New to Hi-Fi - advice needed

[corbyhk]

Hi Guys

First post here. I am new to Hi-Fi but have done some research and would like your opinion on a very basic system that I have in mind.

Basically, I am near to buying some B&W 685s and a Marantz PM7003. All I want for my source is my Itunes running through my airport express. I have heard that it is worth getting a DAC and using the optical output from the airport express to improve quality. So I have been looking at DACs.

I think I'm after a Beresford but which model would suit this system? I am happy to spend the money on a Caiman but am I going to notice the difference over a 7520? My music ranges from Alternative to Rock to Classical.

Thanks for your help.

[Codifus]

Hi Guys

First post here. I am new to Hi-Fi but have done some research and would like your opinion on a very basic system that I have in mind.

Basically, I am near to buying some B&W 685s and a Marantz PM7003. All I want for my source is my Itunes running through my airport express. I have heard that it is worth getting a DAC and using the optical output from the airport express to improve quality. So I have been looking at DACs.

I think I'm after a Beresford but which model would suit this system? I am happy to spend the money on a Caiman but am I going to notice the difference over a 7520? My music ranges from Alternative to Rock to Classical.

Thanks for your help.

If you can get the Caiman, get it. When I bought my 7520, the Caiman didn't exist at the time. The Caiman is a 7520 taken to "the next level" so to speak.

CD

[DSJR]

Welcome - can you post something in the welcome area to stave off the Forum Police ;) ?

If you can spend the extra on a Caiman, I'd do that I think..

By choosing the 685's, am I right in saying you'd like an elegant but beefy sounding floor-stander? I must admit to thinking you could do a heck of a lot beter buying used, but unless you know what you're doing, it's one hell of a minefield.

The 685's do tend to sound like small wardrobes, with a "680 series" hollow quality to the midrange. can you look out for some old CDM-7's? Much better made and a much better speaker IMO..

I don't know the Marantz, but their amps have always been pretty fair buys. Is a used Arcam Alpha 90 amp out of the question?

I believe Harman Kardon make an amp with built-in DAC (HK990?) but don't know how good it is relatively speaking, although their amps have always been pretty good. A good used AVI Lab integrated amp would be a great buy as well, with loads of clean power on tap.

[Rare Bird]

Welcome - can you post something in the welcome area to stave off the Forum Police ;) ?



:D

[The Vinyl Adventure]

:D

it's no laughing matter Andre, AOSPD are the most dangerist police force known to man!

[Rare Bird]

:lolsign:

[corbyhk]

Thanks guys. I think I will have to buy new. I live in Hong Kong and dont speak cantonese so it makes the normal minefield worse.

I suppose one last question is: does the system seem balanced or is there an obvious bottleneck somewhere?

Thanks again.

[ReggieB]

If you are spending hundreds of pounds per item, and you are not sure what you want, I think the best advice is to listen before you buy. Even if you can get it down to a small short list - say two or three amps, and two or three sets of speakers - I think you'll benefit from listening to a small number of alternatives before you buy.

At around the same cost as the B&Ws, Usher S 520 are getting a lot of good press. They might make an interesting comparison. I love my Audiolab 8000S, and that may make a good comparison with the Marantz. You could even look at some of the cheaper valve amp: Icon Audio Stereo 25.

And don't forget to budget for some decent speaker stands and some reasonable cables.

[magiccarpetride]

Hi Guys

First post here. I am new to Hi-Fi but have done some research and would like your opinion on a very basic system that I have in mind.

Basically, I am near to buying some B&W 685s and a Marantz PM7003. All I want for my source is my Itunes running through my airport express. I have heard that it is worth getting a DAC and using the optical output from the airport express to improve quality. So I have been looking at DACs.

I think I'm after a Beresford but which model would suit this system? I am happy to spend the money on a Caiman but am I going to notice the difference over a 7520? My music ranges from Alternative to Rock to Classical.

Thanks for your help.

I'm going to tell you something that you won't necessarily like, but hear me out anyway. We're all impatient, and are conditioned to look for instant gratification. However, the world of audiophile experience is very peculiar, so here is what I'd advise you to do: go slowly. Go one component at a time. Pick one aspect of the audio chain (i.e. the source, the amplification, the magnification), and work on that one first. For example, if you choose the magnification sector, do the research on the speakers, and get those first. Then work your way backwards.

Or, start from the source. Get the best source you can afford, and the work your way toward the output (i.e. through amplification all the way up to the magnification).

But the point is to take your time. Like, if you get your source sorted out first, allow it to grow on you. Live with it for a while, familiarize yourself thoroughly with it before moving on to addressing other links in the chain.

That way, you'll be much less liable to make hasty and expensive decisions that'll actually slow you down in the long run.

Slow and steady wins the race every time!

[The Grand Wazoo]

Give him a chance Alex - he doesn't own any components yet. Going slow with just a pair of speakers & no source or amp or a source & nothing else would be very slow indeed.

[DSJR]

Someone's got to suggest them - AVI ADM9.1's.... Built in top end DAC/preamp, active speakers, small but usable in many rooms and the recording engineers who've heard them think they're rather good. They do it all internally so no good for "gear freaks" though.

[Marco]

<Cough>

Marco.

[DSJR]

<Cough>

Marco.

;)