Simple, traditional amp & speakers setup.

[Merlot]

I currently have a home cinema setup in my living room. Big shiney Yamaha DTS amp, 6 speakers and a sub.

However, I never use it and don't like it anymore.

I want a simple setup - decent stereo amp and two good bookshelf speakers. I want things to look very traditional so am thinking along the lines of a simple NAD amp with a couple of beach wood speakers. I am happy to get things second hand or used.

Budget for all would be circa £500.

Any recommendations?

[Merlot]

Very sad replying to my own message I know, but how do these look O wise people of pistonheads?


Monitor Audio BR1's

and


NAD C315BEE

?

Edited by Merlot on Saturday 18th July 21:52

[theboyfold]

What Yamaha amp do you have? Could you not just use it in a 2 speaker mode? Mine (I forget the model number) sounds perfectly good with a Marantz CD player and a pair of B&W 602

[Merlot]

theboyfold said:

What Yamaha amp do you have? Could you not just use it in a 2 speaker mode? Mine (I forget the model number) sounds perfectly good with a Marantz CD player and a pair of B&W 602

Sounds fine, but moving house and and something a little (lot) more subtle in terms of aesthetics!! A big silver amp with lots of buttons, knobs and a big display is not the look I'm going for.

[Graham E]

Those monitors are good, but personally I'd look on ebau and see if I could get Silver series if MA is a brand you like. The 315 IMO will be a little weak - the ebay route would probably give you access to a 370 if you were lucky, and if you don't mind the "old school" look, I'd definately reccomentd the Rotel kit - bags of grunt and you can't kill them.
A Rotel RA02 or prefereably 1070 fleabayed with MA silver bookshelves would be an awesome system, with orgiginal RRP over a grand - if you can fleabay for 500 notes, you're laughing.

Other ebay options would be a musical fidelity XA-100 or XA200, they have the added bonus of looking awesome, but only if you like different (and I do).

Speakers wise, some good other alternaitives B+W601 or 602 (602 are great but flippin big, IMO MA silvers are way better than 601 tho), Quad 11L if you like the look, the Mordaunt Short 900 series is canny as well.

[koenig999]

I just put together a roots system for FiL off E-Bay.

NAD 7120 receiver and Denon / Mission SMK5 speakers, for £60.

With £500 you may well be into lo end Linn integrated Majik and decent speakers, or a grunty NAD / Rotel model.

Or even Cambridge CA amps from Richer Sounds, not to be sniffed at?

Koenig

[Merlot]

Thanks for the detailed responses.

The room is not large so the system doesn't need to fill a huge area. It is 5m x 4m, but higher than normal 3m celings. As silly as this might sound, the system needs to be sympathetic to the decor and furnishing of the room, which will be Victorian furniture mainly. Another criteria is that the amp and speakers are physically small and not in any way intrusive.

I will have a close look at the suggestions given

[Driller]

Merlot said:

theboyfold said:

What Yamaha amp do you have? Could you not just use it in a 2 speaker mode? Mine (I forget the model number) sounds perfectly good with a Marantz CD player and a pair of B&W 602

Sounds fine, but moving house and and something a little (lot) more subtle in terms of aesthetics!! A big silver amp with lots of buttons, knobs and a big display is not the look I'm going for.

Have you thought about wall mount or ceiling mount speakers?

[Eggle]

How about a Naim Nait, like ebay item 230355710670 or 250462157439
And a pair of Epos speakers, like 350228521333
Even better if you could find the ES11. These iir were designed for Nail amps

[10 Pence Short]

Look for the NAD C350. It's got enough oomph and is the same size as the one you were looking at (The 370 was huge by comparison).

I used to have one a few years ago, for the price they were a great little amp.

[Nuisance_Value]

Ideally, to go in the style of room you describe, you'd want a classic looking set up. I'd shop around second-hand for a nice valve amp and perhaps some classic Tannoy Autograph Mini speakers or maybe some Rogers or suchlike, but you might find you're upping the budget a little, unless you're lucky that is.