Sound quality on my MCR603 and BX2's

Cypher wrote:

Buy some budget separates and sell the MCR 603 is my advice. The MCR 603 was very dissapointing when I heard it...............don't know why so many people like it. It must be the looks 

I downsized from a Naim Nait 5i/CD5i/NAT05 system to the M-CR603.  Obviously the Naim system was 'better', but I have not regretted my move in the 22 months since. The M-CR603 is not a 'Naim beater' but it's still far better than it has any right to be and was far better than I expected for what I spent.

I wouldn't go back. If you delivered my old Naim system, brand new and free, to my doorstep tommorrow, I'd just sell it again and buy even better speakers to go with my M-CR603

They're a fantastic match! Get yourself a demo and you'll soon see why!

Dont forget though you'd be comparing a top of the range budget speaker with an entry level high-end speaker IMO...

Definitly look inbetween as well at the likes of the MA RX1s and the B&W 685's...

I know that you feel that the BX2s are too bassy for the CR603 but the RX1's are in a different league IMO

There's your probelm right there; the Naim Nait 5 just isnt good enough to drive the MA GX200s... It's a good amp but with speakers like the MA's they need better amplification!

Id say if you heard them with some better amps such as the Cyrus Mono's or even the likes of a NAD C165BEE/C275BEE pre/power combo you'd soon hear what theyre all about!

Dont agree with that at all; in the same boat as Chebby I used the CR603 to replace an Arcam Alpha 10 integrated and 10P power amp with a Rega Apollo CDP and Neat Motive 2's and the CR603 held it's own very well indeed

Fair enough the Arcam set-up was c10 years old but that was £2k's worth of electronics in its day plus with £1400 speakers!

The CR603 was able to drive the Motive 2s with ease and made them sound just as good as the Arcam/Rega set-up...

Id say that if you hear the CR603 with decent speakers; youll soon realise what the system is all about...

As for comparing it against budget separates; you cant; that's an all-in-one system against separate electronics! Compare it against the other AIO systems out there; it'll come out at the top or near as damn it!

But for me; having heard the CR603 against the Arcam FMJ entry stuff, Marantx entra amps and CDP's as well as the Rotal RA entry stuff; with decent speakers (KEF R100s, R300s and PMC GB1is) the CR603 gave them ALL a solid run for their money!

Of course you can disagree with me, no problem.

But I heard a Marantz PM6003/CD6003 combination with BX2 speakers, and a MCR603 with BX2 speakers and the PM6003/CD6003 sounded so much better......more detail, more bass, more weight. No comparison.

Why would I sell the MCR603 and but budget seperates??? As previously said I wanted to downsize and I have just bought it. As I have already said it sounds excellent with my Q35.2'sso obviously IT IS the BX2's that don't sound good!!

I'm guessing that if I add the R100's which should obvosly sound better than the Q35.2's being from the same manufacturer, in the next range level up and 17 years later design technology and getting better reviews than the Q35.2's did they should be able to maximise the sound available from the MCR603 even if the MCR603 doesn't get the maximum from the speakers.

However, I do think its ridiculous that dealers can't deliver the Kef R series when the nearest dealer is over an hours drive away!!!

Hi all,this is my first post but just thought i would add my two pennys worth.I auditioned some B&W CM8's at Rayliegh HiFi on the end of Naim nait 5i amp and cd player,in the shop at the time they had a Denon Ceol playing through some CM1's and it sounded good.For a laugh asked them to hook it up in the dem room to the CM8's the salesman humoured me and we tried a few tracks and i actually prefered its gutsier delivery.I ordered the CM8's and Denon in white with the view to maybe upgrade to a seperates system later.That was six months ago and ive never enjoyed my music as much or listened to it as often as i find airplay so convenient.Ive read that the CM8's are hard to drive but the Ceol drives them well with a punchy bass and to very high levels with no hardness.

Yes i understand the R100's are an entry level high-end speaker and the BX2's are budget speakers. I have always tended to like the sound from Kef speakers

Have you heard them paired together?

tino1104 ; you don't have do anything. You said the BX2/MCR603 didn't sound good together. I think the problem is the MCR603, not the speakers. I just gave my opinion.

As I said its definitely not the MCR603 because when connected to my 17 year old Kef Q35.2's it sounds excellent!!

But then again everyones entitled to thier own opinion and everyones tase in sound are different. I just find the sound from the BX2's very boring but connect the Q35.2's and it comes to life.

OK. I understand 

Just demo'd the MCR603 with the Kef R100's.....Superb.... Ordered a pair!!

told you...

They match very well indeed and they are leagues apart from the MA BX2s