Question Complete Hifi Noob - Need Advice

kirbypie

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Hi,

I just want to start by saying that I have pretty much zero knowledge of HiFi setups, except for what I’ve attempted to brush up on in the last 48 hours.

My Dad used to play his vinyls on an all-in-one setup that he bought years ago, but it no longer works and I wanted to buy him a new system as a gift.

I used the 'what hi-fi' site as a guide on what appears to be the best value for money on a budget, but I'm not confident on what would be a sensible purchase.

Would it be a simple case of buying a turntable (I was considering an Audio Technica AT-LP3) and buying an amplifier to plug it into (I was thinking a Marantz PM6006)? As for speakers, my Dad insists the ones he already owns still work and that he'd prefer to continue using them, but they are quite old (Sanyo SX-802) and I’m not sure they would even be compatible with this modern equipment.

Any input or suggestions would be hugely appreciated.

P.S – Sorry if I’ve posted this in the wrong section.

Thanks.
 
The turntable should be good, your speakers should be fine with a modern amp. I would however say that the speakers are old, due this I would consider the marantz pm5005, I don't think you'd benefit from the more expensive amp.

If it were me, I'd buy the on 6006 and also a set of Q acoustics 2020i, once he hears them, he'll probably be happy with them
 
Give us a working budget?

The Audio Technica LP3 is not the best, but it is a decent turntable with a nice tonearm.

AT-LP3 - Fully Automatic Belt-Drive Stereo Turntable with Universal Tonearm & Headshell | Audio-Technica

Audio Technica AT-LP3 Turntable

Two other options for slightly more money, but considerably better turntables would be the -

Audio Technica LP120 - suggested £330 (commonly £250) -


AT-LP120-USBHC - Direct-Drive Professional Turntable | Audio-Technica

Audio Technica ATLP120USBC USB Turntable (Opened Box, Black) - Superfi

Audio Technica ATLP120USBC USB Turntable - Superfi

In all honesty, for £50 more the Audio Technica LP120 is a much better turntable.

Audio Technica LP5 - suggested £350 (commonly £330) -

AT-LP5 - Direct Drive Turntable | Audio-Technica

Audio Technica ATLP5 USB Turntable - Superfi

One other to consider, if the Auto-Start/Auto-Stop feature means anything to you -

Denon DP300 Turtable - £299 -

DENON DP300Black Turntable

The money is starting to get up there, but in an Auto-Start/Auto-Stop turntable, this hit a pretty high standard for the money.

An alternative on the lower end would be the belt drive Reloop -

Reloop RP1000 turntable - £195 -

Reloop RP1000M DJ Turntable - Superfi

As to amps, the Marantz PM6006 is a nice amp at a very decent price -

Marantz PM6006 Amp with DAC, 45w/ch - £279 -

Marantz PM6006 Amplifier with DAC - Superfi

No one could or would fault you for buying that amp.

However, Yamaha are typically better value -

Yamaha AS501 Amp with DAC, 85w/ch - £249 -


YAMAHA AS501Black Stereo Amplifier

As to speaker, I found a picture of the Sanyo speakers, and they look OK, but just OK. If these are old speakers, you might want to inspect the Surround Rings. The Surround Ring is the ring of rubber or foam that attaches the Cone to the Frame. These can deteriorate over time, and begin to crumble and disintegrate. Visually inspect and lightly touch the Rings to see if they are gritty, crumbly, or otherwise deteriorating.

http://i1306.photobucket.com/albums/s567/DKIRANJAY/DKIRANJAY009/sanyo sx-802 speaker_zps52eopvtb.jpg

Speakers that are very worthy, yet very low priced would be the -

Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 (5") Bookshelf Speakers - £99/pr -


Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 Speakers (Pair) - Superfi

You'll find nothing the equal of them for the money.

The New Diamond 220 are also very attractively priced -

Wharfedale Diamond 220 (5") Bookshelf - £167 -


Wharfedale Diamond 220 Speakers (Pair) - Superfi

There are others to consider of course - Wharfedale Diamond 225, Monitor Audio Bronze 1 and Bronze 2, Dali Zensor 1 and Zensor 3, Tannoy Mercurcy 7.1 and 7.2, Q Acoustic 3020, and many more.

