Upgrade path

Posted by: Bosh on 22 January 2001

Visited a local dealer at the weekend to cost black snaics and burndys, CDS 1 to 2 upgrade, XPS, replacement stands (currently SS Tripods). Cant affford it all at moment but needed direction and costings

The advice was to forget alla that and chop in my SCap/SNAXO/4x135s and put the above money and a bit more into a 500 (current system is LP12/ ARO/ XX1-L/ Prefix/ Hicap/ CDS1/ NAT02/ 52/ Scap/ SNAXO/ Scap/ 4x135/ SBL

Anyone got any direct experience/opinions on this advice

Posted on: 22 January 2001 by Martin M

Depends on what you want to achieve. What's wrong with what you've got?

E.g me I'd have a six-pack DBL system rather than 500/SBL any day.

Posted on: 22 January 2001 by Phil Barry

Martin,

Have you compared 6-pack/DBL to 500/SBL? Under what conditions. What are the differences you heard? Thanks.

Phil

[This message was edited by Phil Barry on TUESDAY 23 January 2001 at 01:58.]

Posted on: 22 January 2001 by Bob Edwards

Martin--

Have you heard a 500 running SBLs ? You might be surprised !

Cheers,

Bob

Ride the Light !

Posted on: 23 January 2001 by Bosh

- Not tried MANA racks yet
- Nothings wrong but would like more of the same
- The missus has vetoed DBLs on size ground, but I could probably convince her on NBLs

What is the definitive view on hierarchy at this level?

eg four pack SBL vs 500+ SBL vs six pack NBL
500 DBL vs six pack DBL etc etc

Any experiences?

Posted on: 23 January 2001 by Dev B

Go and listen to NBL's, preferably in your own room. If the room can handle it, they will do things (refinement, smoothness and loudness) that SBL's cannot do as well.

Listen to a pukka CDS2 and see whether you feel that it takes your CD player closer to your excellent turntable. With your LP12 the results will be close.

However, if most of your listening is on vinyl, I would investigate a superior record player - listen to a Well Tempered Reference or Roksan TMS2 (you can use your Aro on this) or equivalent I still believe that a top flight analogue source is so refined and graceful and transparent, that even the best CD players cannot match this.

There is a huge difference between LP12's and the better record players out there! I don't think that CD will do an excellent system like yours justice, no amount of 500's can fix this!

If it was my money I would get a better record player first and then NBL's with six 135's.

Also you should make sure all set up issues are totally sorted (proper mains, stands, equipement placement and room treatment)

Have fun.

Posted on: 23 January 2001 by Martin M

I haven't compared 500/SBL to 6 x 135/DBL. I guess the 500/SBL is very, very nice.

I have compared 500/NBL to 2 x 135/DBL and prefered the latter. The DBL system sounded larger scale and more musical to me overall. Then I listed to the 500/DBL system. I could hear the difference on the first note.

Sorry to hear that your wife objected to the DBLs. Never mind. How vehement was she? For what its worth, my wife disliked the idea of DBLS when I 'arm waved' how big they are, but didn't mind too much when she was them in the flesh. The width is normally the main bone of contention, but they are no wider than our 29" telly. Its a long shot but try showing your wife the DBLs in the flesh.

If it doesn't work out the SBL or NBL based system are damn fine too!

[This message was edited by Martin M on TUESDAY 23 January 2001 at 11:55.]