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Any stereo buffs in the room?I'm looking for recommendations for a mid to high end system not over £1K. Needs to have Pretty good sound quality CD/FM/DAB iPod dock, and ... |
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| | #1 |
| Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Dahn sarf Posts: 12,435 Casino cash: £2080044 Blog Entries: 9 Thanks: 147 Thanked: 142/130
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I'm looking for recommendations for a mid to high end system not over £1K. Needs to have
I've looked through the 'obvious' sites like Currys and the nearest they have is the Sony NASE300HD but Mrs TC doesn't like the style and I have some doubts if a mass-market product will give the best sound (yes I know MP3 is a shitty compressed format but I want to start with good kit for at least a fighting chance for my CDs and LPs). TIA |
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| | #2 |
| Really Bored Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Milton Keynes Posts: 3,151 Casino cash: £691400 Thanks: 24 Thanked: 20/16
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Seperates Hi-Fi is the way to go at this price, you'll not find anything like that in Curry's et al. Even a cheap set-up will sound better than a combined system. I dunno if Hi-Fi buffs rate them or not, but I've always had excellent service from Richer Sounds stores. You really must try before you buy too, something that RS will let you do no probs. I'd just go to one of their branches and tell them what you've just told us. |
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| | #3 |
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You want to go down the separates route. Decent integrated amp (i.e. with preamp and power amp in one unit) or better yet separate pre and power, especially since you'll need a dedicated pre amp for vinyl. Choice will depend on speakers (and stands) so I guess that's where you start because you'll want speakers to suit the room, you're preferred volume levels and of course your taste in "sound". Not as straightforward as it may appear because otherwise you'd simply get some "monitor" speakers (like mine) which they use to critically assess music while it's being mixed. They are dead "accurate" but hardly a musical experience. So decide on speakers (and stands), find an amp to match then top up with your chosen sources. My guess is for a grand you'll want to spend £450 on speakers + stands, £350 on the amp(s) and a couple of hundred on sources. Because it's me, I recommend going the preowned route for which you'll get a fantastic system for the money. You'll need to do a bit of research but at each price point there will be a known range of recommended kit. Screwd. |
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| | #4 | ||
| Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: In a comfy chair Posts: 12,326 Casino cash: £1448500 Blog Entries: 8 Thanks: 28 Thanked: 10/10
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What he said Quote:
). Nothing wrong with Cambridge stuff - we've got one of their DVD players - but there's other choices out there.Pick up a Yellow Pages, look for local hi-fi shops, Go and audition as much stuff as you can. And use your ears not your eyes | ||
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| | #5 |
| Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Dahn sarf Posts: 12,435 Casino cash: £2080044 Blog Entries: 9 Thanks: 147 Thanked: 142/130
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The RS website looks promising - had heard the name but hadn't considered them thus far. Been to a few 'separates' shops but those seem to be run by techies for techies..... hence asking for any reccs ![]() Thanks to all BTW - good stuff - keep em coming |
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| | #6 |
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You could consider getting an AV receiver, and having surround sound for your TV, too. I have an Onkyo receiver, which has FM radio built in, with a Samsung Bluray player providing DVD / CD source, and a Kensington iPod dock. A JBL subwoofer, JPW front and JBL rear speakers. It's not the ultimate in hifi for music, but it's relatively compact, convenient, and sounds good enough for our living room. And having good quality sound for movies is awesome. |
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| | #7 |
| Really Bored Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Milton Keynes Posts: 3,151 Casino cash: £691400 Thanks: 24 Thanked: 20/16
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At the risk of sounding like a copy of What Hi-Fi, I'd not bother with surround sound for a £1k set-up...you're just halving the amount of money you can spend on each speaker. Since the speakers are the bits that actually make the noise, you want them to be the highest spec you can get.
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| | #8 |
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If you have the cash to splash, i'd get a valve based amp at least. The sound really is unique. Checkout Richer Sounds - The UK's Hi-Fi, Home Cinema & Flat Panel TV Specialists! as they cater more for those who have the cash. | |
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| | #9 |
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True. You'd only be wanting to buy surround at sub 1k if it's specifically that which you are after, rather than audio from radio/music. I've also had good service from Sevenoaks in the past (Sevenoaks Sound & Vision). One persons ace system might well be anothers horrendous cacophony because people prefer different "tones" to the music so it's always best to go and listen to it yourself rather than rely on a review or recommendation, although they are a good place to start. For reviews, AVForums.com Home and AVForums home cinema equipment reviews are good alongside your normal review type sites. |
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| | #10 | |
| At Work Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: North Posts: 1,448 Casino cash: £727500 Thanks: 8 Thanked: 54/52
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As for separates..I recommend and use Arcam. Excellent stuff, but it isn't cheap. | |
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| | #11 |
| At Work Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 1,569 Casino cash: £750553 Thanks: 17 Thanked: 10/10
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I'm not disputing that separates are better, but if 'er indoors really wants to go small and neat try the Bose kit. SWMBO was determined to remove "ugly black boxes and wires everywhere" when we redecorated. She likes the small neat Bose, and for a very small unit it sounds good. They also do a 30 day trial so if you cannot stand the sound you can send it back. |
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| | #12 |
| Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 5,417 Casino cash: £2249400 Thanks: 45 Thanked: 163/148
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This came up (similarly) recently. Richer Sounds is a decent place but far from the be all and end all. They push CA stuff as moff says but have other brands too - just not very many and mainly do end of line and cheaper stuff. You'll get a far fuller range of options from just about anywhere else but once you've made a decision then it's always worth looking back at RS to see if they have what you were looking for. Increasingly they don't though ![]() Superfi and Hyperfi are two better starting points than RS from memory. In terms of the iPod part, I wouldn't get too hung up about it. All you actually need is a 10-quid cable of course, or a 15-quid dock if you want it to look pretty. Quite a lot of lower-end stuff will have an integrated dock which is all very neat, but I wouldn't limit yourself by only considering these. Likewise (possibly), the hard disk option is not something you'll find in all but a couple of either cheaper or specialist amps. Running a PC/laptop wirelessly to the amp is a much simpler and cheaper alternative if it suits you at all and then you'd be able to spend all your budget on amp and speakers which will give you something pretty good. The same money spent on something integrated with hard disk and iPod dock will give you something in a different league in terms of quality. |
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| | #13 | |
| At Work Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: North Posts: 1,448 Casino cash: £727500 Thanks: 8 Thanked: 54/52
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| | #14 | ||
| Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 5,417 Casino cash: £2249400 Thanks: 45 Thanked: 163/148
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*This isn't the thread for discussions on DACs | ||
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| | #15 | |
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