One-Make-Hi-Fi System Supertest

[gsyx123]

Hi Team.

Just read your supertest in this months magazine and was curious to know, with the obvious exceptions, who chooses which speakers to pair with which system? Is it specified by the manufacturer? I only ask because some of your recommended upgrades would be to change the speakers used. If they had come with these speakers to begin with, would it have altered the end result?

Thanx

 

[Andrew Everard]

Yes, the manufacturers are asked to suggest speakers. And yes, where we felt the suggested speakers could be bettered, we have pointed that out.

 

[gsyx123]

Thanks Andrew

So even with the recommendations you make, the eventual winners would still have stood?

 

[Clare Newsome]

Nope - for example, the Marantz separates plus Wharfedale Diamond 10.1s remain our favourite budget system (see our Top Systems Best Buys here).

The point of the one-make test is that many people - and retailers! - prefer sticking to a particular brand or brand-family, so we test how those combinations fare against each other. Sometimes it's a great success; other times a more mix-and-match approach yields more benefits, as the test details.

 

[chebby]

I was amazed that you managed to get an entire system out of Rega.

 

[Clare Newsome]

We're very persistent

But seriously - it's a superb system

 

[Boca]

Clare Newsome:
Nope - for example, the Marantz separates plus Wharfedale Diamond 10.1s remain our favourite budget system (see our Top Systems Best Buys here).

The point of the one-make test is that many people - and retailers! - prefer sticking to a particular brand or brand-family, so we test how those combinations fare against each other. Sometimes it's a great success; other times a more mix-and-match approach yields more benefits, as the test details.

Hi Clare, does this apply to the HT best buys also? I was looking at the B&W speakers with the sony blueray and sony receiver but you have the monitor audio for the best buy.

 

[Anonymous]

Hi Andrew and Clare,

I also have a couple of questions about the supertest (which I thought was great).

1) Some of the products had their ratings adjusted. For example, the Rega Apollo is now listed as a four-star product, where it had five before. The same is true of the Dynaudio 110s. Does this reflect your current opinion, or are those typos?

2) If these ratings do reflect your current opinion, I believe many of us would like to hear much more about this. The same is true for your ratings in this test of products you haven't rated before. I'd love to know more about the Rega RS3s, for example. I appreciate that space is limited in the mag but wonder whether you would be willing to put up extended comments on the products on the website.

3) What do you think would a swap of the Mira 3 for the Brio do? Would it further improve the system or would it destroy some of the synergy you clearly liked a lot? More power and a remote control seem desirable...

4) Finally, on the overall ranking: the categories are a bit broad, aren't they. With the "under £1,600" bracket encompassing the Marantz, Nad and Rega systemsit sounds as if you end up preferring the NAD to the Rega, but they are very different beasts, also price-wise. So I'm not sure how helpful these categories are. OR are you saying that if you had £1,600 you'd rather buy the NAD than the Rega system and save £600?

Thanks a lot!

Hedgehog

 

[Andrew Everard]

You'll probably have to wait until Monday for a more detailed response from the review team - I'm afraid I wasn't involved in this test at all...

 

[Anonymous]

Andrew, why don't WHF put names to the reviews and articles?

 

[Andrew Everard]

Because every review is a team review, not by an individual.

 

[Anonymous]

Hi Andrew,

Thanks for the quick response. I don't expect a full weekend service from you and your colleagues!

I might post a quick reminder on Monday if this thread has been buried by then.

Hedgehog

 

[Anonymous]

Andrew Everard:Because every review is a team review, not by an individual.

Fair play gov! Should have guessed!

 

[Clare Newsome]

Hedgehog:
Hi Andrew and Clare,

I also have a couple of questions about the supertest (which I thought was great).

1) Some of the products had their ratings adjusted. For example, the Rega Apollo is now listed as a four-star product, where it had five before. The same is true of the Dynaudio 110s. Does this reflect your current opinion, or are those typos?

Yes, they are real changes, which reflect our opinion now we've had chance to compare them at length with more recent rivals. The star-rating changes are explained in main text and stressed again on the verdict page.

Hedgehog:

2) If these ratings do reflect your current opinion, I believe many of us would like to hear much more about this. The same is true for your ratings in this test of products you haven't rated before. I'd love to know more about the Rega RS3s, for example. I appreciate that space is limited in the mag but wonder whether you would be willing to put up extended comments on the products on the website.

Some new products- eg Rotel CD player - also have a full First Test in that issue. Others (including revised ratings) will be put online shortly - as with all our reviews that appear in magazine first.

Hedgehog:

3) What do you think would a swap of the Mira 3 for the Brio do? Would it further improve the system or would it destroy some of the synergy you clearly liked a lot? More power and a remote control seem desirable...

That is something i'd need to put to the team who spent longer with the products; I merely listened in to some of the system-testing.

Hedgehog:

4) Finally, on the overall ranking: the categories are a bit broad, aren't they. With the "under £1,600" bracket encompassing the Marantz, Nad and Rega systemsit sounds as if you end up preferring the NAD to the Rega, but they are very different beasts, also price-wise. So I'm not sure how helpful these categories are. OR are you saying that if you had £1,600 you'd rather buy the NAD than the Rega system and save £600?

Thanks a lot!

Hedgehog

As ever with WHF ratings, we get down to performance per pound. Yes, the Rega is better, but the NAD set-up is slightly better value.

If you had Rega-level money, that's a superb option to audition - hence the five-star status - but if you had just over NAD-level money, you wouldn't lose out with the NAD or enhanced-Marantz system.

As always, i'd urge anyone to listen for themselves, and always try some mix-and-match set-ups, as well as slightly higher-end-than-your-budget just to see whether you think it's worth saving up a little more for the investment in your musical enjoyment!

 

[Anonymous]

Just a bump to draw attention to my third question above:

3) What do you think would a swap of the Mira 3 for the Brio do? Would
it further improve the system or would it destroy some of the synergy
you clearly liked a lot? More power and a remote control seem
desirable...

IF any of the WHF staff who conducted the supertest read this, I'd be very interested in their opinion.

Thanks a lot,

Hedgehog

 

[Anonymous]

Bump!

 

[plastic penguin]

Andrew Everard:Yes, the manufacturers are asked to suggest speakers. And yes, where we felt the suggested speakers could be bettered, we have pointed that out.

Has there been (or will there be) any communication with either Exposure or Creek to try out their latest versions of amps and CDP's?