new midrange hifi set

[admin_exported]

Hi my name is Peter,

I want to buy a new midrange hifi set, I want to replace my KEF 3005 Ht set because I prefer stereo to cinema.

I want to spend appr. 700 pounds for speakers, 700 pounds for cd player and 700 pounds for hifi integrated amp.

My room is about 270 square feet (25m2) and I listen to pop, rock, dance, metal music.

What would be a nice set (new, not 2nd hand)?

Monitor audio, B&W, Arcam, Cambridge, Marantz?

Thank you very much

Peter

 

[Anonymous]

musical fidelity A5 amp (250 watts @ 8 ohms) ... 2nd hand off ebay = approx £800

IMF TLS 80 speakers (4-way transmission design) ... 2nd hand off ebay = approx £600

Rega Apolo cdp ... new for approx £450

add approx £200-£300 for decent cables and you will have a very good system

 

[d_a_n1979]

Welcome to the forums

Nice budget...

Personally (as I listen to very similar music etc...) I'd be looking at the NAD C355BEE intergrated amp; Monitor Audio RX6 or B&W 684 speakers and either the NAD C545BEE CDP or the Rega Apollo CDP.

This would come within budget leaving you to spend the rest on speaker cable, interconnects and more CD's

If you do want to save £££ and go down the 2nd hand route; you could always look at (via eBay or other hi-fi related forums/websites) the Arcam FMJ A32 integrated amp or the Roksan Kandy LIII (or possibly the Roksan K2) integrated amp along with the Arcam CD192, Rega Apollo CDP and the Monitor Audio RS6 speakers.

 

[Anonymous]

This would be very nice, but I prefer new and not 2nd hand.

 

[d_a_n1979]

PeterGriffin78:
This would be very nice, but I prefer new and not 2nd hand.

As per my first suggestions then

You'll not go wrong with the Monitor Audio RX6's for your musical tastes and the NAD would drive them very well indeed.

 

[Anonymous]

sorry dan

This reaction was not for you

NAD Monitor Audio is on my list!

What other amps wil be nice?

I heard Exposure 2010s was very nice with rock music?

thank you

Peter

 

[d_a_n1979]

No worries

I think Audiolab, Creek Audio & Rotel would be worth looking at. Definitly consider the Roksan K2 as well.

The current Arcam range isnt as gutsy as it former was so I'd leave them be TBH

 

[Anonymous]

ok ... your budget is £2100 and you will only consider brand new

amp: Krell Kav 400xi for approx £1400

cdp: Rega Apolo for approx £450

speakers: Arcaydis Dm1 for approx £250 ... I would use these for a while, then upgrade these first as the amp and cdp are very good

 

[batonwielder]

Welcome to the forum, Peter.

For your listening preferences, I recommend the following:

Neat Motive 2 - Exposure 2010S2 - Cambridge Audio 550C

This would be money well spent.

 

[Craig M.]

rega appollo

roksan kandy k2

atc scm11

 

[Anonymous]

atc is very populair in UK in think, but I cannot find any dealer in Holland were I live at the moment,

so this will be very hard for me to demo

thanks anyway

Peter

 

[d_a_n1979]

Peter, FYI, I'm off to demo a few systems tomorrow... (I'm getting bad as Matthewpiano

)

I'm demo'ing:

NAD C355BEE integrated along with the NAD C545BEE CDP and Monitor Audio RX6's and the B&W 684's

I'm also demo'ing the NAD C326BEE integrated amp along with the NAD C545BEE CDP and the Monitor Audio RX2's on decent stands.

I may also try the RX2's along with the NAD C355BEE integrated amp.

Music I'll be taking with me will be:

Sting - All This Time (live)
Vampire Weekend - Contra
Delphic - Acolyte
Massive Attack - Heligoland
System of a Down - Toxicity
Jethro Tull - Best Of
Fischerspooner - #1
Enmpire of the Sun - Walking on a Dream

Reason I'm demo'ing these systems is that I've already got the NAD C355BEE integrated amp but I've got the Rega Apollo CDP and B&W 685 speakers and they're just not doing it for me.

I'll report back tomorrow afternoon

 

[Anonymous]

Cyrus CD6SE

Cyrus 6xp

B&W CM1 or Monitor Audio RX speakers

 

[d_a_n1979]

angelface59:
Cyrus CD6SE

Cyrus 6xp

B&W CM1 or Monitor Audio RX speakers

Good call but I'd go with the Rega Apollo CDP rather than the Cyrus CDP just to smooth the system out a bit

 

[AL13N]

d_a_n1979:I've already got the NAD C355BEE integrated amp but I've got the Rega Apollo CDP and B&W 685 speakers and they're just not doing it for me.

Try swapping the B&W 685 with Rega RS3.

