2. amps-preamps
  3. 1016478410

semi-budget sys - under 1450

Apologies if you've seen this on audiorevew.com...

Speakers I'm down to:
B&W 602S3s or Paradigm Studio 20s or 40s
Integrateds:
NAD C370 (sounds worse, but hey, it's 105 watts)
Rotel RA1060 (what I thought I wanted until some damn aimable salesman my age played my wife and I the
Arcam A75 (which is my current fav but a stretch for my wallet - only 50 watts, but lordy what soundstaging - it's uncanny)

play mostly rock, nice nice soundtrack) and left-field electronica (no boom-boom-boom-boom, thanks) and just enough jazz to make me listen close to cymbals and timbre while demoing.

if i get the paradigm studio 20s and arcam a75 for purity, i would have to add a subwoofer at some point. if i get the B&Ws and anything else, I'm gonna wanna bi-amp (unless it's the NAD, in which case I would probably just sell/trade-in it) I think. what would you do? throw more speakers at me if you want but let's try to control my urges to build a $2000 core system instead of a $1400-1500 dollar one. thanks everyone!
cbinkleye862
stehno
1,453 posts
 
Check out the following audiogon thread:

http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?aamps&1016149072&openusid&zz
ohlala
1,235 posts
 
My approach is different from your approach, but i have decided to add anyways under "what would you do?".

I would not get the NAD if i did not like it. I would get the Arcam if I did. Monitors just do not need that much power, especially when quality is compromised. I also do not understand biamping a ~$700 monitor. It's just more of the same, but not really more. Because you like seem to really like the Arcam, I am not thirlled by adding this but a used Classe CAP-100 or 80 (both rated at 100w) is in your budget.

And BTW-FYI-the 105w rating of the C370 is very conservative.

Good luck, hope you have fun buying and listening.
seandtaylor99
1,262 posts
 
If you like imaging see if you can get to hear some EposM12 speakers. Used they can be had for around $500 and I think they're a very good all-round stand mount speaker. New I think they're nearer to $800. In case you haven't heard of them Epos is now owned by Creek Audio so they're backed by a good manufacturer.
http://www.epos-acoustics.com/
grandpad
151 posts
 
I think Ohlala has given you excellant advice on all of his points.
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