Please Help A Newbie With New Hifi Setup?
Hi guys,
Im new here and really new to "High End Audio".
I am currently saving and looking into getting a decent hifi system together, circa the £750 - £1000 range.
After having a pair of Alessandro MS1's and now a pair of Grado SR325i's w/ G Cushion Pads, Im hooked and in need of having a high quality set-up.
A friend of mine has this set-up:
Tannoy Mercury V4's
Yamaha AS500
And i believe his system is bi-wired using QED Silver cables.
Now, This is more or less the same system i want, however i need your guys opinions on a few things:
1, Yamaha AS500 vs Marantz PM6004?
2, Whats the difference with speaker performance between both amplifiers?
3, Would your recommend using different cables?
4, Are there any other products you would recommend instead? With this budget what system would you go with and why?
Thanks, hope some people on here can help me out.
Liam
Hello Supervillain,
I am exactly moving from Tannou Fussion 4 (now they are caller Mercury 4) speakers and NAD receiver to much higher level and I have made my mind to go to stereo only (for music) and to use second hand oldies.
Hi omnibeard,
i'd prefer new but i am willing to second hand if a good deal arises.
what did you have in mind?
Paired with those speakers I would tend to go for the Marantz.
Do not worry too much about the speaker cables but do save yourself a bob or two and forget bi-wiring, it's not going to be worth it.
Hi omnibeard,
i'd prefer new but i am willing to second hand if a good deal arises.
what did you have in mind?
A mint pair of the latest used ADM9's that you can get your hands on.
Why is bi-wiring not worth it?
Also, what makes you pair the marantz over the yamaha?
The reasons im edging more to the AS500 is the added power, and the sub port.
As i havn't heard the PM6004, does the extra £80 really justify over the AS500?
Why is bi-wiring not worth it?
Also, what makes you pair the marantz over the yamaha?
The reasons im edging more to the AS500 is the added power, and the sub port.
As i havn't heard the PM6004, does the extra £80 really justify over the AS500?
Because you will not hear any difference.
If the sub port is a 'must have' then go for it. Whatever you do audition it first, preferably in your own home, and don't just buy it because your mates sounded good.
I have heard both amps, but not with the Tannoy's, and I know which I would go for 
It will also depend on what you intend as a source.
Thanks.
Thats why i posted on here. i've been looking into this for about the last 2 months. But alot of the information ive found hasn't really been all that helpful to my final decision.
If i can help it, i don't want to have the same equipment as my friend. But i want to know whatever my decision is, that it rivals the same sound quality that his system produces.
My main source atm is my laptop playing FLAC and CD rip/WAV files. The soundcard is intergrated and doesnt sound all that great, but i am looking at getting the Fiio E17 to bypass my soundcard and use as my dedicated headphone amp/DAC.
For that budget, you really owe it to yourself to hear the AVI ADM9. If you're anywhere close to Gloucestershire get over to AVI and have a listen. The new RS model are £1250 which might be stretching it a bit.
Bartletts (on Amazn) will sell the previous 9s for £100o.
If you have a look at the AVI forum pairs come up for high hundreds.
Ok, after reading up a little about the AVI ADM9's, im very interested in these now.
What can you tell me about these, pro's/con's?
Pros...
Compact system, less boxes.
Superb sound quality, lack of distortion, flat(ish) frequency response.
Cons...
Sound presentation might initially seem bass light, but this is more to do with the way active speakers portray bass than any defficiency. They supposedly have more bass than my BM5As and they sound fine to me.
The deserve a listen, if only to discount them.
So you've got a £1,000 total budget and the suggestion is that you spend it all on a second hand pair of speakers. Presumably you are going to look at them for the next couple of years as your budget is blown and you haven't got a front end, amp or wires. So the pros is that you have something nice to look at; the cons is that you have nothing to listen to. You need a budget of around £2,500 to justify £1,000 on a pair of AVIs.
The best reply so far is actually in your question. You are very happy with your friend's system, si start there as a reference point. Try the Marantz in a dealers listening room. If it is better, then great. If not, go with what your friend has. He will be thrilled that you have endorsed his choice and you'll have a friend for life.
Ultimately it is your own ears that will make the choice, not how many stars it got at review time. It's your system, so do what's best for you.
So you've got a £1,000 total budget and the suggestion is that you spend it all on a second hand pair of speakers. Presumably you are going to look at them for the next couple of years as your budget is blown and you haven't got a front end, amp or wires. So the pros is that you have something nice to look at; the cons is that you have nothing to listen to. You need a budget of around £2,500 to justify £1,000 on a pair of AVIs.
Erm, THESE are active speakers, with built in DAC and preamp, but you knew that already, right?
thats it, the ADM9's are all ill need though.
I like things very minimalist as is.
These will be breaking my budget, but they seem perfect to what i want. I am just abit wary of people saying they can be too revealing.
My friends set up is nice, but i don't want the same system as him if i can help it. He's my best mate anyway, and we spend alot of time comparing our music and equipment.
I want a system that is going to give me a similar sound experience as my Grados do.
- Login to post comments
If you're willing to go second hand you could absolutely blow that system away with £1000.
But are you willing?