 

[Gerrardasnails]

PeterGriffin78:
atc is very populair in UK in think, but I cannot find any dealer in Holland were I live at the moment,

so this will be very hard for me to demo

thanks anyway

Peter

Monitor Audio RX6. Cambridge Audio 840A v2. Creek Evo cd player. I would have said the 840C cd player from CA but it squeezes over your budget a smidge. However, it does offer DAC services with it's digital ins, if you ever wanted to add a computer to the equation - also great for radio through a Sky box or similar.

 

[d_a_n1979]

AL13N:d_a_n1979:I've already got the NAD C355BEE integrated amp but I've got the Rega Apollo CDP and B&W 685 speakers and they're just not doing it for me.

Try swapping the B&W 685 with Rega RS3.

No thanks; superb speakers but not for me.

They dont have the bass depth nor soundstage I'm after

 

[Anonymous]

the cambridge monitor audio would be very nice, what about the 740 amp +cd with the RX6?

Or the 840cd + 650cd?

 

[d_a_n1979]

C/A gear is deffo gear that you need to demo.

I was very impressed with the build and looks of the 840 amp and CDP but the sound just wasnt right for mew. Quite a bit clinical and forward and this wouldnt gel well with M/A speakers.

 

[Anonymous]

d_a_n1979:Peter, FYI, I'm off to demo a few systems tomorrow... (I'm getting bad as Matthewpiano

) I'm demo'ing: NAD C355BEE integrated along with the NAD C545BEE CDP and Monitor Audio RX6's and the B&W 684's I'm also demo'ing the NAD C326BEE integrated amp along with the NAD C545BEE CDP and the Monitor Audio RX2's on decent stands. I may also try the RX2's along with the NAD C355BEE integrated amp. Music I'll be taking with me will be: Sting - All This Time (live) Vampire Weekend - Contra Delphic - Acolyte Massive Attack - Heligoland System of a Down - Toxicity Jethro Tull - Best Of Fischerspooner - #1 Enmpire of the Sun - Walking on a Dream Reason I'm demo'ing these systems is that I've already got the NAD C355BEE integrated amp but I've got the Rega Apollo CDP and B&W 685 speakers and they're just not doing it for me. I'll report back tomorrow afternoon

Hi Dan,

Could you please post your demo here? I love your demo list, system of down is a very nice demo I think because it got both slow and fast music in it.

 

[Anonymous]

d_a_n1979:C/A gear is deffo gear that you need to demo. I was very impressed with the build and looks of the 840 amp and CDP but the sound just wasnt right for mew. Quite a bit clinical and forward and this wouldnt gel well with M/A speakers.

I think I don't like a clinical sound, I think, Iam more in rock,pop and metal music so I think that sound a bit to forward for me. Somebody had experience with marantz amps? They are very populair in Holland so is Denon.

Lot of dealers with the PM 8003 and PMA 1500 AE (denon)

 

[Gerrardasnails]

PeterGriffin78:
d_a_n1979:C/A gear is deffo gear that you need to demo. I was very impressed with the build and looks of the 840 amp and CDP but the sound just wasnt right for mew. Quite a bit clinical and forward and this wouldnt gel well with M/A speakers.

I think I don't like a clinical sound, I think, Iam more in rock,pop and metal music so I think that sound a bit to forward for me. Somebody had experience with marantz amps? They are very populair in Holland so is Denon.

Lot of dealers with the PM 8003 and PMA 1500 AE (denon)

My system does not sound clinical at all. The 840 is a brilliant amp. You would be better off trying the 740c with the 840 amp rather than the other way round.

 

[Anonymous]

Gerrardasnails:PeterGriffin78:

d_a_n1979:C/A gear is deffo gear that you need to demo. I was very impressed with the build and looks of the 840 amp and CDP but the sound just wasnt right for mew. Quite a bit clinical and forward and this wouldnt gel well with M/A speakers.

I think I don't like a clinical sound, I think, Iam more in rock,pop and metal music so I think that sound a bit to forward for me. Somebody had experience with marantz amps? They are very populair in Holland so is Denon.

Lot of dealers with the PM 8003 and PMA 1500 AE (denon)

My system does not sound clinical at all. The 840 is a brilliant amp. You would be better off trying the 740c with the 840 amp rather than the other way round.

I will demo the cambridge 840 with the 740 cd against the NAD amp+cd

 

[drummerman]

Both Dynaudio and PMC do active bookshelfes. Focus 110A and DB1a respectively. The advantage is that you have built in amplifiers optimized by the manufacturers. They seem expensive but if you break it down, are actually not, relatively speaking. I did a comparison between between the 110 and AVI's 9.1/sub, which is another option, a little while ago and can provide the link if you're interested.

 

[Anonymous]

drummerman:Both Dynaudio and PMC do active bookshelfes. Focus 110A and DB1a respectively. The advantage is that you have built in amplifiers optimized by the manufacturers. They seem expensive but if you break it down, are actually not, relatively speaking. I did a comparison between between the 110 and AVI's 9.1/sub, which is another option, a little while ago and can provide the link if you're interested.

I can demo the Dynaudio 110 A I know a shop who have them, how do you describe the dynaudio sound