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Thread: Newbie.....needs lots of advice and help!

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  1. #1
    Join Date: Jun 2020

    Location: nr. Cardiff

    Posts: 25
    I'm daney.

    Default Newbie.....needs lots of advice and help!

    Good afternoon all,

    Im obviosly a newbie on here, Im no spring chicken! Recently retired at age 60...Back in the day. (70s/80s) I was really into listening to music.. all sorts, particularly reggae! Back then, I bought what I thought was pretty decent stereo gear........Alas! that was then..this is now!! Ive no real idea on what to buy!!

    I will be listening to mainly, records, also C.D. of course, I dont do much ( well NONE! streaming etc, my daughter does though)......

    Id "like", to spen up to about £1,000 on the system, of course this isnt rigid......but! From what little Ive looked at online...this is a rabbit hole Im going to enter... lol! Ive so far bought Bower and Wilkins CM1 speakers, (they should be with me early next week)...they are of course second, I paid £280 for them? Good deal or bad deal?!!

    Ive been advised (though not on hi-fi forums! it was on a watch forum!) that Rega are decent turntables? NAD, or Marantz etc are good amps? Ive no real idea to be honest! of what to look for in an amp. (all I "think I know"! is that it will need phono on it to play records!?).

    I have no problem buying second hand, as will probably get a good deal that way...SO!! IF! it ws your £7-800 ish...what would you get in the way of an amp, and a player, oh C.D. too?

    Whilst looking online, Im bewildered by what I see! I have seem amps. with "radios!" (hey Im 60!!! or are they called receivers these days?!) on them, some with some without, some with C.D. players in them some without.........I really need phono, and C.D. play facilities, I " assume", if I was to get an old/vintage amp. they wouldnt be able to get D.A.B. even if I was to buy a D.A.B. receiver..(even if such a thing exists?!).

    I appreciate, these questions Im asking, may well seem really basic and stupid to you on here! In my defence though...Ive not bought a stereo for..almost 30 years now!!

    All advice and info will be gratefully received!

    Thanks in advance!

  2. #2
    Join Date: May 2020

    Location: Suffolk

    Posts: 246
    I'm Ray.

    Default

    Welcome to the forum.

    You really need to hear the map and speakers together, so I suggest some demos when shops are open again. the CM1s are not very sensitive, ie need a bit of power. NAD and Marantz amps are OK but not sure NAD and CM1s are a good match but a lot is down to taste, Rotel amps are often said to be agood match for B&W. Second hand is the way to go on your budget. Rega TTs are OK but the budget ones I don't really rate, Project maybe an alternative. Or used, you can get a Thorens 160 for around £200 now. CD players are cheap now, you can get a decent used one for around £100 or less, have a look at Marantz, Pioneer, Rotel. Phono you can get a Cambridge for about £50, or Rega or Project. Do you have any second hand HiFi shops around you?

    Why did you pick the CM1s?

  3. #3
    Join Date: Jun 2020

    Location: nr. Cardiff

    Posts: 25
    I'm daney.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by StingRay View Post
    Welcome to the forum.

    You really need to hear the map and speakers together, so I suggest some demos when shops are open again. the CM1s are not very sensitive, ie need a bit of power. NAD and Marantz amps are OK but not sure NAD and CM1s are a good match but a lot is down to taste, Rotel amps are often said to be agood match for B&W. Second hand is the way to go on your budget. Rega TTs are OK but the budget ones I don't really rate, Project maybe an alternative. Or used, you can get a Thorens 160 for around £200 now. CD players are cheap now, you can get a decent used one for around £100 or less, have a look at Marantz, Pioneer, Rotel. Phono you can get a Cambridge for about £50, or Rega or Project. Do you have any second hand HiFi shops around you?

    Why did you pick the CM1s?
    Thanks for that..

    I asked on another , non hi-fi forum, for some suggestions, a fair few people suggested CM1......So I went ahead and got some!

    Im in Wales, the non essentila shops, only opened last week, also technically, we arent supposed to travel more than 5 miles to go shopping (or anywhere! really) that finishes next week though...so will be able to have a look then.

