Totally New Setup based on WHAT HIFI - is this the bllx?

[admin_exported]

Hi all,

Having been reading WHAT HIFI for ages and trolling the forums...its time to pull the trigger and build a complete system. Now i know everyone likes to audition loads of kit in almost limitless combinations, but to be honest I have neither the time nor the experience to really know what im even listening for. And besides none of my local stockists carry all the different brands id like to match. So im going to follow the most popular setups recommend on this website. So...1) Dacmagic.. as most of my music is on hardrive in lossless formatt, paired with 2)...the Kandy K2 (when the stockist finally gets them in)...And the hard bit is which speakers to pair it with. The BW 685 get rave reviews on this site but i can afford to spend up to 1000 quid and there are just so many speakers with a 5 star rating. ATC SCM11 are the obvious choice but for hip hop, funk and rock are they punchy enough? And is this kinda setup the close to the best i can put together for under 2000 for an average sized livingroom? Note the absence of a CD player? Besides reading this mag im a complete peanut when it comes to HIFI and am almost 100% relying on your much more authoritive opinions. Tx

 

[fatboyslimfast]

Do yourself a favour and look at the AVI ADM9.1s. They might be just what you need if most of your source material is lossless hard-disk based.

They are all you would need (no DAC / Amp required) and come in at around £1100 I think.

With your budget of £2k, you could add a very good sub and then you should be in heaven...

 

[Anonymous]

yeah tx mate, had considered them as they do review well, and i am almost exculsively playing tunes off hard disk, but surely a quality standalone amp like the new Kandy has gotta take it up a notch? and do ya reackon i can plug the dacmagic into these AVI speakers, as it seems the DAC is gunna be all important in the computer based system?

 

[d_a_n1979]

IMO if you can spend up to £1k on speakers and you like the B&W sound then id stump up the cah for the B&W 683's.

No sub is needed with them as they deliver superb bass and for your tastes in music; theyd do a great job

 

[professorhat]

You are going to audition this setup before you spend up to £2k aren't you?

 

[fatboyslimfast]

True, they are good but the AVIs, while different, are worth auditioning for that sort of cash - at least have a listen. If they aren't for you then you haven't lost anything, but for some people, they are nothing short of wonderful.

 

[fatboyslimfast]

..or what Prof just said!

 

[Anonymous]

well ...(blush)....yes of course...but i really just want to narrow it to a few combinations as the stores in london that ive been to never seem to have the various combos available...and besides i think they are all sick of the site of me...

 

[fatboyslimfast]

They won't be if you are geniunely going to buy something, esp at the moment!

 

[Gerrardasnails]

james77:
Hi all,

Having been reading WHAT HIFI for ages and trolling the forums...its time to pull the trigger and build a complete system. Now i know everyone likes to audition loads of kit in almost limitless combinations, but to be honest I have neither the time nor the experience to really know what im even listening for. And besides none of my local stockists carry all the different brands id like to match. So im going to follow the most popular setups recommend on this website. So...1) Dacmagic.. as most of my music is on hardrive in lossless formatt, paired with 2)...the Kandy K2 (when the stockist finally gets them in)...And the hard bit is which speakers to pair it with. The BW 685 get rave reviews on this site but i can afford to spend up to 1000 quid and there are just so many speakers with a 5 star rating. ATC SCM11 are the obvious choice but for hip hop, funk and rock are they punchy enough? And is this kinda setup the close to the best i can put together for under 2000 for an average sized livingroom? Note the absence of a CD player? Besides reading this mag im a complete peanut when it comes to HIFI and am almost 100% relying on your much more authoritive opinions. Tx

James, pair the DM with the Cambridge 840A v2 using the balanced inputs. Matched up with the ATC speakers, wow, that will sound amazing. You will be able to get Richer Sounds to offer you a money back guarantee to listen to the CA pair together for a couple of weeks at home.

 

[Anonymous]

tx all,

Going to audition the 683s and the AVIs...then throw a massive party at mine and invite you all to come and go crazy..xx

 

[fatboyslimfast]

Cool. Mine's a Malt...

 

[d_a_n1979]

Hmmm mine too... As long as its an Islay, Speyside or a certain well known Highland Malt

 

[drummerman]

james77:yeah tx mate, had considered them as they do review well, and i am almost exculsively playing tunes off hard disk, but surely a quality standalone amp like the new Kandy has gotta take it up a notch? and do ya reackon i can plug the dacmagic into these AVI speakers, as it seems the DAC is gunna be all important in the computer based system?

The 9.1's have Wolfson's latest 8741 DAC's. The Dacmagic uses the older 8740. This in itself does'nt matter to much unless you want to download genuine 24bit material, which is still rare. More important is that the DAC section of the AVI is as good as the one from the CA840C, no mean feat, and superior to the DacMagic's though that little box is nice too.

I've just come back from a dealer and heard the new Kandy amplifier/player with the new KefiQ's. Very nice and I think at last a good alternative to the usual choices. However, that combination came in at about £2000 and imo it was'nt in the same league as the AVI's which sound much more open and detailed. Having said that the surroundings where of course different so take my views with a pinch of salt. One thing though ... the are incredibly UGLY.

 

[Anonymous]

BTW anyone know where i can hear the AVIs in London...scrolling the net has thus far proved unsuccesful? but the more i read, the more im intrigued....

 

[drummerman]

I think on AVI's website they have a dealer listing, other than that just drop a line to them. Just keep an open mind and don't listen to much to either AVI, me or anyone else.

 

[chebby]

james77:BTW anyone know where i can hear the AVIs in London...scrolling the net has thus far proved unsuccesful? but the more i read, the more im intrigued....

Seek & ye shall find....

http://www.avihifi.co.uk/Contact/Contact.html

 

[Anonymous]

IMO the AVI's are by far your best bet. The DAC is superb (better than DAC Magic) and the internal amps have plenty of control and grip. Ive sold my 6k RRP system as Im relocating to another country, and my choice is the ADM 9.1s to use with my laptop as source.