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Recommendation for budget (used) Hi-Fi system

An old Japanese deck from one of the less trendy makes, like this Sansui for example,
http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/710-5...0001&campid=5338728743&icep_item=352242155024

Cartridge? an AT 95 for starters, any arcam amp (nice powerful warm sound) http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/710-5...0001&campid=5338728743&icep_item=122886273162 and then yes, probably, for that room shape, since you'll be 'nearfield' more or less, some small monitor type speaker (Q acoustics 3010 new at Richer sounds for under 100 quid) and a sub.
 
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ell currently, on a well known auction site, one can find a couple of buy-it-noe thoren turntables for apro £200, a yamaha 420 receiver for much the same and a par of mission 752 floorstanders for £199. a few pounds for cables and £150 left over for cartridge etc
john
 
TheAuthor said:
Is the Linn Intek amp any good? this one is up on eBay

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Linn-Intek-Stereo-Integrated-Amplifier/112724762394?ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649
Click to expand...

As a confirmed Linnie (the clue is in my username), the Intek isn’t their finest hour, I’d pay up to £150 or so for one but beyond that, you can do better. When I started out in (proper) HIFI, I bought a brand new Arcam Alpha 8R over a used Intek, the arcam cost more but it sounded better and it was of course brand new... these days the arcam will cost less and still sound better (you should be able to post up an Alpha 8R for about £120).

I moved from the Arcam 8R to a linn Majik which genuinely was a better amp. It’s not a powerhouse but in terms of sound quality (rather than quantity), it’ll blow an Intek or any Arcam Alpha into the weeds... you’ll pay about £250 for one these days which is a bargain. If you don’t expect room shaking levels, the Majik is a great amp, it was Linn’s answer to a Naim Nait and sold quite well. If you go down this route, look for a Phono version as the phono stage is pretty decent.
 
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Linnformaniac, I'll add the Linn Majik to my list as I know they are pretty good and made in Glasgow, I suspect all Arcam stuff is China now, has been for a while. I worked for a Hi-Fi shop in Cambridge on a part time basis a couple of years ago and Arcam stuff used to come back faulty all the time, especially their high-end AV amps - dreadful things.
 
Just realised Nait and Majik don't have tone controls. I'd prefer tone controls as I like a lot of bass and I always knock the bass dial up to 3 o'clock to compensate to my taste. I know you can make 'subtle' adjustments to speakers etc to get more bass, but the result is 'subtle' too, and I want deep bottom-end slam.
 
TheAuthor said:
Direct drive (based on my knowledge of yesteryear) are no good as all the strain is on the motor directly, a belt relieves the wear on the motor and is more accurate.

Strange thinking. And most certainly not 'more accurate'. Conceivably the belt puts put strain on a motor as there is a sideways pull. Even so the motor rotates, so the 'load' is shared evenly around the bearings. Only the housing will feel the 'strain' (tiny, by the way) as a sideways force.

A direct drive motor deck is always massively more powerful than strictly necessary, so ,that you can have a fast start time. The bearing / motor /platter in direct drive are all one unit, there is no 'strain' on the motor. The platter is part of the motor!

A direct drive motor does not wear more than a belt drive. In fact the belt drive motor is going to wear more - it is smaller, less powerful, and rotates faster and is generally fed by a less than perfect drive system (especially low cost decks) that creates more vibration. Will probably have fewer poles -so more cogging. Belts are needed to reduce vibration, cogging influence and gear down the speed.
Click to expand...
 
Wow, I had one of these way back when. Question about this – Dunlop Systemdek 2 (biscuit tin turntable). This particular one has Linn arm-board. Can I only fit Linn tonearms to it? I'm asking because there are no Linn Basic arms used on the net, but plenty of RB300 arms and Origin arms, will they fit, or does it have to be a Linn arm?

http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/710-5...0001&campid=5338728743&icep_item=253346964397
 
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You need an arm of the right length, or a new arm board. Rega are longer. Quite a few are the same length as a Linn. Arm boards are easy to make and can be bought at modest cost.
 
I'd suggest a visit to Richer Sounds for a view of up to date budgety stuff. See what they can put together for your budget.
If you have any decent independent dealers nearby, do the same with them.

Mull
 
If you can find one, a Manticore Mantra is, without doubt, the best Turntable you’ll find S/H in your budget. Allow for a Rega arm and an at95e cart to get you going.

Amp and speakers? S/H - Ruark Sabre or Sceptres and Linn Katans are do-able. And I’d definitely second the reccomendation of a big Sony es a 690 or 670 es would be in budget, as would an Audiolab 8000a. New speakers, definitely the Q Audio offerings, new amps I have no idea about.

I think a manticore Mantra Turntable, RB250 arm, Sony 690es amp, Linn Katan speakers and a secondhand BK Gemini II sub with the change spent on a MM cart (I have zero experience of MM carts) would be a pretty good system.
 
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