new stereo
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rigga

Original Poster:

8,798 posts

225 months

Saturday 30th November 2013
quotequote all
Well as it happens the sound system that the wife and I bought when we first met has finally died, an old 6 CD changer pioneer with old fangled tape decks and turntable, served us very well though. Now time for something new, and as you would expect from not having to buy anything in two decades, I've no fugging idea what's what, looking to spend between 3-400 notes, seen a couple at my local curry's/PC world, and one looks OK but would like some input.
http://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/audio/hi-fi-speaker-d...
Does wireless play which is handy for things we have on phones and pods, dab radio and 100w ...any good?
Or suggestions from the floor
By the way its a combined crimbo pressie for us both so I'm not forking out for all of it.

mikees

2,843 posts

196 months

Saturday 30th November 2013
quotequote all
Easy format then a b&w zeppelin.

I have 3x old seperates arcam amps plus b&w speakers .

Or the obvious sonos

Mike

rigga

Original Poster:

8,798 posts

225 months

Saturday 30th November 2013
quotequote all
Not really after a dock like the Zeppelin, thou looks funky, I don't subscribe to the apple ethos, although the wife and nipper are well sucked in, so more of a system with separate speakers required to go on my current wall mounts ....
What's sonus.? Search needed methinks

castex

5,116 posts

297 months

Saturday 30th November 2013
quotequote all
It won't sound amazing. If you've a cupboard to hide it in (assuming you care about looks/space), a second-hand separates system plus wifi adaptor would be much better.

rigga

Original Poster:

8,798 posts

225 months

Saturday 30th November 2013
quotequote all
I suspect anything in the price range I'm looking at won't be the best sounding thing out there, and whatever it is won't be hidden away as it will be sitting on a sideboard.

rigga

Original Poster:

8,798 posts

225 months

Monday 2nd December 2013
quotequote all
No recommendations for a home sound system for between 300 to 400 quid? Need to get one this week

ASK1974

254 posts

156 months

Monday 2nd December 2013
quotequote all
Looks OK but for £400 you'll always be a little limited with your options. Sonos is a streaming music system, you 'point' it at the various iTunes libraries on your computers for access to personal music and it includes support for Internet radio, Spotify etc. Where it wins is it's user interface - it makes accessing music so simple you do more of it, you can also extend around the house very easily. If you buy new though you'll be looking at around £550 with conventional speakers. They have cheaper integrated solutions but this is not what you want from the sound of it. Connect Amp (£400) and speakers (from £150) will do it.

You could cobble together so separates for close to you budget but unlikely to include any wireless features.

EDIT

If your budget is fixed my recommendation would be to buy a Connect Amp and use your existing speakers, highly unlikely you'll have compatibility issues. You can upgrade later when funds allow it. We don't deal with 'systems' around this price so can't offer any other advise but as you'll see from my other posts Sonos is my music player of choice.


Edited by ASK1974 on Monday 2nd December 07:21

dundarach

6,003 posts

252 months

Monday 2nd December 2013
quotequote all
Has anyone said,...

LISTEN

yet, their your ears remember!

Paul Drawmer

5,119 posts

291 months

Monday 2nd December 2013
quotequote all
How about this?
DAB radio, and will take an optical input from your TV as well.

http://www.richersounds.com/package/system-savers/...
Not many left, but maybe this sort of thing will do the job for you? Using your existing speakers.

Edited to add this one:
http://www.richersounds.com/product/mini-hi-fi/onk...
If you connect it to your router, you will be able to get internet radio and stream stuff from other devices in the home.

I have just bought a streaming receiver, and it works extremely well with all my ripped music. And will link to Spotify, lastFM, Tunein radio etc.

What are the speakers you have? Chances are you probably don't have to change them.



Edited by Paul Drawmer on Monday 2nd December 08:53

rigga

Original Poster:

8,798 posts

225 months

Monday 2nd December 2013
quotequote all
Threw my existing speakers out with the old system on Saturday, they were as old so thought get new one's with a new system ... Doh !

sparkyhx

4,200 posts

228 months

Monday 2nd December 2013
quotequote all
I'd be tempted to go down the Sonos Route and buy a cheap pair of second hand bookshelf speakers. It will probabaly sound better than a 'system' - You'd need the Connect:Amp (ZP120) (with free bridge at the moment) for £400 and then speakers on top. the other option is to get the Connect (ZP90) (£290) and a cheap second hand separates amp (NAD, Rotel) with speakers. That may work out cheaper but still over budget

This will give you the starting block of a whole house system that you can build on over time.

I know its more expensive than your budget, but flexibility and expansion ease is a big winner

no need to worry about DAB cos all available over internet, sell your CD's and records and recoupe some cash. (but back up your digital music)

gpo746

3,397 posts

154 months

Monday 2nd December 2013
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Denon
Have one in bedroom lent it relative for few months in new house
sounds excellent

varsas

4,073 posts

226 months

Monday 2nd December 2013
quotequote all
What Hi-Fi like the:

Denon D-M39DAB @ £310 (http://www.whathifi.com/review/denon-d-m39dab)

If you really do just want something basic.

gpo746

3,397 posts

154 months

Monday 2nd December 2013
quotequote all
Mine is this one though with my own speakers.
I really got it for the bedroom but after hearing it at relatives house (loaned while they saved up) in the lounge I was really impressed with how it sounded.
Admittedly no DAB but would imagine there is an equivalent version now.

rigga

Original Poster:

8,798 posts

225 months

Tuesday 3rd December 2013
quotequote all
varsas said:
What Hi-Fi like the:

Denon D-M39DAB @ £310 (http://www.whathifi.com/review/denon-d-m39dab)

If you really do just want something basic.
Denon looks good, but wife wants Bluetooth streaming for some reason rolleyes

phil_cardiff

8,304 posts

232 months

Tuesday 3rd December 2013
quotequote all
rigga said:
varsas said:
What Hi-Fi like the:

Denon D-M39DAB @ £310 (http://www.whathifi.com/review/denon-d-m39dab)

If you really do just want something basic.
Denon looks good, but wife wants Bluetooth streaming for some reason rolleyes
You'll surely be able to buy a bluetooth adaptor that plugs into the RCA's at the back of the Denon.

In fact someone has linked one with a bluetooth connection above. It comes without speakers which is a bonus as the standard Denon speakers aren't that well regarded and you can pick up good bookshelf speakers for £100 or so.

Edited by phil_cardiff on Tuesday 3rd December 12:42

phil_cardiff

8,304 posts

232 months

Tuesday 3rd December 2013
quotequote all
I looked at that Denon whilst buying a system a couple of years ago. In the end I bought a ex-demo Cambridge Audio Amp for £130, a second hand Marantz CD player for £35 and new Wharfdale Diamond 9.1 for £99 http://www.play.com/Electronics/Electronics/4-/322...

Add in a little extra for cabling and connections and you have something which outperforms the Denon for less money. More hassle in buying it though and I did like the Denon's sound, just not as much as what I ended up with.

Top Tip - Richer Sounds have a 'bargain basement' in each of their stores, accessible from their website. Well worth a rummage of stores near you. I ended up travelling to Cheltenham for my amp.