So, using the best price components, this is likely what you would have -

£200/ea = Audio Technica LP3
£250/ea = Yamaha AS501
£100/pr to £250/pr = Speaker of Choice
----------------------------
£550 to £700 = Total


Though my preferred system would be -

£200 to £250/ea = Audio Technica LP120 or Reloop RP1000
£250/ea = Yamaha AS501
£200/pr to £250/pr = Speakers of Choice
-------------------------
£650 to £700 = Total


At £550, it would be hard to bet this system -

£200/ea = Audio Technica LP3
£250/ea = Yamaha AS501
£100/pr = Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 Bookshelf Speakers
----------------------------
£550 = Total

Now it is possible to accomplish roughly the same thing for less, and equally for more.

Amps -

Denon PMA520AE Amplifier - Superfi

Marantz PM5005 Amplifier - Superfi

Denon PMA720AE Amplifier - Superfi

Turntables
-

The Audio Technica LP3, LP120, and Reloop RP1000 are about as low as I would go, though if your father's demands are not the great, it would be possible to drop down to the -

Audio Technica LP60 - £99 -

Audio Technica ATLP60USB USB Turntable - Superfi

This has a relatively poor tonearm, but it is still acceptable, though just barely.

This Lenco is probably on par with the Reloop turntable -

Lenco L90 USB turntable - £180 -

Lenco L90 USB Turntable with Built in Pre Amplifier - Superfi

Speakers - some of many to consider -

CAMBRIDGE AUDIO SX50Black Speakers Per Pair

Q ACOUSTICS 2020IGraphite Speakers Per Pair

CAMBRIDGE AUDIO SX60Walnut Speakers Per Pair

I would expect to the Q Acoustic 2020i and the Cambridge SX60 to preform to a pretty high standard for the very low price.

And more -

Tannoy Mercury 7.1 Speakers - Superfi

Wharfedale Diamond 225 Speakers (Pair) - Superfi

Dali Zensor 1 Speakers (Pair) - Superfi

Monitor Audio Bronze 1 Speakers (Pair) - Superfi

Tannoy Mercury 7.2 Speakers - Superfi

Q Acoustics 3020 Speakers (Pair) - Superfi

That should give you some idea of what is possible in the market.

Steve/bluewizard
 
Thank you for taking the time with such a detailed post! I'll browse through them suggestions now.

I think a few of those could be out of my budget though. I was looking at £200 max for a turntable & £250ish for an amp - and possibly £100 for speakers if necessary. Like I said, none of this will be for my use, and I'd wager my Dad would only want something simple to use / set up, but simply sounds as good as it can in that price range.

Edit: I just noticed you even kindly separated a few setups with price ranges, so I'll probably be using that as a guide.

Thanks again!
 
I was also wondering if there are any decent amps with a built in cd player too? possibly for up to £300 max, or are they generally much more expensive? It's not a must-have feature, but I thought it'd give him a another playing option too.
 
Richer Sounds has a couple of bundles that have a CD Player -

Marantz PM6006, CD6006 & Q Acoustics 3020 | Hi-Fi Separates system | Richer Sounds

Marantz PM6006, CD6006 & Monitor Audio Bronze 2 | Hi-Fi Separates System | Richer Sounds

Then add about £200 to that price for a turntable.

This would be pretty good, and the Audio Technical LP3 does have Auto-Start/Auto-Stop, meaning you can push one button and the album will play, then at the end, the tonearm returns to rest and the motor shuts off. Very convenient. If you have to leave the house, just shut off the amp and walk away. The Turntable will take care of itself.

Really, I mostly judge a turntable on the quality and complexity of the tonearm, and the LP3 appears to have a pretty decent tonearm.

