New Hi-Fi where to buy from?

New Hi-Fi where to buy from?

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TommoAE86

Original Poster:

2,659 posts

126 months

Friday 17th March 2017
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Hello All,

Sorry if this has been covered (I've gone back a few pages) but I'm looking at replacing my old Technics system with something smaller but I'm unsure what to do/get. I have always been exceptionally pleased with my technic's system and would rather keep it but it is falling apart and I've had it about 20years!



Budget for the new kit is around £500 but am saving for a second car so don't want to go overboard.

I have my computer/PS4 setup at the end of the back room so a corner desk with a space next to it with a couple of floating shelves. My idea was to have a single floor standing speaker with an amp on my desk/shelves linked to my tv.

Would this be something that could work? (I've seen the speakers are a pair) The reviews seem positive for this set, but don't mind going for another.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/dki/Q-Acoustics-2050i-F...

http://www.superfi.co.uk/p-16867-denon-dm40dab-cdd...

Thanks in advance.

RedWhiteMonkey

6,806 posts

181 months

Friday 17th March 2017
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I really think that Richer Sounds takes some beating.

peterg1955

746 posts

163 months

Friday 17th March 2017
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RedWhiteMonkey said:
I really think that Richer Sounds takes some beating.
Me too, get down to a store if you can and demo whatever is in your budget

HerrSchnell

2,342 posts

198 months

Friday 17th March 2017
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Another vote for Richer Sounds.

Audition this combination and take it from there, these two are about as good as it gets at that pricepoint and are well matched together:

http://www.richersounds.com/product/amplifiers-rec...

http://www.richersounds.com/product/floorstanders/...


menguin

3,762 posts

220 months

Friday 17th March 2017
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Yep, definitely get down to your local richer sounds. Not only are their prices amazing, but you can demo the equipment and they'll provide sound (geddit) advice based on your budget and requirements.

Tony1963

4,699 posts

161 months

Friday 17th March 2017
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The single speaker part is going to be the problem. It'll be ok if you can find an amp that'll output a mono signal, otherwise I really wouldn't bother. It'd sound crap. Please, try to find a way of accommodating two speakers, even if they're little bookshelf speakers.

TommoAE86

Original Poster:

2,659 posts

126 months

Friday 17th March 2017
quotequote all
Thanks for the replies everyone. I'll have a move around of the end of the room to get two speakers in. Damn looks like I'm going to have to find another richer sounds, the one in Southampton is staffed by monkeys, only ever had condescending responses and filthy looks when I go in (I don't dress like a tramp and I can afford the items in there).

AC43

11,433 posts

207 months

Saturday 18th March 2017
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Another vote for Richer Sounds. I've kitted out four houses with stuff from them and am now onto the next one.

The last time I went in I had a budget of about £100 for a centre speaker and committed to spending £1500+ for an entire new surround system. LOL

Having said that they dissuaded me from buying the more expensive centre that I had my eye on.

And likewise when I was buying some bookshelf speakers for a small room they again stopped me spending £250 and sold me some great little speakers for £100-ish.

I guess it's all down to the people - that and the fact that it helps if you go in with some sort of opinions of what you want - makes it easier for them to then list out your options.


Tony1963

4,699 posts

161 months

Sunday 19th March 2017
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I'd be looking at a Denon like in your original post. Maybe a used one, then try and spend a lot on some high quality small speakers.

Dolf Stoppard

1,318 posts

121 months

Sunday 19th March 2017
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Amp / speaker combo would be my recommendation.

The Marantz linked above is about as good a starting point as you can get.

Plenty of good speakers around but it's all very subjective - so you really do need to listen to what's available.

Richer Sounds is an option but I'd also say any good hi fi shop should be happy to let you audition different pieces of kit.

Murph7355

37,649 posts

255 months

Monday 20th March 2017
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Definitely a no to a single speaker set up IMO if you want even remotely decent sound.

If there's one near you, add Sevenoaks HiFi to the Richer Sounds/SuperFi list. I've found them decent with interested staff.

