Advice please!

Soloist

Soloist

In my lonely furrow
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Hello forum members. I am running the following kit:

Marantz 63SE
Technics SL3 linear turntable
Arcam Delta 90.2
Cable Talk 3.1
Musical Fidelity Reference 4 on Atacama stands (bi-wired)

I have an eclectic taste in music and whilst this set up is great for choral and early music, I would like abit more bass for those Rush or Goldfrapp moments!

I am currently researching speakers but would appreciate any advice.

I am really struggling to find anything at all out about my Ref fours. Even Musical Fidelity knew nothing about them! are they that old?

Regards,
 
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If you use your turntable as primary source I would seriously look into replacing it first.

2288981382_a04e22fda1.jpg


http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?i...+Reference+4&ndsp=20&hl=en&sa=N&start=20&um=1
 
Thanks for the pics YNMOAN! sort of emotional, a bit like seeing a relative you have never met before! Sorry, the jap CD player is the primary source and wasn't my choice - I bought a really interesting American CD player from a friend and the transport packed up (can't remember what this was now). I sent it to be fixed and they lent me this Marantz unit meantime. They never fixed it, I was never asked for it back.

Crystal clear sums the speakers up nicely and they are perfect for a bit of Bach (the natural horns in the Christmas Oratorio could be in the same room). You will understand why I am looking for some reproduction of the lower frequencies though!

I look forward to any more offerings with interest.

Soloist
 
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ok so do you have the seakers close up to a wall or ae they in free space ?

I don't like to tell you or anyone esle to change a bit of kit ..I always think its presumptuous. But in this case the amp could well be past its sell by ....being nearly old enough to vote ?

the cd player is ok and the tt ok ie they will both stand a better amp ...cable talk speaker cable is ok too.

you do say if your tt and cdp is on a dedicated support ...this can help too.

To get more bass can just be a room issue ...if you can move the speakers closer to the rear wall. Look to see if the speakers are firing straight at your sofa ? toe the speakers in by a few degrees... this should improve imaging.

Try to get the best from your system before you you throw wads of money at it !
 
Zanash,

What has prompted this is a room change. I am now in what is our music room. The hi-fi has to share with a piano, cello and various wind instruments. Is smaller than the lounge and has dry-lined walls rather than hard walls and the ceiling is lower due to a false ceiling for wiring. I have (perhaps in my ignorance) always brought the speakers away from the walls but I will experiment tonight. They are toed in and I have played around a little with this element.

My amp? hmm well I know its of an age, but then all the gear is! in your opinion, what would be worth looking out for?
 
Hi Soloist

Do you find your current speakers are able to 'drive' the room properly in the way in which you like, and if not, what don't you like about their presentation?

I'm unable to google them. Do you have any details (e.g. standmount 1 x 1inch tweeter 1 x 6.5inch bass, 89db etc)
 
I have no details at all! So far as presentation goes, I just don't have any depth to the lower frequencies unless the volume is cranked up. Its not always practical or sociable to do that!
 
Well if you have a small speaker, go for one with a bigger bass cone.

Make sure your amplifier is powerful enough to drive them properly, or swap it if not.


I know this sounds dead obvious, but the answer usually is :D


I just couldn't make reccomendations without knowing budget... and speaker choice is so very indivudual - we all like something different here.

It doesn't need to cost a lot of money if you don't want it to, like these for example are all pretty bassy (but good sounding I think)

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Tannoy-611-10...14&_trkparms=72:1300|66:2|65:12|39:1|240:1318

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/LINN-KABER-Sp...14&_trkparms=72:1300|66:2|65:12|39:1|240:1318
 
Bottleneck,

Advice greatfully recieved.

Speakers are now closer to the wall - what a difference! How does this work? I would like to know the physics please.

Looking at this thread and having read others, I now wonder if I should be looking at the amp. Do I look for pre and power amp bargains on e-bay or do I look for a new integrated amp? Budget likely around £500-800 maybe more if it makes enough of a difference. NAD seems to be popular as a second-hand choice and I see there are clearly Linn devotees as there are Naim and valve bods. My speakers seem to be the highest quality item in the link, at least if original cost is anything to go by and I seem to have made significant acoustic improvements just by moving them 150mm close to the wall so what now?

Regards to all
 
Soloist said:
Bottleneck,

Advice greatfully recieved.

Speakers are now closer to the wall - what a difference! How does this work? I would like to know the physics please.

Looking at this thread and having read others, I now wonder if I should be looking at the amp. Do I look for pre and power amp bargains on e-bay or do I look for a new integrated amp? Budget likely around £500-800 maybe more if it makes enough of a difference. NAD seems to be popular as a second-hand choice and I see there are clearly Linn devotees as there are Naim and valve bods. My speakers seem to be the highest quality item in the link, at least if original cost is anything to go by and I seem to have made significant acoustic improvements just by moving them 150mm close to the wall so what now?

Regards to all
Click to expand...

Have you filled your Atacama stands with sand or something similar? This can improve things. What floor do you have, is it a solid concrete one or suspended wooden boards?
 
Jimbo,

Yes, the stands are sand-filled and the floor is solid concrete but carpeted. The spikes on the stands fully penetrate the carpet though.
 
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Avoid valve amplifiers. People who buy them are paying through the nose for obsolete technology, in search of some sort of ill-conceived audiophool dream. Transistor amplifiers sound the same, or better, at lower cost, with higher power and better reliability.
 
If you want to try Naim, the 72 pre-amp and 140 power-amp are a classic combo.
If you fancy brand new, the latest Cambridge audio gear has been getting good reviews.
 
Update.

With thanks to all who posted here and elsewhere, the Soloist system now comprises:

Systemdek XII, Linn Basik Plus, Dynavector 10x5, Dynavector 75P
Marantz 63 SE
Bow Wazoo XL
All on Atacama Equinox
Cable Talk 3.1
Musical Fidelity Reference 4 on Atacama sand-filled stands

The upgrades are just amazing and I am spending most of my free time playing (mainly vinyl!) my old collection and have added a couple of dozen bargain vinyl purchases ex-charity shops.

I am not unhappy with the speakers but accept there is potential room for improvement. Funnily enough, what started out as a post to help with speaker upgrade has lead to a spend-fest on all but the speakers! I now have the frequencies and dynamics that were missing. Interestingly, it is the analogue front end that gives the most realistic improvements at the lower frequencies.

So. Next stage? what sort of money do I need to spend to make a significant difference in CD reproduction and is there any point before I change the speakers? Say I have £1k to spend.

Thanks forum!

Oh, and as usual, ANY info on the Ref 4's would be greatly appreciated!
 
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Dear Soloist
By moving your speakers 150 MM back to the rear wall in ten mm moves you will find that you are ultimately immersed in a holographic soundfield beyond boundaries your speakers will become the power of one the power of many .Hope this helps well Roy said it will.
Noel W.
 

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