Spend my £1500!

[admin_exported]

Ok, so im looking at getting a complete new system. Amp, CD player, Speakers. Im mostly into Acoustic and chill out, with some electronic and alternative. Not to influence you but oviously products which fall into my budget and got good reviews are: AMPS: Roskan Kandy L.III INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER MKIII, Rotel RA-04 CD PLAYERS: Rega Apollo, Marantz CD6002 SPEAKERS: B&W 685, Monitor Audio Bronze BR2, MONITOR AUDIO SILVER RS1 And of cource any that you would like to add. Enjoy

 

[d_a_n1979]

Personally, with £1500 id go for a few other seperates also.

From above id consider the Roksan Kandy LIII amp with the Rega Apollo CD player but i'd look at the Monitor Audio RS6 or the RS8 speakers OR B&W 684's.

You could possibly look at the Cyrus 6v2 amp and Cyrus 6 CD Player with either the B&W 685's (with decent stands), B&W 684's or again the Monitor Audio RS6's.

I've audtioned them all and loved them all! Im very much into electronic music (Fischerspooner Leftfield, Underworld, Air, Daft Punk, Bob Sinclair, Danny Tenaglia, Hed Kandi, Back to Mine CD series etc) and the above combo's really suit that type of music.

The B&W 684's and the Monitor Audio RS6's give out fantastic bass as well as good clear and well timed mid-range and crips treble.

As for cable i'd look at the QED Silver Anniversary bi-wire with Van Den Hul 'The Name' interconnects.

 

[Anonymous]

Hey, thanks for the replyl.

Went to my local hi fi shop today and got a bit of advice. The guy wanted to make sure that i know there was alternatives that equal or better the Roskan for similar prices.

As you mentioned he did recommend the Cyrus 6v2 with the Cyrus CD player or Rega Apollo.

We didn't really go much into speakers as he basically admittedthe B&W 685's are the best you can get in the price bracket.

Im going to audition next week. I will take a look at other speakers but i do think the decition is down the the Amp and Cd player.

The only negative i have with the Cyrus Amp and Cd player is the look. There not that good looking and when your spending that much you do want something that looks nice along with great performance.

+ point. The size!

 

[Anonymous]

Never ever buy speakers without auditioning them.Don't take the dealers word for it, you have to demo. I and 2 mates heard the B&w's at the weekend and were less than impressed with them at anything but seismic volume levels.I thought the mon audio RS1's were better.Same with 686's.I would listen to RS'1s and, as dan1979 said, RS6's. Dont go for bronze 2's.With your budget you can get much better. Remember to budget at least 15% for cables.More if you can spare it. I have not heard the cd players you mentioned but you could also consider the Arcam CD73.It is very good indeed with the type of music you listen to. Its also a good match for the kandy amp.

 

[d_a_n1979]

As Fraziel said, you need to audition all the seperates and speakers youre looking to buy

As for the Cyrus, they are very good seperates and the CD player and amp would be a great start for a system, both upgradable too when your budget allows!

People look at Cyrus and wonder what it is! They are head turners

 

[Gerrardasnails]

I auditioned the RS6s (using Sevenoaks Rotel cd and amp). I was sold. However, I bought the Creek Evo amp without auditioning (I couldn't find anywhere that sold RS6s and Creek). The Evo is so much better than the Rotel 06 amp. As for cdp, I have had a nightmare with finding one (as you might know from my previous posts). I have now plumped for the Denon DCD-700ae. I have not heard it yet and going on reviews and hearsay. If I don't like it I will sell it and look again. I can say though that within your budget is the RS6s and Creek Evo and they really sing together.

 

[Anonymous]

Ok so i went to my local store today (not sure if im allowed to mention names) to demo a couple of systems. Im pretty much decided on the B&W 685's speakers, Cyrus 6V2 amp and the Cyrus CD6. There is a winter sale at the store so i have been quoted £1400 for the seperates alone. RRP on units and existing store price would come to £1680 so saving £280.

