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awmw
15-04-2009, 11:42
Hello

This is my first post and I need help choosing my first " HiFi "

I've wanted a nice Hifi for a while now but just never got round to it but my interest has been rewoken by the possibility of getting good sound from a PC as I've recently built myself a media PC.

So the rough plan is an external Dac, intergrated amp and a pair of floorstanders.

To start with I'd like to keep the budget low and see if I get bitten by the bug and want more. I'm thinking of spending about £200 - £300 each on the amp and speakers.

I've decided on the Beresford TC-7510 dac so the next thing is what amp?

The only requirement I currently have for the amp is remote volume control.
Of course I have been reading reviews but the one question I need answering is, for a given price, say £200 would I get the best results by:

a) Buying a new amp
b) Buying a second hand amp
c) Buying a cheaper new or second hand amp and modifying it

I realise this is quite an open question but thank you in advance for your help



Adrian

Mike
15-04-2009, 12:59
The one question I need answering is, for a given price, say £200 would I get the best results by:

a) Buying a new amp
b) Buying a second hand amp
c) Buying a cheaper new or second hand amp and modifying it



You would certainly get better VFM from options b & c. ;)

DSJR
15-04-2009, 14:13
Buying used can be a nightmare if you're not too sure which direction to take and at least if you bottle out, you have Cambridge Audio with some great new cheap products.

Since you're asking here, I'd suggest you look at good used and possibly less well known buys such the Myryad MI120 integrated for a solid, beefy sounding integrated. A Rega Mira of any vintage should also be added to this list of ss amps I think.

If the wonderful idea of glowing bottles appeals, I'd suggest trying for a good used WD amp (or a Puresound if you find one cheap enough) and only look at new far eastern ones with caution, as I'm told that many have a nasty habit of self-destructing when used in the UK...

For speakers, I'm a definite "round earth" guy these days, finding old vintage favourites from Linn and Naim rather headache inducing these days, with their hyped up midrange and untidy treble... I'd suggest looking for a good pair of Spendor SP1's, which can be got for around £300 still I think, although minty boxed ones will fetch more. They can rock with the right source and amp and retain almost all the tactile and truthful mid of the legendary BC1, while building on everything else. The load is valve friendly too IIRC. If the beresford is the main source, some ancient KEF R104ab's or Concerto's on low stands could be bought cheaply and cleaned up to look ok. These sound good on digital sources - better than ever I think.

Obviously, there are many hundreds of speakers that we can suggest and it really depends on your room, speaker placement and personal tastes. Some of the floor standers can have a boomy or flabby bass in many UK rooms and will need an assertive solid state amp to grip them properly.

Hope this is sort of helpful. I look forward to reading what others here recommend. It'll be a genuine education for me as well... Please, no Creek, Nait's and HB1's or Royds..........

foxysounds
15-04-2009, 14:25
I was about to recommend the Amp I use - a Marantz PM6010 OSE as I like the sound and I figured it would be in your price range. However, I did a quick check on ebay and was shocked to discover that the last one that sold went for just 65ukp so for 200-300ukp you can probably do a whole lot better! Wow! Now I'm thinking about an upgrade :)

Simon.

awmw
21-04-2009, 20:40
Thanks for all the advice.

To keep you updated:

I've bought a Myryad MI120, £226 from ebay. It hasn't arrived yet but figures crossed it's OK. I must admit I hadn't heard of them so wouldn't have given it a second look.

So, just the speakers to get.

I've looked for the Spendor SP1's but they seem rare and a bit too much money.
I'll keep looking but does anybody have any other sugestions now we know the source and the amp?

Thanks again


Adrian

Spectral Morn
21-04-2009, 20:50
Thanks for all the advice.

To keep you updated:

I've bought a Myryad MI120, £226 from ebay. It hasn't arrived yet but figures crossed it's OK. I must admit I hadn't heard of them so wouldn't have given it a second look.

So, just the speakers to get.

I've looked for the Spendor SP1's but they seem rare and a bit too much money.
I'll keep looking but does anybody have any other sugestions now we know the source and the amp?

Thanks again


Adrian

Myryad.....Fantastic amplifier nice price...very nice buy, well done. Nice recommendation Dave :)

You should enjoy it awmw.


Regards D S D L

James G
22-04-2009, 04:01
Just wondering how you intend to connect the TC-7510 to your amp. If you are using a PC as the source, maybe you would consider the TC-7520 better as it has a USB connection.

awmw
22-04-2009, 18:33
Hi jgarner71

Did you mean: How am I going to connect the TC-7510 to my PC?

