What HiFi Bloggers Choice 2024? - Name Your Five HIFi Budget Killers?

[Jasonovich]

I want to do my bit for the HiFi novice, who really don't want to spend a great deal of money on HiFi but want to make the biggest impact on a budget.

What would be your personal recommendation and please note; you're limited to five HiFi components only?
My selection is based on buyers budget of £1500

Here's my selection for the Bloggers Choice 2024

• Amplifier - Denon PMA-600NE Integrated Amplifier - Black £349​
• Stream / DAC - WiiM Ultra Music Streamer & Digital Preamp £349
• Speakers - Dali SPEKTOR 6 Floorstanding Speakers £299!!!!! (Peter Tyson Price)
• CD Player - Denon DCD-600NE CD Player £259
• Headphone Amp - XDUOO TA-66 Tube Head Amp £219 (use Denon Amp tape recorder output or WiiM output)

 

[Integralista]

Very good selection, nice system.

 

[Gray]

I want to do my bit for the HiFi novice, who really don't want to spend a great deal of money on HiFi but want to make the biggest impact on a budget. What would be your personal recommendation and you're limited to five only.
My selction is based on buyers budget of £1500

Here's my selection, Bloggers Choice 2024

• Amplifier - Denon PMA-600NE Integrated Amplifier - Black £349​
• Stream / DAC - WiiM Ultra Music Streamer & Digital Preamp £349
• Speakers - Dali SPEKTOR 6 Floorstanding Speakers £299!!!!! (Peter Tyson Price)
• CD Player - Denon DCD-600NE CD Player £259
• Headphone Amp - XDUOO TA-66 Tube Head Amp £219 (use Denon Amp tape recorder output or WiiM output)

You've found some bargain speakers there Jason, helping to keep your price down.
(I bet they're what made you think about the best value components to go with them).

The novice might find the offer ended when he comes to buy, so I'm going to go for some alternative speakers - with a regular value price - and I'll choose floorstanders too, to avoid the extra expense of stands.

Wiim Ultra £349
2x Fosi V3 Monoblocks with 2x 48v PSU £300
Wharfedale 12.3 £500 (though a mate got Richer to match a £450 price he found)
Tascam CD200 CDP £208 (from CPC)

Total £1400 includes £43 for cables.
That's the same price I paid for my current amp alone (sort of makes me wish I was the newbie, just starting out)

If he can convert all his CDs to FLAC and do without the CDP, he's down to £1192.

If he can do without a streamer display, Pro plus instead of Ultra, takes him down to £1062.
Bet that lot gives a much better sound than most of us started out with, and maybe better than we've got 🤪

 

[Jasonovich]

You've found some bargain speakers there Jason, helping to keep your price down.
(I bet they're what made you think about the best value components to go with them).

The novice might find the offer ended when he comes to buy, so I'm going to go for some alternative speakers - with a regular value price - and I'll choose floorstanders too, to avoid the extra expense of stands.

Wiim Ultra £349
2x Fosi V3 Monoblocks with 2x 48v PSU £300
Wharfedale 12.3 £500 (though a mate got Richer to match a £450 price he found)
Tascam CD200 CDP £208 (from CPC)

Total £1400 includes £43 for cables.
That's the same price I paid for my current amp alone (sort of makes me wish I was the newbie, just starting out)

If he can convert all his CDs to FLAC and do without the CDP, he's down to £1192.

If he can do without a streamer display, Pro plus instead of Ultra, takes him down to £1062.
Bet that lot gives a much better sound than most of us started out with, and maybe better than we've got 🤪

You know I was going for the Fosi's and then I thought I better not steal Gray's thunder 😂
Excellent choice 👍

 

[Jasonovich]

You've found some bargain speakers there Jason, helping to keep your price down.
(I bet they're what made you think about the best value components to go with them).

The novice might find the offer ended when he comes to buy, so I'm going to go for some alternative speakers - with a regular value price - and I'll choose floorstanders too, to avoid the extra expense of stands.

Wiim Ultra £349
2x Fosi V3 Monoblocks with 2x 48v PSU £300
Wharfedale 12.3 £500 (though a mate got Richer to match a £450 price he found)
Tascam CD200 CDP £208 (from CPC)

Total £1400 includes £43 for cables.
That's the same price I paid for my current amp alone (sort of makes me wish I was the newbie, just starting out)

If he can convert all his CDs to FLAC and do without the CDP, he's down to £1192.

If he can do without a streamer display, Pro plus instead of Ultra, takes him down to £1062.
Bet that lot gives a much better sound than most of us started out with, and maybe better than we've got 🤪

Fosi's got competition - check this out Gray 🙂

View: https://youtu.be/hagaJ0nMgrg?si=jsOHCW73WVR_kjT1

 

[Fandango Andy]

Amp: Marantz PM6007 £399 (can sometimes pick up for £349)

Loudspeakers: try and listen to see what you like, but for between £184 and £319 you won't go wrong with:
Mission LX-1, LX-2, or LX-3
Elac Debut B5.2
Q Acoustics 3030i
Triangle Bora BR02 (my choice, but the most expensive, all the others are great too)

Source: WiiM Mini £89 (often discounted to £80). Cheapest WiiM but all you need in a budget system.

CD: if you need one, look online for a second hand from early 2000s: Marantz (any model), NAD (any model), or Sony DCP-XE570. £25 to £85.

Record Player: don't bother unless you already have records as the price of new and 2nd hand vinyl is getting silly. If you do need one go quality but basic such as Pro-Ject Primary E £199

Interconnects: if you went for a CD player will need an RCA, Amazon Basics about £10.

Speaker cable: Cambridge Audio or QED from Richer Sounds £1 to £3 per meter.

All in for about £800 or about £1100 if you add a CD and Record Player.

 

[Jasonovich]

Record Player: don't bother unless you already have records as the price of new and 2nd hand vinyl is getting silly. If you do need one go quality but basic such as Pro-Ject Primary E £199

First class Andy.
My selection of a tube head amp may seem odd, considering the integrated amp already has a built-in headphone jack but you homed in on my exclusion of record player.
True, if you're starting from scratch it could be costly, that is why I included a tube head amp, this will make your digital collection and CD's sound more analogue.
🙂