Recommendations for a CD system.

[Westy]

Looking for some advice please, so after many years in storage I have dug my cd player and amp out of storage but decided it’s time for an upgrade. Currently I have a Cambridge audio cd6, pioneer A-400x and have been given a pair of Cambridge audio Sx-50 speakers.
I’m looking to spend no more than £2000 for cd, amp and speakers. I have a cheap turntable but own very little vinyl so will keep it, my music collection is 99% cd’s.
I’ve been looking to the Arcam A5+ and CD5, speakers I’m not sure about but would need bookshelf rather than floor standing. System is currently in a small home office (3mx2m) but will be moving to a larger room approx 6m x 4m.
Any recommendations greatly appreciated.

 

[skinnypuppy71]

I'm sorry here, but I don't see how you can seek advice on speakers from people here when you are in a 3x2 m room and about to move to a room twice it's size..this makes no sense to me.sorry.
....and I wouldn't bother spending 5-600 quid on a cd player, the chances are that the amplifier you buy will have a half decent dac on board, so cheap cd player or even dvd player into the amp via coaxial or optical cable...£££'s saved towards better amp or speakers, and more food for thought, I very rarely buy brand new gear these days, x dem and pre loved gear is a very good way to get a system together, I'm not taking that 20% vat hit any longer.....let someone else take it, think about it.....and do some research is the best advice I can give.

 

[Al ears]

The amp and cd player are not room size dependent.
If moving to a bigger room then buy speakers that will suit a room that size.
This may indeed be standmount speakers.
Plan to spend as much on speakers as the cost of the amp and cd player combined.

 

[jjbomber]

Welcome to the forum. There are hundreds of ways to solve this, so this is mine. Just add speakers of your own personal choice.

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[skinnypuppy71]

A quick look on eBay, Roksan Blak amplifier and Dali Rubicon 2 speakers under 2k, add the cheapest cd/dvd player as a transport in the short term until you find something you really like....that'd be a fantastic hub for a system to grow...just my worthless 2cents.

 

[RoA]

Outgoing Audiolab 6000A and 6000Cdt transport. £700 all in new. Add boxes of choice.

(Slightly) biased.

 

[nopiano]

Does the Pioneer still work? It had a good rep in its day and might be worth getting overhauled if necessary.

 

[Al ears]

Does the Pioneer still work? It had a good rep in its day and might be worth getting overhauled if necessary.

Yep, I meant to ask the same thing.....
My A400 is still going.

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

6x4 is definitely in the crossover where floorstanders and standmounts could be the best bet. I think I'd be wanting to know that the electronics I got worked with the speakers I choose, so I would be going to a good dealer outlining the problems. Al is right that in that the electronics aren't room-dependent, but speakers obviously are and you might prefer how one CD amp combo sounds over another when paired with the new speakers. A decent dealer will at least let you listen to a few combinations, hopefully in a room not vastly different in size from your own.

A home demo might be too much to ask, but somewhere like Richer Sounds would be my first port of call.

 

[jjbomber]

Yep, I meant to ask the same thing.....
My A400 is still going.

''but decided it’s time for an upgrade.''
As Lloyd Grossman would say ''The clues are there!''

 

[Al ears]

''but decided it’s time for an upgrade.''
As Lloyd Grossman would say ''The clues are there!''

True.
However spending money on source and speakers will give a better upgrade.

 

[Integralista]

Looking for some advice please, so after many years in storage I have dug my cd player and amp out of storage but decided it’s time for an upgrade. Currently I have a Cambridge audio cd6, pioneer A-400x and have been given a pair of Cambridge audio Sx-50 speakers.
I’m looking to spend no more than £2000 for cd, amp and speakers. I have a cheap turntable but own very little vinyl so will keep it, my music collection is 99% cd’s.
I’ve been looking to the Arcam A5+ and CD5, speakers I’m not sure about but would need bookshelf rather than floor standing. System is currently in a small home office (3mx2m) but will be moving to a larger room approx 6m x 4m.
Any recommendations greatly appreciated.

Hi, I agree with teammates here, that you have already a good CD player from CA and very good amp Pioneer A-400x. I recommend to search for better speakers first. This means something like more sensitivite bookshelfs speakers, e.g. Monitor Audio Bronze 50 7g. They are quite sensitive, fast, with 8 ohm nominal impedance (no problem to drive them with older amp like you have) and have also good bass. So subwoofer in your Small - Mid size room is not needed. Saved money you can invest into more CDs, later some sort of small music streamer like WiiM, Cambridge Audio, Bluesound .... etc. You may try to make some homedemo with rented or lended speakers from Hifi dealer or take your amp and CD into hifi dealer. There you may do some comparison tests. This will indicate you which component is a keeper or need to be replaced. BR.

 

[JoelSim]

My owned music is 100% CD, and I listen to CDs 0% of the time.

My advice would be to see if your CDP and your amp is working and buy a good streamer and good speakers.

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

Classic forum advice - don't do what you want to do, do what I do!

 

[Al ears]

Classic forum advice - don't do what you want to do, do what I do!