My motherboard has S/PDIF and optical out built in. I've read that most people prefer S/PDIF so I'll try that first.

I think I'm right in saying that the USB connection is limited to 16bit/44.1KHz

nat8808
27-04-2009, 20:00
Well... starting out is learning process in that there are soooo many different brands and models of amplifiers etc in the secondhand market and all at different prices (wildly varying prices even for the same amp) that I think specific advice and recomendations of amps can be almost random because it randomly depends on what the person you ask has used before and what they paid, and also their expectations of how much to pay and their fears of potential problems.

I think there are loads of good starter amps out there for £20 - £40 on ebay and also for free on Freecycle or from friends and family that you really need not spend much at all. Later, once you've worked out what you like, then you can start thinking about specific models.

I have to say that I personally am happy-go-lucky in this regard and don't worry about potential faults etc and so have happily picked up amps, turntables, and speakers off the street and in skips that have been great after a physical clean up. My girlfriend just picked up an Arcam Alpha and some Celestion DL4 speakers from a local person through Freecycle for her flat, free of course.

Have a look at what has been sold on Ebay in the last few days:

A Rotel 820 that DIDNT sell for £9.99, fully working with phono, designed by Stan Curtis (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Rotel-Amplifier-RA-820-Hi-Fi-separate-Integrated-Amp_W0QQitemZ310137751705QQihZ021QQcategoryZ3280QQ ssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem)

A Creek CAS404 with phono for £28 (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/CREEK-CAS4040-integrated-stereo-sound-amp-amplifier_W0QQitemZ200334578524QQihZ010QQcategoryZ 3280QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem)

A nice Tandberg Receiver - £25 (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/TANDBERG-TR1000-RECEIVER_W0QQitemZ270379692766QQihZ017QQcategoryZ3 280QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem)

A Denon 250SE for £21 (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Denon-PMA250-se-Amplifier_W0QQitemZ270378182839QQihZ017QQcategoryZ 3280QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem)

A cute Nytech integrated, but needs a clean - £22 (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1980s-NYTECH-stereo-integrated-amplifier_W0QQitemZ320361994731QQihZ011QQcategoryZ 3280QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem)

I use a Rotel 840BX hooked up to the tv with some unusal, old B&W mini-monitors - total cost ~ £60 and it is great! (I'm always surprised that TV does actually sound pretty good). Ok, it's not a "blow-me-away" hi-end system but plays much better music than friend's all-in-one systems and iPod docking systems that cost 3 or 4 times as much and then break 18 months later. I can then sell up with no loss or even a profit. Couple it with my Pioneer PL-12 from a skip and I'm ready to play all that charity shop vinyl..

Darrenw
27-04-2009, 20:35
Royd is a fairly safe bet at that money though not to everyone's taste it appears

I like heybrook, audio note, meridian and tannoy but everyone values different things in speakers so its a case of buy second hand, minty ones at good prices and shift on the various fora if they don't suit - keep em for a month at least though as changes in priority between manufacturers can take a while to get used to

these are a nice oldie but fun goodie

http://www.hifiwigwam.com/view_topic.php?id=38566&forum_id=5

rgds
darren

nat8808
27-04-2009, 21:57
I remember someone like Ken Kesler in Hifi-News going on about these in an 80's issue:

Mordaunt Short MS20s (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/mordaunt-short-speakers-120w-each_W0QQitemZ170326066059QQihZ007QQcategoryZ14991 QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem)

and just now found this mention of them:

"If I think back to my days in hi-fi retail there were many such products. The one that always comes to mind is the Mordaunt Short MS20 loudspeaker. Here was an unassuming little two-way with no pretensions, airs or graces. It had no high-tech features to mark it out as being anything special. In fact, it was distinctly low-tech and ordinary. As was the original Acoustic Research AR18 with its paper bass/mid unit and awful loudspeaker cable connectors. Yet both these speakers possessed that spark of magic that allowed music played through them to communicate in a manner that couldn’t be replicated by their competition. Put either of these speakers on the end of a half decent system and the music sprang to life, involving the listener immediately. All considerations of a technical or hi-fi nature sailed out of the window: all that mattered was the music."

I think you could place a bid now at £20 to remove the Buy-It-Now feature and then bid £50 at the last minute, hopefully snaring them for ~ £35 or so. Cheap classics like these can be picked up all the time, but of course you first need someone to tell you what to look for..