Help me blow £4k

Hi there

I initially posted this on another forum (and got some great suggestions!) but was also directed here (thanks) for more ideas/advice.

I am looking to put together my first real HiFi system. I have about £4,000 set aside to spend on it and hope to end up with a CD player, amp and speakers. I may also get a tuner (but that is a lower priority as it'll mostly be on AM).

It will be going into a living room which is on a concrete base and is about 15 feet square (I really am not very good with size). There are a number of windows on three of the walls.

My musical tastes are a bit eclectic. I like classic rock as well as more modern stuff. I am starting to get into classical music but have a large education ahead on that and also like a bit of jazz. My significant other likes Kylie (enough said!).

Some of the suggestions I've already had include talking to Walrus and Cornflake about what they could put together in that range and also checking out a Meridian CD player and active speakers. I'll definitely do those things and let people know how I get on.

Any other suggestions or advice would be welcome. It is a big investment and I would really really like to avoid the upgrade bug (for the sake of my relationship if nothing else).

Right, well that's me. I may go and check out some of the other threads now. I've recetly got an iPod and notice there is a thread on that!

Cheers

 

Very hard to give such general advice. What you'll get is each persons opinion of their ideal £4K system which will be totally different to anyone elses.

Getting a good shop like Cornflake or Walrus (chalk and cheese btw) to guide you and help you out is a good suggestion. You really need to listen to a lot of kit before making any decisions to give you an idea of the kind of things you like and what's possible with your budget (a lot!).

Incidentally, Walrus do stock the odd CD player or two but they are primarily an analogue shop so perhaps not your best bet for setting up a CD based system. I can imagine Les @ Walrus groaning at the thought of a Meridian CD player with Meridian active speakers

Cornflake are good and there are others two. HiFi Experience, close to Cornflake on Tottenham Court Road are also worth a visit.

Michael.

 

Walrus, Cornflake and Grahams are the only three dealers in London that I know of who are likely to be helpful, most London dealers are off-hand and lazy (Hifi Experience included IME).

Get them to do the work. Phone them up, make an appointment, tell them your budget, and get each of them to put together a couple of recommended systems in your price range. Get home dems of the system or systems you like the most (over a long weekend if possible, you'll probably have to pay for the kit on your credit card if they haven't dealt with you before, but it will be refundable if you take the gear back).

Walrus and Cornflake are my two regular dealers. As Michael says, they carry very different stock, Walrus is primarily turntables and valve amps (although they do carry a select range of CD players), whereas Cornflake and Grahams specialise in Naim, Linn, Rega, ATC, and the like.

Main thing is not to rush. Walrus are a very low sales pressure outfit, but just about every other dealer, even a good one like Cornflake or Grahams, will try and direct you onto a certain path if they sense you're not decided about what you're after, and apply a degree of subtle sales pressure. Sometimes it's hard to tell if they're just offering good advice or trying to sell.

-- Ian

 

What kind of sound are you looking for? eg relaxed and mellow, dynamic and pacy etc. This will help us make recommendations.

Also if you want to get much more for your money you should cosider secondhand. spending £4k s/h should get you a very nice system indeed.

Robbo

 

Musical Images in Covent Garden aren't too bad either...

Like Michael says, Walrus are "valve and vinyl" as their ad says; not sure what CDPs they do.

You could be really lazy and go for a full Naim, Cyrus, Linn or similar one make system, or mix and match, but certainly with £4k you should have some fun

If you don't hear anything you like, send the £4k to me and I can make use of it Aaah well, worth a try!

 

The advice thats been given is spot on. Let your ears pick it out for you!

Having said that, I'll rise to the challenge, and reccomend a system I would most likely go for, should I have 4k and CD as my only source. Well, why not?...


Living Voice Auditorium - second hand 900.
WAD 300B SET monoblocks - 1400 - price when proffessionally built.
Wadia 850 - 2,000 second hand.
Goertz spkr cable - 100 second hand

No pre-amp, using the digi volume of the wadia straight into the monoblocks.

No suprise there for anyone who knows me!

All right, thats 4,500 ish. But so what, close enough!... and you never know, you might get one of the items at a bargain..

Chris

 

Fantastic

Thanks for all the tips! I am thinking that I should try a couple of different sounds to see what I enjoy (and hope that my tastes don't change!).

To that end, one comment suggests that the Meridian system will be a bit analytical but not that exciting.

I will give it a go though.

I will also try some other ones and will approach the recommended shops.

I would also like to listen to a system with valves (in the amplifier?). Can anyone recommend a shop or system for this?

Cheers guys

 

nip down to the local electrical emporium and get one of these for around £70

spend another £430 on music and send the remaining £3500 to me

 

Walrus!

see their website for a taster.

If you like what you hear better than solid state, let us know. Unless buying second hand from them, their valve kit might be pushing your budget new..

When on a tight budget a built-up kit can (make that DOES IMO) provide better bang per buck.... Consonance, W.A.D., etc.

Chris

 

Grahams are an excellent dealer but rigidly Naim unless you ask for something different. Nowt wrong with Naim but with 4K I'd look s/h. Also, Grahams nearly always stick B&W speakers on the end of everything - if you go there ask to listen to some Shahinians too.

For a complete system approach with 4K I'd look hard at Rega. For CDP and amp(s) Densen are a good option (400Plus and Beat 400 or pre-power).

I wouldn't have said this a while ago but I now consider Naim SBLs an excellent s/h prospect in a smallish room.

Alex

PS The above is flat earth advice.

 

Harbeth Compact 7 speakers and a s/h accuphase integrated (although Densen is not a shabby match by all accounts). Budget a couple of hundred for some proper stands and a few quid for some mic / speaker cable (from a pro audio shop).
That should leave a couple of thou for the CDP which could get you what exactly in rip-off UK I don't know. Here in Japan I would be looking at Denon, Accuphase or Teac depending on my mood that day.

 

Quad 99CD-P
Quad 909 Power Amp
Ex dem Quad 988 or s/h Quad ESL63

Sorted!