Need help to build a hifi

I wouldnt worry about that. They are on ebay all the time.

Here is another pair, this time in Newcastle

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=14993&item=5791932149&rd=1

There are plenty of other excellent speakers you can pick up for about £100.

Here are a nice pair of standmounts that a lot of people on the forum use. You would need some stands, but they can be cheap.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=14991&item=5790800615&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW

Here is an amp I'd choose over any of the ones I've mentioned so far, but it may end up going for too much (the other amps are just as good, but this is more my cup of tea - a bit more warm and relaxed sounding)

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=3280&item=5792045639&rd=1

 

yer i saw those standmounts, sounded decent just wasnt sure, but now that you tell me ill watch that too.

 

they will most likely be new (the acoustic energy speakers). Acoustic Energy had a 'clear out' of the model, flogging them off a few months ago for about £80. My guess is that it is a model they were discontinuing.

Some people bought them deliberately to sell on e-bay, to make a whopping £20 !

They will be good value at about £100.

 

would the whales be better though?
and again for the amp : which of the 3 do you recommend then, out of performence for all type of musics (i don't listen to classic... yet) and i enjoy bass a lot.

i would go for the italien set btw, but ebay isn't my cup of tea, i like to have time to think about things rather than being rushed by bids etc.

 

don't forget the £5 profit from p&p... thats 25% extra

 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI....3&ssPageName=MERC_VI_ReBay_Pr4_PcY_BID_Stores
i admit, its for the looks, but is it half decent/worth it?

 

nah, they're a bit grubby...plus looks like the top tweeter's damaged...

 

they are all storming amplifiers mate. Here's my own personal view..

1) Naim pre-power - originally the most expensive of the lot, but now quite an old set. Naim amps have a sound that is strong on making the sound punchy.
2) The Beat B100 - these amps have massive long warranties, and are built like tanks. They have a studio heritage, so you would find the sound accurate to the recording.
3) The Unico - The unico has a valve in it, but apart from that is a normal amp. The valve makes things sound a bit more warm and lush - I dont know if you have any experience of valve guitar amps? - guitarists use them to give a more generous lush sound. The valve would need changing every 3-5 years, and cost about £10.

If you want hastle free, trouble free sound, go with the B100 amp.

If I were choosing between standmounts and floorstanders, it would largely depend on the room size, as before. If your room is bedroom sized, or a smallish living room, then go for standmounts. If you have a massive living room, then floorstanders would work well. Thats a massive generalisation, but it will do for starters.

The products Ive mentioned are just a few of very many products. There are many excellent items available. Whatever you buy, I would stick to spending the majority of the budget on the amp, and if you want the best bang for buck, second hand.

Other budget speaker brands that make excellent choices are:

KEF
Tannoy
Acoustic Energy
Mission
B&W

etc

Here are a few more that are decent. Take your pick.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=14993&item=5792026989&rd=1

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=14993&item=5792314509&rd=1

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=3276&item=5792824710&rd=1

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=14993&item=5791704839&rd=1

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=14993&item=5791350230&rd=1

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=14993&item=5790119878&rd=1

As you can see, speakers that were £200-£400 ish are available by the shed-load on the used market, for about £50-£100. This is usually people who are looking to upgrade to their next system.

By the way, I know you say you enjoy bass (we all do), but you could well end up with fat bloated horrible bass if you put a large floorstander in a small room..

 

nb ''Scott'' aren't a hifi brand I recognise, I would stay well clear - stick to a big brand name like those that I've mentioned above if I were you.

 

thanks for the advice mate and apreciate all the fuss you go through finding me those links, i do have a rather smallish room... well its been devided into 3 sections making it smaller... i was intending however on moving it around.
would the standmount speaker's bass sound better?

 

dont worry, I quite enjoy skiving off work. I really should get my ass back into it though.

Smaller speaker cones (generally) dont have as deep bass as large ones. Low bass notes can boom in confined spaces - like large bass cones inside a car hi-fi. This can make standmounts (generally) work better in more confined spaces.

Its important to use stands with standmounts, not putting them on the floor. You want to make a ''triangle shape'' with the speakers either side of you with space between them, and you in the middle. When you get the speakers you may have to play with the positioning of them before they sound right. This makes a very big difference, and just takes time and patience.

Good luck

 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=14991&item=5792511763&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW
had a look at a couple others, this one jumped to my eyes as its new and in my price range.
comments?

and those :
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=5791462511&rd=1&sspagename=STRK:MEWA:IT&rd=1
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=5791351592&rd=1&sspagename=STRK:MEWA:IT&rd=1

 

hi

The acoustic energy speakers would be fine (the ones on the top).

Ruark make great speakers. Those retailed at £599 (he said £900 including stands - he must have had some expensive stands!) If you can get them for under £200, Im sure that would be a bargain.

The B&W's would be ok, but they look like a very old model. I wouldnt get those ones personally, because I have never heard them.

 

ill be ordering those acoustic this evening then, so between now and 6pm is the right time to say "STOP!"

for the amp i will wait till the auction ends, see if i can make it for 250 quid, perhaps even 300, and if not ill go for the beat.

again, thanks very much for your help.

last thing, as my old amp got damaged, a rear cable also got damaged... its the cable which links all the other components too, id rather not take the risk and buy some new ones, where can i get decent ones? (or just go in a shop and get some regular ones?)

 

hi

(Im kind of suprised no-one else has jumped in on this thread ?!?)

you may be able to wangle some free speaker cable with the speakers you buy.

You could try putting up a ''wanted, speaker cable'' in the classifieds here, theres loads of people have spare sets.

If you want new, I would go to Maplin, they do perfectly decent cable.

Cheers
Chris

 

i didn't mean speaker sorry, its a "system controle" cable. looks like the following :
http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2005-6/1027141/P1010028.JPG

the white bit, which was linked the my amp, got ripped off the cable. i stuck it back together but i am not quite sure this is healthy.

 

hifi component seperates are joined together just with RCA leads (like the white and red ones in your pic).

Your system control cable is probably for remote control facilities to make the remote work with other items by the same manufacturer. This isnt something you get with a hifi consisting of hifi seperates, they have seperate remote controls.. although you can buy a '6 in 1' or '4 in 1' universal remote.

 

i'm selling a pair of those ae301s Roy...£57 on ebay atm
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=5790800615&ssPageName=STRK:MESE:IT

 

what does anybody else think?

Unison Unico
Beat B100
Naim 12 / 160

something else for about £350?

 

a very early Marantz PM17ki?
Audiolab 8000c/8000p?