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What would you do?

ThELiZ

ThELiZ

pfm Member
Because I seem unable to make a decision for myself, I am looking for the opinion of others.

My dilemma... I'm trying to save money, where possible, to help me move out of my parents house (I'm 26). The only reason I have ever been able to afford all the gear I have had is because of the good rates at home (can't beat them!). I always wanted to be happy with a system that I could take to a new house and live with for many years. I know that I won't be able to afford anywhere near the type of equipment I've been used to over the past 4 years. I don't earn enough money to justify having an uber expensive hobby.

Now, the one thing I want to get sorted before I move out, is vinyl. I am pretty set on an RP6 with a DL-304 cartridge used with a Dynavector P75 MkII.

Now here are the tough decisions...

Do I keep my current system and buy the vinyl player? Or do I sell my current amp & speakers for something more modest and the RP6? I'm currently running a Nait XS with Harbeth Compact 7ES-3 speakers. I really am happy, most of the time, with the combo. My only issue is that the Harbeths are sometimes a bit too laid back for Rock/Metal and are pretty bad with electronic music. Everything else is superb! It's just that I do like to listen to heavy rock and metal as well. I do have some Denon AH-D7000 headphones I can use for that type of music, but I prefer the hifi for most of my listening.

I was thinking of selling the Nait XS and C7s for a Rega Brio-R and RS5 speakers. This way I could buy the RP6 and still have £200 to spare!

I'm not in a great financial situation, but it could be managed with a few really (REALLY) strict months. If I kept the XS and the C7s I would have to pay out £798 for the RP6.

What would you guys do? I know it's down to me, I just want to hear some opinions. I want to start loving music again and not hifi. I want to forget about the sound and just buy new records and have fun! Still, the quality has to be good enough for me to forget the hifi!

Tough decision!
 
Just to say, I'm leaning towards the sensible route of selling the amp & speakers for the Brio-R & RS5 (Maybe RS7 if I find a good deal).
 
One thing to consider, if cash will be tight in future is choosing MM cartridges over MC cartridges. That way you are not shelling out as much when the cartridge wears out, an AT-440MLa would be a good choice.

Good to see that you are considering system synergy as that is also the key to long term satisfaction. Buying all from Rega would be a good move (or with the cheaper end of Totem loudspeakers and Rega kit, which is an astonishing match). I would also ask for an extended home demo of the amp and loudspeakers and work out whether it is a step backwards or what you want.

Andrew
 
Good advice Andrew. I'm sure my dealer would be happy to lend me some Rega speakers and a Brio-R. I'm going in a very strange direction for me now, I'm trying to look for serious bargains instead of sticking with my expensive (for me) system. I'm now interested in finding a Mira 3 and maybe the older R5 soeakers. Maybe too much of a backwards step, but you never know!
 
I think my mind is close to being made up... I have just realised that I have been putting on music that sounds right with my system, instead of picking the albums I actually want to hear. This is wrong, I think.

Any thoughts on an all Rega system comprising Brio-R (or Mira 3), RS5 (or R5) and RP6 with DL-304 (or P5 with Elys 2). Jeez, I'm trying to get this cheaper and cheaper. Maybe I'm done with the higher end of mid range systems...
 
Ok, well... the first thing NOT to do is change your speakers now.

Speakers are very room dependant and you may find that you might like your Harbeths more/less once you move in to your own place. The same will be true of any speakers you get now. They may work better in your parents place but sound wrong in your new place.

So save your money and time and don't swap anything until you move. Especially the speakers !!

Personally, in your position I'd use the time left at my parents to save money with a view to making whatever changes needed to get a system that I could live with once I've moved. In other words, wait.
 
Take into consideration if a move is soon (ish), what you like the sound of now or change to, might sound totally different in a new place !

Having done this myself 1.1/2 yrs ago, my current flat totally upset my system with suspended wooden floors, plasterboard walls etc, and ended up with a total change in everything !

I have just taken baby steps into vinyl in the last week with my NDX being the main source. However, my RP3 boogies along very nicely ! :)
 
GTM said:
Ok, well... the first thing NOT to do is change your speakers now.

Speakers are very room dependant and you may find that you might like your Harbeths more/less once you move in to your own place. The same will be true of any speakers you get now. They may work better in your parents place but sound wrong in your new place.

So save your money and time and don't swap anything until you move. Especially the speakers !!

.
Click to expand...

+ 1, speakers were the hardest thing to find something that worked when I moved. What I thought might work were terrible ! Also ended up taking quite a hit on re-sale.
 
All really good advice. I was worried about how any speakers would integrate into a new room, so maybe I should hold off on that one at least. Apparently Harbeths are good for amp matching, so it is possible I could save some money by switching to a Bro-R. It is a cracking amp!

So confused about what to do.
 
ThELiZ,

Rega kit is excellent, but I agree with GTM that you shouldn't do anything until you move into your new place, as room differences swamp speaker tonal differences.

Joe
 
Right, so I'm sticking with the Harbeths until I get them into my new place. I think at this moment in time I will just change the amp. I feel like something has to be compromised to make way for the vinyl player.
 
Yes, not easy. Rush in and it could cost you in the long run trying to get a balance in everything.

Your speakers and amp are a very good match, but they are known for being 'light' on the rock side.

You might find vinyl sounds different though, I am ! Much warmer sound. Pop on a decent record and it beats my digital side hands down.... just prefer it !

How about an ex dem P6 maybe or a search on dealers for clearance etc. You could then get some pleasure in the 'strict' months (excluding buying vinyl of course!), and live with things for a while.

New cartridge will need some hours on it (as I am also finding out!).

New move might lean towards floorstanders. Pop the cans on for rock and enjoy the vinyl for bit !

Selling at the moment is also a nightmare !
 
Move out and see what you can afford. After leaving decision for at least two months decide whether you can afford it.

Parent, old man and averse to credit.
 
Another old parent with an aversion to credit here. Selling what you have to buy new cheaper kit is a false economy. Hang on to what you've got, move and get settled and reassess.
 
Speaking as the father of a 25 year old. I think you should forget all this nonsense and use any spare cash to take your dear old dad to the pub as often as he likes. You could wait in the car with a bottle of pop and a packet of crisps.
 
Ha, he enjoys enough beer already! He also gets to use my system every weekend when I am away at my partner's place. He's doing alright :)
 
Joe P said:
ThELiZ,

Rega kit is excellent, but I agree with GTM that you shouldn't do anything until you move into your new place, as room differences swamp speaker tonal differences.

Joe
Click to expand...

When I moved to current flat the hi-fi really leapt forward for no other reason than the different listening environment...

I would definitely wait until I was settled into the new jome before even thinking of changing anything.
 
Do you know where you are moving too? house, flat, terrace etc?

When I moved out with my system I hadn't considered that my parents lived in a nice detached house and I was moving into a cardboard flat. The hi fi would have sounded great but I of course could not really play it at anything like loud volumes.

You may want to make sure your headphone stuff is at a level you are happy with rather than the speakers.

But yes if you can wait till you've moved and tried your kit it may be sensible
 
And meant to say I got a P3 when I first moved out some 20 ahem years ago. Still going strong and if you want to get going on vinyl and keep cost down perhaps one of these will do?

I've just started playing with mine again, no upgrades, just had an ortofon MC Super 2 - was £150 and an project phono box se for £100SH. It sounds great in my system in which other componets where about £2.5k each . So really great value

I'm only starting to upgrade it now as I have a settled house, and a bit of disposable. I've just put a dynavector cart on it and will get a new phono stage at some point soon but it sounds so good if I couldn't upgrade I'd still be content.

Though I do like upgrading ;)!
 
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