I like Quad(not Cyrus!)what else to consider?

H guys,

I went to audition Cyrus ,CD6 and 8VS2 ( which happened be linked up to Monitor RS6) and didn't like the sound. I found it too 'harsh', best word I can find to explain the problem.
I then listened to Quad 909 amp and 99 CD-P and it was much more too my liking (with same speakers). When I added Focal Chorus 716v speakers I was bowled over!
I've left a deposit on the amp and cd but before I commit, is there anything similar/better I should audition? Also, is it easy unproblematic to link an ipod up to this setup?

Comments on any part of this setup inc speakers welcome

Many thanks

 

An excellent choice of electronics, however to use ipod you need a an analogue pre-amp, the Quad 99 one, say as well as the CD-P only accepts digital PCM inputs in addition to playing CD's. I started with CD-P /909 "minimal" system but because I wanted to hear FM radio again using my old NAD 4020 I got a 99 Pre, a slightly discounted ex-display one from Sevenoaks. Latterly I have completed the set with a s/hand Quad 99 Tuner off Ebay , the price for a new one is rather steep a £700 but I got my unit for around half that and you can control everything then from the Pre remote including the CD-P.

Neil

 

I also auditioned a Cyrus cdp/amp combination and found the sound harsh and brittle. I auditioned Naim and Musical Fidelity kit and found them more to my liking, with the MF just ahead, imho.

 

Try Primare and especially Arcam for a less harsh sound than Cyrus.

 

I'm a big fan of Rega - good value too (IMO).

 

Thanks

Neil; what speakers are you using?

Phil: man at shop reckoned that equivalent Naim would be way over my budget

Nobber; any particular Arcam amp/cd combo?

Many thanks again

 

Indus - what's your budget?

A90 + CD73 is a good starting point, with a P90 if you need more power. Or the better CD192 player.

Then we get to the FMJ range: A32 and CD36 which is a very good combo.

Second Nick25's recommendation for Rega - lovely kit.

Edit: forgot to say, if you like the Quad kit then stick with it. It is some very tasty equipment, with lots of scope for bigger amps later.

 

I think you're right, I liked it and don't have endless time to audition stuff so I'll stick with it

 

Soneteer and Sugden.

 

Hi Indus

Speakers are Spendor S5e, small enough for domestic harmony but can sound really "big" when driven moderately hard . Particularly impressive is the rendition of stuff like bass drum and timpani,IMO, but also excels at realistic sound of voice both soloists and mass choir.

Regards,
Neil

 

Hello indus

The Quad CD-P2/909 is a sublime combination. I'm constantly impressed with mine, although I use a pair of 909 power amps, bi-amping B&W 805s with astonishing results.

The Focal Chorus 716v speakers seem the obvious choice to me, going by what you've said about them already.

It's not clear what budget you're working with, but if you would like alternatives then I recommend listening to Dali Ikon 6, Monopulse Model 32a or 32s and ProAc Studio 140's..

Look at quality interconnects as well, as they can make a real difference to the overall sound. I use some fairly old Audioquest Ruby 2 interconnects ( brilliantly matched ) between CD player and amps. But they also worked very well with fairly cheap QED Qnex 2 leads too.

Goodluck and enjoy your new Quad hi-fi !

Tim...

 

Hi Tim,

budget is £1k max, unless something more expensive really blew me away in which case I'd have to prise the wallet open. I'll try and find a dealer where I can demo the speakers you mention.

many thanks

 

Try better mastered discs
People don't like Cyrus because the electronics don't mask the actual music.
I use a nice sounding combination of Cyrus and Quad as I like accuracy and a little distortion thrown in

 

As with SeanT, I also have a Cyrus sytem (6vS) coupled with Quad 21L2 speakers. I selected this system after many listening tests with various combinations of equipment. It is true that Cyrus gives you unadulterated pure sound and is unforgiving of poorly recorded music but surely what we should all be wanting is reproduction exactly as intended by the CD or broadcaster! Excellent pure sound, good bass and no distortions!

 

What we are trying to do is create an aural illusion. Are we trying to faithfully reproduce the cd or the original performance? The two are not the same. Cyrus kit may recreate the cd faithfully, but I don’t want to hear the limitations of the microphones used, possible flawed microphone placement or any of the other necessary compromises within the recording chain.

 

so what your trying to say is that cyrus makes the perfect amp and quad make amps that are less than hifi

 

To my ear (and my other half who was also there) the Quad just sounds sweeter, hence it makes me happy, hence its worth spending my hard earned cash on it. Its as simple as that really.
No point having a 'truer' representation of the sound if it makes your ears bleed after 15 minutes

Hourses for courses and all that..

 

Can someone kindly explain this (ie playing a MP3 player via the Quad set up) to me please? The dealer said I needed a convertor of some kind that cost about £50 at Maplins, FSP3s post above implies I need another preamp?