I need cables and stands so i asked about those and he gave me a price including the lot. He recommended stands and cables. The set up would be:

B&W 685's
Cyrus 6V2
Cyrus CD6s
Atacama Nexus 6 (Stands)
2 x 2m Chord Rumour 2 (speaker cable which they will also terminate)
1pr Chord Chameleon (interconnect)

Total price: £1600

If this doesn't seem fair or you see a problem with any part of the system, could you please let me know.
I also do think that oviously service and reliability of the store should be incorporated into the price. So far they have been brill so i should think there after serivce should equal that. So even if i found it slightly cheaper somewhere else i think the service would take priority.

Thanks

 

[John Duncan]

Sounds pretty good, and if you like it then you should go for it - we could come up with hundreds of other options - don;t get me started

- but if you enjoyed what you heard and the value seems good, then I'm not gonna tell you otherwise

 

[Anonymous]

"Re: Spend my £1500! "

I'll have a holiday in the bahamas thanks!

but seriously. MA silvers you will like. Might wanna look for some cheap GS10's though. RAO4 or the 8000S would par well but I'm not sure about a CD player, maybe the rotel you suggest.

 

[d_a_n1979]

[quote user="chalky40"]Ok so i went to my local store today (not sure if im allowed to mention names) to demo a couple of systems. Im pretty much decided on the B&W 685's speakers, Cyrus 6V2 amp and the Cyrus CD6. There is a winter sale at the store so i have been quoted £1400 for the seperates alone. RRP on units and existing store price would come to £1680 so saving £280.

I need cables and stands so i asked about those and he gave me a price including the lot. He recommended stands and cables. The set up would be:

B&W 685's
Cyrus 6V2
Cyrus CD6s
Atacama Nexus 6 (Stands)
2 x 2m Chord Rumour 2 (speaker cable which they will also terminate)
1pr Chord Chameleon (interconnect)

Total price: £1600

If this doesn't seem fair or you see a problem with any part of the system, could you please let me know.
I also do think that oviously service and reliability of the store should be incorporated into the price. So far they have been brill so i should think there after serivce should equal that. So even if i found it slightly cheaper somewhere else i think the service would take priority.

Thanks[/quote]

To be honest i think that you could get the Atacama Nexus stands cheaper on Ebay BUT personally, after owning a number of B&W standmount speakers, i'd go for the Atacama SE24 stands off Ebay.

These are one central column stand that's mass loadable and offers a better soundstage then the Nexus 6 stands.

Also, as for cable, i prefer the QED Silver anniversary cable, preferably the bi-wire cable. The Cyrus allows you to bi-wire the speakers OR you can go 2 to 4 - 2 out from the Cyrus 6v2 and 4 into the speakers.

 

[JoelSim]

I think you can get better than B&W for the type of music you listen to. Avoid any Japanese components too in my view as they will be too bright and you want to feel relaxed listening to chillout. I'm into the same sort of music and am really pleased with my Dali's - see Audiologica on the web for £649 ex demo.

B&W are well suited to banging house, and very good at it too. At normal volumes they are nowhere near as good as some other brands in my opinion.

The Rega is a nice CD player and if it's detail and a smooth sound you are after that would be a good choice, as is my Arcam stuff. NAD would also be a consideration.

This may go against hifi purists but I would spend a little more on the speakers and the CD player than the amp, maybe budget £500 for CD, £650 for speakers and £350 for amp. You can always upgrade with a matching power amp later on which will significantly better the sound.

I personally wouldn;t bother with biwire cable, but if you ad a power amp then you MUST biamp as it makes a large difference.

You should also invest in a stand and decent inteconnects too, again an upgrade path.

 

[Anonymous]

[quote user="JoelSim"]B&W are well suited to banging house, and very good at it too. At normal
volumes they are nowhere near as good as some other brands in my opinion. [/quote]

Could not agree more.The ones i have heard have been quite poor ,sometimes awful,at anything but very high volume.