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£2.200 to spend on upgrade but where to start

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Jamiejay1983
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puzzled Hi there I just want to say I'm new here an really enjoyed searching through the topics 

 

I need some clueless help. 

I currently have a denon n7 cd net radio system running through a set of mk1 bx2. With Cambridge audio cables an sub 

But after many hours of work work work I like to treat myself at Xmas. 

 

Im selling my system an have been looking at a Cyrus streamline with the 6xp amp n transport cd with a set of bx6s. I have not heard these in action yet as I have booked demos this Friday.  Also been recommended the new rotel separates too. I want a network player as I listen to a lot of net radio. 

I listen to a lot of old to new reggae. Soul an a mixture of all. 

 

Where do I start an what would u experts recommend 

Thanks jay 

 

 

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CnoEvil
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RE: £2.200 to spend on upgrade but where to start

Hi Jay, and welcome to the forum.

IMO Your should listen to the streaming solutions from Linn, Naim and Cyrus, all of which sound different.

You have to decide if you like a built-in amp or go with a separate one from a different brand. The brand of streamer/amp you like, will then determine the speakers to shortlist.

The best thing you can do is to start going to listen to your various options and see where your preference takes you. Amps from Creek, Musical Fidelity, Leema, Sugden and Electrocompaniet are worth checking out; as well as speakers from Kef, PMC, Proac, Spendor, Sonus Faber and Harbeth.

The secret is trying as many different brands as possible, before making up your mind.

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Jamiejay1983
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RE: £2.200 to spend on upgrade but where to start

Thank you. I want to get a amps cd player an streamer an speakers in one hit. Also heard a rotel set up is good with monitor audio an Cyrus is good with b&w 

 

I feel I have a challenge on my hands lol 

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altruistic.lemon
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RE: £2.200 to spend on upgrade but where to start

Sorry, mate, but CNO you have it the wrong way round. Speakers first, look at spending half of your budget on them. Then choose an amp that matches your speakers. Streamers, wouldn't know, got an AE myself. I believe there's not a heap of difference between them.

drummerman
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RE: £2.200 to spend on upgrade but where to start

I'd get a SB Touch/Logitech and carry on from there

 

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Jamiejay1983
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RE: £2.200 to spend on upgrade but where to start

Any you would recommend mate 

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drummerman
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RE: £2.200 to spend on upgrade but where to start

That really very much depends ...

 

regards

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CnoEvil
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RE: £2.200 to spend on upgrade but where to start

altruistic.lemon wrote:

Sorry, mate, but CNO you have it the wrong way round. Speakers first, look at spending half of your budget on them. Then choose an amp that matches your speakers. Streamers, wouldn't know, got an AE myself. I believe there's not a heap of difference between them.

Possibly, possibly not.

The chances are he will go with a built-in amp, and they do sound quite different....so it's not unreasonable to find the one you like and get speakers that work with it. It can work the other way round though.

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matthewpiano
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RE: £2.200 to spend on upgrade but where to start

The Cyrus stuff is brilliant but I think you might find it a bit on the lean side with your musical tastes and you might also find it is a passport into constantly adding extra boxes for ever more.  Really you need to do some auditioning to find out what suits your tastes.  A good dealer who can demonstrate a well set-up Cyrus system AND something quite different sounding would be the best place to start.  You can then take it from there.

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Jamiejay1983
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RE: £2.200 to spend on upgrade but where to start

Thanks guys. I'm from bedfordshire. Making the trip to hifix an audio affair Friday n have a bit of Saturday too 

 

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plastic penguin
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RE: £2.200 to spend on upgrade but where to start

Matthew has a good point about Cyrus being lean for your tastes, however, if you partner it with Dynaudio (any range DM 2/6, 2/7 Excite) they'll give you solid bass. Or alternatively, audition, audition, audition...

Nad, Creek, Arcam, Marantz, Roksan Kandy all spring to mind.

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Jamiejay1983
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RE: £2.200 to spend on upgrade but where to start

How about new rotel set up 

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Gusboll
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RE: £2.200 to spend on upgrade but where to start

If you want to go the Cyrus route (and obviously as below,  I would recommend it); seriously give some thought to some decent PMC speakers. Despite your budget, if it were me I would go for a better amp i.e. an 8 series; ex-demo/second-hand an option?

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richardw42
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RE: £2.200 to spend on upgrade but where to start

Re. the speakers. As reggae is named, might stand mounts plus sub be a bit better the floorstanders ?

Most floorstand speakers in the price bracket would go as low as a sub ?

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Jamiejay1983
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RE: £2.200 to spend on upgrade but where to start

Well. I could go for a bigger amp but. Which monitors would u say. Will I notice a huge difference from my bx2 n denon n7 mini unit lol 

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Craig M.
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RE: £2.200 to spend on upgrade but where to start

I'm not going to give an opinion on what kit you should buy, as that is pointless - I have no idea how you like music to sound or what your listening environment is like.  What I will give my opinion on is that you should concentrate on finding speakers that give the sound you want in your room (which is going to mean a home dem) along with an amp with enough power to control them, and to spend the lions share of your budget on the amp/speaker combination.  For the source, I think I'd be perfectly happy with a NAS and something like a Squeezebox touch - if you rip all your cd's to the NAS you won't need a cdp. 

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