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New member Username: AmanlikemikePost Number: 2 Registered: May-05 | Could anybody please recommend a budget amp, bookshelf/standmount speakers, speaker stand and cable set-up for a small (12' x 13'6") and slightly odd shaped apartment room? The building is very solid with proper stripped wood floorboards, stone walls and fairly high ceilings, but I am still conscious of noise transference. The speakers are likely to be backed up pretty close to an external wall. I mainly listen to funk & rock n roll (The Rolling Stones, Dandy Warhols, Beck & Funkadelic through to The Pixies, Kings of Leon, RHCP, James Brown & The Cult) at a moderate volume, although I do like to crank it up now and again. So, what I am really looking for is a clean sound with plenty of midrange. Big bass is not a massive consideration, neither is outright power, but I would like a controlled bottom end and neat top end so that I can keep vibrations down and enjoy music without pissing off the neighbours. I realise that this is difficult to do on a budget (approx £400) but I have been recommended the NAD C320BEE & Acoustic Energy EVO1s and would like to know what components and peripherals work well together so that I can draw up a short list to get an idea how much I'm looking at before I head off for a listen. I also listen to a lot of music on 320CBR MP3, so I'm not tooooo obsessive about sound quality, but it would be good to know that I had a system that made the most of this format. A decent CD player will come later. I hope you can help. Thank you for your time. Michael |
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dsvadfadfdfs Unregistered guest | Hey Sounds like a good choice. I have the c320bee with some DIY bookshelf speakers (ARdiys ~$320AU to build) and it sound great to me. However, I would definitely factor into your budget an affordable subwoofer. This will add those extra frequencies you miss with bookshelf speaker and will make all the difference. Audition the Wharfedale that won the WhatHiFi awards and see if its any good. As for speakers there is a ton of good cheap bookshelfs, just search the net. I think with your budget you should look at ebay. For example: SOURCE: Creative Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS Platinum PRO - £3.72 This has a remote and everything. Also, you can use your computer as the preamp to you don't even need and integrated amp, just a power amp. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=3701%26item%3D5196307839 AMP: Way too many good amps on ebay. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=3280%26item%3D5773148319 http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=3280%26item%3D5772331437 http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=3280%26item%3D5772733732 http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=3280%26item%3D5773175170 ....etc. Let just pick the Primare A20 MKII - £127.00. SPEAKERS: Quad 11L some ppl love them and they look cool - £220. http://search.ebay.co.uk/QUAD-11L_W0QQsofocusZbsQQsbrftogZ1QQfromZR10QQfltZ9QQsa catZ-1QQcatrefZC6QQsargnZ-1QQsaslcZ3QQga10244Z10425QQftrtZ1QQftrvZ1QQsadisZ200QQ fposZPostcodeQQfsopZ1QQfsooZ1 TOTAL COST: ~£400 So u won't be able to get a sub. As for a CD player, forget it unless you want to listen to music without your computer (I have c521bee btw -- its OK). More money for a sub. Finally, remember that setup/placement is just as important as your gear. Use the computers EQ, some single frequency sound files and a sound level meter. But I guess that's a whole other story. |
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New member Username: AmanlikemikePost Number: 3 Registered: May-05 | Thanks for the advice. My brother has the Quads with a Roksan Kandy II amp and they sound gorgeous. I just hope hearing that rig won't spoil me for the NAD. I'll check out your other options too. |