Here you can set something of an angle view of the tonearm -

http://www.tophifi.pl/media/catalog...b8d27136e95/a/t/audio-technica-at-lp3-2-3.png

AT-LP3BK Fully Automatic Belt-Drive Stereo Turntable || Audio-Technica US

And here is a top down view -

http://cdn.audioaffair.co.uk/media/...b8d27136e95/a/t/at_lp3_bk_3-5873a56c6ea9b.jpg

Really a nice tonearm for this low price.

Typically when the Turntable arrives, you need to verify the Tracking Weight and the Anti-Skate. As well as instructions in the Owner's Manual, there are videos on YouTube that while not about this exact turntable would still be informative toward setting up the turntable.

This is a pretty decent system -

£200/ea = Audio Technica LP3
£250/ea = Yamaha AS501 w/DAC, 85w/ch
£100/pr = Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 Bookshelf Speakers
----------------------------
£550 = Total

The presents of a DAC in an amp like the PM6006 or the Yamaha AS501 means it is very easy to connect at TV to the Stereo Amp for TV and Movie watching. Most modern TVs only have a Digital Audio Out, no analog. So having a DAC is very handy for that purpose.

Again, depending on budget, there are modifications, but I've done my best to get you the most for the least money.

As an example, the Cambridge Audio SX60 are larger bookshelf speakers with deeper bass, but they are also £50 more. But even at a total of £600, that's a nice system.

£200/ea = Audio Technica LP3
£250/ea = Yamaha AS501 w/DAC, 85w/ch
£150/pr = Cambridge Audio SX60
----------------------------
£600 = Total


The Yamaha Amp from Richer Sounds does have PHONO Input. Though the Turntable also has a Phono Amp built-in but that internal pre-amp can be switch in and out. I suggest you turn off the Turntable Internal Pre-Amp and instead use the Phono Pre-Amp in the Yamaha.

Though you can certainly try both, and pick the one you like best.

The Yamaha CDS300 CD Player (~£199) is not excessively expensive, so if you wanted to add CDs, that's probably within reach.

Yamaha CDS300 CD Player - Superfi

YAMAHA CDS300Black CD Player

There is one other CD Player that has Network Streaming built in. This would allow near infinite music Streamed from the Internet, either from one of the Streaming Services like Spotify, or from anyone of about 20,0000 Internet Radio Stations around the world.

Yamaha CDN301 Network CD Player - £299 -

Yamaha CDN301 Networked CD Player - Superfi

YAMAHA CDN301Black CD Player with Music Streamer

But SuperFi and perhaps others, have a bundle deal on the Yamaha AS301 (DAC, 60w/ch, Phono) for a very attractive price when you consider that the Network CD Player alone is £300 -

Yamaha AS301 Amp w/DAC + Yamaha CDN301 Network CD Player - £250 to £350


Yamaha CDN301 and AS301 Networked Stereo System - Superfi

Also be aware, I'm not searching out the best prices, I'm simply using sites that I know have the products.

Let's plug that into the previous packages and look at the total -

£200/ea = Audio Technica LP3
£350/set = Yamaha AS301 w/DAC, 60w/ch (price includes CD)
£............ = Yamaha CDN301 Network CD Player

£150/pr = Cambridge Audio SX60
----------------------------
£700 = Total


£200/ea = Audio Technica LP3
£350/set = Yamaha AS301 w/DAC, 60w/ch (price includes CD)
£............ = Yamaha CDN301 Network CD Player
£100/pr = Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 Bookshelf Speakers
----------------------------
£650 = Total


Those two systems are EXCELLENT Value. You get Turntable, CD Player, Network Streaming, and Speakers at very near our previous budget.

I did check one other source of Yamaha products, and while they have very low prices, the still can't be the SupreFi Bundle price -

Yamaha A-S301 Integrated Amplifier

Yamaha CD-N301 Network CD Player

For best prices and bundles search Google-UK Shopping or Amazon-UK.

Yamaha A-S301 Integrated Amplifier - Black: Amazon.co.uk: TV

CD Player with Intelligent Digital Servo, iPod & USB: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics

Yamaha A-S501 Integrated Amplifier - Black: Amazon.co.uk: Audio & HiFi


Good prices but they still don't beat the Superfi AS301/CDN301 bundle.

Just passing it along.