Tell them what you have now and what you like about it, plus the requirements you note here and you should be pointed in the right direction.

TommoAE86

Original Poster:

2,659 posts

126 months

Monday 20th March 2017
quotequote all
Thanks all, due to the weekend stuff I couldn't go to another Richer Sounds so I gave Soton one last shot and the guy I spoke to was actually very good so I'll have to eat my words abit. He recommended a Cambridge Audio PAH013564 (the unit in here http://www.richersounds.com/package/system-savers/...) and if I wanted I could keep my current speakers seeing as they still work from my old technics system.

Will have abit more of a think including a rework of my space to see where I can put stuff and how to get the best sound from two speakers.

thanks all for the above advice smile

Red 5

1,021 posts

179 months

Wednesday 22nd March 2017
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I would recommend getting a balanced view, from a few different similar outlets. Then perhaps run those ideas by people here or well informed friends.
You need to form a cohesive idea of the components you might need and the audio / video inputs you need

Saying you have a budget of £500, then saying you want one speaker on your desk, then showing a link to a massive pair of floor-standing speakers, is a worry!
This is nonsensical and you could be setting yourself up to be taken advantage of frown

Please formulate a list and go from there.


Richersounds have an individual commission structure. They will use every trick in the book to get you buying a heavily commissioned product. The £250 speakers might be a zero commission item, but the £100 pair could be on 10%

As the structure is based on profit, not turnover, this will always be the case. I've heard of many types of miss selling and sharp practice to archive even £1 more commission frown
They WILL switch sell you, if you are not steely in your resolve to buy a cirtain product.


The Cambridge audio stuff is mostly pushed due to being the highest paying. Some of the amps actually have cheap re-hashed OEM car amps inside, bought in thousands for pennies. Nasty stuff.

You need to be VERY careful when dealing with RS!

gizlaroc

17,251 posts

223 months

Wednesday 22nd March 2017
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OP, take a pic of the room, show us where you want to put the kit and where you want to sit when using it.

It sounds to me like you may be better with some smaller near field monitors and a small sub hidden under the desk.



Something like a used Meridian F80/M80 could be far better than an amp and single speakers.





Or a pair of Dali Zensor 1 ZX's, these are small speakers with pre amp, dac and amps built into them and work really well on desks and shelves.



http://www.dali-speakers.com/uk/loudspeakers/activ...


Maybe a Naim Muso QB?

https://www.naimaudio.com/mu-so-qb





TommoAE86

Original Poster:

2,659 posts

126 months

Thursday 23rd March 2017
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This is the space I'd like to fill please excuse the mess I'm mid-tidying it all up, I'm happy with smaller speakers but I don't want to put them on my desk as there's no room. Another shelf can go on the wall on the left if required.

The advantage for me using my current speakers with the new amp/cd player is just because they fit quite nicely under my desk on the right side and are fairly powerful (360watt was the sales gumpf). However after speaking with RS I'd have to get an amp big enough to cope? Currently the ones I've been looking at are 100watt which the RS guy said was the max wattage the amp could give?

Red - all valid points and they were coming from a position of ignorance on my part, but I never said I wanted anything on my desk and the floorstanding one (I mentioned the links were a pair which isn't what I was originally going for) would go where the light currently is. Anyway floorstanding options have now been removed given the advice received already.

Now I'm leaning towards an amp/cd player like the Marantz one above (HerrSchnell's post) with my current 2 main speakers, however if it would get me better sound quality then I'm happy to ditch them for smaller speakers which could be positioned around where I sit.


campionissimo

578 posts

123 months

Thursday 23rd March 2017
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sonos play 1 or 3 and play the cd's through your pc.

Red 5

1,021 posts

179 months

Thursday 23rd March 2017
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campionissimo said:
sonos play 1 or 3 and play the cd's through your pc.
I agree, loooking at the room, a pair of Play1 would be ideal I think.
If you need line in though, look at Denon Heos products.

The Heos 1 isn't really good enough though, so you'd want a pair of Heos 2.
These have line in and USB that the Sonos doesn't.

