need your advice

[admin_exported]

Hi everyone! I'm new to the forum and I'd really appreciate your help. I plan to buy my first stereo system and despite I'd like to audition some components myself, I'm far from that chance here in Argentina. Not only availability is very limited here, but also local relative prices are usually very different from yours, so reviews often become less informative also. That's why I'm asking you, even when I suspect you are tired of this stuff!! Up to now, I could manage to get these electronics:

- Amplifier: 1) NAD c326bee: U$S650; 2) CA 640a-v2: U$S600; 3) rotel ra-05: U$S800.

- CD player.: 1) NAD c545bee: U$S650; 2) CA 640-v2: U$S750; 3) marantz cd6002: U$S500

In the speaker land, I can find MA BR2 or RS1 from U$S450 and 650, respectively, and JMLab Focal 705v/706v for U$S550/750. B&W 685's price rises to U$S1100 here, which seems very high regardless of their well-rated performance. I think I coul also find some Energy and Jamo speakers, but do not know their price yet.

I would appreciate it very much if you can give me some advice regarding best matching of these products. I would use them in a quite small room (~15m2) listening mainly to jazz, blues, classic and folk, and I would strongly want to stay below the U$S2000 line.

Thanks in advance!!

 

[Anonymous]

Speaking personally, I have a Rotel RA-04 (same as RA-05 but without a remote control, £100 difference in the UK) and Monitor Audio BR2s. I really like that combination, I have the BR2s on Sounstyle Z2 stands, and a fairly decent pair of stands is well worth the investment in my opinion.

This combination is a touch punchy and dynamic, I really love it for the music that I listen to (rock, brit pop, classical) but I appreciate that it's not to evewryone's taste. I think that RS1s or the new RX series would be well worth a listen. The RX is out in September in the UK I understand, I have no idea of Argentinian distribution, but it's worth asking your dealer. If you can audition the RS/RX series then do. That goes for everything, audition if you can, you might be surprised at what you like.

B&W 685s are well rated with the RA-04/05/06, many love these together, I'm not a fan, so do have a listen if you can. As to the other combinations, I'm clueless.

 

[link]

for the jazz and folk, i would go for the nad combo. never heard the rotel though.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for your comments. Actually, based on reviews, the rotel ra-04 would have been my first choice, paired with the marantz cd player and the MA br2 speakers. However, the amplifier isn't sold here and going up for the upper model costs as much as the NAD combo, which seems to have nice features too (despite its look...) and is recommended as a best buy by WHF. However, I do not have any reference about how they pair with the speakers I can afford here. Any comments about that would help me a lot.

Thanks!

 

[Don Jr]

I'm not sure about the Rotel RA-05 but WHF recently reviewed the new Rotel RA-1520 and gave it 5 stars. I would imagine you could get a good deal on the RA-05 because it's probably discontinued for the new 15 series.

 

[Don Jr]

link:for the jazz and folk, i would go for the nad combo. never heard the rotel though.

I've always liked the NDA stuff myself. I own a complete NAD and Rotel system and I would never say that Rotel is better, just different. The build quality is equal.