Steve/bluewizard
 
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Oh yes ... most of the Yamaha Products are available in either Silver or Black, your choice.

Steve/bluewizard
 
@BlueWizard has given you some fantastic deals for you to work with.

My 2 pence is that regardless of what vinyl player, amp, or cd player you purchase, the sanyo's will be a bottleneck and frankly will waste the potential of the new system you are investing in. for the sake of £99, I'd highly recommend upgrading the speakers as these will likely have the biggest impact on your system (well fathers)

My dad recently invested in a set of Q acoustics 3020's and I was amazed with how good they sounded. The 2020's are great speakers and for £100, a pair, are hard to beat.
 
@BlueWizard Again, thank you so much for taking the time to provide those suggestions and formatting it in such a convenient way.

I think I'll take your advice and purchase these in the week:

£200/ea = Audio Technica LP3
£350/set = Yamaha AS301 w/DAC, 60w/ch (price includes CD)
£............ = Yamaha CDN301 Network CD Player
£100/pr = Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 Bookshelf Speakers
----------------------------
£650 = Total

I'll probably hold off buying the Network CD player for now though and possibly buy that for him in the future (might have his Christmas present idea sorted out already!)

It's just a matter of shopping around now for the best prices.

Once again, thank you so much for the assistance.
 
@BlueWizard

I think I'll take your advice and purchase these in the week:

£200/ea = Audio Technica LP3
£350/set = Yamaha AS301 w/DAC, 60w/ch (price includes CD)
£............ = Yamaha CDN301 Network CD Player
£100/pr = Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 Bookshelf Speakers
----------------------------
£650 = Total

I'll probably hold off buying the Network CD player for now though...

Keep in mind you are paying £350 for BOTH, and in the future JUST for the CD Player, you will pay £200 to £300. This package deal is only available if you buy the Package.

Here are the normal prices from SuperFi -

£329 = Yamaha AS301 (confusing, I'm seeing two price on the same site £225 and £329)
£199 = Yamaha CDN301 Network CD Player


I think the price actually went down while we were having this conversation.

Here are a few good source of Yamaha, though Yamaha is very common and there are actually dozens of place you can buy them -

Peter Tyson -


Amplifiers - Separates - Hi-Fi

CD & SACD Players - Separates - Hi-Fi

Superfi -

Yamaha CDN301 Networked CD Player - Superfi

Yamaha CDN301 and AS301 Networked Stereo System - Superfi

Yamaha AS301 Amplifier with DAC - Superfi

The AS301 is also listed at £225, you might want to check into that.

However, even at £225, the considerably larger Yamaha AS501 is £299, but I think lower at other places.

Richer Sounds - Good price on Yamaha -

Amplifiers | Receivers | Hifi Separates | Richer Sounds

At Richers, the Yamaha AS501 is £250, only £20 more than the Yamaha AS301 (also £225 at Richers).

CD Players | Hifi Separates | Richer Sounds

Exceptional AV - good prices -

Amplifiers For HiFi Systems | Exceptional AV : Yamaha

CD Players For HiFi Systems | Exceptional AV : Yamaha

You should be able to come up with a nice combination somewhere.

In very compact speakers with excellent detail and clarity in a relatively compact speaker, the Q Acoustic 2020i and 3020 are very good.



But the bass is on the modest side. The Wharfedale probably go lower, but the Q Acoustic are pretty impressive. As the above video indicates. The 3020 are the newest, but the previous 2020i were still highly regarded speakers, and are a bargain if you can find them (link to Richers). At Richers, the Q Acoustic 2020i are £120/pr.

I think the Cambridge SX60 would probably do a very good job to at £150/pr.

In summary, if you are not going to get the CD Player, then get the Yamaha AS501, it is only $30 more than the AS301, but a nice more powerful amp.

Just a few more thoughts.

Steve/bluewizard
 
Just wanted to say thanks for the further suggestions!

The Denon DM40 & Mission LX2 | Mini System INC Speakers | Richer Sounds really does seem like great value for money too!

