Replace old amp and CD player

[admin_exported]

To the experts at What Hifi

I want to upgrade my amp, cd player and speakers. I have been very pleased with the warm sound from my Technics A900 Mk2 amp and Arcam Alpha 7SE cd player and want something that will sound as good or better. Should I be looking at 'budget system' replacements or would it be necessary to spend more ie in the region of 'mid range'. Ideally I would like to budget about £1000 for amp, cd and speakers but could go higher if necessary to get the required standard.

Bob New

 

[the record spot]

It depends what you're looking to get out of the new gear Bob; do you want a continuation of the kind of sound you have, just with better gear. I'm not convinced that £1000 on three components will give you a major step-up, so if you want the wholesale upgrade, you might need to bunch your budget up a little.

There are deals out there, but £293 for an Audiolab 8000s (for example) won't give you the warmth you have just now as the tonal character of that amp is anything but. It does however, give you an upgrade path to add further power amps in the future.

What speakers are you using currently incidentally?

 

[Anonymous]

Your Arcam CD player is possibly what is giving you your warm sound. you might be able to get away without replacing the CD player. Budget wise, that's probably a good idea if you want to keep the cost down and you can always add another CD player later.

As part of my usual reccomend monitor audio and audiolab for every problem..

I'd suggest getting ahold of an audiolab 8000Q and 8000P. That'll probably set you back 600-700 quid but they are often on ebay cheaper and look out for a combined deal for the pair. I have never heard the 8000Q, but I own it's predecessor the 8000C and that is a lovely pre-amp (and was part of the WHF reference system for some time). 8000P is a beast too, so much power. 100w per channel into 8 ohms, but a maximum current draw of 40A (thats roughly equivelant to 12.8kW of peak power into 8 ohms, or 6.4kW per channel).

Anyway, for speakers I would reccommend the monitor audio GS10's with either their own stands or some super dreadnoughts from partington. They retail at £800 and are an excellent speaker, I've seen them selling new on ebay for more like 600 tho. If you want floorstanders then staying in the same range will be pricey, I think the GS20's go for around £1250 and the GS60's for £1500. You will want a big room for those though, GS10's are probably your bag.

So that purchase, I estimate, would cost you around £1500 out the factory, or if you're a real ebay demon and prepared to perhaps have to wait on one part, about a grand. I am leaving you with your current CD player though. You like your warm sound and Arcam are famous for it. Audiolab will give you no such thing, but that's what makes them such fantastic kit, the most transparent amplifiers I ever heard. Nothing added, nothing taken away.