new system help!!

[shnicks]

I have decided that my music is more important than home cinema and i LOVE a lot of bass. I am looking for a system that would give me value for money and i am looking to spend £1200 my living room is about 14ft x 20ft and i also want to know if it is possible to have a subwoofer added to the system.

I know you have to listen to systems before you buy but any match ups will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

 

[d_a_n1979]

What kind if music do you generally listen to and do you need an amp, CDP and speakers? With regards to speakers; will you consider florrstanding speakers as well as standmount speakers?

I listen to a lot of electronica and house music so bass is very important to me as well.

IMO for your budget I dont think you'll get better than what I have in my system below but it may be worth while having a a look on eBay and the likes for 2nd hand examples of the Monitor Audio RS6's or RS8's, B&W 603 S3's, B&W 684's or B&W 683's

The NAD C355BEE amp can be bought brand new for c£250/£300 from Richer Sounds and the likes the the NAD C545BEE CDP or a decent 2nd hand Arcam DiVA CD72/73 CDP would do very well as well.

As for speaker cables and interconnects; the Chord Carnival Silverscreen speaker cable and Chord Crimson interconnects would do a very good job

 

[shnicks]

I listen to a lot of hip hop and yeah i love my bass. I just thought of the idea of having an active sub to add to bookshelf speakers. The budget is for an amp, speakers and cd player

Thanks

 

[d_a_n1979]

Right...

Well IMO look at the NAD C355BEE integrated amp, the NAD C545BEE CDP and the Monitor Audio RX2 OR the B&W 685 speakers.

You'll need speaker stands so IMO the best for both above speakers would have to be the Partington Super Dreadnought stands.

You'll be very close to your budget there so it may be a case that you will need to save a little more for the sub but I think that the B&W ASW610 would be a good starting point

Shame your budget isnt more as the B&W PV1 sub would be sublime

 

[the record spot]

shnicks:
I listen to a lot of hip hop and yeah i love my bass. I just thought of the idea of having an active sub to add to bookshelf speakers. The budget is for an amp, speakers and cd player

Thanks

Lots of bass eh?

Audio Analogue Paganini CDP (£400 or less secondhand), Exposure 2010 CDP (the original model, roughly £250), Linn Mimik (£175-£225), Q Acoustics 1050i floorstander (£200 new), Mission 752 (£80 secondhand - brilliant, need to spend around £800+ to better them), for amps choose from the Leema Pulse (£700, yes, on your radar if you choose carefully, brilliantly detailed and plenty of well controlled and deep bass - can be a bit glassy with the wrong kit though, needs careful partnering), other amps? Take your pick - NAD 355 £249 in Richer Sounds, Cambridge 650A, there's my oft recommended Sansui AU-217 or the 717 if you can get one.

That should keep your shortlist growing, for dealers, have a look at Emporium Hi Fi on Ebay - they have a shop, you can try at home and return and prices are reasonable while stock is excellent. Bit of a step up from the more run of the mill stuff that the Greenhome or Steve's hifi sites offer. Have a look also at the Mountain Snow and BADA Marketplace sites, these are two networks of various hifi dealers round the UK. Both have clearance, used and ex-dem kit on offer at sometimes very good prices.

Lastly, don't just go with the flow; it's so easy to just pick NAD, Cyrus, Cambridge, and forget the rest. there's a ton of great stuff out there, this is just a guide and personally, of them all, and though it would cost you barely £120, the Mission speakers and Sansui AU-217 make a superb combination, put a good CDP in the middle and you're away.

EDIT: By the bye, unless you want to compete with Donington, forget the subwoofer if you choose the Q Acoustics and the Paganini - you'll be drilling down through the floorboards with those two on the go!

 

[Anonymous]

rs , can i ask you are those mission 752s floorstanders ? and are they the freedom model ? ta..

 

[the record spot]

Yep, they're floostanders but nope not the Freedoms, they're the original version mate. Don't be put off by the mesh dome metal tweeter, they are as far away from harsh as you can get. I've sat and listened to these boxes for hours at a time. Work a treat with the Sansui amps, a little more of a tricky affair with the Leema though.

 

[csq2]

rega brio 3 + totem rainmakers = lots of detail and plenty of bass.

 

[Anonymous]

the record spot:Yep, they're floostanders but nope not the Freedoms, they're the original version mate. Don't be put off by the mesh dome metal tweeter, they are as far away from harsh as you can get. I've sat and listened to these boxes for hours at a time. Work a treat with the Sansui amps, a little more of a tricky affair with the Leema though.cheers , theres a pair on ebay , £150 buy now (a bit pricey ?).. a friend of mine was saying he would like a seperates hifi setup after seeing mine , he uses ebay a lot , and would prefer to buy 2nd hand there to keep the costs down , ill fill him in re. your opinion of the missions , i dont know how serious he is , but it may wet his appetite knowing small money can get great sound .. thanks..

 

[the record spot]

£150, not bad if they're in good nick. A little more, but check it's a business seller, if he doesn't like them, he can return within 7 days. They're probably going to be well broken in given they'll be around 15 years old or so!

On top of that, check what he partners them with, if he's got a bright CDP and amp, then he'll have issues possible. If he's running some gear with less of the glassy and bright sounds going on, he'll just need to sort out speaker position, etc.

 

[Anonymous]

will fill him in , thanks