    Ive also seen Thorens being recommended...As for a rega turntable, they were recommended, hence why I mentioned them! As I say though, I was asking for info. on a watch forum...!

    SO, basically, what I call an amp. if it doesnt have the function for phono I assume that means I cant play records with it? Or do you mean by a phono for about £50 from Cambridge, that can just be plugged into an amp?! (sorry...I told you Im a complete newbie!! lol!).

    Ive no problem at all, with buying used either...just want to get myself something, "half decent"! which I can listen to!

    Many thanks.

  4. #4
    Join Date: May 2020

    Location: Suffolk

    Posts: 246
    I'm Ray.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by marley View Post
    Thanks for that..

    I asked on another , non hi-fi forum, for some suggestions, a fair few people suggested CM1......So I went ahead and got some!

    Im in Wales, the non essentila shops, only opened last week, also technically, we arent supposed to travel more than 5 miles to go shopping (or anywhere! really) that finishes next week though...so will be able to have a look then.

    Ive also seen Thorens being recommended...As for a rega turntable, they were recommended, hence why I mentioned them! As I say though, I was asking for info. on a watch forum...!

    SO, basically, what I call an amp. if it doesnt have the function for phono I assume that means I cant play records with it? Or do you mean by a phono for about £50 from Cambridge, that can just be plugged into an amp?! (sorry...I told you Im a complete newbie!! lol!).

    Ive no problem at all, with buying used either...just want to get myself something, "half decent"! which I can listen to!

    Many thanks.
    Do not rush, take your time. I would not just go on recommendations on non Hifi forums. Maybe someone on here can recommend a system to go with your CM1s. If you are able to push the budget up a bit you should get a far better system. Rega make some Turntables but I would not buy their budget one. Yes phono-amp goes between the turntable and the amp if your amp. does not have a phono stage. Problem with buying used is hearing them before buying. Hifi forums can be a good place to buy used but there is a limited choice.

  5. #5
    Join Date: Apr 2009

    Location: Near Saffron Walden, Essex

    Posts: 7,087
    I'm Dave.

    Default

    Within your budget, I would suggest the Rega P1, which comes with cartridge fitted and the new Rega Io amplifier, which has an excellent internal MM phono stage.

  6. #6
    Join Date: Apr 2012

    Location: N E Kent

    Posts: 51,624
    I'm Geoff.

    Default

    I also think Rega would be a good choice, but I'd buy used and save money. Shop wisely and you should find a suitable turntable, CD player and amplifier from Rega that will work with the B&W speakers OK and leave some change for decent cables etc.
    It is impossible for anything digital to sound analogue, because it isn't analogue!

  7. #7
    Join Date: Jun 2020

    Location: nr. Cardiff

    Posts: 25
    I'm daney.

    Default

    Many thanks for the replies....certainly plenty to think about...

    As I say, Ive no problems with buying used.

    The original £1,000 budget, that can of course be upped a bit as well!

  8. #8
    Join Date: Apr 2009

    Location: Near Saffron Walden, Essex

    Posts: 7,087
    I'm Dave.

    Default

    If you want trouble free and good value, stick with Rega.

    If you want to spend more, go for the Rega P2 with Io or Brio.

  9. #9
    Join Date: Jun 2020

    Location: nr. Cardiff

    Posts: 25
    I'm daney.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by hifi_dave View Post
    If you want trouble free and good value, stick with Rega.

    If you want to spend more, go for the Rega P2 with Io or Brio.
    Thanks for that...I was looking at rega 1 and 2...there is also a Rega P1 Plus? ...is that any/much better than the P1...or is it worth the not so much extra , I guess is what Im asking!

  10. #10
    Join Date: Apr 2009

    Location: Near Saffron Walden, Essex

    Posts: 7,087
    I'm Dave.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by marley View Post
    Thanks for that...I was looking at rega 1 and 2...there is also a Rega P1 Plus? ...is that any/much better than the P1...or is it worth the not so much extra , I guess is what Im asking!
    The P1 is excellent but if you can afford a P2 go for that rather than the plus.

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