How to complete cambridge audio 740A and 740C system

[bay24]

Ok this is my first proper post so please be gentle and accomodating to my ignorance. I have come accross a deal to get both Cambridge audio 740A and 740C for £500. firstly is this a good deal? I have heard good things about them and they normally retail at £500 each but the low price makes me think there might be a reason for them being so cheap. The units are new.

The next questions leading from the one above are what speakers and interconects would people recomend? I have some QED xtube 350 speaker cables at the moment, would this suit the set up?

I listen to mainly indie, rock and electronica but my partner listens to some classical so its a bit of a mix.

any help would be great.....

 

[Gerrardasnails]

bay24:
Ok this is my first proper post so please be gentle and accomodating to my ignorance. I have come accross a deal to get both Cambridge audio 740A and 740C for £500. firstly is this a good deal? I have heard good things about them and they normally retail at £500 each but the low price makes me think there might be a reason for them being so cheap. The units are new.

The next questions leading from the one above are what speakers and interconects would people recomend? I have some QED xtube 350 speaker cables at the moment, would this suit the set up?

I listen to mainly indie, rock and electronica but my partner listens to some classical so its a bit of a mix.

any help would be great.....

That is a fantastic deal!!! What speakers do you have? You should get a really nice sound from that. As for cables, the QED 350 is plenty decent enough. Interconnects wise, I would recommend Chord Crimson or similar priced, Cobra 3, VDH "The Name", something like that.

 

[bay24]

I am starting from scratch really as I am upgrading from a Onkyo CR 515 mini system so i need speakers too. I am not going to have a huge budget for them but I was thinking of looking second hand. Any recomendations? I was thinking perhaps monitor audio RS1 or EPOS M5.

 

[Gerrardasnails]

bay24:I am starting from scratch really as I am upgrading from a Onkyo CR 515 mini system so i need speakers too. I am not going to have a huge budget for them but I was thinking of looking second hand. Any recomendations? I was thinking perhaps monitor audio RS1 or EPOS M5.

Well, you can see from my sig that I like CA with RS speakers. That would be a really nice little system.

 

[the record spot]

Sounds like a cracking deal. Careful with vdh The Name though; it's dynamic, but can be flat in the bass with some gear. I recently gave it up for Nordost Blue Heaven, so experimenting here is best advice.

To get more for your money, see if you can find an ex-dem interconnect on a deal (which is what I did with the Nordost). Spending £60 on a used or ex-dem i/c against £55 on the van den hul could get you the sound you want.

 

[Anonymous]

I might suggest pinching pennies for a Debut III as well... Indie is available on Vinyl all over the place. It sounds nicer and is often cheaper on wax!

Plus the dames love a man with records... not sure why.

 

[drummerman]

bay24:I am starting from scratch really as I am upgrading from a Onkyo CR 515 mini system so i need speakers too. I am not going to have a huge budget for them but I was thinking of looking second hand. Any recomendations? I was thinking perhaps monitor audio RS1 or EPOS M5.

I think you are getting great value for money. Of what I've read they probably benefit from a speaker with good focus rather than a lot of scale which, apparently, is one of the 740's strength anyhow. Your suggestion of Epos is a good one, great speakers but also consider Kef's IQ7, which can now be found for £300. Again, fantastic value and a very good speaker. It does'nt sound like a cheap floorstander rather like a good, neutral stand mount. Ok for smaller rooms too.

 

[matthewpiano]

Cracking buy. As you will see from my signature, I'm running the 740A and 740C with Mordaunt Short Avant 914i floorstanders. Listening to it now and, as always, its got my feet tapping. The Cambridge units are outstandingly good across all genres of music and the Mordaunt Shorts seem to really work well with them. I'm using the Chord Crimson interconnect between CD and amp and it is a very good choice (having tried quite a few others).

All I can say is that I've had my set-up for a few months now and I'm still completely settled with it. Everytime I listen my mind is completely focused on the music and never on hi-fi limitations. That has to be a good sign. I took the Richers extended warranty out on both the CA products and I can't see myself upgrading until well after the warranty period (5 years).

 

[John Duncan]

bay24:
Ok this is my first proper post so please be gentle and accomodating to my ignorance. I have come accross a deal to get both Cambridge audio 740A and 740C for £500. firstly is this a good deal? I have heard good things about them and they normally retail at £500 each but the low price makes me think there might be a reason for them being so cheap. The units are new.

The next questions leading from the one above are what speakers and interconects would people recomend? I have some QED xtube 350 speaker cables at the moment, would this suit the set up?

I listen to mainly indie, rock and electronica but my partner listens to some classical so its a bit of a mix.

any help would be great.....

It's an exceptional buy, snap it up. Interconnects and speaker cable you have at the moment will be fine, since you have speakers to worry about first - if after you've done that you feel there are any flaws you may be able to control them to a (very) small extent with appropriate cable, but speaker choice will influence 99% of how your setup sounds.