Would the Audio Technica AT-LP3 Turntable be able to connect to it? Would it need a separate cable not included? Also, how would it sound compared to buying a different dedicated amp like the YAMAHA AS501Black Stereo Amplifier ?

Like I said, I'm going to begin shopping around for these on Monday, so just wanted to get as much info as I can before then.

Thanks once more.
 
The Yamaha and the Cambridge Audio SR10 will both wipe out the Denon. It's a very good small all in one but it has nowhere near the power reserves of the Yamaha and CA.

The Denon is a great buy for a small budget, but a bit more cash gets you a more capable amp.

But then you have to budget for speakers too.

The turnatable includes its own phono stage so would simply plug into the Denons analogue inputs on the rear with a pair of phono cables.

These will do a fine job.

1m Pro Audio Metal 2 x RCA Phono Plugs to Plugs Cable Lead Gold [006943] | eBay
 
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...

Plus you could try this combination. Quite impressive for a limited budget.

CAMBRIDGE AUDIO TOPAZ SR10Black Stereo Receiver

WHARFEDALE DIAMOND 220Black Speakers Per Pair

PROJECT ESSENTIAL 2Black Turntable

Add thirty quid for cables and off you go.

All in £670.

Paul7777x brings up the Cambridge Topaz SR10 frequently, and it is an amp that I typically over look. But it is very reasonably priced at £279 and has 85w/ch.

CAMBRIDGE AUDIO TOPAZ SR10Black Stereo Receiver

Topaz series v3

It doesn't have Digital Inputs, but it does have a PHONO input, one of the few Cambridge Products that does.

It has AM/FM but no DAB or DAB+.

Still an amp worthy of consideration.

However, the Marantz TT5005 is on the expensive side when you consider it is just the Audio Techinica LP3 with a worse tonearm. In fact it is virtually the same turntable as the Denon DP200 or the Audio Technica LP60 or any one of several near identical turntable that can be had for less. At just under £200, I can't think of anything the equals the LP3.

There are other turntables under £200 that have good tonearms and are certainly worth considering. I have already named several, but not all of those available.

Some that I haven't mentioned would be -

£180 = Lenco LP90
£199 = Lenco L3807


Moving just over £200 -

£235 = Pioneer LP30
£249 = Teac TN200 USB
£279 = Project Essential III
£285 = Project Essentail III USB
£285 = Project Debut 3 SE


However, at just above £200, the Audio Technica LP120 is hard to beat -

Audio Technica AT-LP120 USB - £239 -


Audio Technica ATLP120USBC USB Turntable - Superfi

There is also a single Open Box model for just under £200 -

Audio Technica ATLP120USBC USB Turntable (Opened Box, Black) - Superfi

At just under $200, the Reloop RP1000M is pretty good -

Reloop PR1000M Belt Drive - £195 -

Audio Technica ATLP120USBC USB Turntable (Opened Box, Black) - Superfi

The Audio Technica LP3 has the addition of the Auto-Start/Auto-Stop feature which might be handy for your father.

Audio Technica AT-LP3 Turntable

The material (plastic) and the overall mechanism are just OK, but the Tonearm, which is critical, is nice.

I still say if you are not going to take advantage of the Yamaha AS301 + Yamaha CDN301 Bundle Price, then you are better off starting with the Yamaha AS501 for only £30 more.

If there is a remote chance that this system will be connected to the TV for TV and Movie watching, (which I would recommend) then having Digital Inputs, as the AS301/AS501 do, is a real advantage.

Steve/bluewizard
 

The Denon DM40 has lots of features - CD/DAB/DAB+/FM/USB/Optical-In - but it is low on power. Probably about 20w/ch to 8 ohms full range. But it is very compact, with lots of features, and that might carry some weight for you father.

Would the Audio Technica AT-LP3 Turntable be able to connect to it?

The Denon DM40DAB does have a Single Analog Input, but it will not have a Phono Pre-Amp, though likely your turntable will have one. But, the Denon will need an external Phono Pre-Amp.

So, yes you can connect the turntable to the amp. But you will need a Phono Pre-Amp, fortunately the Audio Technica LP3 comes with one built in.

