Help with new system

[Julie556]

I am in the middle of a house renovation and will update my old kit from the ‘90s.
I was considering a Quad Artera Solus and decent speakers. However, I wonder whether an amp and a CD player would give me a better sound. It is quite a big room. Which would give better sound? The Quad or an Arcam A25 or A15, or possibly the Rega Elex Mk4 or any other suggestions i should look at? Maybe the Arcam CD player. I might add a streamer too. I listen to acoustic music, classical and mainly vocal music, don’t like it too bright, but want to hear detail.
Also what speakers should I audition?
Researching this is a great distraction from living in a building site!

Thanks for any advice.

 

[Integralista]

Hi Julie, how big is your budget for HiFi upgrade? This info will give us better indication what to recommend to you. And how big is the room with HiFi system?

 

[Tessie]

I was looking at the same amps as you but i bought the NAD M10 V3 because it can do everything.
Maybe look at the Arcam SA35 if your budget allows.

For bookshelf speakers that are good for voices and not to bright:

• Dynaudio Evoke 10 or 20
• Acoustic Energy AE500
• ATC SMC7 or SMC11
• Spendor classic range: CLASSIC 3/1
• Epos ES-7N or ES-14N

 

[good_enough]

I have similar listening habits to you and love my Roksan K3 pair (CD plus amp) which you may be able to audition at Richer's though they say stock is limited https://www.richersounds.com/roksan...UYK1-Wd0APNDSVfl23QOCyxYSi6ENdlxoCPwoQAvD_BwE

Presumably because roksan is sliding in the atessa range as its entry level.

Anyway both the K3s are WHF 5 star performers.

Exciting times buying a new system!

 

[Julie556]

Hi Julie, how big is your budget for HiFi upgrade? This info will give us better indication what to recommend to you. And how big is the room with HiFi system?

The more I look , the bigger the (aspirational) budget gets! I was thinking about £3000 for amp,cd and speakers ….or the Quad system plus speakers. The Quad is attractive, but I don’t want to regret my choices based on style/size etc.
The living room is about 25 ft long by 15feet.

I will put my ancient Marantz PM7200 amp and CD6000ose in my study, but will get some smaller speakers for that smaller room…..the Rogers LS8as will have to go.

I don’t want a turntable now as I hardly used my Pro-ject.
Thanks

 

[Julie556]

I have similar listening habits to you and love my Roksan K3 pair (CD plus amp) which you may be able to audition at Richer's though they say stock is limited https://www.richersounds.com/roksan...UYK1-Wd0APNDSVfl23QOCyxYSi6ENdlxoCPwoQAvD_BwE

Presumably because roksan is sliding in the atessa range as its entry level.

Anyway both the K3s are WHF 5 star performers.

Exciting times buying a new system!

Exciting indeed…..the research is interesting as all my old stuff is very old and things have moved along. I’ll look at Roksan.

 

[good_enough]

Exciting indeed…..the research is interesting as all my old stuff is very old and things have moved along. I’ll look at Roksan.

Well listening would be the thing I think 🤔

 

[Julie556]

Well listening would be the thing I think 🤔

🤣

 

[matthewpianist]

A good dealer is your best friend in this situation. I can warmly recommend Moorgate Acoustics, Doug Brady and Vickers Hi-Fi as people I have dealt with.

It's such a personal thing, but my experience with the Quad Artera Play + CD/pre and Artera Stereo power amp was uninspiring. I also had a Audiolab Omnia all-in-one for a while, but didn't get on with it for very long, and my musical tastes are similar to yours. My current re-built NAD 3020 leaves both in the dust for musical engagement, TBH.