Please critique this system

[admin_exported]

Hello

I´m just about to buy my first HiFi system and have been reading this forum daily for some time now. How does this look like???

Speakers:

B&W 685

Amp:

Nad c326BEE

CD Player

Marantz CD6003

Any obvious flaws?

I might be willing to order and wait for the EB1 speakers if the difference between them and the B&W´ies is worth it.

I will mainly be listening to:

Muse, The XX, Arcade Fire, The National, Röyksopp, Wilco, David Bowie and such stuff...

 

[ear]

sounds purdy

 

[Scissor_digits]

If you can get hold of January's issue of the mag the Supertest is worth a read. After that try and arrange a nice long demo somewhere

 

[Anonymous]

What cables do you use? Speaker stands? Hi-Fi rack?

 

[Anonymous]

ValianTX:What cables do you use? Speaker stands? Hi-Fi rack?

I will have to buy cables as well, I am starting from scratch!

For the moment the I will have to position the speakers and the components in/on a TV cabinet.

The speakers will be 2 m apart and the tweeters approximately at ear level when sitting in the sofa.

 

[Anonymous]

Hi rjes,

I have the same speakers and cd player, but I have a marantz pm6003 amp. I am using QED Silver Ann XT speaker cable and Chord Crimson interconnects.

I also listen to The xx and Muse, it sounds awesome! This was my first hifi setup and this may be why, but to me it just sounds top notch. The speakers definitely need running in time. I found that after using them for approx 20 hours, i then turned volume up to 3/4(had to go downstairs..ouch!), afterwards at normal volumes the speakers sounded so much clearer and more precise. Only now (3 weeks after purchase) am i realising what these things can do!

Hope this helps

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for your input!

Now when I order the cables, I want them terminated right?

I have a choice of banana and spade and one or both ends, what should I choose?

 

[Gusboll]

rjes:

Any obvious flaws?

No Cyrus!

 

[batonwielder]

I've heard the exact NAD-B&W configuration, and I can tell you that it's going to be a rocking system. Have you already listened to it? Don't make a move unless you've heard it and can't live without it. It's your hard earned money, after all.

Take into consideration that the B&W's appreciate sturdy and well-damped stands.

As for the cable, from my experience, there's no need to spend more than absolutely minimum. Find some 14 awg Supra or Chord and go bare wire which will save you an hefty sum of money. It also sounds the best to my ears.

It's exciting to be getting a system from scratch, isn't it?

 

[Lost Angeles]

Gusboll:rjes:

Any obvious flaws?

No Cyrus!

No he wants a CDP that loads first time.

 

[Anonymous]

The B&W and NAD are not being carried by the same shops. I have only heard the B&W 685, and ever since that audition I have been focusing on putting together a system around those speakers...

 

[jaxwired]

Excellent choices. I think you will be very happy. Report back when you've had some time with the new kit. Enjoy!

 

[batonwielder]

Very well. You will love this system. I think they are perfect for the kind of music you listen to. The Marantz is a good choice, too.

 

[matthewpiano]

Excellent choice. The NAD is a superb amp, and will work really well with the excellent 685s. One thing I would recommend is bi-wiring with QED cable. You will need to terminate it 2-4 so that for each speaker there are four seperate connections at the speaker end (HF +, LF +, HF -, LF -) and two at the amp end. At the amp end join the HF+ and LF + together and the same with the HF - and LF -. This is easy to do using decent screw-on banana plugs and the NAD really seems to have an extra dosage of grip about it when used in this way. When I switched to this approach, instead of single wiring, the whole presentation snapped to a new level of focus.

 

[Anonymous]

OK, thanks!

What would be the the proper speaker cable for to complement the sonic characteristics of this system?

Chord Carnival Silverscreen Bi-Wire?

QED Silver Anniversary XT Bi-Wire?

Atlas Equator Bi Wire Cable?

All good enough?

I had my mind set on the Atlas Equator Interconnects, do the Interconnects and the speaker cable need to be of the same make?

 

[ear]

matthewpiano:Excellent choice. The NAD is a superb amp, and will work really well with the excellent 685s. One thing I would recommend is bi-wiring with QED cable. You will need to terminate it 2-4 so that for each speaker there are four seperate connections at the speaker end (HF +, LF +, HF -, LF -) and two at the amp end. At the amp end join the HF+ and LF + together and the same with the HF - and LF -. This is easy to do using decent screw-on banana plugs and the NAD really seems to have an extra dosage of grip about it when used in this way. When I switched to this approach, instead of single wiring, the whole presentation snapped to a new level of focus.

At the amp end join the HF+ and LF + together and the same with the HF - and LF -. is this right?

 

[Anonymous]

Yes, I think you simply take both negatives and both positives from each speaker and join them together on the other end.But I belive this is only done when your amp only has one pair of outputs, like this NAD.

But I would like to reiterate my last question, I am getting eager to order...

"OK, thanks!

What would be the the proper speaker cable for to complement the sonic characteristics of this system?

Chord Carnival Silverscreen Bi-Wire?

QED Silver Anniversary XT Bi-Wire?

Atlas Equator Bi Wire Cable?

All good enough?

I had my mind set on the Atlas Equator Interconnects, do the Interconnects and the speaker cable need to be of the same make"

 

[Lost Angeles]

rjes:

I had my mind set on the Atlas Equator Interconnects, do the Interconnects and the speaker cable need to be of the same make"

No