Small system, amazing sound.....please help!
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New member Username: Ben09ABC, ABC United Kingdom Post Number: 1 Registered: Dec-07 | Hi, I am looking for a small system with an outstanding sound for my home.I only use music from my ipod or laptop but I want a system much better than an ipod dock. I guess something similar to a bose system but really all I need is an amp and some speakers? Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks Ben |
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New member Username: Ben09ABC, ABC United Kingdom Post Number: 2 Registered: Dec-07 | BTW I am happy to spend up to about $4000 for something really good but of course cheaper would be better. |
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Silver Member Username: Nickelbut10Post Number: 849 Registered: Jun-07 | Small, as in small speakers? all-in-on component? Arcam Solo, with some Tannoy on wall speakers? I dunno. Need more info Ben. |
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New member Username: Ben09ABC, ABC United Kingdom Post Number: 3 Registered: Dec-07 | Hi Nick, Small as in small speakers and a small amp...I just want a discreet system that doesnt take up too much space! Does that help? |
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New member Username: Ben09ABC, ABC United Kingdom Post Number: 4 Registered: Dec-07 | The acram solo is probably a good size considering what it offers and the quality but which Tannoy speakers would you put with this? |
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Silver Member Username: Nickelbut10Post Number: 851 Registered: Jun-07 | Something like these Ben http://www.tannoy-speakers.com/s.php?product=284&title=SFX+5.1&s=66 http://www.tannoy-speakers.com/s.php?product=282&title=Mercury+FR+Custom&s=65 Depending on Music or Home Theater tastes. This is just a recomendation, there are lots of brands out there that make decent, compact components. |
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Silver Member Username: Mike3Wylie, Tx USA Post Number: 928 Registered: May-06 | Look into a Trends T-Amp. Then you could invest in a nice set of single driver bookshelf speakers with decent stands. Wire can be inexpensive if you make your own, if you are up for that. |
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Silver Member Username: Mike3Wylie, Tx USA Post Number: 929 Registered: May-06 | The T-amp itself accepts a mini plug in and all you need is to invest an additional $20 for a decent AC Power Supply. |
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Gold Member Username: Frank_abelaBerkshire UK Post Number: 2574 Registered: Sep-04 | Ben, Are you serious about wanting something small? Can you suspend belief long enough to give something out of the box a try? Here's what I suggest: If you want to use an iPod, you need a dock, or you need to connect your iPod to a compter and use it as a disc. The best dock currently is the Arcam rDock. Have a look at Meridian's F80. It's 'just' a table radio costing as much as a separates system (£1500). It sounds amazing. If you really want to, you could add a Sonos ZP80 and controller so you could stream wirelessly from your laptop (and attached iPod) in digital directly to the ZP80 and thence to the Meridian and use latter's digital input so you'd get Meridian's DAC conversion with the convenience of the laptop/iPod as source. Alternatively the Arcam rDock can be plugged into the Meridian and the iPod used directly as an analogue source. Eventually Meridian will be coming out with their own iPod docks which (it's rumoured) will be able to supply a digital feed out of the iPod to a device that can take a digital input like the F80. Look at http://www.thef80.com for more info. You can't get smaller than that, and still ahve decent quality along with room-filling sound! Regards, Frank. |
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New member Username: CooltechPost Number: 8 Registered: Dec-07 | I bought a yamaha HTR-5940 it is a natural sound av receiver.It has a front input for the ipod.I bought the whole thing for $169.99 at radio shack.It was a good deal!! |
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New member Username: Ben09ABC, ABC United Kingdom Post Number: 5 Registered: Dec-07 | ok all looks interesting,I have been reading reviews about the Meridian F80 and it does appear to have an awesome sound but it is hard to swallow because of the size and etc. Frank have you heard the meridian? |
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Gold Member Username: Frank_abelaBerkshire UK Post Number: 2576 Registered: Sep-04 | Ben, I'm a Saturday lad in a dealership which sells the Meridian. I hear it every week. I've grown used to it blowing away most people who walk in the shop. We play this trick on people by placing it on top of a mega system with big speakers either side. Most people ask what the speakers are because they sound so nice. Then we point at the Meridian...you should see the jaws drop. And this is in a large foyer about 25ft by 18ft. One of us has already put their money where their mouth is, and I've been trying to persuade she who must be obeyed that we really need one for weeks! But it isn't working dammit!!  