HiFi setup from Home Cinema

[ClaudioC]

My system was setup in the living room by an AV Expert a few years ago and consists of:

Denon AVR-3600 Receiver (Purchased Used) - Replaced a Pioneer VSX-RDS609 (couldn't connect to a pre-amp) which still lies around ...

Classe CA-100 Amplifier (Purchased Used) - acts as pre-amplifier to the Denon I think ...

ProAc tablette Reference 8 Signature as front L & R (+ HiFi) Speakers

DLS T3 (Rear speakers) & TC3 (Front Centre)

Yamaha YSS-FSW100 Subwoofer

XLO Interconnects

Recently I upgraded my DVD To Sony BDP-S470.

This setup suited both the wife (Home Cinema) & myself (Music -mostly on PC & CDs) until the arrival of a new baby and the renovation of the house marked the room "out of bounds" for my music...!

I then setup in another place a small system consisting of my laptop, a Cambridge Audio DacMagic and M-Audio Studiophile AV-40 active monitors, connected with my synthesiser & keyboards (as i am into electronic music/composition/arranging)...

Now I wish to separate the two (Home Cinema / Music) and setup my HiFi/Music system in another room and consider taking the ProAcs + Classe there (do you agree?).

My questions are:

(1) The AV Expert suggested using the Classe and buing a pre-amplifier? What do you think is a suitable (budget?) pre-amp for Classe + ProAcs? Should I follow this route or go for an integrated amp?

(2) Which speakers to buy as front speakers to replace the ProAcs? Are Cambridge Audios S30 adequate or should I go for something like Monitor Audio's BX2?

(3) My music is split between CDs(70%) and digital(30%). Should i go for a budget CD player and use my DacMagic with it or purchase a budget streamer like Cambridge's NP30.

(3) As I have a £400 voucher from Yamaha I am thinking of replacing the Denon with Yamaha RX-667 as the receiver for the Home Cinema. Does ir worth it or should I use my Pioneer VSX-RDS609 as I would not need a pre-amp for the Home cinema?

My budget is around £1000-1500 plus a £400 voucher from Yamaha . Also auditioning in my country is hard as each dealer carries a single brand and most brands are not even available ...

A lot of questions but I believe that you guys may help me in this!

Thanks a lot !!!

 

[CnoEvil]

IMO. You should find a preamp (a 2nd hand Classe CP35 would be perfect) worthy to pair with the Classe power amp and the Proacs. Can you give a list of makes that do preamps to which you have access? Probably allow around £800 to £1000 for this.

Try to keep 3 front speakers from the same make - MA BX range is fine.

IMO Streaming is the way to go....preferably stored on a NAS.

I think you should go with the Yamaha.

 

[ClaudioC]

Thanks a lot.

From a quick survey I found Rotel, Cambridge Audio,Classe & NAD (?) are distributed in my country.! Would you think the CA 840E pre-amp would suit the Classe?

So you suggest I disgard the front centre DLS TC3 as well in favour of three MAs?

Regarding getting a second hand pre-amplfier in only e-bay but I would like to avoid it as delivery charges + taxes would add considerably to the e-bay price.

 

[CnoEvil]

Ideally you should go with Classe.

I don't like CA (but you might - it's too bright for me), so would suggest the following preamps if the above is not suitable:

Rotel RC-1580 (slightly more forward/neutral/energetic) or

Nad C165 BEE (warmer)

Yes, I am saying that you should either get some DLS L&R (not familiar with these) or go all MA.

 

[ClaudioC]

Thanks again!

I have looked at the proposed pre-amps, which may be available, but they seem out of my budget ...(£400 for the streamer and £1000 for the pre-amp leaves little for the MAs...

The AV expert that installed my system in the first place suggested I look for a Classe PreAMp (as per your suggestion as well) and if I cannot get one I may examine the possibility of buing a budget integrated amp as a pre-amp to the Classe. As I am no expert at all, does this make sense?

Thanks,

 

[CnoEvil]

With little room to move on your budget, it is a matter of where the money will give you the biggest gain.

You have the making of a great 2 channel system, and also the making of a good (but budget) AV system, and if you're not careful, you will end up compromising both. So here is my advice:

2 CHANNEL SIDE

Spend as much as you possibly can on a pre-amp, even if you end up spending less on the AV system (for now). This side has by far the most potential of the two systems, and where the biggest gains (or losses) will come.

