New Year, New System on £4-5k Budget

It sounds like Sonos would be best for your home, but you have the wifi issue, which I don't understand as your house has more radio waves flying through probably from other people's wifi and never mind that mobile frequencies are in more abundance. 

If you went with sonos, you could easily scale music through your whole home very cost effectively, but the Naim all in one sounds best bet. Might be worth demoing the Naim options. I would opt for a simple streamer with power amp - I believe Naim just released a compact version (Cyrus size). David will probably know more about this. 

What decor is the room? If its classical and woody, the pmc twenty with right veneer will add to the classic looks. They are not look at me speakers but sound great and come with bookshelf version for smaller visual impact.

unitilite and ATC scm 11s

If you really want wallmounted speakers you could have a look at these 3, PMC Wafer 2, Image Audio IA8 and Monitor Audio SoundFrame 1, they have all gotten great reviews here at What Hi Fi.

I am putting together the following system

http://www.whathifi.com/forum/hi-fi/new-system-for-2013-on-wall-valve-fl...

may be there is something that can be of interest in this set up. I can vouch for the speakers for sure!

Another option that has popped up today is by Musical Fidelity. They have just released the M1SDAC, which is a high quality, 24/192 with 7 inputs (two analogue), a pre-amplifier, headphone amplifier, and a Bluetooth/apt-X receiver fire wireless transfer. This can be used together with two M1 power amplifiers in mono mode, and a M1CDT CD transport plugged in digitally to the M1SDAC. Once again, speaker choice is yours - there's plenty to choose from

Nice to see more use of Bluetooth. As there seems to be quite a lot of snobbery about it. 

Can you give more info as I didn't find it on their website. 

Apologies - a little busy, so this is copied and pasted from what I've posted elsewhere this morning.

This is a high quality 24/192 DAC with no less than seven inputs:

• 2 x COAX inputs (will accept up to 24bit/192kHz)

• 1 x AES/EBU balanced input (will accept up to 24bit/192kHz)

• 1 x USB input (will accept up to 24bit/192kHz, asynchronous)

• 1 x Optical input (will accept up to 24bit/96kHz)

• 1 x Bluetooth V 2.1 apt-x receiver (up to 24bit/48 kHz and up-sampled to 24bit/192kHz)

• 2 x RCA Analogue inputs

• 1 x COAX output

• 1 x Optical output

As well as a high quality headphone amplifier, the M1SDAC also has a built in pre-amplifier, allowing direct connection to a suitable power amplifier.

The M1SDAC retails for £799.

I suppose its for those that don't want or need the Clic. 

Pis it likely that the clic will get Bluetooth and head amp ?

Not sure, not heard any details about that changing.

Just think I'd feel a little short changed having the Clic and seeing these extras. 

Still I think knowing how good Sonos is I'd prob have one of these and the ms1. 

The M1 range has to be some of the best looking hi Fi boxes going. 

Just re read specs you put up. 

Are the optical and coax the only outputs ?

XLR and USB too, as well as a couple of analogue inputs.

I have recently replaced all my kit and before doing so spent about a year (reading and auditioning) trying to understand what I want in terms of sound and then how to achieve it while keeping the system compact and with excellent seamless control. based on this experience:

the most important part is speakers. these must be chosen on acoustic performance (and should be acceptable looks-wise for domestic use). understand what sound you want and then what kind of speakers will deliver it. spend a lot of time doing this.

for sources, as most digital sources these dasy produce virtually identical sound, the most important is compatibility with formats you intend to play, compatibility wit the other kit in your (future) system and the user interface/control. think this through, completely.

at 5k budget (and looking for 'accurate, neutral, low distortion sound' I would go for a set of active speakers at abt 4-4.5k and spend the rest on a modern source (e.g. mac mini, sonos, sb touch or another modern streamer, maybe a nas) and, importantly, think through the control so the system is very easy and pleasant to use.

5k is a lot of money. choose wisely. avoid spending too soon and ending up with 'just another' system. Get a special one, the right one, instead.

if interested in actives, check out the 'active speaekers club' thread for options.

I recommend going the active route (but you will have limited choice looks-wise compared to the passive offerings), but if you go passive I recommend looking for high-perfromance, neutral sounding speakers with excellent drivers (e.g. Harbeth, ATC), low distortion and get an amp with high-current and high peak power capability. 

Interesting product! I'd prefer AptX output as well as input for compatible headphones. Another device that can feed a power amp directly!

Lots of good advice.  Thanks.

After much thought I'd still prefer wall mounted speakers since I have a young active family and I have doors and windows without much wall space or corners to adequately place the speakers.  Probably less chance that they'd be knocked around.

I still need to do more research on whether to go active or passive speakers.  I hadn't considered active before and I'm not sure which would be best considering my budget.  Bang & Olufsen make active speakers and could also be wall mounted.  I heard them and they sound ok but not sure how they compare with others unfortunately.