Help me with new amp and speakers please.

[method man]

I would appreciate your advice and help please.

Current kit (amps no longer working)

CD player: Arcam Alpha 7se (also have Marantz CD6000 OSE)

Speakers: Wharfedale diamond 8.3 (floorstanders)

Amp: Marantz 6010 ose (dodgy connections)

Amp: Rotel RA-921 (broken connection)

Speaker Cable: QED Silver Anniversary Bi-Wire

Interconnect: Ixos 1002 gamma encore.

Sound organisation Hi-Fi Rack.

Dear all,

Due to a re-decoration and getting all the speaker cable up from under the floor.

I have decided to re-think my hifi for the first time in about 10 years.

When we moved in to this house I bought the Wharfedale Diamond 8.3 Floorstanding speakers after reading rave reviews and because my wife didn’t want black stands and boxes in our living room. I have to admit the reviews (what hi-fi included) may have mostly been about the bookshelf, and I may have mistakenly thought it would apply to the floorstanders. Memory fails me.

However, I’ve NEVER really enjoyed my music since moving over to them. I also had to have a run of about 18 foot of speaker cable. (I don’t know if that makes much difference)

However it’s always been a nagging doubt that both amps have had slightly dodgy connections that require fiddling about or they only play from one speaker. The Rotel’s is a speaker plug issue, and the Marantz’s problem seems to be inside the component connectors. (Neither is worth the cost of fixing).

So I obviously need a new amp. And would like to keep everything neat and not have to have the hifi so far away from the speakers. So I was thinking of the Arcam Solo (full size as we have a large L shape thru-room. But I don’t want to spend £1000 on that and still don’t like the sound if the problem is the speakers.

As I am thinking the speakers are letting me down as through either amp I can’t tell the difference between either the Arcam or Marantz CD and more worryingly not much difference if at all from an mp3 played via iPod and headphone jack.

So now, I’m asking for your suggestions for an amp and speakers, presuming I will stick with the Arcam Alpha 7 CD player.

I suffer from hearing loss of about 10% in one ear and 20% in another, so clarity and understanding

Vocals (like a clear live performance) is important to me. I listen to a lot of acoustic (Christy Moore, The Waifs, Paco de Lucia, Damien Rice, Gillian Welch). Jazz/soul. (Bobby Womack, Terry Callier). Never Jungle or House or Rock. But I do like some Reggae, and Trance, never played loud, more just for listening enjoyment.

The speakers will have to be positioned at one end of the longest part of the L shape room. Part way back into a bay (two foot from the window) and about 3 foot from the corners of the room.

Listening position will be direct in front about 8 foot, but no wall behind for another 10 foot.

Budget for Speaker and Amp combined £800.00. MAY push to £1000.00.

Sorry for the length, but I thought it best to give you all the information, as whilst I know in the world of Hi-Fi that isn’t a lot of money, it’s a lot for us to spend on it, and I would really like a wow factor, especially for the wife. If she could say to me, unprompted, it’s like they are in the room, then I would be happy to go to the £1000.00

Regards

Paul

 

[ellison]

Just wondering whether you have filled the speakers with sand and inserted the spikes? ,as these measures would make a big difference to the sound.If clarity of vocals are important to you ,i would try and audition rotel amplifiers such as the ra1062 or updated ra1520 which shine in that respect.

ellison

 

[method man]

hi ellison. thanks for the reply. I have filled them with sand not long after getting them. and they came with spikes on the foot plate.

 

[ellison]

Seeing as your amps are not working ,id probably audition and purchase an amp before changing the speakers.Out of the amps ive had over the years e.pioneer sa 606 ,marantz pm50 ,nad c320bee ,marantz pm7200,rotel ra 1062,cambridge audio 840av2 ,primare i30...the rotel still thrills me with its "live" vocal renditions more than the other amps ive used or have ,so if you can definitly demo a rotel with any other amp that might be recommended.Can you elaborate on why you dont like the sound you heard from the speakers?.Is it lack of bass or clarity maybe?

ellison

 

[Anonymous]

What about the AVI ADM9.1 for £1.1k? I know they're beyond budget but you get two very neat stand mounters with built in amps and DAC. They sound very good indeed for the money and major on clarity and neutrality. You just need to feed it from a computer...

