Recommended speakers

SAMMYTHE

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Need pointing in the right direction for replacement speakers.
Current setup is Marantz CR-603 - Wharfedale Diamond 8.3 - Sony Hi-Res A17 mp3.
Have ripped my CD favourites onto mp3 by flac files and connect to the Marantz by jack lead into the front Aux. Tried USB connection but that loses control from the mp3.
Music ranges from the 60's groups, Skynyrd, Stones, easy listening at times and the odd heavy.
All works fine apart from a lack of punch, when the Who are in full flow I would like to hear the base running instead of a hint that it's there. Same lack of punch exists when listening to Internet radio etc.
Any suggestions for replacement speakers much appreciated.
 
I would say that if you still have the CD's, first do a direct comparison, then try re-ripping at differing compression levels.

using a program similar to the one below also enables you to get a "Bit Perfect" copy from your CD too.
dBpoweramp: mp3 Converter, CD Ripper, FLAC, Apple Lossless, WAV, AAC, AIFF. Fix album art, Asset UPnP Server

Remember the smaller the file, the bigger the compression, the lower the quality of audio will be reproduced.

It can be a heard learning curve if you have ripped everything at 128-bit MP3. 320-Bit MP3 is still poor in compression to a CD but is as good as it gets for MP3. With Flac, you can set the compression ratio and adjust to quality to suit your ears.

At home, I've given up using anything compressed and that is also the same on my phone, yes it eats up loads of space, but for me, music is important to me and even though others do not believe there is a difference, I can hear it and that's all I'm bothered.
 
Hi,
I did use Exact Audio Copy to rip the cd's using flac files but wasn't aware you could adjust the compression ratio, will look into that.
Comparing the original cd's with the ripped source brings very little difference to my ears.
 
Then, you may have them ripped correctly if you can hear little difference. Where have you heard them with more punch? Was it a different system?
 
That's a relief.
Have gone to various hifi outlets with the Sony Walkman to test out different speakers but always come away more confused.
Try to connect to similar receivers and go from there, the nearest sound to what I'm looking for was from a pair of Dali Zensors but I can't help thinking there is better out there.
 
The Marantz is not the most powerful system, albeit it's a fantastic little thing. Even with new speakers you may feel that the marantz just doesn't have the juice to drive them properly.

If your using the sony player as a source of music, you could get a decent integrated amplifier and have that as your system
 
Just looked at your speakers and they are 6 ohm with fairly low sensitivity. They would defo sound a lot better with a more powerful amplifier
 
That changes things, are you saying replace the Marantz or add an amp using the Marantz as a tuner/cd player.
Any suggestions for said amp, I have not looked at anything like that for years.
 
FLAC is lossless. You won't get any difference in sound quality by encoding at different levels. Just smaller/larger file sizes.

I picked up a pair of these last week (were on offer at Richer Sounds for £119).

Q Acoustics 3020 review

I'm using them with a Denon PMA-50. FLACs are fed to it via USB using JRiver.

It's made a cracking little system.
 
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Yes it does have a sub out, something I have not thought about. I have a Wharfedale sub doing nothing so will give it a try.
Please excuse my ignorance here, the sub has bare wire connections and the sub out on Marantz is a single jackplug type, how do I connect?
Really glad I asked on here, everybody is so helpful thank you.
 
Just connect the LFE from the sub to the sub connection on the Marantz.

Then adjust the level and crossover to your ear [emoji846]
 
The Wharfedale sub I have just has bare wire connections, it's an old one which came with picture frame speakers to be used as rears. I presume there are leads which will connect from LFE to bear wire.
As for adjusting the level, you lost me there. There are no controls on this Sub.
 
If there speaker cable connection, you could just add the left and right to the rear of the Marantz speaker terminations.

Do remember to make sure that you don’t get the left and right together with the positive and negatives mixed up as it will all go bang if you do
 
Ok, just a thought. The Sub has speaker out terminals which were to go to the rears, could I connect the stereo speakers to them instead of the amp?
 
Your Marantz is a useful box indeed, but the amplifier is a feeble one so you might try more sensitive speakers.

These are excellent speakers, and an easy load.

Rega RS1 Speakers | eBay

I’d be wary of driving a passive sub, if that’s what yours is from the Marantz. It simply hasn’t the power.
 
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Ok, just a thought. The Sub has speaker out terminals which were to go to the rears, could I connect the stereo speakers to them instead of the amp?

Does your sub have an amplifier or is it a passive one with no amplifier?

Personally I would not go down this route as I do not believe it is not solving the underlining problem you have.

whilst your gonna get a better bass response by adding a sub, your current speakers will still be demanding more than what your marantz can supply and will cause distortion at higher volumes. Regardless of the extra bass, your speakers will still not be performing as they should at all frequencies not just lower ones.

Something like this should suffice and feed your speakers well.

Cambridge Audio Topaz SR10 V2 Integrated Amplifier | eBay Can be had new from richer sounds for £299

As you was looking at new speakers, I'd try listning to a few amplifiers too. do you have a budget for some new gear?
 
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Ok, just a thought. The Sub has speaker out terminals which were to go to the rears, could I connect the stereo speakers to them instead of the amp?

What is the model number of your sub?
 
Sub is a Wharfedale PPS-1 70w 8 ohms it doesn't have an amp.
Was happy to spend around the £500 mark for new speakers so that's where I need to be.
 
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Sub is a Wharfedale PPS-1 70w 8 ohms it doesn't have an amp.
Was happy to spend around the £500 mark for new speakers so that's where I need to be.

In that case I’d go for Regas and a new amp too, and keep the 603 as a source.

What ever speakers you might buy will suffer from the 603s amplifier, though the Regas less so.
 
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The sub is a passive one designed for use with Wharfedales sound panels.

It will work by attaching it to the Marantz s speaker outputs but will draw current that should be used for the main speakers.

So it won’t be a match at all and will make it all sound worse.
 
Right I think I will try this first.
Buy an amp connect the Marantz to it, move the speaker cables to new amp and ditch any thought of a sub.
I occasionally connect the Sony to a pair of Samson SR850 headphones, if I can eventually match the sound from my headphones I will be a happy bunny,
 
Sounds like a plan. the CA amplifiers mentioned by myself and @Paul7777x are great for their price.
 
Just beaten to the post for the Azur but there are plenty about.
Thanks fellas
 

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