First seperates system - advice/tips?

jlg1983

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Hi guys I "lurk" around these forums for a good few hours a day, my head is dizzy from all the options.

Room Size - 4m x 5m
Budget - £800 - £1000 all in. (Prefer new but willing to go 2nd hand)
Requirements - Black if possible to suit the GF, sound over style but no dog rough looking equipment ;), strong vocals/midrange, digital i.e. Squeezebox or similar (probable no dedicated CD Player).

Current System

Onkyo Cr-515DAB
Q Acoustics 1010
Soundstyle Z2 Speaker Stands
QED Anniversary XT 1m

Future System?

Amplifier

Cambridge Audio Azur 840A V1 (£399.95@ Richer Sounds?)
Rotel RA-04 (£244.63 @ Superfi)
Marantz PM6002 (£215.27 @ Superfi)
NAD's C326BEE (£275 Sight & Sound)
Creek Evolution (£342.50 @ Superfi)

Speakers

B&W 685
Monitor Audio BR2
Dali Lektor 2
Kef IQ5SE (£244.63 @ Hi-Fix)
Mordaunt Short Mezzo 2 (£289.95 @ Richersounds)

CD Player/DAC/Source


Sony BDP-S350 (£149.95 @ Richer Sounds)
Marantz CD5003 (£149 @ Sevenoaks)
Beresford DAC
CA DacMagic
Musical Fidelity V-DAC
Logitech Squeezebox/Duet

I have a Sevenoaks near me but I'd like a bit of advice so I don't seem a total amateur.

Thanks...
 
Without addressing the rest of your system snap up the CA 840 if you can. It is a brilliant amp that was twice the price a few weeks ago.
 
I would definitely go for a CD player to match that amp.:devil:

Leeds point re. Floorstanders is valid particularly with the Cambridge. Tannoy F4s maybe. However plenty of alternatives which others are better qualified than me to recommend. Cheers:).
 
Hi all thanks for your replies. I want to go down the digital route with a Squeezebox, DAC, and possibly using a Blu-Ray player for the odd occassion I would use a CD.

Re. floorstanders I'm open to them, my GF on the other hand! (it would have to be good looking so to speak)

I'm open to any opinions on good combinations etc.

Thanks.
 
Okay in that case CA 840 V1, Mezzo 2 which I prefer to the 685's and much better than the other speakers mentioned and unless your hi fi is in a different room to the computer, then you don't need a squeezebox. A Beresford dac or DacMagic would do the job brilliantly.

There is nothing like demoing though, hopefully an RS has the all of those mentioned.
 
The CA 840 is a bargain at that price. Matched with 685 it sounds lovely.

If there are no 840s left go for the Rotel or the Creek - again match with 685s. I used to have an RA-04 but switched for a pre/power combo - but it sounded very nice through my 685s (I got a new amp to better match the speakers though).

In my opinion!
 
I can't comment on the systems but I will make the observation that within your budget, remember to have some of that budget aside for good interconnects, speaker cable and stands.
 
Best advice? Go and listen to everything that you have considered and can afford and then buy the one you think sounds best! Its what I did and quite frankly everyones ears and tastes are different. Not only that it is great fun!
 
I think I'm going to go the standmount route having talked to my girlfriend.

I'm going to keep those speaker stands and consider spraying them black to suit. :suicide:

Any idea how much I should list my Onkyo, Q Acoustics 1010's, & speaker wire for.

Thanks
 
Snapped up an CA 840a V1 for £399 today from Richer Sounds in Leeds :thumbsup:

In future I'll remember the following tip:

Car to Amplifier NOT Amplifier to car. :thumbsdow

No to demo some speakers!
 
The store was mega busy so they didn't let me demo it but a few people have told me it's too good to pass up, I have a 30 day trial with option of a full refund. :zonked:

Now to purchase a DacMagic and some XLR cables (what the hell are these?) & test some speakers out, fun times ahead.
 
Don't bother with XLR cables unless you plan on keeping the Dac a fair way from your amp - they're v expensive for little to no increase in sound quality. They're good for long distance signal though as they're more imprevious to interference.

Just get a decent quality set of phono cables if you plan on having the Dac close (less than a couple of meters cable length) to your amp.
 
i picked my self one up this afternoon and i am using it with my marantz cd6002 and kef iq30 speakers.i have to say its so much better to my ear than the 6002 amp it replaced.for the money and the fact that you can try it out for 30 days i think its a steal.now i feel the need for a new cd player though.any one know if a version 2 of the 840c is on its way so i can hopefully get a clearance version 1:)
 

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