Would it need a separate cable not included?

Relative to the Turntable, it will come with cables. Though of course, you might need other interconnect cables depending on the final configuration and equipment selection, and of course you will need speakers wire. But speaker wire, and cables in general, need not be expensive.

Also, how would it sound compared to buying a different dedicated amp like the YAMAHA AS501Black Stereo Amplifier ?

The Yamaha AS301/AS501 have considerably more power (AS301 = 60w/ch, AS501 = 85w/ch), and while shorter on features, they are longer on quality.

Also, the Denon DM40DAB retails for about £250, the Yamaha AS501 retails for about £400. That's a considerable price difference, and a reflection of the very nice discounts you are getting. The Denon DM40 is marked down to £180, and the Yamaha AS501 is marked down to about £250.

So for me, the decision is easy, though that simply reflects my priorities, not necessarily that of you or your father.

Generally I want a full size amp with some power. But at the same time I do recognize circumstances were a very compact full featured Mini-Amp could be used. For example, it might be a good system to use with a computer where desktop space is at a premium.

Hopefully we have been able to give you some workable suggestion. Sadly, in every case universally, there is Price Creep. For a little more money you can get a little better equipment, but it never ends. And you can - for just a little more money - yourself into double or triple your original budget.

However, that said, I think we have laid out several systems that would be very nice and for a pretty fair price.

Hopefully you will find something you like among those suggestions.

Steve/bluewizard
 
If sound quality if of importance, choosing the right speakers should be the main priority. £100 speakers in a £650 system isn't balanced in my view. ...

Keep in mind the speaker are Wharfedale Diamond 9.1, because these are 4 models old, they are on very deep discount. You will not find £100/pr speakers that are the equal of these.

As a general rule, I say Speakers at TWICE the cost of the Amp, so £300 Amp = £600 speakers. But, when you are at the extremes of budget looking for bargains, those ratios don't hold up.

We've given him a range of systems, with a range of speaker options, most speakers being nicely discounted. But he is constrained by budget. We are trying to find the best possible system and the best bargains within the limited implied budget.

Double or Triple the Budget, and it is a whole new ball game.

However, in general I agree with you. Relative to the equipment, the speakers are not really in balance, but to make them in balance means adding several hundred Pounds to the system price. With a £250 amp, by my common starting point, that means speakers in the roughly £500 price range.

But the budget simply isn't there for that.

Within the constrains of maximum return on minimum budget, I think we have done of good job of making suggestions that equal very worthy systems.

Steve/bluewizard
 
Once again, I couldn't ask for more thorough advice! Thanks once more to everyone who replied.

I think I've finally settled (again) on what I'll buy for him:

Technica LP3 for the turntable.
Yamaha AS501 for the amp.
Q Acoustic 2020i for the speakers.

(Unless you think the Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 are better speakers than the 2020i's?).

Either way, I'm sure he'll be chuffed with that for now and I guess he could always upgrade to superior speakers himself in the future and it should be easy for him to pair with this new equipment.

You've all been a huge help!
 
...
Technica LP3 for the turntable.
Yamaha AS501 for the amp.
Q Acoustic 2020i for the speakers.

(Unless you think the Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 are better speakers than the 2020i's?)....

I've not heard the 2020i except by reputation, but I have heard the new 3020, and they are very impressive speakers. I provided a video above demo'ing the 3020. I would expect the 2020i which were very well regarded in their price range, to sound very similar. Good crisp detail, natural sounding, very impressive ....but... the bass doesn't go that deep. Though the difference between the 2020i and the Diamond 9.1 is small.

2020i is rated down to 64hz.

Diamond 9.1 rated down to 50hz.


Still, I have the 3020 on my computer with roughly the same bass response as the 2020, and they sound great. I suspect the 2020 will sound immensely better than the previous Sanyo speakers.

There is another way to get access to on-line music, and that is the Google Chromecast Streamer. These cost around £30, and are perhaps not as full featured as a full Streamer like a Sonos or the Yamaha CDN301, but the Chromecast is 1/10th the price.