Rotel do a model down from the one I listed which is cheaper (RC 1550 @ £495), and this is the absolute minimum you should be looking at.

IMO. The pre-amp section of a cheap integrated amp, will undo a lot of the potential that you have with the Classe and the Proacs.

AV SIDE

Ideally you should have the three front speakers the same, but since you were happy mixing the Proacs with the DLS, I think that you should get whatever front L&R fit into the remaining budget. Keep the centre as it is, and you can always swop this out at a later date if this proves necessary.

Can your voucher only be used for a Yamaha (likely), or can it put to something else if you kept the Denon? If the voucher has to be a Yamaha product, can you get something else from their range that isn't an amp (ie. streamer, speakers etc). If you have to buy an amp so as not to loose the voucher....then get the amp.

So in summary, I'm saying that you should maximize the 2 channel side and fund this by compromising on the AV side, which has less potential.

 

[ClaudioC]

Thanks a lot.

The voucher is from a specific dealer selling Yamaha, Wharfedale,Quad and Senheiser amongst others... It was for a Yamaha synthesiser under quarantee that could not be fixed.!

So I decided to go for the best pre-amp I can afford around the £700-£1000 mark. If I cannot get a 2nd hand Classe (rather unlikely from my initial search), what is your suggestion, even if I have to import from the U.K.?

Also do you suggest putting all three DLS in front and search for something else for Back speakers in the Home Cinema?

Thanks again. Your advice is appreciated!

 

[CnoEvil]

Thanks a lot.

The voucher is from a specific dealer selling Yamaha, Wharfedale,Quad and Senheiser amongst others... It was for a Yamaha synthesiser under quarantee that could not be fixed.!

So I decided to go for the best pre-amp I can afford around the £700-£1000 mark. If I cannot get a 2nd hand Classe (rather unlikely from my initial search), what is your suggestion, even if I have to import from the U.K.?

Also do you suggest putting all three DLS in front and search for something else for Back speakers in the Home Cinema?

Thanks again. Your advice is appreciated!

Pre-amps in order of my preference (if can't get Classe):
1. Quad Elite Pre....since your dealer does this, ask his opinion and then if poss borrow one to try. This may be the most practical solution.
2. ATC CA2
3. Rotel RC1580
4. Nad C165BEE
5. Rotel RC1550

I was going to suggest that you moved the DLS to the front, but when I looked them up I thought they were dedicated surrounds. If this is not the case, you should definately do this, as it's much less important that the rear speakers match up tonally.....eg. almost any speaker that suits your budget and logistics should be fine.

 

[ClaudioC]

Given that :

1) I listen mostly to lounge, instrumental, electronic & classical music.

(2) I can use my CA DacMagic (connected between my PC & M-Audio AV40 actives) in the setup.

What is your suggestion as the pre-amps I found in my initial investigation (in ascending price order) are:

Rotel RC-1550

Audiolab 8200Q

ATC CA/2

Rotel RC-1580

Audiolab 8200CDQ

Cambridge Audio 840E

Arcam

Your advice would be mostly appreciated.

Thanks

 

[CnoEvil]

If you are speaking to me, my thoughts haven't changed and are listed above. They appear to mostly coincide with the other advice that you've had from David and Rick (amoungst others).

I'm not sure there is anything else I can say, except to wish you a successful outcome with whatever you decide.

 

[ClaudioC]

Thanks again,

From your suggestions, I think I'll go with ATC CA2 or Rotel RC-1580 (they are about the same price in my country). Do you find any significant differences (music-wise) between the two?

Thanks

 

[CnoEvil]

Thanks again,

From your suggestions, I think I'll go with ATC CA2 or Rotel RC-1580 (they are about the same price in my country). Do you find any significant differences (music-wise) between the two?

Thanks

Without hesitation, I would go for ATC.........although I'm never quite comfortable with people buying solely on my recommendation (saying that ATC seemed a popular choice with David and Rick as well).

Please report back when all is done.

Cno

 

[ClaudioC]

Thanks.

If you are no expert in something and you cannot judge by yourself (e.g. audition) you have to trust somebody in the know...

As soon as receive it and install it, i 'll let you know.!