 

[matengawhat]

how about the smaller ones http://www.avihifi.co.uk/neutron.html - could then buy a pre amp or volume controlled dac might come in slightly less than buget and have some money left over for cables and stands ect

i have just bought a pair and going to use my littledot mkiii headphone amp as a tube pre amp - quite excited about hearing them both together - should end up will a lovely detailed spacious soundstage

 

[method man]

thanks ellison. when i first tried the rotel over my marantz amp. I did prefer it.

But it didnt really interest me. I guess, what im after is a system that, i want to sit in front

of the speakers on my sofa and listen to a few hours music. i actually used to do that with my old speakers

they were old black missions i think entry level bookshelfs on attacama stands . on concrete slabs.

i,m not the only one to be dissapointed after reading rave reviews at the time, although they often dont mention filling with sand. One thing, ive only just read, is that one guy said his took 600 hours to really run in. well, having my speakers in the living room. and limited listening time. i doubt in the last 7 or 8 years. especially as i didnt like the sound, that htye have had more than 100 hours. possibly at lot less.

i wonder if that could be an issue.

 

[method man]

hi igglebert, thanks for the reply. I needed time to look into your suggestion.

DAC and AVI etc is all new to me. I dont think I would really get the benefit. although sonically, they sound just what i requested. The problem is that our living room is a large L shape. with the large part of the L (longer part) as the living room sectioned off by a sofa across halfway and down the left wall. speakers have to go into the tip of the L just proud of a bay window. But the computer and my old hi-fi are around the corner in the bottom part of the L. laying speaker cable under the carpet ruined it, and also since taking out my hi-fi and rack near the computer, that end also looks neater. thats why, a neutral looking one box on a single shelf stand in that bay , and close to the speakers is more practical. however, whilst the AVI do away with the need for an amp, i will still want to play CDs, so a box will be there. BUT they are going to be about 17 foot and a corner away from my computer.

 

[mikeinbrum]

Could you have the ARCAM CD player on a single shelf stand feeding the AVI ADM9.1s via the optical out on the cd player

Seems like the perfect solution and I guarantee that you will be amazed by the difference.

 

[method man]

Thanks for the suggestions guys. I have 'been away' so to speak from hi-fi. And have just spent the last few days

going through yoour excellent forum. DAC, computer feed etc is all new to me. last time I had some Hi-fi to buy MP3s were the scourge of hi=fi. and playing thru a PC was ridiculed.

I will look into the AVI9.1. as I definatly need an amp, and pretty sure I hate my speakers. they make sense. and presuming my cd player has an optical out i could use that witht he AVI.

ive seen on the 'I love DAC thread' that somone is wirelessly streaming music from a PC to a DAC.

is that an option for me, as my understanding so far was that anything wireless cant be Hi-fi?

 

[Gerrardasnails]

method man:
Thanks for the suggestions guys. I have 'been away' so to speak from hi-fi. And have just spent the last few days

going through yoour excellent forum. DAC, computer feed etc is all new to me. last time I had some Hi-fi to buy MP3s were the scourge of hi=fi. and playing thru a PC was ridiculed.

I will look into the AVI9.1. as I definatly need an amp, and pretty sure I hate my speakers. they make sense. and presuming my cd player has an optical out i could use that witht he AVI.

ive seen on the 'I love DAC thread' that somone is wirelessly streaming music from a PC to a DAC.

is that an option for me, as my understanding so far was that anything wireless cant be Hi-fi?

Get some ex demo Monitor Audio RS6s for about £500 and the Creek Evo amp ex demo £350, new £450. You will love it!