Hi Fi buffs. - Advice, please.

Rich · Post by **Rich** » 31 Mar 2004, 12:36

My Hi Fi system packed up a few weeks back - it had been sounding awful for some time. So, I need to get another one. I don't know much about them, so I need some advice. Bearing in mind my musical taste, what would be a good buy? Â£500 tops.

Cheers, Rich.

Post by **Dom P** » 31 Mar 2004, 13:12

Rich wrote:My Hi Fi system packed up a few weeks back - it had been sounding awful for some time. So, I need to get another one. I don't know much about them, so I need some advice. Bearing in mind my musical taste, what would be a good buy? Â£500 tops.

Cheers, Rich.

I trust you want a separates system?

For 500 notes you'll be looking at just amp, speakers and CD player.

If you want it brand new out of the box... I would go for:

CD: Marantz CD5400: Â£100

Speakers: B&W DM303 Â£180

Amp: Denon PMA355 Â£180

Spend the rest on the cables ... do not use what's in the box... any Â£10 and above interconnect for the CD player>>Amp, and and some QED cable for the AMP>>Speaker connection.

I have heard B&W speakers... well meaty, JJ's bass will sound awesome. Marantz CD players ooze detail and smoothness, and I used to own a Denon PMA 350 amp... (donated it to the wife's shop) and it is unbeatable for the money. Very capable box...!!

All links from Superfi... problem could be them having the deals in stock.

Also conside getting some proper stands for the speakers. This is worth doing and can be done for Â£50 upwards. Just make sure everything is solid, at ear listening level and pointing at you and you should be away!

Dom :)

Rich · Post by **Rich** » 31 Mar 2004, 13:19

Cheers, Dom. I'll go and give this lot a listen at the weekend. I used to have a Denon CD player eons ago - and it sounded good with my Mission speakers. Lost touch since then and just replaced with some Midi shit. Looking forward to hearing NC on a proper system for the first time.

Rich.

Post by **theraven1979** » 31 Mar 2004, 14:33

I need a new amp as well - amoungst other things - seems like I`m always saving up all the time!

Jim

Rich · Post by **Rich** » 31 Mar 2004, 14:45

theraven1979 wrote:I need a new amp as well - amoungst other things - seems like I`m always saving up all the time!

Jim

Forget the amp, Jim, buy a dictionary! :D

Rich.

Post by **theraven1979** » 31 Mar 2004, 15:24

Nah that`s just lazy spelling

Jim

Post by **doninblack** » 31 Mar 2004, 16:32

I've not heard of Superfi before (no shops in Scotland). How do they rate against Richer Sounds, who I would normally go to?

Post by **Dom P** » 31 Mar 2004, 18:11

doninblack wrote:I've not heard of Superfi before (no shops in Scotland). How do they rate against Richer Sounds, who I would normally go to?

I think that it's a similar story... amazing promotions that are always out of stock!

Similar kinds of product lines, probably better.

An advantage could be in that they do not have an investment in some of the brands they sell (eg, Cambridge Audio and the shocking Eltax speaker) so the staf tend not to have such a hidden agenda.

All IMHO of course!!

Post by **gizzard** » 31 Mar 2004, 21:40

At the end of the day it's not the system its what you play on it.

Post by **doninblack** » 31 Mar 2004, 21:59

Dom P wrote:An advantage could be in that they do not have an investment in some of the brands they sell (eg, Cambridge Audio and the shocking Eltax speaker) so the staf tend not to have such a hidden agenda.

All IMHO of course!!

Oh...that will explain why I am the owner of a cambridge audio CD player, recommended by Julian's boys. I wasn't aware of any connections till now. No probs with the player tho, but useful to know for future reference. Thanx.

Agree that it's the music that counts, not the quality of the system...which is why I have never got round to buying a decent system...(some day!). But if it don't sound good out of a tranny radio...forget it!

"Headphone smiley" required!

Post by **Dom P** » 31 Mar 2004, 22:39

doninblack wrote:
Dom P wrote:An advantage could be in that they do not have an investment in some of the brands they sell (eg, Cambridge Audio and the shocking Eltax speaker) so the staf tend not to have such a hidden agenda.

All IMHO of course!!
Oh...that will explain why I am the owner of a cambridge audio CD player, recommended by Julian's boys. I wasn't aware of any connections till now. No probs with the player tho, but useful to know for future reference. Thanx.

Agree that it's the music that counts, not the quality of the system...which is why I have never got round to buying a decent system...(some day!). But if it don't sound good out of a tranny radio...forget it!

"Headphone smiley" required!

No problem with Cambridge Audio, my first two CD players were CA... CD500 then a CD4... I have a spare CA DacMagic Digital to Analogue Converter (that I used to use with the CD4) which is doing nowt if you want to pay for the shipping Don... could add some welly to your player ...! What model you got?

Agree about what you play on your system... you could play Norfolk Coast on a Â£20k Naim CD player and it would still sound ... er, like it does on the radio.

Where's that headphone smiley...[/color]

Post by **doninblack** » 02 Apr 2004, 00:21

CD4, I think. For the mo I'm happy enough with what I've got, but thanks for the offer anyway.