That whole 100watt speakers amp thing you quote is worrying too. A pair speakers have a safe input measured in watts.
To actually get a clean (how they measure them) 100watts, you might need a +400watt amp!

What make are these 100watt speakers? The numbers quoted on the back of speakers are largely irelevant to you as a buyer.
Better speakers will sound better, not ones with a higher number of wattts written on the back.
Size quality and sensitivity dictate volume, percieved and actual.

The bloke you were talking to either thought you were an idiot, or infact, might be one himself!

gizlaroc

17,251 posts

223 months

Thursday 23rd March 2017
quotequote all
Forget wattage, your system/speakers may say 360w Peak, but in reality if that system gives more than 20-30w rms I would be surprised.

A 20w amp will dmage speakers far quicker than a 300w amp.

So forget all that, it is cobblers.





Putting the left and right speakers on top of each other is pointless, it will sound ste, if you're going to do that then go and buy a cheap mono unit.


Buy yourself a pair of really compact desk speakers, they won't take up space and will sound far better.
You will need a sub too, but that can be hidden under the desk.

A paid of Quad L-Lites would be a good start...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Quad-Lite-Plus-Satellite...

Add a small BK sub for £200 and a Marantz amp with digital inputs for £200 and for £550 you have a decent, compact, great sounding system.



Or buy a pair of Kef Eggs, bluetooth, usb dac for your PC and optical for your PS4.
Job done.

http://uk.kef.com/egg





gizlaroc

17,251 posts

223 months

Thursday 23rd March 2017
quotequote all
DELETED: Comment made by a member who's account has been deleted.
I love 751's, but they are quite deep and he has very little space.


Also, the Cambridge amps are OK, but I think you can get much better for your money.

The Marantz PM6006 is a superb amp, plus it has a dac built in, the Cambridge Topaz AM10 is not as good, nearly as expensive and you still need a dac.

I think Cambridge used to be fabulous value, I used to work with them, some of the early amps at £89 were amazing next to the Marantz, Nad, Creek, etc. etc. at £160-230 for the same sort of level, but these days I'm not so sure they offer that.
They are good, but I think there is better to be had for the money.

TommoAE86

Original Poster:

2,659 posts

126 months

Thursday 23rd March 2017
quotequote all
Red 5 said:
That whole 100watt speakers amp thing you quote is worrying too. A pair speakers have a safe input measured in watts.
To actually get a clean (how they measure them) 100watts, you might need a +400watt amp!

What make are these 100watt speakers? The numbers quoted on the back of speakers are largely irelevant to you as a buyer.
Better speakers will sound better, not ones with a higher number of wattts written on the back.
Size quality and sensitivity dictate volume, percieved and actual.

The bloke you were talking to either thought you were an idiot, or infact, might be one himself!
He probably did think I was an idiot given that I didn't really know what I was after and then just went full sales talk.
The basic jist of what I think he was trying to tell was that the rating was the max the amp could put out to a speaker. The speakers we were looking at in store were 100w and they were the ones in the link I put earlier: [rul]http://www.richersounds.com/package/system-savers/mini-hi-fi-system-deals/pah013564[/url] so that is the max they could handle?

I'd rather not go for a sonos as what I'll be doing is swapping that PC monitor for a TV with a digital out because then I can use the speakers for both the PS4 and the PC, the amps mentioned so far have the inputs for this so seems like the ideal for the setup I'm trying to achieve.

The speakers you can see in the picture are the ones I was proposing to use and the only consideration for me is the quality and the size, I've been very pleased with that system and the sound quality has always been great but I'm happy to switch if I get a marked improvement in sound.

As you guys have just suggested getting a single good quality sound then maybe it's pointless in the small space I'm in and I should get an amp and then the good quality small speakers you guys have already suggested?

gizlaroc - I know I'm not coming across as intelligent but I won't be putting speakers on top of each other smile If I were to use my current ones then one would stay there and the other would move to my right under the desk vertically down from where the front of my PC is.

Edited by TommoAE86 on Thursday 23 March 12:12