So with that said, how much do you want to spend on 'speakers? You could easily spend £1k and not have the CA pair disgracing themselves.

 

[Anonymous]

Hi Bay24,

Where did you find such a deal!!!!? I want to get a 740C but the price in Richer Sounds is still 499 pounds for the 740C.

thanks

 

[Anonymous]

bay24:Ok this is my first proper post so please be gentle and accomodating to my ignorance. I have come accross a deal to get both Cambridge audio 740A and 740C for £500. firstly is this a good deal? I have heard good things about them and they normally retail at £500 each but the low price makes me think there might be a reason for them being so cheap. The units are new.
Well, you know what they say; if it looks too good to be true, then it probably is. If this deal is not from a reputable dealer, I would say be very, very cautious. Are you sure they're really new? Or not off the back of a lorry? Anyway, I thought Richer Sounds was the sole UK distributor for Cambridge.

If you're sure it's all cool, I would second your own nomination for EPOS M5s.

 

[Anonymous]

If you search the web itïs not difficult to find a review from Hi Fi Choice pairing the combo with the Kef iq7.
I think you can get it from C. A. website.

 

[bay24]

Its a deal at Richer sounds through another hifi mag (hifi choice) you have to take the mag with you when you buy. its only available until 20th Oct tho so I think you need to be quick, think I am going to get mine today!!!

I have some decisions to make about speakers, I did think of the Kef IQ7 as I have read that they go well but dont think I want floorstanders mainly due to size and partner friendlyness. Think I may try and find the RS1's second hand if I can. are there any web sites tha people know of that sell second hand gear?

 

[bay24]

Don't tempt me....

 

[bay24]

I will probably only have about £300 max for speakers but am happy to go second hand if it will get me something significantly better for the money.

 

[Gerrardasnails]

bay24:I will probably only have about £300 max for speakers but am happy to go second hand if it will get me something significantly better for the money.

You should be able to get RS1s for that but if you could squeeze a bit more....

Monitor Audio
GR10 Price: £397

RRP: £800

Description
Monitor Audio's top of the range Gold Reference standmounters in cherry. Perfect working order and in excellent condition.

Contact: D.
Seller: Private seller
Telephone:
Telephone: 07970 934692

Email: morgue88@hotmail.com

Location:
Kent
UK

Advert No: 125309
Date placed: 25/09/2008

 

[drummerman]

bay24:
... I have some decisions to make about speakers, I did think of the Kef IQ7 as I have read that they go well but dont think I want floorstanders mainly due to size and partner friendlyness. Think I may try and find the RS1's second hand if I can. are there any web sites tha people know of that sell second hand gear?

I certainly would'nt do that

 

[bay24]

alas I can not streach to £400 for the GR10 at the moment but thanks very much for letting me know about them Gerrardasnails. Can I ask where you found the advert? or is it someone you know?

I am feeling that I may need to wait a bit to raise the funds for better speakers. are there any makes of speaker that I should avoid with the Cambridge pairing? I have been hearing good things about the Mordaunt short mezzo 2, the guys at richer sounds were trying to push some on me when I went to get the amp and CD player (but would take any money off them for me, not surprisingly). I know they are quite new, has anyone heard them?

 

[Gerrardasnails]

bay24:
alas I can not streach to £400 for the GR10 at the moment but thanks very much for letting me know about them Gerrardasnails. Can I ask where you found the advert? or is it someone you know?

I am feeling that I may need to wait a bit to raise the funds for better speakers. are there any makes of speaker that I should avoid with the Cambridge pairing? I have been hearing good things about the Mordaunt short mezzo 2, the guys at richer sounds were trying to push some on me when I went to get the amp and CD player (but would take any money off them for me, not surprisingly). I know they are quite new, has anyone heard them?

That ad was from audiophile candy (a second hand hifi website). Is there no way you could get floorstanders? The Kef IQ7s or MA BR5s would be within your price range.

 

[John Duncan]

The KEFs are the new Rega R3.......

 

[bay24]

I would have to consult the boss but I don't think she would be up for it. I also have a 2 year old daughter who may well get squashed by floorstanders if she decided to grab them.

Thanks for the hifi website and all your really helpfull advice! I will carry on looking and let you know how I get on!

 

[Gerrardasnails]

bay24:
I would have to consult the boss but I don't think she would be up for it. I also have a 2 year old daughter who may well get squashed by floorstanders if she decided to grab them.

Thanks for the hifi website and all your really helpfull advice! I will carry on looking and let you know how I get on!

I have a two year old daughter and her sister is five. My RS6s stand on granite slabs and they don't go near them and would have to be strong to knock them over. I understand your worries though - I was the same to start with.

 

[drummerman]

JohnDuncan:The KEFs are the new Rega R3.......

Yep. Different but without doubt better balanced.