Planning to buy an entirely new system.

Hi there. I hope people don't mind if I start posting with a lengthy request for help and knowledge.

I've recently come into some money and am planning to spend it on hi-fi - while bearing in mind that I'm unlikely to be able to upgrade again in the near (far) future. I've got from 1 to 3 thousand to spend - I'm looking to get as good as I can for as little as I can.

I'm planning to get: CD player, Amp, Speakers, possibly DAC.

Currently I have a system with book-stand speakers and a sub. There's a bit of a noticeable 'gap' where the book-stands drop off and the sub has yet to kick in, and I'm thinking of now going for floor standers. A lot of these seem to have too much thumpy 'high-bass', and then drop off before the sub-bass kicks in. I'm really hoping to avoid this and find some with gentler high bass, but a real depth to them too.

I tend to listen to music relatively quietly, and still want to be able to have that punch present.

What do people think? Are there likely to be suitable floor -standers than can do all this? Should I go for a sub again? I could even use my current, not very good sub, to just add a bit of depth?

Side issue>>The nicest piece of kit I've currently got is a Marantz PSE 6010 OSE amp. Unfortunately, it was also the first piece to break, and now intermittently tizzes on certain inputs. Strangely, it seems to do it especially with 'delicate' music (piano pieces etc) and not on Drum and Bass. It's a very noticeable distortion so I don't think it could just be that it's only noticeable on the delicate stuff. I took it apart, and some of the internal wiring seemed too tight, pulling pugs slightly out of place, but I wasn't sure if holding them in place really improved things.

So I'm looking for a replacement Amp, but it probably needs a lot of inputs.
1 CD
2 TV
3 DJ Decks
4 CD
5 Tuner
6 Spare for MP£ connections etc
7 Ideally a connection for the PC, although this could be run through the DJ mixer.

I've been out of the hi-fi loop for ages, but have heard that a lot of people are now recording their CDs, and playing them off a hard-drive. Is this the way to go? My CD player is pretty rubbish, and I slightly tread the prospect of ripping every CD I own, but if everyone now thinks that this is the best way to get good quality sound for good value, I would have to consider it.

One other thing, which could mean needing fewer inputs for my amp, would be using a DAC, I could then run my DJ mixer, PC, CD/DVD/Blu-ray through that?

My TV is currently a 15 year old 4:3, so I'm not planning to invest in a blu-ray collection just yet, but maybe it would be worth sticking with my current CD deck until I do get a new TV and a DVD/Blu-ray player capable of doubling as a source for CDs.

We listen to all sorts of music, gentle folk, orchestral pieces, drum and bass and jazz, and are also planning to use the hi-fo for TV watching, so want a real all-rounder.

Any words of wisdom would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks a lot.

 

Hi Gargal,

Welcome to Zerogain.

Before I and others have a go at your problem, can you tell us about the size, shape of your room. Do your speakers need to be near the wall or do you have to have them away from the wall? How is the room furnished?

SCIDB

 

Hi SCIDB.

The room is in a terraced house and is converted from a living-room and dining room into one big room.

It's carpeted, with a sofa and bed in the sitting-room end (where the hi-fi would go).

The TV is in the bay window, with speakers either side. There some room for them to be away from the walls, or they can be on the wall.

(I've just found a word file with my plan in from when I moved - but I'm now having trouble using uploading it as an attachment).

It's never going to be the ideal listening room, and that could mean it's sensible to avoid spending too much on hi-fi.

The attachment screen is now completely refusing to load for me. Let me know if you think it would be helpful for me to try again.

Thanks.

 

I've just had another go, but I'm afraid my PC only has microsoft Paint on it for image files, and I can't find a format compressed enough to let me upload it here. Let me know if more info would be helpful. Ta.

 

As far as music servers and hard drives go unless u are ok with a pc and or a server and can repair or keep on top of any little bugs, setting up and resetting a network I would rule that out and maybe if u have a laptop get an invite to spotify ( online music library of 8 million tracks) from someone and u will get the service for free, so then u can have ur laptop or pc connected to a usb dac for sound.

