New Hi-Fi where to buy from?

[gizlaroc]

TommoAE86 said:

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?

Forget watts, just forget it, it is a number manufacturers stamp on kit that means nothing when it comes to speakers imho.

TommoAE86 said:

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.

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?

You can get a good sound, but you need to buy the right kit.
For that room get some compact desk speakers, small sub and a decent amp or some speakers with an amp built in.

TommoAE86 said:

gizlaroc - I know I'm not coming across as intelligent but I won't be putting speakers on top of each other 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.

But putting speakers under your desk will sound ste.

If you bought some really compact desk speakers they will sound so much better than what you have. Add a small sub to the amp hidden away and you will be blown away.
The Marantz amp I linked to is amazing for under £500 and it can be had for half that.

You could have a cracking system for that room within budget that does everything you want and more.

[TommoAE86]

gizlaroc said:

Forget watts, just forget it, it is a number manufacturers stamp on kit that means nothing when it comes to speakers imho.

Have done, did the first bit of my reply before the suggestion to ignore.

gizlaroc said:

You can get a good sound, but you need to buy the right kit.
For that room get some compact desk speakers, small sub and a decent amp or some speakers with an amp built in.

But putting speakers under your desk will sound ste.

The Marantz amp I linked to is amazing for under £500 and it can be had for half that.

Sounds good, just been told about my bonus so can purchase them sooner rather than later

[Red 5]

How about these.....

Denon DM40 is a bargain and sounds pretty good. It has USB, line in and digiatl optical input too.
I think it's everything you need and has a small footprint. I know a seperates amp can beat it for pure Hi-Fi, but that's not exactly what you're building here.
I think this will make a great desk based system
http://www.richersounds.com/product/mini-hi-fi/den...

If it's really to be a separate amp, then a PM6006 is really what you should aim to get.
It has almost everything an integrated amp might off and will also sound better than the DM40.
http://www.richersounds.com/product/amplifiers-rec...

The more basic 5005 model is pretty low spec and not that good sounding, so if the 6006 is out of reach, then I think the DM40 ticks more boxes.

Speakers small enough to live where the current ones do. Just.
http://www.richersounds.com/product/standmount-spe...

You could add a sub like this, as it's really good, but also really small!
It's actually hard to buy a good sub that works in a subtle way with music. It has high level input and should come with the cable.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/REL-Quake-100W-Mosfet-Ho...
(The new model of these is the T-Zero, which is rrp £349)

So DM40 + 3010 + Quake = £517.
Or, pushing the boat out, with a 6006 = £597.
Or, just get the 6006 and 3010 at £398, then keep a look out for a cheap Quake.

How does that sound?



I've posted links to RS, but other retailers are often better (doubt anyone will have these any cheaper though)
Just be prepared, as they are paid to switch you away from these 3010 / 6006 / DM40 products!

[TommoAE86]

From personal preference I don't like the look of the Denon one, but I do like the Marantz MCR611 and also this one has internet radio which is nice when I don't need sound (working etc)

What are people's opinions on the Marantz?

With the Q speakers you recommended
http://www.richersounds.com/package/system-savers/...

Does anyone know about monitor audio speakers? My bonus is abit more than expected so could get these speakers and a sub
http://www.richersounds.com/package/system-savers/...

Failing that I do like the look of the 6006, especially in silver!

Thank you for the replies all.

[Red 5]

TommoAE86 said:

From personal preference I don't like the look of the Denon one, but I do like the Marantz MCR611 and also this one has internet radio which is nice when I don't need sound (working etc)

What are people's opinions on the Marantz?

With the Q speakers you recommended
http://www.richersounds.com/package/system-savers/...

Does anyone know about monitor audio speakers? My bonus is abit more than expected so could get these speakers and a sub
http://www.richersounds.com/package/system-savers/...

Failing that I do like the look of the 6006, especially in silver!

Thank you for the replies all.

The 611 is good too and can do loads of other internet type things :-)

[AC43]

Red 5 said:

How about these.....

Denon DM40 is a bargain and sounds pretty good. It has USB, line in and digiatl optical input too.
I think it's everything you need and has a small footprint. I know a seperates amp can beat it for pure Hi-Fi, but that's not exactly what you're building here.
I think this will make a great desk based system
http://www.richersounds.com/product/mini-hi-fi/den...

I needed a stop gap system for my dining room. I had an older version of that Denon lying around along with a Mordaunt Short Genie sub. I went out and bought some MS bookshelf speakers for under £100, wired it all up and was amazed at just how good it sounds.

[gizlaroc]

Subs make all the difference.
They can transform even the most basic of systems.

[toon10]

gizlaroc said:

Subs make all the difference.
They can transform even the most basic of systems.

I've heard a few people say that. I know matching speakers to amps and even CD players and the like can be a tricky affair to get a good sound. So, if you had a decent enough system and added a sub, would it ruin it with bass, make it more dynamic or is it really dependant on what sub matched to what setup?

[legzr1]

A correctly set up sub (ideally EQd) can be an excellent addition - as well as providing depth and scale they can improve the rest of the audio band by taking away the difficult frequencies from small speakers and giving amplifiers an easier job.

Any old sub, turned to max can happily ruin the sound too!

[gizlaroc]

toon10 said:

I've heard a few people say that. I know matching speakers to amps and even CD players and the like can be a tricky affair to get a good sound. So, if you had a decent enough system and added a sub, would it ruin it with bass, make it more dynamic or is it really dependant on what sub matched to what setup?

£200 amp with £200 speakers and a £300 sub set up properly will often beat a £2000 amp and speaker combo.

You have to remember that a sub adds far more than bass, often a recording can have sub info you can't hear that tells your brain what the room was like it was recorded in.

One of the best examples of this was while I was at Arcam, there was a demo track that was recorded in an old warehouse, there was only vocals, a piano and a guitar, with the sub it sounded really good, you could tell it was a big room, even though there was no bass in the track at all, as soon as you removed the sub the soundstage fell apart.
You had no idea what size room it was recorded in, no depth to the stage and no width at all, what the sub added was the sounds you don't here, but acoustics.

The interesting thing was when you played the track to people for the first time with out the sub on and asked them to rate the recording on a scale of 1 to 10 many rated it as a 9 or even 10, it was a very good recording.

But if you played it to people for the first time with the sub playing they also rated it as a 9 or 10.

However, then play that same track back to those how had heard it with the sub originally but with the sub turned off many would say the recording dropped to a 3 or 4 at best.

I'm not sure what that is telling us, maybe it is saying that you don't miss what you don't know, or maybe it is saying we all think we have all we need until we have better?

Edited by gizlaroc on Wednesday 29th March 18:19