New system!

[takumi_vng]

Hello everybody, I am new in this forums and i came here to get and give some help.

Now I need some help because I am planning to buy a new system to connect my TV, iPod and the Playstation 3. I am searching for a 2.1 or 2.0 system, integrated or not. The system is for my living room that has 37 M3.

I am searching the web for some 2.1 Home Theater systems ans my choices are:

• Denon S-301
• Sony DAV-X1V

These two systems are great, i think, but i dont need a DVD player so my second choices are:

• Cambridge Audio Azur 540A
• NAD 325BEE

... and for the speakers i have:

• Bose Acoustimass 5 III
• KEF IQ3
• Monitor Audio RS1

I realy need your help!!! My budget is 1000 Euro... so if you have some other great systems please tell me!

Thanks in advance and sorry about the English.

[basite]

Hi, welcome to the forums

my choice would go to the cambridge audio with the monitor audios, anyhow, forget the bose speakers, they're crap.
You should audition them to know what you like though (however, the denon & sony & bose systems are pretty much hopeless).

also look for denon & rotel for amps and B&W, focal speakers.

Keep them spinning,
Bert.

[takumi_vng]

Thanks for the reply...

Dont say that bose is crap... my father have one Bose Acoustimass III 5 with an Harman Kardon AVR 21 and i love them!!!

I think the Cambridge Audio is very cool and should sound excelent, but the NAD... i just dont know!!!

The speakers B&W DM602 S3 are any good?

Thanks,

[basite]

yes, much better than the bose system, however, the monitor audio RS1 (and the entire rs line) is a huge bargain

[takumi_vng]

Hello again...

Maybe I should go for the NAD 325BEE because of the iPod connection but i like very much the appearance of the Cambridge Audio Azur 540A!!!

The speakers should be the Monitor Audio RS1 but i have a question, these speakers can be mounted on the floor or in sheves?

Maybe i should upload the living room blueprint, what do you say?

Thanks,

[PeruvianSkies]

Hello again...

Maybe I should go for the NAD 325BEE because of the iPod connection but i like very much the appearance of the Cambridge Audio Azur 540A!!!

The speakers should be the Monitor Audio RS1 but i have a question, these speakers can be mounted on the floor or in sheves?

Maybe i should upload the living room blueprint, what do you say?

Thanks,

That Cambridge Audio Azur is top-rate. It's one of the best players for it's price and I doubt that you'll find too many that can match it in performance for that price. It will go a few rounds with players that cost even 2x as much. It's a great player and incredibly well made.

[takumi_vng]

Hello.

Cambridge Audio Azur 540A


NAD C325BEE


Well, the Cambridge Audio its more beautifull and more appeal but the NAD have the iPod connection...

[basite]

take the cambridge audio, the 'Ipod connection' can be had with a simple Ipod dock too, they cost like $20 or so, or even cheaper, a simple y-cable.

[takumi_vng]

Hello...

Yes... its possible? I was on the Cambridge Audio site and look what I have found:
Link

[takumi_vng]

Well... I went to a local store and guess what? The RS1 was there and connected with a Rotel, i dont know the model...

The speakers just sound very, very good! I think i have found the Speakers!!!

They told me that the Cambridge Audio Azur 540A is discontinued... I'm from Portugal and I dont know if this is realy true because it stills in the site...

[PeruvianSkies]

Well... I went to a local store and guess what? The RS1 was there and connected with a Rotel, i dont know the model...

The speakers just sound very, very good! I think i have found the Speakers!!!

They told me that the Cambridge Audio Azur 540A is discontinued... I'm from Portugal and I dont know if this is realy true because it stills in the site...

I think it has been replaced by the 640A...anyone else care to confirm this???

[topspeed]

Your dealer was probably referring to 540A's replacement, the 540A v2. The v2 sports better binding posts (which were desperately needed) and a few other nick nacks, but nothing major. You'll notice the link you provided was in fact for the v2.

The NAD and Rotel integrateds are both very good, each with slightly different characters. I compared the 540A against the C320bee and RA-01 (now RA-1062) and preferred the Cambridge for my application. Comparatively, the NAD had a better bottom end and ballsier sound while the Rotel was a bit more neutral and more expensive than either the CA or NAD, especially if you wanted a remote (a $100 option!). Where the CA pulled away was its low level resolution and warmth. Some amps require you to "put the spurs to it" in order for the sound to really coelesce. The CA reveals all the details regardless of volume, and in an office environment like mine, that's important. In addition, my speakers are tipped a bit hot due to semi-horn loaded tweets, so pairing them with a warmer sounding amp provides aggreable synergy. One last tidbit, as you've noticed, it's better looking than either, especially the NAD. If it matters, mine has been on basically non-stop, Monday thru Friday, for the last 2+ years pushing 4 ohm speakers and isn't even warm to the touch. The thing runs like a train.

As for speakers, take your time to audition a lot of speakers and pick whatever sounds best to you. If it's B&W, it's B&W. If it's Bose, it's Bose. Remember, they're your ears, your tastes, and most importantly...your money.

Hope this helps.

[takumi_vng]

Thanks Topspeed for the explanation.

Maybe you are right, they are talking about the old CA 540! The CA 540 is so beautifull and the remote control can control the iPod, its fantastic. Some of the albums that I have in my iPod are in Apple Lossless Codec and the sound is great! Maybe tomorrow ill ask in the store to listen the music I have in the iPod.

Related to speakers I am not going to search anymore, the MA RS1 are fantastic! When I went to store yesterday, I was looking for the stereo receiver and the speakers, then o look to the left and on the ground was a box oppened with RS1 written in big letters... and i go !!! I ask the person on the store if I could listen the speakers, and he says OK! The sound was so great, these CDs that they have with all those sounds of water, birds... environment, you know?

Well my budget is 1000€ top limit. Here in Portugal the MA RS1 costs 507€ and the CA 540AV2 249€ this is a total of 756€... this is good...

Topspeed i didnt understand this part: "Rotel was a bit more neutral and more expensive than either the CA or NAD, especially if you wanted a remote (a $100 option!)."

[topspeed]

Topspeed i didnt understand this part: "Rotel was a bit more neutral and more expensive than either the CA or NAD, especially if you wanted a remote (a $100 option!)."

I meant the Rotel had a more neutral sound. While the CA is warmer, even tube-like in some respects, the Rotel is neither warm nor cool in presentation. It's neutral.

The RA1062 is nearly $200 more than the 540A. Whether or not it's worth the 30% premium is up to you.

Hope this helps.