[THE:MILKMAN]

I want to get a quality compact amp and Dac for my bedroom. I already have some lovely compact speakers (Art Audio Stiletto's)

My budget for the 2 would be ~£1000.

Been out the HiFi loop for 6-7 years so a shortlist of stuff to audition would be great.

p.s I'm in the UK.

[Phat Michael]

Can u look at the CEntrance series? I have the centrance.dacmini and headphones, look for their series with the dac plus integrated amp. They had the front cover of stereophile on it..

[scotcheggz]

Rega stuff is nice and doesn't have to kill your wallet for quality. They just released their new model amps this year I believe. The Brio-R is about £450-£500 and the Mira is about £600 I think. I like Rega, nice sound.

Never mind the Mira isn't compact at all, missed that part. brio-R might still be suitable?

[THE:MILKMAN]

Can u look at the CEntrance series? I have the centrance.dacmini and headphones, look for their series with the dac plus integrated amp. They had the front cover of stereophile on it..

That look's quite nice. I assume I'd have to import though and bumping the price to ~£1500 with import duty/VAT?

Rega stuff is nice and doesn't have to kill your wallet for quality. They just released their new model amps this year I believe. The Brio-R is about £450-£500 and the Mira is about £600 I think. I like Rega, nice sound. Never mind the Mira isn't compact at all, missed that part. brio-R might still be suitable?

Yes I remember my uncle owning a Rega turntable he loved when I was a kid. How would you describe the sound?

Looking at the site I like what I see......and bonus they do a Dac too. *Goes to find prices*

Cheers guy's.

[Raistlin]

It's so sad HiFi is dead for all intents in the US.


The concept of easily auditioning good components is but a dream =(

[THE:MILKMAN]

It's so sad HiFi is dead for all intents in the US. The concept of easily auditioning good components is but a dream =(

Is it really that bad stateside? Still plenty of independent HiFi dealers here in the UK.

Think I will get a listen to the Rega amp/dac combo and compare them with whatever the dealer has in the same price range.

[Zeth]

It's so sad HiFi is dead for all intents in the US. The concept of easily auditioning good components is but a dream =(

This saddens me too. The countless hours I spend researching online will never match up to visiting a true hifi store and auditioning actual equipment I'm interested in.

[nitewulf]

I want to get a quality compact amp and Dac for my bedroom. I already have some lovely compact speakers (Art Audio Stiletto's) My budget for the 2 would be ~£1000. Been out the HiFi loop for 6-7 years so a shortlist of stuff to audition would be great. p.s I'm in the UK.

best bet:

http://www.wyred4sound.com/webapps/p.../117839/612512

[THE:MILKMAN]

best bet: http://www.wyred4sound.com/webapps/p.../117839/612512

I must admit that looks sweet. Two problems with this though.

There is only one UK dealer as far as I can tell........and it is £1300 which is just too much:(

Also, I think I would prefer to get my Hi-Fi fairly locally from a bricks and mortar store these days.

Yes, I'm getting old....

[Raistlin]

Is it really that bad stateside? Still plenty of independent HiFi dealers here in the UK. Think I will get a listen to the Rega amp/dac combo and compare them with whatever the dealer has in the same price range.

There are still some dealers here, but the bigger problem IMO is distribution. Because HiFi simply doesn't sell as well in the US, a ton of companies simply aren't exported here. Especially the smaller ones which really makes up a huge chunk of the market.

So even if you find a big store, it's still not going to have a ton of the smaller brands ... and what ones they have are imported at high prices. What you typically find is a smaller store though, and they literally only have a handful of components :\ Basically they select a couple of brands and that's it.




In general, it seems both video and audio are commodities in the US. The vast majority of people simply want cheap prices.

[THE:MILKMAN]

There are still some dealers here, but the bigger problem IMO is distribution. Because HiFi simply doesn't sell as well in the US, a ton of companies simply aren't exported here. Especially the smaller ones which really makes up a huge chunk of the market. So even if you find a big store, it's still not going to have a ton of the smaller brands ... and what ones they have are imported at high prices. What you typically find is a smaller store though, and they literally only have a handful of components :\ Basically they select a couple of brands and that's it. In general, it seems both video and audio are commodities in the US. The vast majority of people simply want cheap prices.

