Hi there guys!
I'm new to this forum, but i was counting on your expertise to advice me. I'm also a newbie at the world of hifi.
I'm on the market after a new hifi system, just to listen strictly music and live dvd (or live bluray discs). my current audio system is a logitech z-5500 connected to my pc... despite of going massively loud in movies and games, for music listening is... let put it mildly... terrible
the system is to be connected to my pc as the only audio source. my pc soundcard is a creative soudblaster x-fi: link below for the specs
http://www.soundblaster.com/products/product.asp?category=1&subcategory=872&product=15854&nav=1
i have my music collection all ripped on FLAC format, so i think that a dedicated cd player isn't needed on my system (just my opinion)
by the way... i listen a wide range of music, from classical Chopin, Beethoven and Jacques Loussier. Pop music: Kylie Minogue, George Michael, Sting, lots of soudtracks (Dark knight, ...), and vocal: Micahel Bublé, Diana Krall. The list goes on but you get the idea.
the room where i intend to put the speakers is a 4meters by 4 meters and i can position them without any restrictions.
Now to the speakers themselves.... the two retailers in which I can buy locally only have two systems that interested me... maybe three.... being the B&W 684, Monitor Audio GS60 and the KEF IQ5O being the GS60 and the KEF connected to a Advanced acoustic MAP305II (a 2 star review on what hifi). they have a corner on the shop where the speakers where playing and the shop is a very large space whit lots of ambient noise.
As for the listening impressions... well it might be the big space... but the kef sounded too weak on the lows with barely noticeable bass , the med-highs where detailed and fast (what do you think? this speakers benefit from a smaller space regarding lows?). The GS60 had plenty of low end and the sound was very balanced and detailed, I think I liked a tiny bit more the highs of the kef but overall the GS60 are the winners, in that kind of environment.
The B&W 684 where auditioned in another retailer whit a proper room for listening, but with very unqualified employees. I explain... the connected this speakers to a YAMAHA AV receiver (i dont remember the model, i costs like a 1000 euros) and the CD was being played through a cheap PHILIPS bluray drive. they didn't have the remote for both systems, so i couldn't calibrate the sound (heck i couldn't even skip tracks). Even in pure 2 channel direct... the best i can say is that the system sounded very very disappointing, with completely lacking meds, and a very messy low. And that can't be right because i had high hopes for those speakers, they have very positive reviews, and with a very attractive price tag. also they connected only two of the four wire plugs in the back of this speakers (although after a quick search a found that has to do with bi-wiring and may or may not influence the sound quality).
Last but not the least i need an amplifier... with a 400 euros price tag at the most... i was aiming for the NAD-C355BEE, or something a little cheaper than that one... keep in mind that the retailers from my area can get easily amplifiers from brands like Marantz, NAD, Rotel and Denon. the system doesn't need to go very loud, i prefer sound quality over sound volume.
What else do i need to consider? cables? any advice will be welcome.
So that's it... I'm seriously depending on your advice since the listening conditions where far from ideal, what you say is what i will probably end up buying. Well I can always return it if I'm not satisfied, but I don't want to regret spending my hard earned euros on a system that will not satisfy me completely.
Kind regards
I'm new to this forum, but i was counting on your expertise to advice me. I'm also a newbie at the world of hifi.
I'm on the market after a new hifi system, just to listen strictly music and live dvd (or live bluray discs). my current audio system is a logitech z-5500 connected to my pc... despite of going massively loud in movies and games, for music listening is... let put it mildly... terrible
the system is to be connected to my pc as the only audio source. my pc soundcard is a creative soudblaster x-fi: link below for the specs
http://www.soundblaster.com/products/product.asp?category=1&subcategory=872&product=15854&nav=1
i have my music collection all ripped on FLAC format, so i think that a dedicated cd player isn't needed on my system (just my opinion)
by the way... i listen a wide range of music, from classical Chopin, Beethoven and Jacques Loussier. Pop music: Kylie Minogue, George Michael, Sting, lots of soudtracks (Dark knight, ...), and vocal: Micahel Bublé, Diana Krall. The list goes on but you get the idea.
the room where i intend to put the speakers is a 4meters by 4 meters and i can position them without any restrictions.
Now to the speakers themselves.... the two retailers in which I can buy locally only have two systems that interested me... maybe three.... being the B&W 684, Monitor Audio GS60 and the KEF IQ5O being the GS60 and the KEF connected to a Advanced acoustic MAP305II (a 2 star review on what hifi). they have a corner on the shop where the speakers where playing and the shop is a very large space whit lots of ambient noise.
As for the listening impressions... well it might be the big space... but the kef sounded too weak on the lows with barely noticeable bass , the med-highs where detailed and fast (what do you think? this speakers benefit from a smaller space regarding lows?). The GS60 had plenty of low end and the sound was very balanced and detailed, I think I liked a tiny bit more the highs of the kef but overall the GS60 are the winners, in that kind of environment.
The B&W 684 where auditioned in another retailer whit a proper room for listening, but with very unqualified employees. I explain... the connected this speakers to a YAMAHA AV receiver (i dont remember the model, i costs like a 1000 euros) and the CD was being played through a cheap PHILIPS bluray drive. they didn't have the remote for both systems, so i couldn't calibrate the sound (heck i couldn't even skip tracks). Even in pure 2 channel direct... the best i can say is that the system sounded very very disappointing, with completely lacking meds, and a very messy low. And that can't be right because i had high hopes for those speakers, they have very positive reviews, and with a very attractive price tag. also they connected only two of the four wire plugs in the back of this speakers (although after a quick search a found that has to do with bi-wiring and may or may not influence the sound quality).
Last but not the least i need an amplifier... with a 400 euros price tag at the most... i was aiming for the NAD-C355BEE, or something a little cheaper than that one... keep in mind that the retailers from my area can get easily amplifiers from brands like Marantz, NAD, Rotel and Denon. the system doesn't need to go very loud, i prefer sound quality over sound volume.
What else do i need to consider? cables? any advice will be welcome.
So that's it... I'm seriously depending on your advice since the listening conditions where far from ideal, what you say is what i will probably end up buying. Well I can always return it if I'm not satisfied, but I don't want to regret spending my hard earned euros on a system that will not satisfy me completely.
Kind regards
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