Dacwise u could try a Dacmagic or a Beresford Caiman or maybe a Valab from ebay which I use (valab 4395 platinum)

As far as amps go I would go integrated saves money on extra cables and space, u could try an Inca design Talon and Katana cd player which u could have the pair for £650-£700 from ebay or maybe try a Roksan caspian mk1 cd and int for a tad less. (Im trying to think half decent but good) u could step up to an Exposure cd, pre and power between say the 18 and 23 range for a little over a grand secondhand possibly, then use all exposure cables which the amp usually come with and the speaker cable is cheap too.

If ur speakers are to be at the front of the alcove or in the corners next to it be sure to have a good look for front firing speakers else u will get a horrible boom!

Speaker wise maybe some spendors s3e are a fair bookshelf speaker and with a good amp will sound really nice or a nice pair of triangles with the exposures would be good but incl dac, cd, pre and power, plus cables and triangles all secondhand u will prob be looking at around £2000.

With the Roksan Caspian u could have some nice spendor floors and a good dac all secondhand for around £1300 incl cables if u have a good look around, monitor audios are also good bang for buck too!

Also remember ur dac will take a usb, optical and coax but will only take one input on the amp so it sort of 3 in 1

Im sure others will be kind enough to give u a few more suggestions so I wont ramble on about to many options for now.

Hope this helps.
Dan

 

Thanks Dan.

I've been reading a few hi-fi sites recently, and a lot of people seem to use e-bay. I'd feel worried about buying hi-fi I'd not had a chance to hear though.

Is it likely to be so much better value that this supersedes worries about personal listening preferences? Or do people normally only buy kit they're familiar with? Ta.

 

I think some people may buy from ebay due to someones advice or maybe if they are farmiliar with the brand and or range. It is always an idea to try a local dealers used gear out in a demo and then go away to think about it and see if u can get that product cheaper anywhere else. I know dealers will not find this an ideal comment but sometimes u have to get the best for ur budget.

Here is a link to a list of a large amount of used and secondhand gear mostly from respected dealers http://www.avforums.com/forums/hi-f...o-second-hand-preowned-website-addresses.html (I hope I am aloud to put up this link?)

I hope this helps as far as ur comfortability in where u could possibly purchase cheaper but as far as what to purchase I think advice or auditioning would be ideal if u have a lack of experience or knowledge

Regards
Dan

 

Thanks Dan.

I'm tragically lacking in audiophiles amongst my social circle, so am not likely to be able to find hi-fi that way. This is probably going to be a one off purchase, so I'm not going to really be able to build up my knowledge, which is why I was hoping to pick some brains here.

 

Why don't you look through the classified adds on here. Find ones near you and go have a listen and some can also give you advise at the same time. Buying used can save a lot of money and you get a better hifi in the end.

jim.

 

Hi,

One big downside is getting to hear all the options. No dealer will sell all the items that people on here may recommend.

Ebay can be a good way of getting thing at a good price. One of the downsides is that it can be trial & error. It is buyer beware. you need to know the risks.

What you could do is to try a few dealers and see what they come up with for your money. Use your system as a point of reference.

BTW where are you in the UK? This ihfo will allow us to point to dealers that have given good service.



For example, as starter to get you going, try Richer Sounds. They have plenty of shops around the country and sell some interesting kit. I would look as the Cambridge Audio stuff.

They do an integrated amp, Azur 840A, that has lots of inputs and flexibility. There is a matching cd player, Azur 840C, that has digital inputs as well as outputs.

Cambridge also do an universal player (cd/dvd/blu-ray/etc), Azur 650BD. This has had good reviews offeribng good alround performance.

Cambridge do a dac, Dacmagic, which has a USB input for the computer.

The amp & cd player are £800 each, the Universal player is £400 and the dac is £230. They do Dali and Mordault short speakers so it can give you a standard to look at (and listen to).

Different dealers will have different options. Ask about home dems and loaning of equipment. You should try and get to hear it in your living room because it may sound totally different from in the shop. You don't want to be stuck with something you don't like.

SCIDB

 

A good bit of mod advice the cambridge range mentioned is actually really good for the money and all the components barr the blueray universal disk player I see frequently on classifieds here and there also ebay(which is safer as it is governed and u have buyer protection) also see if u have a Sevenoaks store near u, they have another range of gear different to richer sounds

 

Hi there. Thanks for the advice, more is always welcome.

