downgrading....but still has to meet my needs

Hi guys

I am downgrading the whole system as I rarely get the chance for a good listen any more and for most of the time it is background only and often not sitting in front of the speakers. I am still going with the i-Book/server idea but also want to play DVDs and CDs conventionally as backup or when the i-Book is off on other duties.

For those who do not know my current system is: Wadia transport and DAC, Nuvista M3 and Sonus Faber Amator IIs and Samsung DVD; I also have a PT Too/Kuzma/Dynavector VX20 that I am selling.

What I like about my current system is detailed, musical, natural sounding, unfatiguing, dynamic and enjoyable; I can listen to it for hours without getting bored or frustrated.

I want to retain the essential qualities of my current system but in a smaller and cheaper package. Budget of £2000 to £2500 new or second-hand (like the idea of second-hand for amps and speakers). I am open to ideas as I have not looked at buying a system at this price level for years so am a bit in the dark. Cyrus (like the upgradability within the existing chassis) and Quad come to mind but have not listened to them. A one make system might be nice (for my girlfriend to look at - she is a designer).

Specifically I am looking to fill no more than three tiers of Hutter on narrow height spacing (eg Naim 5 series unit height), or two shelves of equivalent height. It could be a DVD player or DVD/DAC or conventional CDP maybe with digital in for DVD processing (eg Quad 99/Pioneer DVD) it could be a pre amp and active speakers or integrated or pre/power I am not bothered about DVD-A and SACD but might be useful to cater for this for the future. We will also be buying a projector for TV and film and am not sure how this will sway what DVD options we have. Speakers need to be on wall brackets or floorstanders that can go against the wall and do not take up much space. (I am not interested in soundstage or imaging.)

If a compromise is to be had then it is to playback DVD via the TV (or future purchase of a projector) in which case I will keep the Samsung DVD. I want to minimise the space that Hifi takes up whilst maximising the CD sound quality for my budget. My girlfriend has a midi system but it is way of the pace even for background listening so it probably needs to be separates but I am open minded.

So, any ideas?

Also I am happy to part ex with someone who has a system that I would like that wants to upgrade to my system and obviously amp for amp and speaker for speaker swaps etc. I have all original packing etc.

Cheers

Dominic

 

I have not heard your system but if you really like it them why change? I don't think you need the money so maybe you would like the living room less cluttered? Would you consider getting a one box solution but keep the speakers since it is the sound you like. Then gets this toy.



When the fund allows change the TV with plasma or better a projector and screen.













Then the most important step and perhaps the most difficult to achieve is to stop reading magazines and hi-fi forum.

 

Hi Wolfgang

I want the same qualities not exactly the same sound and BTW the Linn would never be able to drive the Amator IIs which is why any amp change also means a speaker change. I do not understand what you are getting at by the comment about reading Hifi magazines as I do not read them; perhaps you can explain.

Linn has a very controlled (compressed?) sound that does not appeal to me and is very different from the type of sound that I am looking for. In a demo three years ago the Linn system that we compared to Naim completely removed all traces of vibrato on David Sylvian's voice compared to the Naim; I was shocked that a system could do this. Also at the same time I listened to the Classic versus a Cyrus (same price) for a bedroom system and the Cyrus walked all over the Linn for Dynamics, musicality etc.

I have already clearly outlined why I am downgrading and no it is not because I need money. Yes, less clutter, I am moving from 8 shelves of Hutter to no more than 3; there are more important things in life to having a four box CDP and three box TT.

I'm surprised that I have not had any suggestions after 93 reads but maybe it is because I have committed the ultimate sin of wanting hifi for background music, downgrading instead of upgrading, wanting a hifi that looked nice, wanting to possibly place speakers on the wall! It cannot be because no one knows of a decent hifi for £2500! I seem to recall that when I posted a few months back on a similar topic few people offered advice. Maybe there are too many subjectivists here or should that be elitists! lol (I would insert a smiley or two but do know how to insert them!)

I've got a demo booked to listen to Cyrus, Quad and Meridien. If anyone wants to add any suggestions of combinations eg Cyrus DVD6 with QDAC or go for the DVD8 instead, then I am all ears.

Dominic (the heretic)

 

I dont think people will find it a sin.
But it is hard to suggest what you could use, i know if it was me i would be hard pushed to do it.
I imagine that what ever you use to replace your existing kit, you will always notice that it doesnt do this or that. Hopefuly you will be OK with that as you have made the decision to downgrade.

Good luck and sorry i cant give any advice

 

I think the issue may be that if you want a system that retains much of your current sound the only one that will do so is the one you have?

