robbo400
02-03-2013, 13:07
Sorry for the long boring intro but I'd welcome any advice/suggestions.
Great website. I've spent most of the time so far looking at the music section. I have very varied tastes. with my most recent CD purchases covering pop, electronic, soul, jazz funk and jazz to psychadelia, blues and soft rock.
I'm currently looking for a new system which can feed 2 sets of speakers (one at a time in 2 small rooms with completely different characteristics - one heavily furnished, one almost totally ceramic with lots of windows).
My current system in another area of the house is a mid 1990s Cambridge Audio CD (CD5), Integrated Amp (A1) and Tuner (T500). I run it through Jamo E660 floorstanders having previously used Wharfdale 7.1 diamonds when it was in a smaller room. I know this is low-end hi-fi but I like the sound. It was a tremendous jump in quality from the 1980s midi Kenwood system I had before and I'm now lucky enough to have the budget to upgrade and am looking for a similar scale jump in quality.
To be honest, I've been really underwhelmed by the gear I've demo'd so far. I've found Arcam, Marantz and Rotel award winning products sound flat even when run through speakers as good as the PMC Twenty Series. I've felt they have all needed a massive boost of both treble and bass. Clearly, all those reviewers can't be wrong so I am fast concluding that I have bad ears...whatever, I'll only buy what sounds good to me. I guess it's like cars, some makes which are raved about I feel are bland whereas others which are not generally acclaimed do it for me.
At last, I have found a really good hifi shop in Harrow Audio - really friendly guy who listened to me and is prepared to set up demos until I find what I want. I'm now thinking about Cyrus, Musical Fidelity, Primare, Audiolab and Sonneteer as well as Naim and Linn which seem to split opinion so much. I'm looking forward to auditioning.
I am also interested in adding a turntable and getting back into vinyl as well as entering the digital streaming age but have no clue about computers at all - although I use You Tube to decide what albums to buy.
If anyone is still awake - thanks for listening and all system recommendations welcome!
Great website. I've spent most of the time so far looking at the music section. I have very varied tastes. with my most recent CD purchases covering pop, electronic, soul, jazz funk and jazz to psychadelia, blues and soft rock.
I'm currently looking for a new system which can feed 2 sets of speakers (one at a time in 2 small rooms with completely different characteristics - one heavily furnished, one almost totally ceramic with lots of windows).
My current system in another area of the house is a mid 1990s Cambridge Audio CD (CD5), Integrated Amp (A1) and Tuner (T500). I run it through Jamo E660 floorstanders having previously used Wharfdale 7.1 diamonds when it was in a smaller room. I know this is low-end hi-fi but I like the sound. It was a tremendous jump in quality from the 1980s midi Kenwood system I had before and I'm now lucky enough to have the budget to upgrade and am looking for a similar scale jump in quality.
To be honest, I've been really underwhelmed by the gear I've demo'd so far. I've found Arcam, Marantz and Rotel award winning products sound flat even when run through speakers as good as the PMC Twenty Series. I've felt they have all needed a massive boost of both treble and bass. Clearly, all those reviewers can't be wrong so I am fast concluding that I have bad ears...whatever, I'll only buy what sounds good to me. I guess it's like cars, some makes which are raved about I feel are bland whereas others which are not generally acclaimed do it for me.
At last, I have found a really good hifi shop in Harrow Audio - really friendly guy who listened to me and is prepared to set up demos until I find what I want. I'm now thinking about Cyrus, Musical Fidelity, Primare, Audiolab and Sonneteer as well as Naim and Linn which seem to split opinion so much. I'm looking forward to auditioning.
I am also interested in adding a turntable and getting back into vinyl as well as entering the digital streaming age but have no clue about computers at all - although I use You Tube to decide what albums to buy.
If anyone is still awake - thanks for listening and all system recommendations welcome!