computing_Sound_Vision_Audio_Cables_Adapters&hash=item337568cfb8#ht_965wt_1177

 

[Blackdawn]

As you listen mostly to computer files like FLAC, maybe it would be a good idea to demo a different DAC alongside your Dacmagic, something like the HRT streamer II or MF VDAC mk2

 

[Blackdawn]

I think these are for speakers

 

[matthewpiano]

Yes, those are for speakers. What you need is these:

http://www.futureshop.co.uk/audioquest-preamp-jumpers-p-5913.html

This is where I bought them from. Used futureshop a few times and they are excellent.

 

[jonboywalton75]

Just ordered some, i let you know how they sound.Cheers for the help.