Perhaps a better route is keep what you have an have a custom piece of furniture built to house it. I think your asking for a hell of a lot from 2.5k.

Frankly i'm confused? If you want background music why spend 2.5k?

 

So, you said "I am not interested in soundstage or imaging"

Then, WHY BOTHER?

 

There's much more to music reproduction than soundstaging and imaging.......

 

I am sorry, but you wont find the sound you like with your EAII from any other speakers, period...

Get an integrated Bel Canto + an Arcam DVD player with some ERS and an Eupen PC, but keep your speakers... :MILD:

 

Robbo, you said "There's much more to HiFi music reproduction than soundstaging and imaging.......",

I'd agree, but to spend £2.5K without taking it into account is a sin in my book - still, I guess we all have different priorities!

 

For 2.5K you'll get a choice of the usual suspects (Cyrus, Arcam, Linn, Naim, Quad). You may not find anything you like as much as what you have now, but all you can do is listen to the various alternatives and make your own mind up.

I wouldn't bother to downgrade, just keep what you have. It may be more boxes than you want, but a three shelf rack has the same footprint as an eight shelf rack, so why worry about it? You're under no obligation to give it your full attention, if it plays in the background in a way you like, keep it.

As for the imaging thing, I agree, imaging has nothing much to do with music.

-- Ian

 

Dom. My intention in the near future is to purchase a DAC in order to provide a link between mac and hifi.

Merlin kindly came round with a DAC 64 which sounded stunning. I think what you are doing (Ibook as server) is an excellent idea, but I would suggest you consider a G5 and DAC in your 2.5K spending plan, unless of course that 2.5k is coming from the sale of your HIFI in which case it won't stretch.

My only concern from your posting is that the ibook may simply not sound good enough, although I appriciate where you are coming from on the back ground stuff, there will be times no doubt you want to wind the wick up. The analoge out on the G5 is nothing special but the optical out to dac and then hifi was something special.

So special infact I have sold my Naim CDP and have purchased a 200g harddrive to take on the music duties. Just the dac to go.

 

cheers guys

I know that I will not get the same sound and I know that many of you will think that I am mad, but having a great hifi is not that important to me any more; I am even swapping some of my vintage synths for software versions (or close approximations). Whilst I will not have such a good hifi and synth colection I will also be £6k better off (after my new purchase), money which I will use towards more worthwhile projects with my girlfriend whom I am madly in love with; doing things with my girlfriend is far more important to me - but there is no way that I am selling the Boxster, well not until next year!

If it just for background then why spend £2.5k, well because I want good background because even something like the Denon 301 gives me a headache (so I sold it). I need good CD play back for the times that I want to use the remote; the rest of the time I will be listening to net radio and my CD and record collection on the ibook/Apogee DAC so this will easily equal (to my ears) most £1000 CDPs. As for the foot print, well yes that is one way of looking at it, but at the moment I have a five foot high rack because of the size of some of my gear. If I end up with Cyrus (but have not listened yet) then I will have a vastly reduced footprint and will probably sell the Hutter as well and get a cyrus rack; more room for my Barcelona chair!

Lowrider, my place looks similar to yours (you have done a fabulous job with it) and we have the same sort of taste in hifi and I know that the AIIs cannot be matched but this is something that I want to see through.

Gary, I'm going for the laptop because it is more useful to me. USB soundcard is the only way!

On the soundstage front, if I am twenty five foot away from the speakers, off axis, at my table eating great food and talking then soundstaging and imaging is not that important to me. It used to be years ago when I had my dual-centrics but not any more.

FYI Linn and ML is too compressed/dry and Naim too fatiguing to my ears.

I think that the electronics will be easy enought to sort out but I have no clue at all on the speaker front!

Dominic

 

quad 99 (with inbuilt pre) + 2nd hand amp (Henrys Gamut mk2) and keep your spkrs.

job done

 

Seconded Good suggestion.

 

just thinking here...

if you get rid of your TT - you wont be able to play your records??


...wont that suck?


NB I think its hard for people to recccomend a 'downgrade'. Id call the Gamut an upgrade for example - even if its cheaper (? ?)

Simple fact is (IMHO) that you'd have to get components that were originally 1500+ when new to get a comparable sound.

Are you really willing to sacrifice a drop in sound quality?.... If so why reject Linn and the like, which to the average joe would sound fantastic? Arent you really saying you want the same quality, but just less boxes?

If you really want some cheap reasonalbeness, an Onyx amp like sideshowbobs (250 ish), a CD63, a pair of missions - all for 500!