I'm in Brighton, but don't have a car, and have health problems which make it difficult to do much traveling.

Hopefully Brighton will do me okay. We have got a Richer Sounds and a Sevenoaks - probably a few independents too (I'd be interested to hear if anyone here knows any of them).

I'll be getting in contact with them, and seeing what they have to say, but as SCIDB said, they're only going to have access to a limited range of stuff.

I hadn't expected so many people to be buying second hand stuff - I guess that rather complicates things if that's the best way to go.

 

Have a look at the sevenoaks website they also have a clearance section for all their stores so any product from any store can be sent to u

I think ull be suprised how much gear they sell
http://www.sevenoakssoundandvision.co.uk/home.aspx

 

Can't you get a really good DJ mixer (like an E&S or maybe one of the new Bozaks) and run all your sources through that into some active speakers?

Otherwise I'd be looking at Quad 99 series: 99 CDP-2 (with six digital inputs so you could run your pc and your tv and dvd into this and use it's onboard DAC) and the 99 preamp and 909 power amp. You should be able to pick that lot up for around 2k second hand and then you have a grand to spend on some nice speakers.

 

Thanks Dan. I've just contacted my local sevenoaks, and will see what they say when they get back to me.

@ Mikedefacto - Hmmm... I'd never even considered the possibility of getting a mixer that sounded good! Currently I've got a fine vestax, simple stuff but relatively well put together. I've just come to accept that DJ equipment was going to sound a bit inferior.

A lot of the high end mixers seem to be rotary only, which would rather take the fun out of mixing for me. Also, currently my mixer is the other side of the room to my hi-fi, and I don't think I'd be able to change that. I'd have to accept a lot of cables floating around to go this route, but it's an interesting idea.

Thanks for raising a possibility I hadn't thought of though. This route would also mean I'd have active speakers wired to my PC for playing around with production stuff - it's certainly worth some more thought.

 

Hey DJing rotary specially no frills style IS fun... when all you have is just volume pots to mess with you start to think about it in a different way ;-)

 

I'm sure it's fun for some styles, but I like to be able to use quick cuts too. Isn't it mainly house and techno DJs that like rotary? A bit too risky to buy a top of the range mixer that might not fit with the way I like to mix.

Do you know of any more conventional mixers with good sound? Of the ones I've used, Allen and Heath have been the best, but they're still rather functional and I'm not sure I'd want to run everything through them. Ta.

 

formula sound? But they ain't pretty!

 

Have a look at some Genelec, Adams and Focal actives as a start, but auditioning these would possible be difficult for u. A good approach to take especially for the amount of space it could save but also expensive to rectify if something in the speaker goes wrong out of warranty, tho it can be the same for any gear I spose and if u have the speakers far apart decent interconnects for them could be pricey!

 

Thanks for all the advice. I've been looking in to it all, and I think active speakers are probably not the right way to go. I think I'd struggle to fit suitable mixer into my 'dj booth', it would require loads of cabling, and I'd have a hard time listening to the equipment before I could buy it. (There are also little things: currently I use my amp's remote control for the TV volume, and that wouldn't be possible.)
If I managed to sort it all out, it could be great, but I think practical limitations are going to get in the way.


Sevenoaks are suggesting I listen to their end of line reduced stuff, and don't seem to do DACS:

"Given your requirements I would recommend listening
to the following equipment, it is all brand new end of line so is in very
limited quantities;

Leema Acoustics Pulse amplifier £749.00 (was £1299.00)-
http://www.leema-acoustics.com/shop/spectrum-series/pulse

Leema Acoustics Stream2 CD player £749.00 (was £1299.00)-
http://www.leema-acoustics.com/shop/component/cd-players/stream

Dali Suite 2.8 floorstanders £399.00 (were £999.00)-
http://dali-speakers.com/display_content.php/INT/speakers.html/190/1962

The system above will sound very tight, clean and well extended in the bass.

Please book a demonstration and we can play these plus other options on your
visit."

I'll see what Richer have to say too.