Indeed, a total non answer.
anyone who thinks CDs no longer have a place in this day and age is an idiot in my opinion.

 

[Gray]

anyone who thinks CDs no longer have a place in this day and age is an idiot in my opinion.

In which case there are quite a few idiots about 🤔

 

[Al ears]

In which case there are quite a few idiots about 🤔

Very true, and they don't mind declaring themselves as such.

 

[Gray]

Very true, and they don't mind declaring themselves as such.

😆
Probably not their intention.

 

[JoelSim]

Classic forum advice - don't do what you want to do, do what I do!

My post suggested he gets a streamer and keeps his CDP. It's all about opinions though isn't it.

 

[jjbomber]

Classic forum advice - don't do what you want to do, do what I do!

The ''it’s time for an upgrade.'' bit is confusing a lot of people. They think it means keep the same! 😊😊😊

 

[Al ears]

The ''it’s time for an upgrade.'' bit is confusing a lot of people. They think it means keep the same! 😊😊😊

To many it's what to change to give you the biggest improvement in sound, it doesn't mean changing out everything.

 

[Shrek]

Looking for some advice please, so after many years in storage I have dug my cd player and amp out of storage but decided it’s time for an upgrade. Currently I have a Cambridge audio cd6, pioneer A-400x and have been given a pair of Cambridge audio Sx-50 speakers.
I’m looking to spend no more than £2000 for cd, amp and speakers. I have a cheap turntable but own very little vinyl so will keep it, my music collection is 99% cd’s.
I’ve been looking to the Arcam A5+ and CD5, speakers I’m not sure about but would need bookshelf rather than floor standing. System is currently in a small home office (3mx2m) but will be moving to a larger room approx 6m x 4m.
Any recommendations greatly appreciated.

Looking for some advice please, so after many years in storage I have dug my cd player and amp out of storage but decided it’s time for an upgrade. Currently I have a Cambridge audio cd6, pioneer A-400x and have been given a pair of Cambridge audio Sx-50 speakers.
I’m looking to spend no more than £2000 for cd, amp and speakers. I have a cheap turntable but own very little vinyl so will keep it, my music collection is 99% cd’s.
I’ve been looking to the Arcam A5+ and CD5, speakers I’m not sure about but would need bookshelf rather than floor standing. System is currently in a small home office (3mx2m) but will be moving to a larger room approx 6m x 4m.
Any recommendations greatly appreciated.

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Marantz PM7000N review

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https://www.whathifi.com/best-buys/best-floorstanding-speakers-budget-to-premium#section-best-budget-floorstanders

or the stand mounts .

 

[Integralista]

Outgoing Audiolab 6000A and 6000Cdt transport. £700 all in new. Add boxes of choice.

(Slightly) biased.

Hi, turntable here is Audio Technika? And what are those vibration isolators below your components? Do they work? BR.

 

[Fandango Andy]

Looking for some advice please, so after many years in storage I have dug my cd player and amp out of storage but decided it’s time for an upgrade. Currently I have a Cambridge audio cd6, pioneer A-400x and have been given a pair of Cambridge audio Sx-50 speakers.
I’m looking to spend no more than £2000 for cd, amp and speakers. I have a cheap turntable but own very little vinyl so will keep it, my music collection is 99% cd’s.
I’ve been looking to the Arcam A5+ and CD5, speakers I’m not sure about but would need bookshelf rather than floor standing. System is currently in a small home office (3mx2m) but will be moving to a larger room approx 6m x 4m.
Any recommendations greatly appreciated.

Too many comments to read so I may be going over things all ready covered.

You already have a good CD player. Stick with it as long as its working.

You mention an Arcam A5 which is good. I would normally recommend the Marantz 6007 or also Rotel A8, but the outgoing Audiolab 6000A MK1 is currently available for £299 in silver or £399 in black. its not that long ago it was getting five star ratings at £700. Its a steel!

Speakers are a very personal thing. I would suggest you read some reviews as well as taking recommendations, then see if you can audition your shortlist. I am a fan of the Triangle Borea BR 03 which need more space than your little room has, but you may just get away with it. The larger BR04 will also work in the larger room, but I have never actually heard them.

 

[manicm]

The amp and cd player are not room size dependent.
If moving to a bigger room then buy speakers that will suit a room that size.
This may indeed be standmount speakers.
Plan to spend as much on speakers as the cost of the amp and cd player combined.

Not necessarily true. The OPs budget is 2k, so let's say pairing a 2k speaker with a 1k amp. There are 2k standmounts that are more demanding of amps. The KEF Concerto Meta is just above 1k yet is demanding. Floorstanders at 2k would be more forgiving I concede.

The new Arcams the OP suggested are great components in their own right, but a 2k speaker is going to ask more questions from the 50w A5+ amp, that I guarantee you. And the amp ultimately will be room size dependent, because it's going to dictate the speaker.. New speakers today are shotgun pairings with amps. 6 and 4ohm nominal are becoming the norm, replacing the 8ohm norm.

In summary, do not indulge in the speaker and then skimp on the amp, that's just a fool's errand.