Need advice on hifi upgrade, and also a quick question

phalaris

Hi, this is my first post.

First, the quick question: wtf happened to x-music? I got all my stuff there and now it's closed down for good?

Now the advice part:

I bought an amp and cd player 2 years ago, but since then I've had to move out of my house into a place with no space for hifi. Now I'm moving out so hopefully it will start being used.
I have a Cambridge Audio Azur 640A amp and Azur 340C cd player, some high quality qed interconnects as well as a pair of ****ty acoustic solutions floorstanders.

Now as far as I know my amp is quite decent, even two years down the line since I bought it. It's hardly been used, so I would like to rebuild my hifi around the 640A, with some bookshelf speakers and possibly a new CD player.

I guess the weakest link at the moment is my ****ty speakers.
So can you recommend to me the best quality bookshelfs I can get, without them being too good for my amp if you know what I mean. My budget is around 300euro, and ideally I would like to buy them in peats where I can bring them back if I don't like them without having to ship anything or drive to Belfast.
The peats selection is at http://www.peats.ie/ under speakers->hifi (full link doesn't work). I have no idea what would sound good with the Azur, or even what power to get..
Richer Sounds has some more variety from different brands, but I will only buy from them if I get a unanimous response about some product.
http://www.richersounds.ie/asp/categorydetail.asp?ObjectID=938&Mode=0&CategoryID=5&sub=32

Also, at some point I might want a CD player upgrade. Any suggestions there?

I kinda wish I went for a C352 those years ago.. it seems to have stood the test of time better, but oh well..
Thanks for any advice!

Slaphead07

phalaris wrote: »

I guess the weakest link at the moment is my ****ty speakers.
So can you recommend to me the best quality bookshelfs I can get, without them being too good for my amp if you know what I mean. My budget is around 300euro,

First of all afaik X Music was part of Richersounds which went first...

I'd say your amp and speakers are of similar quality so don't worry about them just yet.
I've suggested to people here before but a mate of mine has a pair of AVI Biggtrons for sale (google 'em - they're cracking speakers). They're large bookshelf speakers and frankly there's nothing in Peats or Richer to touch them.. not even close. PM if you're interested.

phalaris

cheers for the reply,

Yes x-music was the ROI Richer Sounds outlet, but Richer Sounds is still in business so it seemed strange that they should close the Dublin branch, that's why I was wondering..

As for the biggatrons, are they not studio monitors more so than hifi speakers? In any case, I think they are too powerful and too expensive for my needs..

What would you recommend, if anything from the Peats / Richer Sounds range?

Slaphead07

phalaris wrote: »

As for the biggatrons, are they not studio monitors more so than hifi speakers? In any case, I think they are too powerful and too expensive for my needs..

What would you recommend, if anything from the Peats / Richer Sounds range?

the biggatrons were sold as monitors but I know a few serious hifi nuts who still use them as normal stereo speakers... they're only as powerful as you require (via the volume knob) and he'd be looking for about €300.

Hand on heart I couldn't recommend anything from Peats or Richer. System Audio from Cloney maybe but they're a bit dearer than that. Cloney have some second hand stuff but it seems to be mainly floorstanders.

phalaris

So just to get this straight: you believe that the Azur 640A is too good for any of those speakers? It's a good quality amp, but still entry level I would have thought.

Anyway, I'll definitely keep the biggatrons in mind.

The Ritz

Monitor Audio Bronze Reference 2 are well within your budget at Richersounds - see here fore details of them http://www.monitoraudio.co.uk/product.php?product=56&range=7 and they would be certainly an improvement over your existing speakers. Returns to Richersounds can be done through the Philips Shop in Dublin - see the Commercial Interaction Forum for more details.

Options in Peats would be the KEF iQ1 or Wharfedale Diamond 9's - they're both within your budget.

If you read some reviews on these spekers you might get a better idea of whether they suit you.



Ritz.

Slaphead07

phalaris wrote: »

So just to get this straight: you believe that the Azur 640A is too good for any of those speakers? It's a good quality amp, but still entry level I would have thought.

Cambridge stuff is entry level at best but their AZUR range can be quite good. Little point in moving to NAD or similar as there's very little gain in that. Maybe Arcam but then you'd have to consider second hand higher end stuff which would be €800 - €1000 (depending on brand obviously) - quite a jump.

viperirl

A friend of mine actually has that same Cambridge Audio amp and a set of Wharfedale Diamond 9s. The Wharfedales have decent build quality and Cambridge Audio's amps have had huge improvements over the last few years. I'm more familiar with higher end gear myself but when I heard this gear at my mates place I was surprised at how good it was as an entry level setup. As Slaphead said, if you want any clear audible improvements you would need to at least step up to the likes of Arcam. Just my opinion of course, maybe others disagree.
Incidently I've never really rated the KEF's but this is probably just down to personal tastes. At the end of the day if you like the sound you're getting then thats the main thing.

phalaris

Thanks for the replies everyone

Richersounds.ie: John

Phalaris,

John McDoanld here from Richer Sounds (thats the declared interest out of the way!)

