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  3. 1146226882

Advice on Budget System?

I'm currently running my music through a Toshiba DVD player and a low-end Marantz (5500) AV Receiver. But I've become convinced by these forums that I can put together a decent music system for less than $1000 (not including speakers), so I'm ready to take the plunge. I currently have a pair of VonSchweikert VR1s, and I plan to upgrade to VR2s next year. But first, I'd like to get some decent electronics.

I've pretty much settled on a Cambridge Audio CD player for the source (either 540C or 640c). For an integrated amp (I never listen to the radio), I'm looking at these choices right now:
Cambridge Audio Azur 640A
NAD C32
Music Hall A25

Any thoughts on these or other choices in the same price range? Will either give me a noticeable improvement over my current setup? Will they make these VR1s sing, and provide enough power for the full-range VR2s?

Am I at least asking the right questions? :-)
rhetoricman

Showing 2 responses by rhetoricman

rhetoricman OP
2 posts
 
Thanks, everyone, for your helpful responses. After reading your posts, I was very, very tempted to snag one of the Audio Refinements for sale on this website, but I decided to go with the NAD for a bit more power. Not only will this amp be driving full-range speakers (not now, but soon, I hope), but I tend to play music a bit loud so I can listen to it as I move around the house.

Not sure if that was the right decision, but no one outright dissed the NAD, and I got a terrific deal on a new one. So I should be able to resell it at a very small loss if I end up with buyer's remorse.

I realized that I had to make a decision quickly, because once I decided to make a purchase, I was not going to stop obsessing over it and get any work done until I made a decision. Anyone else ever have that problem?
rhetoricman OP
2 posts
 
Hi everyone,

I received the Cambridge Audio 540C CD player last week and the NAD C352 integrated yesterday. No surprise, the CD player was a major and immediately noticeable improvement over using the Toshiba DVD player for music CDs--more open, detailed, natural. An awesome upgrade.

The NAD also has some major advantages over the Marantz A/V receiver for music. Extended bass, sharper highs and upper midrange, and much more natural sounding. However, the sharpness gets a bit fatiguing. It's not "bright," really, but just more assertive on some notes, if that makes any sense.

I'm still breaking in the NAD, so I'll hold off on a final judgment, and I think some decent RCA cables might make a difference, too. (I'm using some $8 cables I had lying around until I can get some better ones.) Even if I end up trading it in, it's interesting and exciting to hear sound from my CDs that I never noticed was there before.

The bass from my VR-1s is so sweet now that I may not need to trade up to the VR-2s. But of course, that impulse won't last very long . . . :-)
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