Stereo Set Recommendations for the UK?
- Thread starter K-Xie
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I LOVE my KEF R7 Meta speakers... Speakers are the most important component in a system, so buy the ones that sound the best to you that fit your budget. You're lucky to have lots of excellent UK brands to choose from and it should be easy to audition them (I also have a set of Monitor Audio Silver 500's 6 generation in a very red "Rosenut" color ).
The biggies are : KEF, Monitor Audio, Bowers & Wilkins, Tannoy, Warfedale, and Mission. There a quite a few smaller companies (and likely pricier) too.
Cambridge Audio makes decent electronic equipment (amplifiers/CD players/ streamers, etc) for good prices. Rega turntables have excellent tone arms (Planar 3 and up, but stay far far away from their awful sounding overpriced phono cartridges. I'd also avoid their electronic equipment- too expensive for what you get).
You also have a myriad of specialty audio shops that make upgrades for Rega turntables-The ones I've dealt with are SRM Tech who makes wonderful kits to build an acrylic table from a Rega skeleton, Cherry Audio has turntable platters with weights. There are rigid aluminum bodies for Audio Technica cartridges ("RigB") (facebook link).
www.cherryaudio.co.uk
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Here is my SRM-Tech Azure turntable with a Cherry Audio platter and RigB AT-VM540ML cartridge:
Cambridge Audio makes decent electronic equipment (amplifiers/CD players/ streamers, etc) for good prices. Rega turntables have excellent tone arms (Planar 3 and up, but stay far far away from their awful sounding overpriced phono cartridges. I'd also avoid their electronic equipment- too expensive for what you get).
You also have a myriad of specialty audio shops that make upgrades for Rega turntables-The ones I've dealt with are SRM Tech who makes wonderful kits to build an acrylic table from a Rega skeleton, Cherry Audio has turntable platters with weights. There are rigid aluminum bodies for Audio Technica cartridges ("RigB") (facebook link).
Turntable Accessories | Cherry Audio Accessories | London
Turntable accessories and upgrades for Rega, Pro-Ject, Linn, Audio Technica, Technics, Pioneer and Garrard.
www.cherryaudio.co.uk
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Here is my SRM-Tech Azure turntable with a Cherry Audio platter and RigB AT-VM540ML cartridge:
IMHO, the most important thing is how all it comes together for YOU.
Yes, everything mentioned already is great kit.
Are you looking for new or considering used? There's some amazing stuff out there used.
Are you setting up for Vinyl? CD? Streaming? something else, all of the above?
The reason I'm asking is that if it's "just" 3 components, CD player, amp, speakers then that's a different ask to turntable/arm/cartridge/CD player/streamer/amp (preamp?)/speakers etc.
Your ears are your friends. It's not the label, it's the sound and the experience that brings that's important (but yes, along with build quality/reliability etc.).
The more info/detail about things like the room (size/shape) you'll be listening in, even the type of music you like shall be very helpful to us to narrow the field even a little.
I realise this sounds a bit of a non answer but everyone has their own "likes" and it's your taste that "we're" aiming to help. e.g there will be different suggestions if you're into stuff with massive bass or delicate vocals or picking up individual piano notes.
Yes, everything mentioned already is great kit.
Are you looking for new or considering used? There's some amazing stuff out there used.
Are you setting up for Vinyl? CD? Streaming? something else, all of the above?
The reason I'm asking is that if it's "just" 3 components, CD player, amp, speakers then that's a different ask to turntable/arm/cartridge/CD player/streamer/amp (preamp?)/speakers etc.
Your ears are your friends. It's not the label, it's the sound and the experience that brings that's important (but yes, along with build quality/reliability etc.).
The more info/detail about things like the room (size/shape) you'll be listening in, even the type of music you like shall be very helpful to us to narrow the field even a little.
I realise this sounds a bit of a non answer but everyone has their own "likes" and it's your taste that "we're" aiming to help. e.g there will be different suggestions if you're into stuff with massive bass or delicate vocals or picking up individual piano notes.
Dswankey
Lunatic Member
With a budget of 10K you should really focus on being able to demo equipment. My guess is there are plenty of audio retailers in and around London.
Suggestions are great but you'll really want to decide for yourself what sounds best to you when you listen firsthand.
As to recommended brands let folks know what is available to you in London and they folks can make suggestions
A couple of other things:
Are you buying new or used?
As a new "audiophile" what do you consider "a high quality stereo set" equipment wise?
My KEF R7 Metas have a "Uni-Q mid range/tweeter that sound great with voices, but you can NEVER place these up against a wall. Any ported speaker needs to be out in the open, a distance of one meter from the front face of the speaker to the wall behind it works well. I don't know of any speaker that would sound good when placed against a wall.
gizzyman47
Addicted Member
Some speakers, if ported on the front baffle, can be placed closer to the wall.
Most speakers sound best pulled out into the room. Otherwise, you don't get the soundstaging they are capable of. Room treatments help also in this regard.
Most speakers sound best pulled out into the room. Otherwise, you don't get the soundstaging they are capable of. Room treatments help also in this regard.
jayvis
Addicted Member
If you aren't limited to UK brands, there are other very good speaker brands in Europe. The ones I'm most familiar with are Focal (France) and Sonus Faber (Italy). Both brands exhibit excellent midrange response for vocals. Also, you might want to audition some new Klipsch Heritage line speakers if you have local dealers that sell them. They're known for their sensitivity and can fill rooms with music with very little power. I'd allocate about half of your budget on speakers.
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Thanks.
Firstly, I know virtually nothing about streaming apart from that it exists. So, what do you need to be able to settle down and listen to music? A Digital to Analogue converter (DAC) from your source (laptop?). An amp (maybe in a single unit with the DAC?) & speakers too?
As above, finding a dealer where you can demo equipment is a really good idea. You'll probably be quite surprised at the differences between various pieces of hardware.
If you message me I'll very happily give you contact for a dealer who recently gave my wife & I great service. We were auditioning for 2-3 hours and only listened to a very few bits of kit. We were left alone to listen to the music we'd brought with us with absolutely no pressure. Although not in London I'm sure he'll be happy to chat. (I'm hoping this doesn't break any rules - I'm nothing to do with the business except as a happy customer).
Perhaps there is someone on here who knows a dealer in or around London who could help?
Good luck.
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dogscanskate
Super Member
You can also look at companies like Roksan, Exposure, Naim, Linn, Leak,Sugden,Arcam, Crimson, Neat (speakers), Kudos (speakers)... There are so many good products that have been made that it's hard to pick a favorite.
This ^
Yes, the OP may reside in the UK but we do have access to stuff made outside the UK.
When Glen Croft passed away a couple of years ago it was his wish that the brand came to an end and production shouldn't continue in someone else's hands. That means that any Croft gear the OP might be interested in would have to be second hand.
I suggest you speak to Tim at Audio Images in Lowestoft. He deals with London customers and can offer good advice based on decades of experience. The number is 01502 582853.
jayvis
Addicted Member
I meant "limited by his preference". Refer to post #3.
