Recommend me a Hi-Fi (USB) please!!

[admin_exported]

Right, so its time i should buy a new Hi Fi / amplifier and without being bombarded with so much information i thought i might try my luck on here... If anyone can Recommend anything relating to my spec below it would be much appreciated!!...

I do not essentially want it connected to my PC, as i am not a fan of leaving my PC on for long periods of time, over night etc.

What im looking for....

USB input compatibility, plus possibly being able to record to USB. (Pen/Flash Drive, External Hardrive)

Possible storage capability (built in Hard Drive)

MP3 CD playback

MP3 Tag ID

At least 200W Power, might buy speakers separate?

Budget is approx' up to £500

Thanks to anyone looking at this, ive tried to email various places for quotes/recommendations and no one seems to want to help?!!

Ben

 

[Anonymous]

Do you meed to get speakers in with that budget too?

At a first glance 200W, £500 and HiFi it is pick two from three, and even 200W at £500 will be difficult!

First suggestion is drop a zero from the power output.

If you MUST have that kind of power, your best chance may be to skip CD playback and get an MP3 player, add an amp like those used in home recording studios - you should be able to get that kind of power (ish) for £150 or so - take a look in Musical Instruments>Pro Audio/ Equipment>Amplifiers>Power Amplifiers on ebay for suggestions. Won't be pretty, but if you do want pub DJ power levels that will be the way to get it. Then you need speakers - I suspect you may want bass monsters?

 

[Andrew Everard]

Can't help but agree with Cattytown - the numbers just don't add up. There's no way you're going to get all that for £500, and I'm not at all sure why you think you want a 200W output: there are very few amps at any level giving that kind of output, let alone in a complete system.

If you do see such numbers bandied about, the high output is only achieved with an awful lot of total harmonic distortion permitted - some manufacturers quote ludicrous figures, but the parameters are 'at 1kHz, one channel driven, into 4ohm speakers with 10% THD' or the like. A more meaningful figure would be quoted across a full 20Hz-20kHz range, both channels driven, into 8 ohms and with something like 0.07% distortion.

Time to do some rethinking about your requirements, I reckon...

 

[Anonymous]

OK thanks for the feedback. Just ignore the power output, it was only a rough indication. As long as it delivers a nice fat 'bassie' sound its all good.

My main priority is a system with USB

 

[Anonymous]

I think we may struggle a little - please don't take offence, but I suspect you are not after HiFi, but more of a boombox type system. In the £500 all in price band you rarely get huge bass, heck, add a zero and you don't! systems that are described as bassy, are often a little out of control in the bottom end.

As an all in one, the Teac CRH255 has USB, but I was disappointed with the sound.

You may get closer to what you want by using your PC or an MP3 player into PC type speakers - they often have enhanced bass that may be more to your taste.

 

[Razz]

It is not clear whether you want speakers for this budget or just source/amplification...

Either way, regarding MP3 playback, you'll probably have to think of playing these from a computer at this price...

However I would recommend getting a proper sound card to that purpose - a good cheap solution would be the M-Audio USB Audiophile card - which cost around 100 quid.

You could get a good second hand amplifier on e-bay - I would recommend the Marantz PM7200 at around 150 quid on ebay which is a superb amplifier - detailed, refined and powerful; it cost 330 as new but sounds much more expensive than that...

As for speakers you could either get some good budget ones - the Monitor Audio BR2s for 200 quid, or the B&W 601 S3 for 250 quid (this series has just been discontinued so you could fin a good deal for these), or the KEF iQ3s for 270 quid...

If you don't need speakers at this stage you could spend a bit more on the newer MArantz amplifier PM7001 (around 250 quid on ebay, or 350 new) or even better on the superb Arcam A85 (around 400 quid on ebay)...

However in terms of mp3 playback I think the cheapest and safest bet for now is to stick to a good USB sound card (such as the M-Audio). You'd need much more money for something classier than that...

Good luck,

Razz

 

[Razz]

One more thing 🙂

If you don't need speakers you might consider a second hand Linn Classik system which you might get for around 500 on ebay...

Also if you have an ipod - have you ever considered an ipod dock? A good choice would be the Fatman valve ipod dock (http://www.fat-man.co.uk/docs/product/itube_1.htm) at 300 quid - to which you could add a decent pair of speakers for the remaining 200 quid...

Just a thought...