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  1. #1
    AR Newbie Registered Member
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    £1000 on separates & speakers - ideas?

    I'm in the market for a separates system with a budget of approx £1000. That seems to be pocket money to many of you here, but it will be the most I've spent on a system to date. What I will need is:

    1) Integrated amplifier
    2) DAB/FM tuner (extra bands welcome)
    3) CD player
    4) Pair of floor-standing speakers

    I'm extremely anal when it comes to appearance, so I want the separates to be the same colour/finish, style and manufacturer. They need to be available in silver/titanium, as all-black won't go with the room. The speakers will need to be beech, maple or cherry to fit in with the furniture. The room this will go in is approx 28 x 12 feet.


    I originally shortlisted the following combinations which can be had for £600 to £750, sparing the rest for interconnects and speakers in the league of the Acoustic Energy Aegis Evo 3: http://www.superfi.co.uk/index.cfm/p...roduct_ID/1278

    The proposed combinations were:

    Cambridge Audio Azur 640A V2 Integrated Amplifier
    http://www.cambridgeaudio.com/summar...28Version+2%29
    Cambridge Audio Azur 640T V2 DAB/FM tuner
    http://www.cambridgeaudio.com/summar...e=Azur+640T+V2
    Cambridge Audio Azur 640C V2 CD Player
    http://www.cambridgeaudio.com/summar...28Version+2%29

    Denon PMA-700AE Integrated Amplifier
    http://www.denon.co.uk/site/frames_m...detail&Pid=286
    Denon TU-1800DAB DAB/FM/AM Tuner
    http://www.denon.co.uk/site/frames_m...detail&Pid=230
    Denon DCD-700AE CD Player
    http://www.denon.co.uk/site/frames_m...detail&Pid=287

    Harman/Kardon HK 970 Integrated Amplifier
    http://www.harmankardon.com/product_...70/230&sType=C
    Harman/Kardon TU 970 DAB/FM/AM Tuner
    http://www.harmankardon.com/product_...70/230&sType=C
    Harman/Kardon HD 970 CD Player
    http://www.harmankardon.com/product_...70/230&sType=C

    Marantz PM4001OSE Integrated Amplifier
    http://www.marantz.com/new/index.cfm...=comp&type=ose
    Marantz ST7001 DAB/FM/AM Tuner
    http://www.marantz.com/new/index.cfm...=comp&type=tun
    Marantz CD5001OSE CD Player
    http://www.marantz.com/new/index.cfm...=comp&type=ose

    NAD C325BEE Integrated Amplifier
    http://www.nadelectronics.com/hifi_a...EE_framset.htm
    NAD C445 DAB/FM/AM Tuner
    http://www.nadelectronics.com/tuners/C445_framset.htm
    NAD C521BEE CD Player


    However, after putting this conundrum up in another forum, most people responded in saying that I would be better off spending a small amount of money on the separates (<£400) and the balance on a much better set of speakers.

    One person even suggested the Acoustis Solutions setup for £230 from Argos.

    Acoustic Solutions SP101 Integrated Amplifier
    http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Produc...er/5129199.htm
    Acoustic Solutions SP111 DAB/FM Tuner
    http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Produc...er/5127249.htm
    Acoustic Solutions SP122 CD Player
    http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Produc...er/5131314.htm


    Anyone have any thoughts on my conundrum? I get the feeling that the Acoustic Solutions SP101 amp just won't do a more expensive pair of floorstanders like the B&W DM603 any justice. http://www.hifix.co.uk/shop.lasso?shop=B-W

    If I spend up to £600 on a pair of floorstanders, then maybe £360 on the Cambridge Audio Classic series might seem a more viable option:

    Cambridge Audio Classic A5 Integrated Amplifier (£120) http://www.richersounds.com/showprod...id=CAMB-A5-SIL
    Cambridge Audio Classic D100 CD Player (£120) http://www.richersounds.com/showprod...=CAMB-D100-SIL
    Cambridge Audio Classic DAB300 Tuner (£120)
    http://www.richersounds.com/showprod...=CAMB-DAB300-S


    As an outside thought I was considering replacing the CD player in my proposed setup for a hard disk player. There are a few problems with the ones I know of:

    Acoustic Solutions SP150 (£200). http://www.acousticsolutions.net/product.asp?ID=208 Lacks connectivity, appears a little cheap, small hard disk means compression, and would mean buying the rest of an Acoustic Solutions setup. http://www.acousticsolutions.net/cat...?Cat=Separates

    Cambridge Audio Azur 640H (£600). http://www.cambridgeaudio.com/summar...itle=Azur+640H Expensive, amounting to £1300 with the 640A V2 and the 640T V2.

    Yamaha CDR-HD1500 (£500). http://www.yamaha-uk.com/hifi_compon...product_id=111 Great piece of kit, but Yamaha seem to be distinctly lacking in other silver/titanium audio separates. One of these might go well with a Yamaha A/V Receiver with DAB/FM, but I would expect the stereo amplifying quality to be worse than with standalone stereo separates. http://www.yamaha-uk.com/av_amps_rec...product_id=128

    Are there any more available hard disk options?


    Any help on the above would be gratefully received.

    TIA.