And now that I've decided I really want a different tonearm on my deck, it loks even less likely to happen, but I'll get one one day... Seriously, put the preconceptions away, find a local dealer who can put it up against a similarly priced system and see what happens. Try it with a dock into both the Meridian and the other system. We have sold quite a few of these things, but mainly to older customers who don't give a monkeys about looks. I've wowed several younger customers, but they usually admit that they just can't get their head around the size and want a full-sized hifi. There is one caveat that I have with it. The F80 also plays DVDs with output through S-Video. Now the picture quality is excellent and matches many very expensive DVD players (more expensive than it is) even when they're playing through HDMI etc. However, because it's doing a downmix, its output on DVD can be a bit too low - i.e. only just loud enough, if that. With CD and normal inputs its very loud - loud enough to fill that foyer very well indeed. All I'm saying is this - if you really want small and discreet, you can't beat this thing - it's sickening (from a purist's point of view). Regards, Frank. |
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New member Username: Ben09ABC, ABC United Kingdom Post Number: 6 Registered: Dec-07 | Frank, Thanks for the rundown...I must say I am extremely curious now and have read about 15 reviews on the net and all have been favourable. I like the size a lot and it does everything I want it to do so I will try to find a local dealer who sells them and have a demo.I live in Barcelona and there doesn't appear to be a dealer here but I will figure something out. Does the position in the room make a lot of difference and do you think it matters what sort of Ipod dock I use? Thanks again b |
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New member Username: Ben09ABC, ABC United Kingdom Post Number: 7 Registered: Dec-07 | btw how do you think the meridian would compare sound wise to the acram solo with a nice set of book shelf speakers! |
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New member Username: Jl2002Qubec, Qubec Canada Post Number: 2 Registered: Dec-07 | In something really small there the Parasound Zpre and Z amp. I would say that all I heard about that is good. Both of them below 1000$ |
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Bronze Member Username: Flame_rosePost Number: 24 Registered: Sep-07 | Hi; Why don't you consider Naim's new Nait5i (version 2). This is the upgraded nait5i which has an ipod input on the front. I've introduced Naim into my system a year back and it has become addictive! Regards |
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Gold Member Username: Frank_abelaBerkshire UK Post Number: 2617 Registered: Sep-04 | Ben, What's a nice set of bookshelf speakers? Sure, if you put a pair of Naim N-Sats on the end with naim's own stands, the Arcam will probably beat the Meridian. This is £2k, so bang on budget but of course it's pretty much a full sized system. The Arcam/N-Sat combination is one of the best Solo combinations I've heard incidentally. |
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New member Username: Patrick_at_glow_infoPost Number: 2 Registered: Jan-08 | Ben: If you want a small system that sounds fantastic, I encourage you to consider our newly introduced GLOW stereo tube amplifier as the heart of such a system. Since you mentioned using your computer as a source, note that our amp has a USB port for plug and play computer connectivity. To me there is no debate... while there is plenty of good solid state equipment out there, a good tube amp sounds the best, even when playing compressed, digital files. Our GLOW Amp One is a high quality single ended tube amp, point to point wired, hand wound transformers, using EL84 power tubes. It looks and sounds like equipment costing much more, but it sells for under $500. We believe it is the best sounding amplifier you can get in this price range. It looks gorgeous, too. Look us up at http://glow-audio.com and feel free to drop me a line at info@glow-audio.com if you need additional information. |
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Gold Member Username: Frank_abelaBerkshire UK Post Number: 2627 Registered: Sep-04 | Ben, So how did you get on? Regards, Frank. |
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New member Username: Ben09ABC, ABC United Kingdom Post Number: 8 Registered: Dec-07 | Hi Frank, Well I have looked at many different options and am now set on the Meridian,I am yet to hear a bad review and am convinced that it will satisfy my need for a great sound and a small system. Are you still a fan of it....no unhappy customers? I am waiting for one to arrive in spain so I can listen and place an order..hopefully soon. b |
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Gold Member Username: Frank_abelaBerkshire UK Post Number: 2630 Registered: Sep-04 | Hi Ben, I am still a fan, and no unhappy customers. In terms of what you asked for - something extremely discreet and small with a big sound and dynamics it really is just ridicuously good. The fact that it adds DVD capability with a very good picture through S-Video is just the icing on the cake. In fact, I only recommended it because I thought you were in the UK and could hear it. I still recommend hearing the unit before buying it if possible. After all, you may not like the Meridian presentation. If this does turn out to be the case, Arcam's Solo is ok when partnered with reasonable speakers. Arcam have also just released a Solo Movie 2.1 for use with just 2 channel or 2.1 channel. It's a compromise solution but it sounds better than the standard Solo without costing as much as a full Solo Movie. But I still think the Meridian is probably the best solution. Regards, Frank. |
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