Speakers for Marantz MCR 603 - please help

[admin_exported]

Hi

I'm about to spend some money on a small stereo system, and I've chosen the Marantz MCR 603. That was an easy selection for me - it has all I need, and the price matches my budget 🙂

But what speakers will match the Marantz?

Speaker budget is 200 pounds, and I listen to all kinds of music, I'll use them for tv and movie's as well. I'm about 3 meters away from speakers, and my room is about 30 m2.

So far I've looked at the Q Acoustics 2020, Wharfedale 10.1 and the Monitor Audio BX20

I like the QA 2020's design (hi gloss), and I think it matches the furniture, but sound quality is of course also important.

The Wharfedale also looks pretty good, and the units are same size. But how are they compared to the QA 2020?

The MA BX20 is pretty ugly on pictures, but is has a larger bas unit, and has a 5 score in review.

Please help a newbie to decide...🙂

It's very difficult, when I'm unable to listen to them....

Thanks in advance 🙂

 

[chebby]

I have a similar choice to make soon. (Good, nicely finished, bookshelf speakers for M-CR603).

I have decided to keep my old speakers for now and save up for something around the £400 - £450 price range.

I saw the BX2s in light coloured (and oxymoronic) 'Natural Oak Vinyl' finish a couple of days ago and it looked pretty gruesome from closer than a meter!

It is unfair to suggest you save up for better sounding/better looking speakers too (when I have the 'luxury' of existing speakers and you don't) but if you want a great sound and a great finish, then they don't tend to happen in the same package until around £400 upwards.

I have also seen quite a few comments (from users and reviewers) about the M-CR603 benefitting from much better than budget speakers.

From those you have mentioned so far, I would go for the MA BX2s (just for their sound) and select the finish that looks the least like plastic. It's ok if you don't look too closely.

 

[Anonymous]

chebby:
I have a similar choice to make soon. (Good, nicely finished, bookshelf speakers for M-CR603).

I have decided to keep my old speakers for now and save up for something around the £400 - £450 price range.

I saw the BX2s in light coloured (and oxymoronic) 'Natural Oak Vinyl' finish a couple of days ago and it looked pretty gruesome from closer than a meter!

It is unfair to suggest you save up for better sounding/better looking speakers too (when I have the 'luxury' of existing speakers and you don't) but if you want a great sound and a great finish, then they don't tend to happen in the same package until around £400 upwards.

I have also seen quite a few comments (from users and reviewers) about the M-CR603 benefitting from much better than budget speakers.

From those you have mentioned so far, I would go for the MA BX2s (just for their sound) and select the finish that looks the least like plastic. It's ok if you don't look too closely.

Thank you for your reply...

Maybe I would use more money, if I find the right speakers. What speakers are you going for?

I can see, hifix has a bundle offer - MCR603 + MA BX5 + cables for 839 pounds - that might be a good offer. It's a shame, we don't have any Monitor Audio reseller here, so I can see them irl.

http://www.hifix.co.uk/hi-fi-package-deals/marantz/mcr603-inc-bronze-bx5.html

 

[chebby]

Hans Mouridsen:Maybe I would use more money, if I find the right speakers. What speakers are you going for?

Eventually I will be trying out...

MA RX1s

Rega RS1s

Castle Knight 1s

And anything else that is (a) finished in a real wood veneer and look good (b) sound good (c) are compact (d) reasonably sensitive at around 87 - 90db (e) ideally, can be used on shelves or wall-mounted with no ill effect.

In the meantime I have a nice pair of old Mordaunt Short MS20i Pearl Edition speakers (in 'Light Wood' finish) that sound great and were barely used (if at all) when I bought them for £28 from ebay a few months ago. They are too big to tempt me into keeping them permanently, but good enough to mean I don't have to rush into any quick decisions about speakers quite yet. Their only downside is aesthetic (size and mock wood vinyl finish) and their need for stands.

If I can't find exactly what I need in a bookshelf speaker then I may wait (save) even longer - as a last resort - and go back to compact Rega floorstanders like the Rega RS3s that look great and can be used against walls and even near corners in the right circumstances. (Facing straight forward with bass drivers firing inwards and with no gear or furniture between them.) Obviously I would need to find out if £700 Rega floorstanders are 'too good' for the Marantz or not first. But at least they wouldn't need the wretchedly ugly Partington stands I currently use

 

[Anonymous]

I like the RX1's, but a little expensive i think...

What about the Kef IQ30s? I just like the design, but I don't have any experience with Kef.

LINK REMOVED BY MODS - House Rules

 

[dave_k]

I heard the Marantz M-CR503 with the Monitor Audio BX5 and wasn't impressed, whereas the same unit was incredibly good with a pair of Kef Q300s. That combo has become my benchmark for a set-up I'll eventually be putting in my living room for music, TV and Movies.

The stereo imaging was excellent and the overall sound was exactly what i like - detailed but full bodied.

 

[Anonymous]

Great - then the BX5's is off the list 😉

 

[Blackdawn]

What about the Arcaydis DM1 ?

 

[dave_k]

Hans Mouridsen:Great - then the BX5's is off the list 😉

You might like them, but I thought they were pretty dull and lifeless, especially compared to the Q300s. I was hoping to like the BX5s because I prefer floorstanders over standmounts, but I wouldn't get the BX5s.

 

[Anonymous]

Hrmm

It's not easy to choose speakers, especially when I'm unable to listen to them - no demo shops around here 🙁

But I got a offer on the Kef IQ30, so I'll give them a try, and also I love the white model very much.

Thanks for the help so far 🙂

 

[Anonymous]

Hello

Today I went to a hifi store, to get some experience.

I did listen to the Dali Mentor 1, and the B&W CM1.

They where very good both of them, but the Mentor was I a little to bright I think, so CM1 was the best in my opinion....

But I'm afraid my room are way to big (3,5x9 meters), and the speakers will die 🙁

Also they CM1 are low sensitivity (84 dB), so I guess I need bigger speakers with higher sensitivity.

What other speakers could fit my amp, room and also is stylish (white or gloss black)?

I've raised my budget, because I really want decent speakers for this project 🙂

Sadly we have no Kef dealers around here....

 

[Anonymous]

What about the Monitor Audio RX2 - could it be a good match with the Marantz amp?

How is MA RX audio sound compared to B&W CM series?

Would the speaker be big enough for my room?

 

[Anonymous]

I heard the Marantz M-CR503 with the Monitor Audio BX5 and wasn't impressed, whereas the same unit was incredibly good with a pair of Kef Q300s. That combo has become my benchmark for a set-up I'll eventually be putting in my living room for music, TV and Movies.

The stereo imaging was excellent and the overall sound was exactly what i like - detailed but full bodied.

What system gives the warmest and non fatigue sound?

a) Marantz 603 + MA BX2

or

b) Marantz 603 + Kef Q 300

Thanks 🙂

 

[Anonymous]

I ended up with the Mission 794 - got them very cheap on sale 🙂

Looking forward to throw out my old Ipod dock speakers set, and hopefully my new setup will give me what I want 😉

Thank you all for advise

 

[SonicYouth]

I have M-CR603 and NAD C326BEE with Monitor Audio RX1.
While MA RX1 are very well suited to NAD and I am extremely happy with them, M-CR603 + MA RX1 does not sound right. I would look elsewhere.

 

[bartlett23]

Hi there.

I'm currently running a pair of Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 speakers with my Marantz M-CR603 and am thinking of upgrading. The new Acoustic Energy 301s look like they might be good. Front ported so will hopefully sound fine on a bookshelf, close to a wall?

Cheers.