Your 640A is a cracking amp - as Slaphead07 has said the 640A is part of the Azur range and received universally positive reviews, see here http://www.cambridgeaudio.com/product_reviews.php?PID=13&Title=Press+reviews these reviews included 5***** from What Hifi and Editors Choice from Gramophone.

I agree with your own opinion that the Acoustic Solution Speakers really are the weak link and that if yuo want to improve the system radically these really need to be replaced - again I cannot agree with slaphead that nothing from our complete range of speakers (and to be fair Peats range) warrants a recommendation - we do try to do Audio products for all budgets but we stock speakers from tip top manufacturers like Monitor Audio, Kef, Mordaunt Short, Tannoy etc (to name a few) and hopefully we (and Peats) have some decent speakers in there!

Finally, always have a look at the cables - I'm sure you know but even changing the interconnects from the basic SHi*e that comes supplied (or in the case of Cambridge - the tight gits dont supply any interconnects) or changing the speaker cable makes a hugh difference for the least outlay.

As ever if we can assist please feel free to email or PM me - and good luck wit the Hi-fi quest - it's great to see some stereo fans left out there not just MP3 or AV dudes!

Keep the faith,

John Mc

Slaphead07

johnmc wrote: »

I cannot agree with slaphead that nothing from our complete range of speakers (and to be fair Peats range) warrants a recommendation

There's honestly nothing there I'd use myself John so all I'm saying is that I couldn't recommend any speakers from yourselves or Peats. Maybe to put that in context I should say I use Quad ESL 989s at home.

phalaris

johnmc wrote: »

Phalaris,

John McDoanld here from Richer Sounds (thats the declared interest out of the way!)

Your 640A is a cracking amp - as Slaphead07 has said the 640A is part of the Azur range and received universally positive reviews, see here http://www.cambridgeaudio.com/product_reviews.php?PID=13&Title=Press+reviews these reviews included 5***** from What Hifi and Editors Choice from Gramophone.

I agree with your own opinion that the Acoustic Solution Speakers really are the weak link and that if yuo want to improve the system radically these really need to be replaced - again I cannot agree with slaphead that nothing from our complete range of speakers (and to be fair Peats range) warrants a recommendation - we do try to do Audio products for all budgets but we stock speakers from tip top manufacturers like Monitor Audio, Kef, Mordaunt Short, Tannoy etc (to name a few) and hopefully we (and Peats) have some decent speakers in there!

Finally, always have a look at the cables - I'm sure you know but even changing the interconnects from the basic SHi*e that comes supplied (or in the case of Cambridge - the tight gits dont supply any interconnects) or changing the speaker cable makes a hugh difference for the least outlay.

As ever if we can assist please feel free to email or PM me - and good luck wit the Hi-fi quest - it's great to see some stereo fans left out there not just MP3 or AV dudes!

Keep the faith,

John Mc

Thanks mate, I might just PM you about a few specifics if I decide on something from Richer Sounds. I will have to go on faith if I do, as obviously I won't be able to hear any of the range beforehand.

Also had a word with someone from Peats and hopefully I will be able to get a listening session with my amp in their main branch..

Slaphead07 wrote: »

There's honestly nothing there I'd use myself John so all I'm saying is that I couldn't recommend any speakers from yourselves or Peats. Maybe to put that in context I should say I use Quad ESL 989s at home.

I've heard Quads before, powered by a Cyrus amp. Maybe someday when I'm rich...

Remember, I'm only trying to squeeze the best out of my existing amp.

Slaphead07

phalaris wrote: »

Also had a word with someone from Peats and hopefully I will be able to get a listening session with my amp in their main branch..

keep in mind you'll be hearing every other speaker in the shop too as they reverberate. Also keep in mind what sounds good in a shop might be very tiring after an hour or so at home (Mission speakers I'm looking at you!) but the Wharfedale Diamonds will, as they burn in, improve over a few months.

padi89

OP take a look at those AVI Biggatrons if you want your money to go far, im sure you can get a demo at the sellers place.
Or if you don't mind stretching a wee bit
http://www.2ndhandhifi.co.uk/detail_page.php?id=727

viperirl

I'd also recommend those AVI's. I've heard them before and for the money thats being asked for them, they would kick any other brand new speaker at the same price into next week IMHO. But listen to them yourself and decide.

Slaphead07

padi89 wrote: »

OP take a look at those AVI Biggatrons if you want your money to go far, im sure you can get a demo at the sellers place.

The seller is, as I say, a mate of mine and another serious hifi nut. He'll let you hear them in your house with your amp/CD player. He's based in Dublin/Kildare.