Any HI-FI Buffs on here ?? I need some advice.

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Fab Foodie

hanging-on in quiet desperation ...
Location
Kirton, Devon.
 

Fab Foodie

hanging-on in quiet desperation ...
Location
Kirton, Devon.
I too have an ageinging 'big system' in the main annex.... Arcam 7SE, Audiolab 8000A, Thorens TD160, Nakamichi and Rogers Studio 1A speakers on stands. It all works well, but the Rogers are physically big 2' x 1' x 1' and sonically too big for the room too.

At Christmas I bought my daughter a Denon mini system and Q Acoustic speakers from Richer sounds and was very impressed. In fact impressed to the point that I just bought some for the man-cave. Whilst the speakers are atop a pine chest of drawers and 6" from the wall, when the port bungs are fitted they sound brilliant, really brilliant. Can't stop sneaking upstairs to listen to Jazz FM on DAB (nice!). CD's are good and I'm refurbing the Thorens TD160 to move it upstairs too.
http://www.richersounds.com/package/system-savers/mini-hi-fi-system-deals/pah012825
£285.
It's not quite perfect however in that whilst blessed with a USB and digital inputs it only has one line-phono input. That means that I have had to buy a phono preamp £26 and will buy a swtching module to allow Aux input as well. For the compactness, ease of use (remote control) but particularly the sound quality I'm prepared to accept that.

In fact when I have a few more shekels I might look to audition the Q Acoustics floor-standing brothers to replace the Rogers in the main room just to have something smaller physically and sonically.

If the Heybrooks (which on their dedicated stands are big space eaters - but sound nice!) are in good nick you might get a decent few quid for them s/h.
 

vickster

Squire
I have a rotel amp and CD player powering some b&w speakers. CDs sound so much better than when ripped and played on iPad et . I still buy CDs rather than downloading apart from the occasional single and it is a faff to download all, so I like having the system, doesn't take much room...and I can play my CDs in the car

Cambridge separates from Richer Sounds are fairly inexpensive and always got good press
 

threebikesmcginty

Corn Fed Hick...
Location
...on the slake
SE version for me :tongue:

Just checked, I've actually got the Arcam 7 CD player but the amp is an Arcam 8 so you can flush your SE rubbish down the khazi.
happy0.gif
 

raleighnut

Legendary Member
I too have an ageinging 'big system' in the main annex.... Arcam 7SE, Audiolab 8000A, Thorens TD160, Nakamichi and Rogers Studio 1A speakers on stands. It all works well, but the Rogers are physically big 2' x 1' x 1' and sonically too big for the room too.

At Christmas I bought my daughter a Denon mini system and Q Acoustic speakers from Richer sounds and was very impressed. In fact impressed to the point that I just bought some for the man-cave. Whilst the speakers are atop a pine chest of drawers and 6" from the wall, when the port bungs are fitted they sound brilliant, really brilliant. Can't stop sneaking upstairs to listen to Jazz FM on DAB (nice!). CD's are good and I'm refurbing the Thorens TD160 to move it upstairs too.
http://www.richersounds.com/package/system-savers/mini-hi-fi-system-deals/pah012825
£285.
It's not quite perfect however in that whilst blessed with a USB and digital inputs it only has one line-phono input. That means that I have had to buy a phono preamp £26 and will buy a swtching module to allow Aux input as well. For the compactness, ease of use (remote control) but particularly the sound quality I'm prepared to accept that.

In fact when I have a few more shekels I might look to audition the Q Acoustics floor-standing brothers to replace the Rogers in the main room just to have something smaller physically and sonically.

If the Heybrooks (which on their dedicated stands are big space eaters - but sound nice!) are in good nick you might get a decent few quid for them s/h.
If you're refurbing the 160 I'd look at the mounting plate to fit a Rega RB250 (or the Thorens badged version the TD 250) I fitted one to my 166 and it made a heck of a difference.
 

phil_hg_uk

I am not a member, I am a free man !!!!!!

Fab Foodie

hanging-on in quiet desperation ...
Location
Kirton, Devon.
If you're refurbing the 160 I'd look at the mounting plate to fit a Rega RB250 (or the Thorens badged version the TD 250) I fitted one to my 166 and it made a heck of a difference.
I've thought about that as a future upgrade. Currently it has a reconditioned SME series2.
 

Fab Foodie

hanging-on in quiet desperation ...
Location
Kirton, Devon.
Nice Arm, I don't know which would be the better of the 2, I went from the standard Thorens arm on mine so that was a big upgrade.
The Rega would be better as the SME was designed for light tracking weights and old cartridges like the Shure M75ED. It doesn't work well with MC types or those needing a bit more mass.
The standard 166 arm was not it's best feature and the Rega arm transforms it.
My friend fitted a Linn Basik arm on a TD150 and that worked very well too.
 
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