These Streaming units work best if you have a Smart Phone, or other Smart Device, because you use an App on the Smart Device to browse and play the music.

But, some types of Streaming Devices give you access to Streaming Services like Pandora, Spotify, and similar, plus something like 20,000 Internet Radio Stations around the world. The nice thing about the Internet is that a radio station in Japan is just as close and clear as a radio station in London.

There are both Chromecast-Audio (analog, optical), which is simply Streaming Audio, and Chromecast-Video (HDMI) which include Video Streaming services like Netflix and Amazon and also Audio Streaming. But being HDMI it would need to be connected to either the TV or to an AV Receiver.

Chromecast-Audio -


For Speakers - Chromecast - Google

Chromecast-Video -

For TV - Chromecast - Google

If your father needs CD, then I would suggest you wait until later and get the matching Yamaha CDN301, because that also brings him Network Streaming of Audio. The Control App for the Network aspect can be downloaded from the Yamaha Website for free.

Regarding services like Spotify. You do have to sign up to receive music, but you can get a free account. If you want Advert free and higher quality, you can get a paid account with them. But the free account still sounds pretty good, far better than any broadcast radio. Plus, I think stations like the BBC are also broadcasting into the Internet.

I think you and your father will be very happy with that system.

Let us know how it turns out.

Steve/bluewizard
 
I really like the idea of streaming music and it would certainly be a feature I'd make use of myself, but it's something I'd have to spend time explaining/teaching my Dad how to use (he's pretty useless when it comes to mobile phones / modern tech etc). I'll definitely bear it in mind though.

Oh, just one last thing I'd like your advice on please:

I've noticed that some online stores, for example: www.audiovisualonline.co.uk have a range of speakers that have quite a decent discount because they have open boxes / minor marks. I imagine all of this has to be purely cosmetic and shouldn't have an effect on their sound quality, right?

Would you consider it a smart choice to opt for speakers in this condition? It means I could probably get him the Acoustic 3020s you mentioned for about £20 more than the 2020i's I was going to originally buy.

Thanks again.
 
I really like the idea of streaming music and it would certainly be a feature I'd make use of myself, but it's something I'd have to spend time explaining/teaching my Dad how to use (he's pretty useless when it comes to mobile phones / modern tech etc). I'll definitely bear it in mind though.

Oh, just one last thing I'd like your advice on please:

I've noticed that some online stores, for example: www.audiovisualonline.co.uk have a range of speakers that have quite a decent discount because they have open boxes / minor marks. I imagine all of this has to be purely cosmetic and shouldn't have an effect on their sound quality, right?

Would you consider it a smart choice to opt for speakers in this condition? It means I could probably get him the Acoustic 3020s you mentioned for about £20 more than the 2020i's I was going to originally buy.

Thanks again.
I have bought plenty open box cosmetic blemish stuff with success. FWIW I'd consider the q acoustics 2020i the equal of the 3020. The 3020 are a little tidier and have easier access connection though. Sound wise they are the same imo
 
Thanks again,

In the end, I changed my mind and went for the following, as it seemed like a very decent price when compared to buying separately: Marantz PM6006 + Q Acoustics 3020 Speaker Bundle Package Home Audio Visual

It appears I've fallen victim the inevitable price creeping for slightly better gear I was warned about, but at least it should sound substantially better than his last system.

I rather wish I never researched the difference between moving magnet and moving coil cartridges now though as it seems this hobby can quickly turn into quite a bottomless pit, financially :(

Thanks again to everyone who helped out (especially @BlueWizard).
 
as it seems this hobby can quickly turn into quite a bottomless pit, financially :(

Thanks again to everyone who helped out (especially @BlueWizard).

Indeed, it doesn't seem...it is !

Aka, also known as, hifi bug...or hifi monkey .
 
I think you will be very pleased with that system. Can't fault Marantz for quality.

Are you still going with the Audio Technica LP3?

Steve/bluewizard

I did indeed. Although, after purchasing I wondered what the MM & MC stands for on the back and kind of wished I never checked. Regardless, I've never listened to a system like the one I've just purchased, so I'm really eager to hear the sound quality myself.
 
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