Yeah it is a sad situation. You are so right about the ridiculous mark up's. Though I will say that here in the UK we get shafted much harder!

Example: Looking at DAC's last night I saw the the Emotiva XDA-1 for the amazing low price of $200 (~£130).

Checked UK dealer and it is £350 (~$540)............

[FoxSpirit]

Emotiva amps are generally great and considered top notch in studios. Very revealing and neutral. If you can get one, do it.

Most amps are overpriced and a lot of stuff is overhyped, sadly. Don't believe the hype.

[Witchfinder General]

I want to get a quality compact amp and Dac for my bedroom. I already have some lovely compact speakers (Art Audio Stiletto's) My budget for the 2 would be ~£1000. Been out the HiFi loop for 6-7 years so a shortlist of stuff to audition would be great. p.s I'm in the UK.

Your speakers seem fairly easy to drive (88.5db/8ohm) so you don't need a monster of an amp.

Without knowing your music taste (and how your room is furnished) it's hard to make an iron-clad recommendation but seeing as how I've worked in the hi-fi industry for years let me make a few suggestions.

System 1:

AMP: Rega Brio-R



An absolute sweetheart of an amp. Built in the UK, this half-width amplifier weighs a ton as the insides are crammed full with big caps and a huge toroidal transformer. Sonically the amp has what I would describe as a very "analogue" sound, slightly warm but very natural with a sweet mid-range and well rounded bass and clean treble. A fantastic MM phonostage is the only "extra" that comes with this amp but rega being a turntable company first and foremost it is excellent.

DAC: Rega DAC



As you can tell this is the digital brother of the Brio-R. I could write paragraphs on this DAC waxing lyrical on its merits, on how natural and detailed it is, how amazing a soundstage it projects or how well it presents the music as a whole, gestalt style. I'll instead simply say this: I own this DAC and it replaced a $7,500 AUD CD player. Yeah.

Price for the combo: Less than £1000.

Quite frankly, no combo comes close at the price, especially if you're after a compact system.

Alternatively you try the following combo:

Cyrus 6XP amp/Cambridge Audio DacMagic Plus.

Great if you want a brighter, more "exciting" sound but not as well rounded or convincing as the Rega.

I suggest auditioning both systems and asking the advice of hi-fi salesmen from a good store. Don't be scared if they suggest a combo you haven't considered or even heard of. As long as it sounds good, the brand is reputable and the price is acceptable then you should have no qualms about purchasing it. How many reviews a product has received or how much it's raved about on forums means nothing.

[Raistlin]

Yeah it is a sad situation. You are so right about the ridiculous mark up's. Though I will say that here in the UK we get shafted much harder! Example: Looking at DAC's last night I saw the the Emotiva XDA-1 for the amazing low price of $200 (~£130). Checked UK dealer and it is £350 (~$540)............

Yeah, but Emotiva is a US brand.

The point is there are a lot more Euro HiFi brands to begin with ... as well as more distribution channels from other regions. The Emotiva situation is the exception, not the rule.

[THE:MILKMAN]

Your speakers seem fairly easy to drive (88.5db/8ohm) so you don't need a monster of an amp. Without knowing your music taste (and how your room is furnished) it's hard to make an iron-clad recommendation but seeing as how I've worked in the hi-fi industry for years let me make a few suggestions. System 1: AMP: Rega Brio-R An absolute sweetheart of an amp. Built in the UK, this half-width amplifier weighs a ton as the insides are crammed full with big caps and a huge toroidal transformer. Sonically the amp has what I would describe as a very "analogue" sound, slightly warm but very natural with a sweet mid-range and well rounded bass and clean treble. A fantastic MM phonostage is the only "extra" that comes with this amp but rega being a turntable company first and foremost it is excellent. DAC: Rega DAC As you can tell this is the digital brother of the Brio-R. I could write paragraphs on this DAC waxing lyrical on its merits, on how natural and detailed it is, how amazing a soundstage it projects or how well it presents the music as a whole, gestalt style. I'll instead simply say this: I own this DAC and it replaced a $7,500 AUD CD player. Yeah. Price for the combo: Less than £1000. Quite frankly, no combo comes close at the price, especially if you're after a compact system. Alternatively you try the following combo: Cyrus 6XP amp/Cambridge Audio DacMagic Plus. Great if you want a brighter, more "exciting" sound but not as well rounded or convincing as the Rega. I suggest auditioning both systems and asking the advice of hi-fi salesmen from a good store. Don't be scared if they suggest a combo you haven't considered or even heard of. As long as it sounds good, the brand is reputable and the price is acceptable then you should have no qualms about purchasing it. How many reviews a product has received or how much it's raved about on forums means nothing.

