Try again! Can this stuff still compete?

[admin_exported]

How much to improve C.A. Discmagic, Isomagic, Rega Mira, M.S.815's

Can you tell where I did most of my hi fi shopping! How much, minimum,
would I need to spend to improve the above? Where would I start? Where
is the weak link?The sound is a little 'boomy' and lyrics can be
difficult to pick up. Come on don't be shy! What I mean is, have things
moved on massively since I bought this stuff? Can I now beat its
performance for a hundred pounds?It still sounds O.K. to me but if I
can improve it relatively cheaply I would like to. Thanks in advance.

 

[Messiah]

No experience with the equipment but I doubt you could beat it with £100! However, others with experience may be able to offer suggestions........

 

[fatboyslimfast]

I would say not. Not for £100 certainly. Even with 2 or 3 hundred, you would still have to bag some 2nd hand bargains to compete.

It's not that your kit is exceptional - merely that £100 won't get you anything better brand new- and that's £100 per item, not in total.

For new kit, you would probably be looking at £200 per item (so ~£600 in total) to get a worthwhile improvement.

The only worthwhile improvement currently (having owned a set of MS-814s) would be to go for the Tannoy F4 customs at Richer, currently £120, leaving the rest of your kit as it is.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for replying Messiah and Fatboyslimfast, I probably realised a hundred pounds wouldn't do it! But it it is hard to determine how much improvement to equipment has been made over the last few years and stuff does sound so different in the shop, its hard to tell what it might do once you get it home.

 

[Big Chris]

I think for £100 you can improve your sound. QED Silver Anniversary XT speaker cable is on the leaner side of neutral, so would counter your boomy bass. A specialist mains cable or two should also help tighten things up. I know from experience that Kimber's Silver Streak I/C is also a very detailed cable that is on the slightly lean side.
(OK, so the S.S I/C is way more than £100, but I found mine on eBay for £60, so don't discount it. Kimber 'Timbre' cable has also been described as fast and detailed, but I've not heard it myself).

 

[a.g.]

I don't think an aftermarket mains cable is going to help his bass problems any. Agree about the QED SA though.

 

[Anonymous]

£100, wow so much, you can do it for free, why not try experimenting with speaker positioning and toe in?, I like to listen near field and keep my speakers well away from walls.This way I avoid room reinforcement from the walls and a more direct sound without first reflections.

Whatever you do don't put QED cables in your system.

 

[Big Chris]

silly: Whatever you do don't put QED cables in your system.

Why not? QED speaker cables seem like they'd be just the ticket for a loose bottom end.

 

[fatboyslimfast]

and may well brighten up the top....providing the top is clean enough - if it's ropy, it's just going to sound harsh..