Planning new system

Mac60

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Hi all,
I'm planning a new system based on Turntable, Amp and Speakers only, would like to hear your thoughts and advice please.
I want a good quality system, and am really looking at pure analogue.

So here's my thoughts, after considerable work checking reviews etc.

Turntable (been a long time since I had one of these!).
Probably go for a Technics SL-1200gr
Have known Rega and used to manufacture items for them. Would like to go for British but I think the Technics wins..?

Cartridge
Ortofon blue or maybe Bronze

Amp
I really, really like the look of the Yamaha A-S1200
It looks a beautiful beast (and expensive), but the sound is amazing.

Speakers
Struggling a bit here.
I really like the look and sound of the Bowers and Wilkins 603 s2 anniversary floor standing speakers
I know B&W over many years, but I am wondering if there are better suited speakers for such a system.

Music taste is progressive rock (Genesis, Yes, Mike Oldfield, ELP, Rush etc) so a fair bit of instrumental.
Also smooth jazz, female vocal etc
Bits of Dire straits, Fleetwood Mac, Joe Bonamassa and such.
The occasional classical and opera.
But no pop, disco, funk or the really heavy metal stuff - and certainly no Rap!

Probably end up spending around £5k so not basic and certainly not high end!
I just want to invest in a nice system.

Happy to hear some advice and open to suggestions.
If anyone has experience of items listed or alternatives I would be most grateful to hear your opinions and suggestions of them.
Thanks in advance
M
 
I do like the sound of all of that, I'd be tempted to add Rega to the shortlist for both the TT and the amp TBH which brings us on to the importance of auditioning a few on your shortlist.

Having said that I'd also be spotting a lurking Lyngdorf TDA1120 in my peripheral vision. It's hard to ignore the value of room perfect, even if it means all that lovely analogue sound is converted to digital in the Lyngdorf, arguably it's worth it.
 
Thanks Jamie, I’ll have a look at what you suggested.
Really appreciate your comments and knowledge
 
You could always go for an all Rega set up.
Turntable Rega plannar6 with a choice of cartridge £1259 for Exact MM/£1469 for Ania MC.
Rega Elicit - R amp £1679 - a lot of forum members are owners or fans of this amp.
RegaRX3 speakers £1300. Prices are From Audio T.
Depending on what cartridge you like the look of would leave you with roughly £500-£700 left of a 5k budget. Of course you would need a phono amp as the Elicit does not have a phono stage. The system would be analogue & built in the UK.
Of course the most important thing is to try out whatever you are considering first. One other thing Audio T are advertising are home demos on their Web site, they also do a part exchange if you want to trade in old gear. Just a thought Good luck & have fun. :)
 
The Elicit-r does have a mm phono stage.


I would add the AT VM540ML into the mix for a cartridge If you want to stick to an MM.
 
Ahhhhh!!!! Didn't read post back. Sorry Mac60.
Cheers Ugg10.
 
You could always go for an all Rega set up.
Turntable Rega plannar6 with a choice of cartridge £1259 for Exact MM/£1469 for Ania MC.
Rega Elicit - R amp £1679 - a lot of forum members are owners or fans of this amp.
RegaRX3 speakers £1300. Prices are From Audio T.
Depending on what cartridge you like the look of would leave you with roughly £500-£700 left of a 5k budget. Of course you would need a phono amp as the Elicit does not have a phono stage. The system would be analogue & built in the UK.
Of course the most important thing is to try out whatever you are considering first. One other thing Audio T are advertising are home demos on their Web site, they also do a part exchange if you want to trade in old gear. Just a thought Good luck & have fun. :)
Thanks Candy,
I had a look about an hour ago and came up with the same choice of turntable and amp.
I'll have a look at the Rega speakers as I certainly haven't even looked at those.
Appreciate all your comments, many thanks.
 
Around the £1500 price point for speakers a second hand or ex demo pair of PMC Twenty 23 or 24 would be worth a listen.

Something like these - PMC Twenty.23 floor-standing loudspeakers; amarone finish; near mint condition. | eBay (the 24s seem to be about £250 more).

or even these nice Sonus Faber lumina III’s which reviews suggest work well with guitar oriented rock.

 
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I would totally agree on the PMCs fantastic speakers- never heard any Sonus speakers. Have you totally decided against stand mounts. If you do go down the Rega path I hear Kef partners well.
 
I would totally agree on the PMCs fantastic speakers- never heard any Sonus speakers. Have you totally decided against stand mounts. If you do go down the Rega path I hear Kef partners well.
Yes I have decided to go with floor standing speakers only.
The Sonus look nice and the ex demo price looks tempting, but they are too far away from me to have a demo. I am still edging towards the B & W’s.
It’s really interesting to see what suggestions you guys are coming up with. Although in the end the decision will be personal taste, it’s very interesting to get other peoples views on the subject. As I mentioned, I am still in the process of deciding and that will take a while, so keep the suggestions coming thanks!
 