Thanks. That the Rega DAC has replaced a $7500 CD Player has certainly raised my eyebrows! Have you a link to the $7500 CD Player?

Lucky for me I have both a Rega and Cyrus dealer 15min away and will be going down at the weekend.

Yeah, but Emotiva is a US brand. The point is there are a lot more Euro HiFi brands to begin with ... as well as more distribution channels from other regions. The Emotiva situation is the exception, not the rule.

Sorry! I do agree that it is a pity the smaller Euro brands are not distributed in the US.

[Witchfinder General]

Thanks. That the Rega DAC has replaced a $7500 CD Player has certainly raised my eyebrows! Have you a link to the $7500 CD Player? Lucky for me I have both a Rega and Cyrus dealer 15min away and will be going down at the weekend.

Yeah, it was a Densen 400XS. The Rega wasn't better but it was close enough that selling the Densen allowed me to upgrade the valves in my preamp.

[THE:MILKMAN]

Yeah, it was a Densen 400XS. The Rega wasn't better but it was close enough that selling the Densen allowed me to upgrade the valves in my preamp.

Nice. It seems almost too good to be true how DAC's have improved in the last year or two.

I'm now really looking forward to hear what degree the Rega DAC is better than my current Cambridge Audio 640C V2.

[shadyspace]

What's HiFi?

[Raistlin]

What's HiFi?

[Grakl]

What's HiFi?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_fidelity

[Alucrid]

Rega DAC, aside from quality, is great because of the number of connections it has. Plan on upgrading to that and then add in a Rythmik F12 to complete my setup for the time being later this year.

[Witchfinder General]

The thing about the Rega DAC is that it needs to be treated as component worth 10 times the value. In other words, as good as it sounds with similarly priced components you only really hear what it can do when crammed with some decent high-end gear. Kinda like the Sennheiser HD650, a headphone I really didn't truly enjoy until I used it with my Manley preamp.

[Raistlin]

Sorry! I do agree that it is a pity the smaller Euro brands are not distributed in the US.

No need to apologize ... just saying Euro-gaf has it good in this particular situation.

[THE:MILKMAN]

After a good auditioning session over the weekend, this is the result:)



2 hours in and I'm already happy with the sound. Very even sound from treble to bass. Nothing sticks out which I like.

The first thing I noticed compared to my CA 640C v2/Yamaha AVR combo was the soundstage (wow), didn't realise I was missing it! Detail is also a big step up too.

Thanks everyone for all the suggestions/advice:)

Now to buy some music........

[Lord Griegous]

EDIT: My apologies for hijacking the thread, but I cannot find any other relevant with the search function of Gaf... If there is another more suited thread that someone knows of, please direct me there...

Hey guys. I am in need of some help here.

I had a Logitech Z-5500 setup for my TV that just died on me. I have been thinking for a while to get a decent upgrade for my surround sound anyways, so now I have an excuse to do it.

So my question is: do you have any good speaker setup and amp combination to propose?

I was thinking of avoiding the "combo" packs that you find in every electronics store and maybe get the speakers independently from the rest. Would that be sound?

Also I would rather avoid huge speakers. I rarely turn the sound up too much, plus I don't have too much space in the living room.

Also, the system will be used for movies, sports and gaming (PS3, X360) mostly.

I live in Europe (Spain), so I would appreciate suggestions obtainable here.

My budget at this point is pretty high fortunately.

Thanks for any help in advance.

[Mohonky]

After a good auditioning session over the weekend, this is the result:) 2 hours in and I'm already happy with the sound. Very even sound from treble to bass. Nothing sticks out which I like. The first thing I noticed compared to my CA 640C v2/Yamaha AVR combo was the soundstage (wow), didn't realise I was missing it! Detail is also a big step up too. Thanks everyone for all the suggestions/advice:) Now to buy some music........

Congrats, with such a small footprint I am interested in looking into these myself.