Thanks

 

And of course you're right indus.. Who's to know what's really accurate anyway.. Unless you have access to the original master tapes and the keys to the recording studios, then there is no evidence to suggest a Cyrus system is anymore accurate than a Quad, Naim, Linn etc system anyway lol.. For me music playback is about enjoying the music full stop.. I also disregard the notion that a more revealing system can render some music unlistenable. It's an age old argument that's been going on in the hifi press for years.. If a system makes a piece of music sound unlistenable ( excluding the artist content ) then it's not doing the job it was intended.. I can throw any sort of music on my system - i.e rock, pop, classical, jazz etc - and it response without imposing itself. Listen to the music not the hifi, that's my motto !

 

So true

 

Hi Tim,

The Focals I've heard are quite big, yet I see your B and Ws are relatively small. I'd rather have smaller speakers (for aesthetic reasons) but thought perhaps anything less than full floor standers would not do the system justice.
My room is about 16x16ft with high ceilings (Edwardian house). What do you think?

Thanks

 

Perhaps he was trying to sell you some sort of docking station for the ipod ?, doesn't alter the fact that the output of the ipod is analogue which the Quad CD-P doesn't accept. I think Quad didn't want to give any form of analogue input as this would adversely affect sales of their Pre Amp.Some say the sound is better via the Pre Amp when you use their bus lead system "Quadlink" although I don't think there is any significant difference, the Pre also has tone controls though I've yet to use these.

Neil

 

You'll notice than I own both makes, so no

 

Hi Neil,

I'm a little new to this so bear with me! He wasn't trying to sell me a docking station as he told me I could get this contraption from Maplins.
I'm also confused about the preamp. The CD P has a preamp, so where does the sole preamp fit into the heirachy? Is it better than the preamp in the CDP? In which case am I better off buying a seperate Quad CD, preamp and poweramp?

As I said I'm a little new to this so sorry if I'm asking very basic questions

 

A nightmare of a room, I have the same dimensions and the same high ceiling. This is probably why your having problems as square rooms provide awful bass control and this makes the high frequencies far more prominent, those same HF bounce off any hard surfaces and confuse the image. The result is a harsh, bright sound with poor bass resolution and nil imaging. You probably find simple vocal arrangements bearable.

The choice of system becomes far more critical in these circumstances. I run a pair of older Naim 135 amps as they tend to be less bright at the top end, have very dry, controlled bass and a good midrange. I then bought a pair of Neat Acoustic Ultimatum 7s and spent a few weeks running them in and moving them about until they were as good as they could be. It was then a case of adding some amateur room treatment on the walls either side of the speakers and also the wall behind the listening area.

 

The CD-P has two sets of RCA outputs on the back , one a fixed level to go to a non-Quad preamp, it also has the other variable gain output allowing you to drive a Quad or non-Quad power amp directly without needing to buy a extra Pre Amp. It is not intended to be a general purpose Preamp for Analogue sources i.e you have no access to the analogue side of things in the CD -P, this is catered for by the 99 Pre Amp which connects to the CD-P by a computer type "bus" cable carrying all the audio,power in some cases, and control of the system. The CD-P remote is redundant, then because you use the Master controller supplied with the Pre Amp. If you don't require the extra facility of plugging digital inputs from your PVR, DVD player or computer there is the cheaper CD-S (around £600 as opposed to £1000 for CD-P).
Bottom line though is that analogue sources require a separate Pre Amp, I personally don't think there is any difference to the sound of the system when I was using the CD-P linked by a short length of RCA cables "Gotham" direct to the 909 than when you're using a Quadlink cable looped from CD-P to Pre to 909.
As far as the "converter" for the Ipod , I can't imagine it would possibly do an Analogue to Digital conversion, more details required I think !

 

Neil,
I spoke to him again and he insists that all I need is an analogue to dig convertor which is about £50 and can be bought from places like Maplins. He assured me that I don't need another preamp

 

Tim,

I mentioned B and W 8O5s to the dealer and he said the speaker 'was too good' for the Quad set up! I'd appreciate your thoughts on this.

Thanks

 

Don't pay £50 for one. I have one here, used it once, no longer needed, call it £15 posted if you end up needing one

 

I use a pair of 909 power amps bi-amping the 805's. It's an almost flawless combination in my view.. The thing with speakers at this range is that they will take many upgrades.

A single 909 sounded good, but the 805's didn't really spring to life until i added the second... I have a fairly small hifi room but it's purpose built soley for my system and it's a real treat everytime i switch it on.... Adding a second power amp was almost like adding a subwoofer to the system.. Stunning dynamics and tight control ... The 805's can be menacing in the bass department, not so much in absolute bass extension but in bass slam. But it's all so sweet and musical. Very tasty indeed

I have to say it's ironic your dealer saying that the B&W 805's are to good for the Quads, when Quad themselves use their very own Quad ESL 2805 and ESL 3805 speakers with the CD-P2 and 909 at hi-fi shows.

As for the pre-amp dilemma i was disappointed with the Quad 99 pre amp intruth. I felt it added a veil to the sound. The CD-P2 uses same volume pre-amp as the 99 pre-amp, but the shorter signal path made a real difference in my opinion.

I'm not sure how you're going to get over your I-Pod problem though.. I use a Monitor Audio I-deck for mine. It's more than good enough for me...