WTD: Your honest help and advice on starting again with a system

[Gmanuk101]

hi all.... Been overseas (showing people how to scuba dive) and returning back to the UK in a week or so (back to the cold). I parted with several items of HiFi with the exception of my Rega RP6.

So not having kept up with hifi at all, I am now at the mercy of indecision and ignorance (my fault) and require your assistance in building a budget system to get me going again.

Items required are:

Amp (with MM Phono stage)
Dac (if AMP does not have integrated one)
Speakers (bookshelf or floor standing)
Cable
Interconnects.

My input sources will be Digital (MP3,4 but NOT CD) and Vinyl.

I am look at budget prices second hand please as this will be a starter interim system until I start contracting again.

So looking for recommendations etc... think of me as a 1st year uni student who doesn't have wealthy parents but loves music..;)

Thank you all in advance, appreciate the help and that small hand back into the game.
Graeme.

[Macca]

How large is your room, what is your budget, what sort of music is the bulk of your listening?

[Gmanuk101]

How large is your room, what is your budget, what sort of music is the bulk of your listening?


Room size approx 10meters X 5meters
budget is under £500
bulk listening, tricky question.. I'd say mainly rock and the odd electronica thrown in

[fatmarley]

Kef Coda 8 or 9 Both have a big, meaty sound but smooth highs. Easy to drive too.

Arcam alpha 6+/7/8/9 amps are nice. Some say they are a bit too polite but I think they have a nice synergy with the Kefs.

Cambridge Azur Dacmagic (Not the old bigger one). Nice lively dac. Are known for being a bit OTT In the treble but they should be fine with the Kef Speakers and Arcam amps.

Flashback sales sell excellent Interconnects. For speaker cables some old Cable talk 3 would be fine.

Would be very surprised If that little lot didn't make an excellent budget rock system.

[MikeMusic]

Take a look on Ebay for complete systems.
With any luck you can hear it before you bid.

If close ish to you and Collect only you could get a reasonable system for not a lot

[Gmanuk101]

thanks to all, some research to be done yet again.. :) the pain, the joy, the frustration.. but in the end... Music :)

[Phil Bishop]

Elsewhere in this Forum section you will find a recent thread on Q Acoustics 3050 floorstanders which many seem to rate and are well reviewed (not heard them myself). I had some smaller Q Acoustic speakers for a while and thought they were great and fantastic value for money.

There are some nice budget amps from the likes of Marantz (PM6006), Yamaha and Cambridge Audio which include a built in DAC and would probably partner the Q's well.

I'm guessing these combined would come in at more like £600 new but worth considering?

[Svend N]

Graeme, you might look at the newest NAD D3020 v2 integrated amp. It has a phono stage, built-in DAC, and a 40wpc class D amp section. Should be able to drive most speakers. It's getting rave reviews. Everything you need in one small unit. Not sure of pricing over there in the UK, but here in Canada they are selling for the equivalent of about 300GBP, leaving you plenty left over for a nice pair of used speakers.

BTW, the v1 of this unit does not have the phono stage, so make sure you look at the v2

Best of luck.

Svend