kef q300/ma bx2 pair with cambridge topaz am 1/ marantz 503

[admin_exported]

dear experts,

i am planning to get a hifi set for my bedroom. i will put my speakers on the window sill which is ~140cm width. and i will listen from ~280cm away.

for the speakers i am debating whether to get kef q300 or monitor audio bx2.

for the cd and amplifier i am consider these two:1) marantze m-cr 503; 2) cambridge audio topaz am 10 + cambridge auduo cd 5.

does any of you feel the mcr503 is not good enough to support q300? and should i get a smaller speaker (e.g. q100?) because of my narrow window sill?

thank you very much in advance.

 

[Anonymous]

IMO the Cambridge Audio Topaz stuff is usless; not great sounding and just cheap basically.

Not sure where youre able to get the Marantz CR503 from (2nd hand obviously) but it was a good system and better than the CA stuff. Obviously the current CR603 system is better again

Re speakers; both the KEF Q300s and MA BX2s, IMO, are too big and will sound very boomy indeed on your windowlegde etc...

Have you considered the likes of 2nd hand speakers such as the Tannoy Mercury F1's or B&W 602 S2s or S3s.

The Dali Zensor 1's and AE Compact 1s are superb little speakers and IMO would work much better. I god blob of blu tac in each corner will hold the speakers down to stop them vibrating; just the window may cause a lot of bass bloom

Are you not able to get the speakers on stands as such or maybe wall mount them?

 

[Anonymous]

Hi,

I have the Marantz M-CR603 paired with Kef R100's and its superb! I originaly had the BX2's and really didn't like them at all. So my guess is the Q300's will be the better bet! However I have heard the M-CR603 with the Dali Zensors and that sounded really good too!

 

[matthewpiano]

Forget the Topaz AM1. The Topaz range is just cheap tat and the amps have appalling channel balance at lower volume levels. You can do much better.

Do you really have to put the speakers on the window sill? If you do, buying speakers like the KEFs or the MAs is a complete waste of time. You might as well go for some cheaper speakers. If you can, try to arrange the room so that you can accomodate stands. Even wall mounting or actually using decent bookshelves would be better than the window. I think you need to get the placement issues sorted before you even begin to choose the equipment.

 

[Baldrick1]

Re speakers; both the KEF Q300s and MA BX2s, IMO, are too big and will sound very boomy indeed on your windowlegde etc...

Too right...neither will work on a window sill. These two are best mounted on stands and at least 6 inches from a rear wall...not at all sure what the effect of them backing onto glass will be (interesting to speculate on that though :? )

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks all for your comments all are very helpful.

i live in hong kong and maybe thats the reason i can get mcr 503 first hand.anyway, I cannot get A floorstand nor wall mount, but my window sill is pretty big, the are more than 6Inches from the back of the speaker to the window. do that help?should i continue to consider q300 or bx2?

Nowgiven i can get mcr503, looks like it is better than topaz series? i did consider cambridge audio one plus before, but i assume that is worse.I read on web that the networking function for 603 (i assume 503 will have similar problem?) is not reliable. does that happens to some of you too?

thanks tons

 

[Anonymous]

i understand the quality for topaz am 10 and cd 5 may not be good, but given my tight budget, so you have any other rocommendation at a similar price range?

thanks very much.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks all for your comments all are very helpful.

i live in hong kong and maybe thats the reason i can get mcr 503 first hand.anyway, I cannot get A floorstand nor wall mount, but my window sill is pretty big, the are more than 6Inches from the back of the speaker to the window. do that help?should i continue to consider q300 or bx2?

Nowgiven i can get mcr503, looks like it is better than topaz series? i did consider cambridge audio one plus before, but i assume that is worse.I read on web that the networking function for 603 (i assume 503 will have similar problem?) is not reliable. does that happens to some of you too?

thanks tons

I have not had any networking problems at all with the M-CR603 it works perfectly.