Marantz or Arcam??

[LEEMCCANN]

Hi

Im looking to buy a cd based system and have decided on either and arcam solo mini with Wharfedale Diamond 10.1 speakers or A marantz seprate set up cosisting of the 6003 cd player and matching amp withthe same Wharfedale speakers

Quite simply ignoring price which will sound best?

 

[the record spot]

Impossible to say; I don't have your ears, your idea of what constitutes a good sound, or what makes something sound good to you (they are different things I think), and I wouldn't restrict myself to just those two brands (much as I like Marantz).

I'd think about adding Harman Kardon's MAS110 two box mini-system to the mix and I wouldn't leave out Teac's Reference 600 in a hurry from the "all in one" considerations.

And there are plenty of options out there for separates, though the latest Marantz kit sounds excellent for the money and a good first item on the shortlist.

If it matches up to the kind of sound you like to hear, then it could be ideal. Check out, in the same price bracket, Rotel, NAD, Harman Kardon (their HD990 and HK980 CDP/amp are unsung heroes on this forum, but worthy of your time) and Yamaha all have some good kit at this end of the scale.

 

[Anonymous]

And better speakers might be a thought, too.

 

[chebby]

LEEMCCANN: Quite simply ignoring price which will sound best?

Neither will reveal their best with the speakers you suggested.

Save a little longer and try out some good speakers around the £350 - £500 level.

 

[LEEMCCANN]

ok thanks what would you suggest?

there seems to be quite a jump from the Wharfedales at around £200 to stuff like the EB accoustics at £450 is there anything in between, I already have monitor radus speakers for surround and like the look of the RX1's, would these be suitable for both systems?

incidentally the reason for the inclusion of the solo mini in my shortlst is that i have a friend in the trade who can get me it for £450 so its seems a good call, given the saving.

 

[chebby]

LEEMCCANN:ok thanks what would you suggest?

there seems to be quite a jump from the Wharfedales at around £200 to stuff like the EB accoustics at £450 is there anything in between, I already have monitor radus speakers for surround and like the look of the RX1's, would these be suitable for both systems?

I was thinking of something like the Rega RS1s (£398) or - as you mentioned - MA RX1s or even the Leema Xeros (available for £399 a pair nowadays).

I have owned the Solo-Mini and used it with Rega R3s (then a £500 speaker before being replaced by Rega's newer 'RS' range last year) and the pairing was rather good. Maybe some will come up on ebay.

 

[John Duncan]

Presumably you're looking at the deals in Richers sounds. Of the two you mention, personally I'd have the Marantz because quality will be similar and it's 150 quid cheaper than the Arcam deal. However, I'd also consider the Cambridge package at 50 quid more than the Arcam - whilst I know WHF prefer the Marantz pair, I'm a big fan of Cambridge and the Mezzo 2s in the deal are somewhat better than the Diamonds.

 

[Anonymous]

That's perhaps understating the case a little Mr Duncan

. The Mezzos are in a different league.

By the way, what is your system these days? Is it still all Primare?