Hifi choice

Lotus-eater

You'll have to bear with me, this may seem a bit complicated.

In my house I have a seperate hifi of some 20 year old warfdale speakers/nad turntable/kenwood cd player and a 10 yr old Sansui Amp.
Now to me, the sound is excellent, I absolutely love it, the OH however doesn't like the way it looks. :rolleyes:
I've just built a workshop and I want some music in it, my OH wants me to move all this kit outside and to buy a new lot for inside.

She favours all in one systems, while I have always thought seperates are better quality.

Problems,
1. I still want to play my old vinyl in the house, so I need a turntable.
2. We haven't that much money to throw around.
3. I'd like to have a digital radio at least inside, outside in the workshop I can always buy a seperate one.

I'll admit, I'm way out of date with music equipment I need some guidence here.
My OH has no ear for music at all and doesn't care about the quality, while I can tell the difference between a moderately good system and a good system. But not between a good system and a brilliant system, if that makes sence?

diable

Ask yourself a question, do you love your wife more than your Hi Fi? as you know separates are much better quality and I am still using my speakers that I bought over 20 years ago. Next she'll be suggesting BOSE.

Lotus-eater

diable wrote: »

Ask yourself a question, do you love your wife more than your Hi Fi?

Erm I like what I consider good quality music, but you can't go to bed with a CD player can you?

diable wrote: »

as you know separates are much better quality and I am still using my speakers that I bought over 20 years ago. Next she'll be suggesting BOSE.

Tbh, I didn't know if separates are still better quality than an all in one thing, but I guess from what you are saying they still are.
She wouldn't suggest Bose :rotfl: she would think a Sanyo would do the job quite nicely.
If I had a grand to throw around I wouldn't be worried about it, I would just get some nice new separates that looked good together and we would all be happy. Trouble is, I haven't.

sharkie

one for your PC?
http://www.hotukdeals.com/item/436682/veho-vtt-001-usb-turntable-29-99-4-/

Lotus-eater

Thanks, but I really like actually playing the records, I think it's a comfort thing, I like the faffing around turning them over and things like that.

diable

Not many places will sell and all in one system with a turntable so I think that you will have to stick with the one that you have, realistically though what sort of budget do you have in mind?

Oh and I used to go to bed with Debbie Harry in my yoof lol

hc25036

I was in a similar position, although in my case it was the aged but much loved amp failing that caused the change. TBH you'll need around a grand to match the sound quality you were used to if you have to replace everything - although things have improved so much (especially speakers) that you'll be amazed how good £100 speakers can sound compared to "budget" speakers when you bought the Wharfdales! At least I was.

All you can do is find a local hifi emporium that also has secondhand kit and have a listen to stuff within your budget. Richer Sounds stuff (Cambridge Audio) is also good value for money (I have a CD player that cost £100 and I can't tell the difference from my older but much more expensive Marantz). Could you compromise with keeping the turntable in the house and using a cheaper CD player (or an iPod) in the workshop?

Lotus-eater

diable wrote: »

Not many places will sell and all in one system with a turntable so I think that you will have to stick with the one that you have, realistically though what sort of budget do you have in mind?

Yeah I was thinking about an all in one system and then plugging in a separate turntable into it, but I guess that I would be having a total toss up how it sounded.
I haven't asked what the budget is yet but realistically not enough, very realistically, nothing it's a problem.
I've looked on ebay, but I can't find anything I like close to here.

If I leave all the separates inside, then I still need something outside, ideally something that will play CD's and a DAB radio (someone lent me one and I loved the rock station), but have a good sound as well.

Lotus-eater

hc25036 wrote: »

I was in a similar position, although in my case it was the aged but much loved amp failing that caused the change. TBH you'll need around a grand to match the sound quality you were used to if you have to replace everything - although things have improved so much (especially speakers) that you'll be amazed how good £100 speakers can sound compared to "budget" speakers when you bought the Wharfdales! At least I was.

All you can do is find a local hifi emporium that also has secondhand kit and have a listen to stuff within your budget. Richer Sounds stuff (Cambridge Audio) is also good value for money (I have a CD player that cost £100 and I can't tell the difference from my older but much more expensive Marantz). Could you compromise with keeping the turntable in the house and using a cheaper CD player (or an iPod) in the workshop?

Thankyou for the info.
It's alot to think about........ do I take the stuff out to the workshop where I can more or less have the music as loud as I want, or do I leave it inside, so I can listen to it while I am cooking etc (I do a mean guitar solo with a spatula ).

The main problem is that I don't want to buy something I regret. I suspect you are right that I could go to a local shop and get some 2nd hand separates that look good together and they may sound better than my set up now.

Tell you what, those Warfdales, I have a friend with giant Mission's and he was well annoyed when he came round and pronounced the sound from my set up better than his :rotfl:. I only rubbed it in a little bit

diable

With a modern all in one system you may find that it won't have the phono input to accommodate your turn table.
Just spend £100 (maybe cheaper) on a DAB radio that has a CD player with it for the shed.

Just tell your wife that the Hi Fi is like her, getting better with age and you'd have trouble with something new as all the bits are different and not as nice lol

Win her over and save some £'ss

Lotus-eater

diable wrote: »

With a modern all in one system you may find that it won't have the phono input to accommodate your turn table.
Just spend £100 (maybe cheaper) on a DAB radio that has a CD player with it for the shed.

Just tell your wife that the Hi Fi is like her, getting better with age and you'd have trouble with something new as all the bits are different and not as nice lol

Win her over and save some £'ss

All very good advice, thanks

I was quite looking forward to the idea of having my records in the shed But I suspect I could buy my best albums on CD cheaplyish.
Still not the same though

Btw, she just read what you wrote and laughed I think she thinks you are a smoothy.