And (white, red or black)


Awesome.
 
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Yes I have decided to go with floor standing speakers only.
The Sonus look nice and the ex demo price looks tempting, but they are too far away from me to have a demo. I am still edging towards the B & W’s.
It’s really interesting to see what suggestions you guys are coming up with. Although in the end the decision will be personal taste, it’s very interesting to get other peoples views on the subject. As I mentioned, I am still in the process of deciding and that will take a while, so keep the suggestions coming thanks!

Speakers (and the room) make the sound. So I’d spend more of the budget on those.

1500 quid in a five grand budget is really on the low side for speakers.
 
As sheer value for money these are hard to beat at the moment with the discount if you want to stick with your original amp/turntable selection.


If you chose the Rega & Lyngdorf as recommended above you have around 2500 to find a nice set of speakers and it's a pretty good price point to be hunting in. Some extra ideas..

Focal Aria 936 comes in around there.


Pretty decent set of Dalis too.


If you like KEF


If you do a bit of discount hunting you should be good.
 
A Lyngdorf TDAi-1120, a Rega Planar 3 and a quality pair of floorstanders (as that's your preference) will make for a fantastic sounding system for vinyl and streaming. I'm a big KEF fan and the KEF R7's, coupled with the Lyngdorf, means you're going to hear them at their very best, without the room subtracting from the experience.

Best, Tom
 
We have the KLH Model5's arriving next week.

They are a old name from the 60's& 70'sthat have been relaunched by an ex director of Klipsch. Amazing pedegree, lost their way in the 80's and 90's. But the relaunched Model5's are getting rave reviews in the states, with some reviewers not wanting to give them back, even over the JBL L100 at twice the price.

The play very well with the Yamaha 1200 too.
 
We have the KLH Model5's arriving next week.

They are a old name from the 60's& 70'sthat have been relaunched by an ex director of Klipsch. Amazing pedegree, lost their way in the 80's and 90's. But the relaunched Model5's are getting rave reviews in the states, with some reviewers not wanting to give them back, even over the JBL L100 at twice the price.

The play very well with the Yamaha 1200 too.

If I was going for anything that olde worlde hideous I think I’d go for these instead

 
Planning new system update....
Well guys, I finally went for the following;

Amp, as planned, Yamaha AS1200 in silver. Lovely looking and sounding amp.
Speakers, stayed with my original plan, Bowers and Wilkins 603 s2 Anniversary, in Oak.
Really pleased with these speakers, fit nicely in my room and look very nice. Very pleased indeed with the sound from them.
Turntable. Well you know how it is...I pushed the boat out and went for the Technics SL-1200g (in silver) instead of the gr. Absolutely love this TT, a real thing of beauty.
Cartridge, Ortofon Blue.. but have just replaced this for an Audio Technica AT33PTG/II MC Cartridge. I liked the Ortofon Blue but I wasn't too sure about the total performance, shall we say I was slightly disappointed?... So got the AT33PTG/II with a discount voucher and wow! Totally different from the Ortofon. Wider soundstage, slightly less base but really detailed on the higher frequencies. I really like the performance of this cartridge.
The last time I set up a turntable and cartridge, was in the 1970's, so although I knew the basics, I read up and watched a few vids and found the set up really enjoyable and not too difficult at all (I do like fiddling with things!).
Connected the turntable directly to the amp. This amp has a switch that you can select between MM and MC cartridge type. I was a bit dubious as to how the MC cartridge would sound but the internals of the amp do their thing and it all sounds amazing with no issues at all.
Add to the above a good stand, speaker cables and interconnects.......etc, etc.

Very pleased indeed with my new kit. I get really busy at work and have worked right through all the lockdowns etc (I'm in manufacturing). I have found often that I can't relax and switch off easily, for example I find it difficult to watch a film all the way through (even a good old black and white war film!). So this beautiful system helps me relax. As soon as I start listening to a record I'm in the zone again.... Ahh, what a way to piss off the neighbours!
Sincere thanks to all for your expertise, experience and comments. Its always good to hear other peoples opinions.
My Vinyl collection is now growing at a considerable rate, much to my wife's annoyance...

Regards to all, and thanks again
Mark
 
Oooooo, nice setup and the AT33PTG/II is a belter by all accounts. Sit back, relax and enjoy where the music takes you.
 
It's always really pleasing when someone gets the system they want. Nice one! 👍
 

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