HiFi (Again)..

[GregR]

Me again.

After starting a thread about this a few years back and a few things conspiring against me (financially) I never got round to buying a system. Now that we've moved and I've had to sacrifice my beloved gas-guzzling hyper-barge, I'm due some payback.

So, specifications have changed slightly. I'm looking for something that's pretty blooming superb from an audio perspective, but something that won't lok out of place in the new flat - so a rack of aged separates is certainly out. Obviously aesthetically pleasing systems like the B&O systems would be great, but at £2k for the basic, swooshy-door one to £5k for the one that stores your toones, I need something a little less expensive. That rules out Linn too, unless anyone has any good second-hand deals

So, as B&O are basically Panasonic - I thought they'd be a good bet. Do they do any high-end stuff? Nope. I then looked at the high end sony stuff and the 'giga-juke' looks to be more of a pc than an audio system. Its apparently really slow etc. and I worry they've not really concentrated on decent sound but technology - the speaker ports won't accept old-fashioned speaker cables for example.

So - I'm looking for something that will fill the sitting room with lovely warm sound, the full spectrum of floor-shaking bass to crystal clear top end. Ideally I'd like it to play music in the other rooms too. I've got the sitting room wired for 3 wall-mounted speakers so to use that cabling would be a bonus (which the sony can't do.) It has to look quite nice too - but I would be prepared to compromise on that if necesary.

So - S_E's answers to Phil & Kirsty, what can you find me for a budget of around a grand?

Am I being a fool - should I just buy a home cinema system thesedays and play CDs etc through that amp?

[Jacobite]

I'm guessing you don't want to go down the vintage valve gear either then?
Marantz have a great reputation for their CD players and do some very modern looking gear but without all the flashing lights, bells and whistle of some manufacrors ~I don't know whats in the currant range but given that they produced these design series between 1996 ~1999

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl= ... n%26sa%3DN

http://www.audiolab.com/products/gifs/arch.gif

It also might be worth bearing in mind how you listen to music ~is it just onin the background or do you like to sit in the sweet spot oblivious to everything around you for hours with goosepimples on your arms because the music is so alive, so much modern equipment out there is designed on looks not sound then made to a budget so it just sounds lacking

[GregR]

Good point mate re. how I like to listen to the music. In all honesty, 75% will probably be background, with 25% of that lovely sweet-spot stuff of which you speak. How should that influence what I get do you think?

[H8OAG]

I am strangely drawn towards this after a "demo listening" at a relatives house

Fatman iTube 252 Valve Amp & iPod Dock driving Mission 32i speakers.......Audio Porn without having to sell a kidney?

[jj]

I think I mentioned this to you at the time, but if not - one of the old boys mates owns http://www.stereo-stereo.com and has shop in Glasgow.

They do all budgets and have demo stuff / deals on. Father has bought some of his Linn gear from them, some ex-demo stuff, done some tradein deals - they will look after you anyway and have a lot of stuff setup to have a listen to in their place.

[meatball]

I think I mentioned this to you at the time, but if not - one of the old boys mates owns http://www.stereo-stereo.com and has shop in Glasgow.

They do all budgets and have demo stuff / deals on. Father has bought some of his Linn gear from them, some ex-demo stuff, done some tradein deals - they will look after you anyway and have a lot of stuff setup to have a listen to in their place.

I've been in there.....some awesome toys! St Vincent St if I remember correctly?

[Lazydonkey]

They get sniffed at by audio purists but I'm delighted with my Bose ACOUSTIMASS cubes............but by the sound of things you're going to be leaning towards form over function

I have Acoustimass 5, an old Denon amp hidden away, and all of my listening is done via my ipod. Sounds amazing, won't look out of place in any gaff and doesn't take up loads of space. Speakers i have are around £400, but they do a range of mulit-room options. They have a store beside the Italian centre in Glasgow and are well worth a visit when you are considering options.

[Jacobite]

Many music systems leave out bits of information which your Brain automatically fills in ~which is why listening to music on some systems is tiring so it is essential to demo what ever you are going to buy with your own choice in music with it set up to use a similar footprint to the space you intend to place the system

I'm not a great fan of compressing music into MP3/4 etc files (they do have a time and place and I do use them on the move) if thats what works for you then check out several systems useing differant compresion formats~ recent Chanel 5 technology program did a blind listning test with surprising results Apple was 3rd

I've had a few audio bargins from Cash Convertors in the way of seperates for the kids room and bough a fair bit of vintage gear from Graham @Retro Reproductions on Lieth Walk Edinburgh

Richer sounds might be worth a wee look too

Expensive does not always mean good I've got a £1000 Quad CDP player which while good it too clean and clinical for my liking and I much prefer a 16 year old Marantz CD player through a DPA dac, a passive pre, a pair of Leak TL12+'S and my trusty Quad 57'S ye s its an eclectic mix not the most modern or the best looking but can leave me lost in music for a whole day when I get the chance

[GregR]

Been looking into this for a few days now so I'm thinking Arcam Solo - Thoughts?

[steve_weegie]

Arcam make some good (very good) kit & it certainly wouldnt be money wasted, but the solo would perhaps not be how I spent my money. That said, Hifi is like cars... Everybody has an opinion on them, but at the end of the day you need to get one that fits your needs

I started my hifi with marantz kit and hold them in very high regard for the money. If I was spending a "around a grand" on a 2 speaker setup it would consist of:

Marantz amplifier @ around £250
Marantz CD player @ around £250
Accoustic Energy AE1 speakers @ around £750

You'd have something that sounded nothing short of stunning, and would be easily upgradable on the CD player and Amp front....

You'd probably keep the speakers for life

[Jacobite]

If its the mini Arcam solo mini it fooks modern has the benefit of DAB radio, a 2 year warrranty should it need it and the potential to fit better speakers ~as this is where many manufactor systems skimp ~useing bell wire and chipboard box's

http://www.arcam.co.uk/products,solo,Mu ... irDock.htm#

may also be worth looking at the TEAK and Denon systems of similar size as they had a good reputation last time I looked into them for a M8

the difficult part might be finding somewhere that will let you demo them Hi Fi corner carry some mini systems, as would Richer sounds and both have demo facilitys, and if you were looking for an eclectic mix Graham at Retro Reproduction ~I know he has 1 mini systen in at the moment which you might get for a steal

[GregR]

Demoing would be a good idea, but I doubt I'll be able to replicate 13ft high ceilings and a sitting-room floor space of 21 by 20 feet. What's the best thing to do in that situation?

[steve_weegie]

Hifi corner were always very good about letting me try kit at home first - no substitute for putting the kit in your own space.... And they know fine well that if you like it, it wont be going back

ETA: The one at the top of leith walk has all the nice stuff

[graeme]

Take it home and listen to it at home. Any decent dealer will let you do that, although don't take the pee too much - you're not exactly spending big bucks.

I agree with Sir Steve of Weeg - CD, amp, and the best pair of floorstanders you can stretch to.

I like the Arcam Solos for simple bedroom setups where you don't want lots of boxes and wires, but I think you could do better for your main listening room.

Second hand kit will still last a lifetime and will double your buying power.

I'd go for:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Rotel-RC-06-Pre-A ... 3efb6f66c1

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ARCAM-CD62-CD-PLA ... 33587faa07

Enjoy!

[steve_weegie]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Rotel-RC-06-Pre-A ... 3efb6f66c1

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ARCAM-CD62-CD-PLA ... 33587faa07

Enjoy!

Good finds! Just add a pair of these and you're sorted.... Almost in budget too

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Ex-Display-Tannoy ... 1c0ee6810d