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Recommendation for budget (used) Hi-Fi system

Allowing for the op preference of strong bass I'd second the Manticore/Rega/mm choice over the Rega deck.
For the same reason a Claymore over the Nait 3, it can also be tweaked (designer approved) to be even more ballsy.
I can't think of anything, in budget, better than the Proacs already mentioned.

If your amp must have tone controls a Sony ES or the Marantz models stated before would suit.
 
I love the cheapskate option
So many good combinations for silly low money
Sometime I was better off coming home to a Nait/Ela fronted by a TT after visit friends mega $ digital setups

Once I had the little Majik (LK sized) and it was great value, built to last, slight warm friendly sound, more polite than say a Nait 3 and came with a remote.
Older Creek amplication not bad either, most of them had phono in.
No tone controls but not neccesary imo (my old Arcam Alpha did have btw)
Older Heybrook, JPW or Royd speakers will be fine too
 
What about other sources? With a limited collection of vinyl then surely CD or Spotify/ Tidal is essential.
 
brucer2 said:
What about other sources? With a limited collection of vinyl then surely CD or Spotify/ Tidal is essential.
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I (dare I say it) have a Sonos set up in my house. Play 5 in kitchen and a Playbar and Sub in my living room. All fed via a NAS drive that I spent weeks importing my entire CD collection to (about 1200 classical and rock/pop CDs) so I have plenty for general listening. But I intend to buy a few dozen of my favourite all-time LPs that I'll listen to quite a lot, and add a few per month maybe.
 
Any recommendations on Rotel model amps? Just to give me more to look for on eBay, more options. Did any Rotel models stick out over the past 25 years?
 
foxwelljsly said:
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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This would make a pretty nice system, I do really like the Mantra, you just need to be patient when looking for one.
 
PerF said:
I love the cheapskate option
So many good combinations for silly low money
Sometime I was better off coming home to a Nait/Ela fronted by a TT after visit friends mega $ digital setups

Once I had the little Majik (LK sized) and it was great value, built to last, slight warm friendly sound, more polite than say a Nait 3 and came with a remote.
Older Creek amplication not bad either, most of them had phono in.
No tone controls but not neccesary imo (my old Arcam Alpha did have btw)
Older Heybrook, JPW or Royd speakers will be fine too
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You hit the nail on the head with the Majik, it did all the above without being boring, I've assembled a few systems for family and friends who have taken a liking to Linn kit but are on limited budget, all have been happy with them and are still using them either standalone or with an LK series power amp.
 
TheAuthor said:
I just looked at one on eBay and the picture of the back clearly shows China.
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Must have changed at some point in the not too distant past, I have two in the house and both say Taiwan. Can't recall if my RB/RC06s were PRC rather than RoC, but it wouldn't suprise me as by mid-naughties everything vaguely affordable was as the Chinese had started setting up 'free trade zones'. Rotel of a similar vintage to a Nait 3 was certainly not made in China...
 
^^ That is a good amp, I had one a long time ago. No tone controls though.
 
cjarchez said:
Allowing for the op preference of strong bass I'd second the Manticore/Rega/mm choice over the Rega deck.
For the same reason a Claymore over the Nait 3, it can also be tweaked (designer approved) to be even more ballsy.
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Manticore Mantra/RB250/AT F3/Inca Tech Claymore 2/Ruark Sabres was my first really decent Vinyl replay system, all bought secondhand from Salisbury Hi Fi when I was 21 for £720. Bloody good it was too and lasted me for 5 years until I inadvertently shorted out a channel on the amp.
 
TheAuthor said:
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.
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An Arcam Delta 90 or Delta 290 would be well worth a look as an amp - both have tone controls. Add a Systemdek iix or Linn Axis and perhaps a pair of Epos ES or Linn Keilidh and you'll have a decent system.
 
Arcam can go for affordable money but sometimea more exotic hifi thats less heard of can be great vfm. Exposure amps for example. They're also cheap to get serviced by exposure. If you like the audiolab sound you can go integrated with an 8000s and add an 8000p later. If you can afford to I'd personally go straight for next step up as per many suggestions.

For a room that size you'll need either large standmounters on good filled stands or floorstanders. Dont scrimp on amp - think of it as the heart of the system and you can always later upgrade source components and sell on without loss if you choose wisely. Enjoy the hunt!
 
That's great guys, I've got a nice list now of items to watch out for on eBay. Here's how it looks:

ProAc Studio 125 speakers
Linn Ninka speakers
Rega Planer 3 turntable
Naim Nait 3
Linn Majik integrated amplifier
BK Gemini 2 sub
Sony 690ES amplifier
AT95e cartridge
2M red cartridge
Inca Tech Claymore amp
Marantz 6004/6005 amplifier
Manticore Mantra turntable
Heybrook TT2 turntable
Systemdek IIX turntable
Linn Axis turntable
Epos ES speakers
Linn Keilidh speakers
 
TheAuthor said:
That's great guys, I've got a nice list now of items to watch out for on eBay. Here's how it looks:

ProAc Studio 125 speakers
Linn Ninka speakers
Rega Planer 3 turntable
Naim Nait 3
Linn Majik integrated amplifier
BK Gemini 2 sub
Sony 690ES amplifier
AT95e cartridge
2M red cartridge
Inca Tech Claymore amp
Marantz 6004/6005 amplifier
Manticore Mantra turntable
Heybrook TT2 turntable
Systemdek IIX turntable
Linn Axis turntable
Epos ES speakers
Linn Keilidh speakers
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Looking good. Obviously some of these component synergies will be much better than others. I’d also look out for these items for sale from members on this site, they do crop up. Much less chance of problems. You sometimes see people selling a complete system as well, which would probably offer you best value.
 
i have a pair of proac 125 with a very small hardly noticaeble scratch and one or two slight marks in oak , beautiful sound and incredible vfm at 300 collected
 
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