  2. #2
    Linear Guy
    Join Date
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    SW Pa.
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    1.000 is a tough job

    I had a couple of thoughts. The Cambridge 640 V2 group you show might be the best in the bunch IMO but leaves only about 300 for a pair of floorstanders. Might take a hit on quality there. If you went up to around 600 for the speakers then you might be looking at Axion M80. Very favorable reviews here and elsewhere. and good exchange rate for you. If you wanted to stay with 1000 limit then the Cmbridge Classic with Axiom M60 floorstanders might be the trick. The finishes might not be furniture grade but the colors might be right for you. cheers i guess.

  3. #3
    golden ear
    Join Date
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    laguna, philippines
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    rotel rb06 cd player
    rotel rc02 pre amp
    rotel rb03 stereo power amp
    wharfedale 9.1 (this is a bookshelf)

    a better one would be paradigm studio 20V3 but you need to stretch your budget.


    from among the choices you have, id go for the CA combo.

  4. #4
    Forum Regular
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    I would get the Cambridge set, leave the tuner for now and get a pair of speakers I'd think are the best after auditioning. Then save up a bit and buy the tuner (used from ebay?) later. You could save on the cd player as well by getting a 540C or 340C and spend that on speakers. The speakers should outlast the cd-player by far, and have more impact on audio quality.

    I don't think the wharfedale 9.1 is a speaker he's looking for, try b&w dm603 or dali concept 6..


    For hard disk music just use a pc that you already have.
    Last edited by PHiX; 07-16-2006 at 04:56 AM.

  5. #5
    Linear Guy
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    speaker choices

    I agree with the previous recommendation for the Warfedales. If you can't afford a mid level floorstander , then you are much better off with a pair of bookshelf speakers presented on attractive stands. Its been said here and many other places that unles you spend some serious money on a good floorstander, they run the risk of sounding box-like. I've heard 5,000 (us) floorstanders that sounded like a wood box with speakers. On the other hand I'v heard relatively inexpensive bookshelves (Paradigm) that sounded as big as my Gallo floorstanders. If you really ned a budget floorstander, then research those that are considered overperformers, which why I recommended the Axiom.

  6. #6
    Forum Regular
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    I dont know if you have ordered your new system yet but I recently purchased the Cambridge 640 v2 and a NAD 525 BEE CD player- and I can highly reccomend both !

    Regards,

    Russ DeJulio
    Pittsburgh PA
    USA

  7. #7
    Forum Regular blackraven's Avatar
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    Forget the tuner like stated previously and spend the money on better speakers. Get the tuner later. Also, if you can swing it, get the cambridge 740c CDP, its awesome. I'd go with the Cambridge, or HK amplifiers due to their hight power ratings . Any of those amps look good on paper. The HK is nice because of its peak 75amp current. I would match any of those amps with the 740c cdp. However, if it came down to a choice between better speakers of the 640c and 740c, go with the better speaks. Don't be hell bent on having all your equiopment with matching brands. I'd probably take the 2 cambridge CDP's over the other brands. The cambridge equipment will give you a slightly brighter more open sound and the NAD will give you a slightly warmer presentation.
    Pass Labs X250 amp, BAT Vk-51se Preamp,
    Thorens TD-145 TT, Bellari phono preamp, Nagaoka MP-200 Cartridge
    Magnepan QR1.6 speakers
    Luxman DA-06 DAC
    Van Alstine Ultra Plus Hybrid Tube DAC
    Dual Martin Logan Original Dynamo Subs
    Parasound A21 amp
    Vintage Luxman T-110 tuner
    Magnepan MMG's, Grant Fidelity DAC-11, Class D CDA254 amp
    Monitor Audio S1 speakers, PSB B6 speakers
    Vintage Technic's Integrated amp
    Music Hall 25.2 CDP
    Adcom GFR 700 AVR
    Cables- Cardas, Silnote, BJC
    Velodyne CHT 8 sub

  8. #8
    Forum Regular audio amateur's Avatar
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    check out ebay.co.uk, you won't regret it

  9. #9
    Do What? jrhymeammo's Avatar
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    There are one box solutions to be had by Music Hall and ARCAM, but that'll not leave you much for future upgrade.

    I know that you havent even considered them, but just letting you know that you probably shouldnt go that route.

    Best Wishes,

  10. #10
    Ajani
    Guest
    Umm Guys, this thread is from July of 2006... I suspect the person has already purchased a setup by now....

  11. #11
    Forum Regular audio amateur's Avatar
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    lol who the heck dug it up. Russ... hmm hmm how did you fall on this?

  12. #12
    Forum Regular blackraven's Avatar
    Join Date
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    St. Paul, Minnesota
    Posts
    5,421
    Pass Labs X250 amp, BAT Vk-51se Preamp,
    Thorens TD-145 TT, Bellari phono preamp, Nagaoka MP-200 Cartridge
    Magnepan QR1.6 speakers
    Luxman DA-06 DAC
    Van Alstine Ultra Plus Hybrid Tube DAC
    Dual Martin Logan Original Dynamo Subs
    Parasound A21 amp
    Vintage Luxman T-110 tuner
    Magnepan MMG's, Grant Fidelity DAC-11, Class D CDA254 amp
    Monitor Audio S1 speakers, PSB B6 speakers
    Vintage Technic's Integrated amp
    Music Hall 25.2 CDP
    Adcom GFR 700 AVR
    Cables- Cardas, Silnote, BJC
    Velodyne CHT 8 sub

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