What should i buy? Help!

[admin_exported]

At the moment i have

Cambridge Audio Azur 640a V2 , Cambridge Audio Azur 640c V2 and Monitor Audio BR2 with Soundstyle Z2 stands.

I have a £500 Budget to upgrade on one part of my system. Will upgrade the rest in a months time after i start a new job.

Any idea on what i should be looking at?

I would like to be able to use my new equipment straight away so would have to work with what i have now.

Edit: At the moment i have Cambridge Audio Azur Reference Interconnect and use Gale Symphony 400 speaker cable.

I have a fairly large amount of cds which range from Michael Buble to Kanye West and UB40 to Radiohead so it must be a rounded system.

 

[Anonymous]

What do you listen to? What do you like about the sound? What do you dislike?

 

[True Blue]

What speaker cable have you got? what interconnects? What would you like to improve in your system sonically?

 

[matengawhat]

blow the whole lot on a new set of speakers - will prob give you the biggest initial change

 

[respe]

can I suggest you wait a month, If you change speakers now, spending your £500, and then find that £750 would have have got you something way better, you are going to be a tad annoyed.

As you have a very good starting block, why hurry, find a dealer localy that you can work with. Tuck your amp under your arm and go listen to some speakers, find what works with your music choice in your room, then find the amp that drives them properly, then worry about the source. If you really feel you must blow your £500 now, have a look around, with the new spendors being out, a few dealers and users seem to be selling of the S5e's at around or a bit above your budget, the S6'es for a bit more.

 

[matthewpiano]

If you want to aim for a system which is better all-round with a wide range of music you need to be looking at moving over to NAD electronics IMO.

I think you need to audition a couple of possible set-ups to find out where you are heading for. Its no good buying speakers to suit your current CA kit if its all going in a month or so.

I'd audition NAD C545BEE, and C355BEE (compare with C326BEE) with Dali Lektor 2s, Quad 11L2s and B&W 685s.

If you find the NAD kit isn't for you, I'd then be tempted to start looking at the better Cambridge Audio stuff coupled with some Mordaunt-Short Mezzo 2s. I'd look at adding a DACMagic to your 640C and changing the amp to a 740A. The 740 series amp is in a different league to the 640. It didn't suit me, but the NAD sound might not suit you. Adding the DM to the 640C will take you very close to the 740C performance but with less cost.

Whichever, I'd say your CD player is the strongest part of your system and should be upgraded last.

 

[manicm]

I agree with matengawhat, I think in your system the speakers are the weak link - in a league under your amp and cd.

I would suggest you set aside a Saturday, take your amp and cd to your local dealer and make him/her sweat a bit for the 500 quid.

 

[Anonymous]

I would be inclined to go with Matt's advice and or think about floorstanders to

 

[3dit0r]

Igglebert, very sorry to go OT but I couldn't find a way to PM you.

I notice you've had a Quad 405 converted to NetAudio Mk3, could you describe the sound? I currently have a Quad 33/303 and want something a bit cleaner sounding especially in bass. Is the bass nice and clean and open/controlled, and is everything else detailed without harshness/fatigue? It's either this or I try to find a valve amp!

Cheers.