Will Two into One still go these days?

[fr0g]

JohnDuncan:Tesler:fr0g:Personally I would ebay both, and buy one you could live with for all tasks... There is no way I would trust a unit that swapped amps. Sounds like a disaster for a recipe... and vice versa!

Personally I would never, ever buy anything off e-bay, even if someone else was paying for it.
I cannot get to grips concept of sending someone some money for something I have't seen or I'm convinced that it exists. I know people do it, but to me it's beyond me why anyone would part with money without having seen or tried the goods first. Just my opinion.

I have a 1600 quid amp and player that I got off eBay for 500 quid. QED (to be topical). Requires thought, indeed, but I have never had a bad deal (except as a seller).

No, you can get a bargain for sure. I paid top dollar (£1300 equiv) for my amp, but I wouldn't be letting go of more than a ton or so without a trail, no matter the bargain, unless I had heard it first, and in my own system.
I like to take a punt... but when we are hitting £500, it is no longer a punt for me, and now I am in Sweden, it's not so easy to move on either...

 

[John Duncan]

Course, but I couldn't not get a D20 for 212 quid, could I?

the amp I picked up personally and inspected and paid there and then. And then lost all feeling in my arms on the tube.............

 

[Tesler]

JohnDuncan:Tesler:Sorry phone went, Missus needs picking up later, couldn't get off the phone. I wouldn't say the cambridge is lean, it sounds restricted and very edgy at the top end, almost like it's and distorting andstruggling to get out, you know, instead of "sssting" it's a bit "Shhhting" it get's muddled and flattened when there's a lot going on, bass however is tight and not bad. Is this amp supposed to be like this?

Hm. You might find that the more revealing cambridge is showing up your sources, while the pioneer (built when vinyl was king) is being more forgiving. Go and try it now! The missus can wait!

Just to finish this off, something John said about "The Cambridge is revealing your sources" I thought about that, so I tried something. The Marantz CD63 SE is too much like the Cambridge amp, way open at the top but a little weedy in the bottom end so, exit CD63SE and enter CD6002, I bought this last year and only used it once, put it up in the loft and forgot about it.

The CD6002 is not as bright as the 63SE but it has a rich warm Bass, exactly what I thought the 740a needs.

A little readjusting of the input level settings on the Cambridge and now I think I've solved the edginess problem. Now I'm happy with the sound of this amp, I was quick to blame the amp but as John pointed out the Cambridge was revealing the sources.

I changed the CD player and "Bingo" problem solved.

So the bottom line here was my old CD player was causing the problem. The CD63SE is still a fine machine; it is just too much like the Cambridge amp and wasn't giving a balanced sound. I had a new Laser assembly and a new transport fitted in it this year, so I'm covering it in bubble wrap, boxing it up and keeping it until "Who knows" ? I don't need the Pioneer amp either now, so up in the loft that goes too.

Anyway thanks John for your input.