System Selection

[MickyG007]

Hi,

Looking for a bit of advice.

I am looking for a system to play my online music (wired and streamed) plus vinyl.

My current thoughts are:

Turntable - Rega Planar 6 turntable
Amp - Arcam A25 ( i have a Cambridge Audio CXN (V2)
Speakers - Dali Optiocon 2 MK2 or Dali Rubikore 2 ( i have to wall mount them).

Im struggling to find anywhere that i can test this as a complete system.

Does anybody have any thougths on the system selection - good or bad. I want to make sure i get this right.

Thanks again

Mike

 

[MickyG007]

I forgot to mention my roon is 5.44m depth x 4m wide and 3.2m high

 

[Gray]

Im struggling to find anywhere that i can test this as a complete system.

Whatever else you do, you must audition speakers as close to your wall as they will eventually be (preferably with the proposed amp).

Compare close to wall, with use in free space on stands (if you can).
You can then judge the performance compromise.

 

[RTHerringbone]

Are you based in the UK? I think Doug Brady (Warrington) and Audio-T (mostly down South) in theory stock all the component parts, but whether one of them is prepared to get them all in for a demo is another matter.

All of the kit you list is good and I've had an A25 and can vouch for it being very nice, but can't comment on how well they all hang together. What I did find with the A25 was that it was very nice to use and an attractive amp, but it was a very transparent amp and didn't add much pizzaz or colour to things - which you may or may not view as a bonus.

 

[Al ears]

Whatever else you do, you must audition speakers as close to your wall as they will eventually be (preferably with the proposed amp).

Compare close to wall, with use in free space on stands (if you can).
You can then judge the performance compromise.

Hear, hear.
I was about to reply almost the same thing.
Get the speakers for that room sorted first, everything else is pretty much irrelevant.
Note: if they have to be wall mounted then front ported speakers might be a better option.

 

[RTHerringbone]

Note: if they have to be wall mounted then front ported speakers might be a better option.

This is a good point - opens up options like Focal Aria and a few of the PMC range.

 

[skinnypuppy71]

If you must wall mount the speakers, Then the Dali menuet se's are the ones to go for....Dali manufacture a wall moun bracket that were specifically designed for the Menuets.....oh and you'll need a small subwoofer to compliment the bass, or should I say the lack of it, but that's the compromise if you want to put a bookshelf /standmount speaker on a wall....and I'd recommend a rel t-zero or if you can accommodate a t5 then even better....Dali's Rubikore's will just be a bit to bass heavy on a wall....oh and don't be fulled.....the menuets are fantastic little speakers...I own a pair myself....on stands though and with a rel t-zero mkii...love them.

 

[Al ears]

If you must wall mount the speakers, Then the Dali menuet se's are the ones to go for....Dali manufacture a wall moun bracket that were specifically designed for the Menuets.....oh and you'll need a small subwoofer to compliment the bass, or should I say the lack of it, but that's the compromise if you want to put a bookshelf /standmount speaker on a wall....and I'd recommend a rel t-zero or if you can accommodate a t5 then even better....Dali's Rubikore's will just be a bit to bass heavy on a wall....oh and don't be fulled.....the menuets are fantastic little speakers...I own a pair myself....on stands though and with a rel t-zero mkii...love them.

In a room that size I would be seriously asking why the speakers have to be wall mounted.
This will severely limit choice and sound quality to the point it might be well worth asking why spend so much on them.

 

[skinnypuppy71]

In a room that size I would be seriously asking why the speakers have to be wall mounted.
This will severely limit choice and sound quality to the point it might be well asking why spend so much on them.

Probably the waf 🤣

 

[Al ears]

Probably the waf 🤣

Get new waf??? 🙂

 

[MickyG007]

Hi, the main reason being that the the speaker cable within the room is within the walls which finish at high level. I suppose i could extend the speaker cable down to the ground and go for floor standing speakers. If i went for floor stadning speakers any recommendations?

 

[skinnypuppy71]

Just a quick question, why would you want a amplifier with onboard dac, when you have a perfectly good streamer?
My 1500 quid would be on a good dumb amp ( no dac or streaming), and probably a pre loved unit also, eg Exposure 2510, Naim Supernait 2 etc etc ..and I'd probably stick to class A/B, if only because I'm not very familiar with the class g approach from Arcam.

 

[Al ears]

Hi, the main reason being that the the speaker cable within the room is within the walls which finish at high level. I suppose i could extend the speaker cable down to the ground and go for floor standing speakers. If i went for floor stadning speakers any recommendations?

Do you know the quality and condition of said speaker cable?
What's your budget for floorstanders?

 

[RTHerringbone]

Just a quick question, why would you want a amplifier with onboard dac, when you have a perfectly good streamer?

A good question and one that I must admit I hadn't really considered at all in my first shot at building my current system.

I inadvertently stumbled into a state where I removed that "extra" DAC from my setup and if nothing else, it makes me feel that I now have a more focused and theoretically more cost efficient system without any internal components twiddling their thumbs.

 

[MickyG007]

Do you know the quality and condition of said speaker cable?
What's your budget for floorstanders?

Speaker cable is good quality . Budgewt is probably between 1k and 2k

 

[MickyG007]

A good question and one that I must admit I hadn't really considered at all in my first shot at building my current system.

I inadvertently stumbled into a state where I removed that "extra" DAC from my setup and if nothing else, it makes me feel that I now have a more focused and theoretically more cost efficient system without any internal components twiddling their thumbs.

Me too!

With having the Cambridge CXN Richer Sounds have suggested CXA 81 which proably makes sense now i know a little more

 

[Al ears]

Me too!

With having the Cambridge CXN Richer Sounds have suggested CXA 81 which proably makes sense now i know a little more

Richer Sounds talking nonsense to get a sale.
The CXA81 doesn't have a phono preamp and has an internal DAC that you don't need.
Ignore idiots!

 

[RTHerringbone]

Me too!

With having the Cambridge CXN Richer Sounds have suggested CXA 81 which proably makes sense now i know a little more

I'm obviously very biased here so take this with a fistful of salt, but having had the Arcam A25 and having had to swap it due to an unlucky manufacturing fault for the Naim NAIT 50, the difference was huge. Like you are planning, I'm just linked to a streamer with an inbuilt DAC and I'm also using a Rega deck as a source, and it is a lovely little amp which adds a punch and dynamism that the A25 couldn't.

With the discount it has and the way it integrates with my system and in my room, I would choose it every time over the Arcam. Might be worth looking at it but also any other "dumb" amps without redundant components you won't need. Whatever you choose, you should get more bang for the buck.

 

[Gray]

Budget is probably between 1k and 2k

Loads of speaker choice for you Mike - once you're not limited to wallmount.
I would extend the wall cables down - maybe buried as far as some wall terminal plates.

You really must listen to speakers.
A mate speaks highly of his Wharfedale 12.3 floorstanders.
I like my standmounters.
I reckon PMC Prodigy, model 1 standmount, and / or model 5 floorstanders would be worth a listen.

Everyone will have their favourites - only you can choose....after listening.

An amp that doesn't seem to get mentioned much - but I've read a couple of enthusiastic reviews of, is the Musical Fidelity M2si.
Very basic, line level only inputs (so you'd need a separate phono stage) but plenty of drive apparently - and now available, black or silver, with '£300 off' at £499.
Again, plenty of amp choices (if not all quite so reasonably priced)....