Suggestions for new amp/speaker for SB3

[Matthew Attoe]

Hi,

I'm hoping someone here could offer me a little help and guidance, please.

I'm looking for a new amp and speakers to compliment my new Squeezebox 3. I have only just got myself the SB3, which I am very impressed with and am feeding it with lossless files.

I currently have a Technics SU-X840 system, which is about 18-years old I think it was quite a good system when it was purchased as it cost somewhere around £1000 all those years ago. It came with the SB-F860 speakers.

Currently, the speakers are connected with some fairly good Ixos cable (was around about £5 a metre when I bought it about 3 or 4 years ago). The SB3 is connected to the amp using an Ixos interconnect. Again, I think this is a half-decent cable - it was about £50 when I bought it (at the same time as the speaker cable!).

Now, what I'm looking for is a new amp and complimentary speakers. The only input source will be the Squeezebox.

I don't know whether to go low-end-ish, with something like the Cambridge Audio 640A v2, or slightly higher up with the Cambridge Audio 840A when it's available.

I'm open to suggestion on other kit - the only reason I mention CA is that it seems to get pretty good reviews from most people/places. I haven't gone and listened to anything yet, so, like I say, I'm open to suggestions.

If anyone has any opinions on what sort of amp & speakers to be looking at, I would be most grateful. I don't really know how much money to throw at the new set-up, but I don't really want anything that would be blatantly overkill for the Squeezebox source. Just really looking to maximise the sound-quality that I can get from the SB3, really. Not sure if I really want to get an external DAC either. Something else for the wife to have to turn on and moan about!

Many thanks in advance for both your time and help,

Matthew

[Matthew Attoe]

No-one have any advice for me?

I would really appreciate any advice, help or guidance that you can offer.

Thanks again,

Matthew

[Descombobulator]

Matthew,

I'm somewhat in the same boat in that I want to replace my Rotel amp (still going since 1978) and Philips CD player, which is dieing.

I have about £1100 to spend. However, I am very reluctant to spend a lot of money on a decent CD player. Storing your music on local servers is the future, once it gains momentum, the change will be as significant as the impact of digital cameras on the analogue market.

Amps last a very long time. So the way I look at it, the approach should be to buy the best Amp you can afford, coupled with a SqueezeBox. I suspect that in the next couple of years, the technology will mature to the point where there are many more options, from the cheap and cheerful to the seriously esoteric, at which time you can upgrade the SB3.

What I am saying, is do not compromise your Amp decision just to suit your Squeezebox. The Amp will still be there years after the SqueezeBox has been obsoleted by a growing range of improved alternatives.

I'm looking at a SB3 plus a Cyrus 8VS, or Arcam A90, or Unison Research Unico P.