Buying new Stereo and need help :/

[enjibenji89]

For about 6-7 years I have had the same Sony stereo, it has served me extremely well but I think it's time I bought a new stereo as the right speaker doesn't work and the cd player doesn't read cd's (Minor inconvenience cause I use my IPod)

Basically I'm worried about making a purchase, I haven't kept up to date with whats good and have no idea what to get. I have a sub with my current stereo and do not want to lose that sound I get from the sub. I plan to spend around £200-Maybe up to £300. All I want it to do is play music from my IPod, don't need any radio or anything like that but it is so important to me that I get a very good sound because I am used to that.

Could anyone point me in some simplistic direction?

Any help would be appreciated

 

[Drumtochty]

Hi,

My advice would be to buy something older and second-hand as the quality will be vastly supierior to new kit in your price range.

Buy some used bookshelf speakers (e.g. Mission or KEF) and an amplifier (e.g. Technics) off either ebay or a used hi-fi dealer (eg ww.greenhomeelectronics.co.uk). Expect to pay £50 for each. Spend maybe £30-£40 on quality new cables: ipod to amp and amp to speaker wires (www.maplin.co.uk) .

Finally, with an Ipod as your input source you will never get great hi-fi sound, so its not worth spending much more on the rest of the kit.

A PC with a good quality sound card will give better MP3 reproduction than your Ipod.

Good luck.

 

[BlueWizard]

What is it you want for £200 to £300. Your expectations can't be too high with that budget.

Off the top of my head, I would say a NAD C315BEE (~£180) with 40w/ch and a pair of Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 (~£100 to £130/pr). This is a compact little amp but to keep in compact, there are only one set of speaker terminals. You would have to double up on your speaker wire and drive the Subs high level inputs, assuming it has them.

In an amp, the Marantz PM5003 with 40w/ch just got a very good write up in a current issue of a stereo magazine. Current prices run £200 to £250 depending on the source. Again, no pre-amp outs, so you would have to drive the Sub off the speaker terminals, assuming your Sub can do that.

Another choice in an amp is the Pioneer A307R for £180 with 45w/ch. Again, not pre-amp outputs for the Sub.

If you are not prone to play over 50% volume, Consider the many Cambridge amps at Richer Sounds. The Cambridge 340A, also 40w/ch, in graded and prime stock would be in your price range. Again, at this price level, no pre-amp or Sub outputs.

For £350, for Richer's, you can get a 340C CD player, 340A amp, and a pair of Cambridge S30 speakers, which are small but well regarded.

Richer Sounds - The UK's Hi-Fi, Home Cinema & Flat Panel TV Specialists!

There is a Silver graded Cambridge 640A with a full 75w/ch for the very good price of £180 or £198 with extended warranty.

Cambridge Audio AZUR 640A V2 GRADED Silver | Stereo Amplifier | Richer Sounds

Right now, though, for as along as you can find them, there are few speaker that beat the Diamond 9.1, which I believe are £100/pr at Richers. If not, the same speakers are available from AVBristol.co.uk for about £129/pr.

There are other options in speakers, Mordaunt Short 902i, Tannoy Mercury F1, and though slightly higher priced, Cambridge S30.

This should give you something to look at and something to consider. There are certainly other choices. If you want good amps at rock bottom prices, look at the Tangent amp and CD players also from Richers. Deep discounts on these.

If you go to the Richers HiFi - Amps page, and scroll way down to the bottom, you will see a range of good amps on close-out. There is limited stock but excellent bargains, if you can find what you want near you.

Amplifiers | Receivers | Hifi Separates | Richer Sounds

Tangent amps are a mere £50 each.

Steve/bluewizard

 

[deaf cat]

Good thing will all the above suggestions for Richer Sounds gear, you can of course demo it in store to get an idea as to what it sounds like