HiFi Systems versus Amps

[Jaime B]

hei,

Now that I have decent headphones on the way I want to earmark a new amp or hifi system and I wonder what would be a good purchase for no more than 500 euro / that's c.700 USD and 435 British Pounds.

I don't have speakers so should I get a system? I play music through my ipod or laptop. I don't really use CDs. Is the money better spent on a very good amp? Since I will be listening to a lot of classical then I am interested in soundstage.

How important are the speakers to the sound?

Thanks 

[Herman]

No big deal but these audio kit topics should be in the Diner.

Five hundred euro for an entire system ain't much.

[Jaime B]

Thanks for the tip

[Coopmv]

hei,

Now that I have decent headphones on the way I want to earmark a new amp or hifi system and I wonder what would be a good purchase for no more than 500 euro / that's c.700 USD and 435 British Pounds.

I don't have speakers so should I get a system? I play music through my ipod or laptop. I don't really use CDs. Is the money better spent on a very good amp? Since I will be listening to a lot of classical then I am interested in soundstage.

How important are the speakers to the sound?

Thanks 

Rega makes some reasonably priced amps and they are still made in the UK.  I love my Rega Planet 2000 CD Player.

Read a Rega Review here

[Jaime B]

Thanks for moving me to the diner, I was peckish. Thanks for the advice, that Rega amp also looks sexy If it performs as well as it looks.

[Valentino]

For inexpensive and well built stuff also look to Rotel and Cambridge Audio.
Do you play CDs or is network player your thang?

[Coopmv]

For inexpensive and well built stuff also look to Rotel and Cambridge Audio.
Do you play CDs or is network player your thang?

Yeah, but for comparable price, you are better off buying the British-made Rega.  All Rotel and Cambridge Audio gears are now made in China and quality control for Chinese-made equipments is always an issue ...

[DavidW]

I don't have speakers so should I get a system? I play music through my ipod or laptop. I don't really use CDs. Is the money better spent on a very good amp? Since I will be listening to a lot of classical then I am interested in soundstage.

No you should not, it doesn't make sense if you don't have speakers and don't plan on buying them.  Buy a total bithead or another dac+headphone amp.  Then your entire thing is portable, and that's awesome.  Digital out from your laptop, line-out from your ipod dock (if you have one) and you're set.

[Valentino]

I think my Logitech Transporter is made in China...
Somehow I came to think of the build quality of Dritish cars in the seventies.

Nothing wrong with Rega, though. Rega is splendid quality. My point is that where it's built doesn't matter, but how it's built. E.g. QUAD and KEF, what about their buildplace and -quality?

Addendum: +1 on DavidW's recommendation.

[Coopmv]

I think my Logitech Transporter is made in China...
Somehow I came to think of the build quality of Dritish cars in the seventies.

Nothing wrong with Rega, though. Rega is splendid quality. My point is that where it's built doesn't matter, but how it's built. E.g. QUAD and KEF, what about their buildplace and -quality?

Addendum: +1 on DavidW's recommendation.

I have owned my British-made Rega Planet 2000 for over 5 years and it has always delivered great performance.  It is quality I can count on.  Many of the Chinese-made equipments are hit-or-miss.  I have never owned any QUAD and KEF equipments.  They are both owned by the Chinese now.

[drogulus]

    Jaime B, what's the source? What do you want this for? You didn't make clear what you're going to do with this amp, if it's an amp you want. Are you looking for a full fledged hifi or a small combo system for casual listening?

   OK, I see the iPod and laptop are the sources. Do you want a small integrated system or a big hifi?

   If 500 Euro is the budget you could get an integrated amp and a pair of small bookshelf speakers. Or a receiver with USB so you aren't at the mercy of your laptop sound card.

   

    Pioneer VSX-918-S ~£250

    This Pioneer receiver has USB input. It isn't an audiophile product but it performs a number of functions you can use. Unfortunately it's slightly over your budget.

   

[Jaime B]

   Jaime B, what's the source? What do you want this for? You didn't make clear what you're going to do with this amp, if it's an amp you want. Are you looking for a full fledged hifi or a small combo system for casual listening?

   OK, I see the iPod and laptop are the sources. Do you want a small integrated system or a big hifi?

   If 500 Euro is the budget you could get an integrated amp and a pair of small bookshelf speakers. Or a receiver with USB so you aren't at the mercy of your laptop sound card.

   

    Pioneer VSX-918-S ~£250

That looks great and I think I could stretch to it if is worth it.

As regards not getting speakers, no I want to get speakers. I will maybe get a small amp, one of those little Fiio ones for the Headphones to the ipod but in the long run I want to have the music fill the room. Perhaps a fully-fledged hifi makes no sense and I should get the good amp before worrying about speakers.

Also, in relation to Rega, it is not available to me in Ireland as I checked all over. Now you can get it shipped from the UK... more money. Where is it sold in the UK I wonder?  Is this an unusual choice?

    This Pioneer receiver has USB input. It isn't an audiophile product but it performs a number of functions you can use. Unfortunately it's slightly over your budget.

   

[The new erato]

Somehow I came to think of the build quality of Dritish cars in the seventies.

Dritish cars, is that a Freudian slip? (drit meaning crap in Norwegian).

[Coopmv]

Dritish cars, is that a Freudian slip? (drit meaning crap in Norwegian).

You cannot compare cars with audio equipments.  The US carmakers have been making some of the crappiest cars in the world compared with the German and Japanese carmakers.  On the other end, US audio manufacturers like McIntosh, Audio Research and Conrad Johnson have been making some of the best audio equipments in the world for decades and counting.  

[drogulus]

             (click logo)
    has Cambridge Audio, NAD, and Denon integrated amps. They also have Onkyo, Yamaha, Pioneer, and Denon receivers (advantages: sub out, digital in, and you want those). I didn't see any good speaker options at this place.

     I did find in Cork, where they have speakers from Mission, Monitor Audio, and Tannoy in your price range.
                                           (click banner)
     

[Jaime B]

Thanks Drogulus.

I never heard of Munster Sounds. Interesting. richer sounds seem great as regards choice. 

[Valentino]

A typograpic slip, not Freudian, erato.