Linn Classik / Arcam solo + top speakers vs separates and budget speakers

[admin_exported]

Hi

I'm looking to buy my first decent hifi system but a bit restricted on space and budget.

My total budget is about £2k for tuner, cd, amp, speakers & cables etc, So I roughly budgeted for £700 for amp and CD with £600 for speakers and cables.

I've listened to some NAD and arcam kit with B&W and Epos speakers and all sounded good. I'd be happy that I could make a good choice based on this.

However, I've been offered a good deal on a Linn Classik (and theres a cheap Arcam Solo on Ebay). Buying one of these would leave me just over a grand for speakers and cable (I could possible stretch to another couple of hundred). How would the Linn paired with £1k speakers compare to entry level separates with £400 speakers ?

Thanks

 

[d_a_n1979]

IMO i'd be going for the Arcam Solo.

I think its one of the best 'one box' systems out there and partnered with decent speakers it's superb.

What speakers have you been looking at and also; what kind of music do you listen to?

 

[matthewpiano]

I would look at the following:

Rega Apollo CD (£598)
Naim Nait 5i Amp (£725)
Mordaunt-Short Mezzo 2 Speakers (£400)

Add cables and a decent tuner (either the Denon TU1500 or TU1800DAB depending on whether you want the DAB or not) with a pair of good quality speaker stands (Atacama Nexus or similar) and you'll have a cracking set-up which will easily show the door to the two all-ine-one systems and make future upgrades easier.

With your budget you might also want to look at the now end-of-line Roksan Kandy MkIII CD player and Amp, available for less than £1k now for the pair. Creek's Evolution series would also be worth a look - CD, Amp, and Tuner with a pair of Epos speakers would make a cracking system.

 

[drummerman]

Willt, perhaps also consider auditioning AVI's ADM9.1.

Go on their website and you get all the technical info but in essence they are active compact monitors with built in pre-amplifier, amplification and a good quality DAC section. Remote control too. You'd still need a source but this can be pc/cdp or analogue based. The corresponding inputs are available.

Regards

 

[matthewpiano]

drummerman:
Willt, perhaps also consider auditioning AVI's ADM9.1.

Go on their website and you get all the technical info but in essence they are active compact monitors with built in pre-amplifier, amplification and a good quality DAC section. Remote control too. You'd still need a source but this can be pc/cdp or analogue based. The corresponding inputs are available.

Regards

I really think you could benefit from taking this suggestion very seriously given your requirement for a compact set-up. I haven't heard the AVIs myself but I've read lots of good things about them and with a decent source I would have thought they could be better than the all-in-one units. Leaves you some flexibility regarding your source and future upgrades in the future as well.

 

[d_a_n1979]

The AVI's partnered with the Rega Apollo would be sublime i reckon!

Defoo worth a looking at

 

[chebby]

d_a_n1979:The AVI's partnered with the Rega Apollo would be sublime i reckon!

Defoo worth a looking at

This is 'defoo' NOT how Ashley (MD of AVI) would want his kit to be used by a customer. He strenuously (vociferously) promotes the use of his ADM9.1's with Apple Mac/Apple TV/iTunes on every forum I have seen him contribute to on this subject. (Just my observation in case you research the ADM9.1's online. You may find some controversy regarding use of this active speaker/DAC set-up with anything but a Mac/Apple TV as a source.)

Anyway, back on topic. The Arcam Solo Music 2.1 is one of the best all-in-one options out there. (My budget did not quite stretch to it unfortunately.) I would have no reservations in using it with expensive speakers.

 

[Anonymous]

drummerman:
Willt, perhaps also consider auditioning AVI's ADM9.1.

Go on their website and you get all the technical info but in essence they are active compact monitors with built in pre-amplifier, amplification and a good quality DAC section. Remote control too. You'd still need a source but this can be pc/cdp or analogue based. The corresponding inputs are available.

Regards

Agree. Any active speaker with a laptop will save space.