Budget Setup For Classical Music

[trinanjan]

Hi!
I plan to invest in a budget stereo hifi setup to listen to instrumental classical. I have chosen the following components:

Cd player: NAD C521BEE CD Player
Amplifier: NAD C352 Stereo Integrated Amplifier
Speakers: B & W DM602 S3/WHARFDALE DIAMOND 9.1

I am confused regarding the choice of speakers. Which one of the above is a better choice for my genre? Is the midrange of the DM 602 S3 as good as that of the Wharfdale? Does the bass of the DM 602 S3 boom? Is its treble too aggressive? I have read about such complaints about the B & W. However, it is still highly rated by most reviewers. The NAD amp has 115 W of power at 8 ohms. Will this be too much for these speakers? Will high volumes lead to damage?
Please help!

Some reviewers complain that the B & W bloats bass under certain circumstances. Is it true? Which speaker is better suited to my setup- the Wharfedale or the B & W?

Finally, what do you guys think of the new Bose Wave Music system? How does it compare to my discete setup?

 

[markw]

Hard to say.

With speakers it's a matter of personal taste and room acoustics. Nobody can tell you what you like and the only way to know is to try it for yourself.

When you purchase them, make sure they will let you take them back if you don't like them.

Now, to really confuse you I'll suggest you throw Magnapan MMG's into that list. You've chosen a fairly solid amp so driving them should not be a problem. They most definitely offer a trial period. http://www.magnepan.com/_mmg.php

Remember, no speaker is perfect. It's always a tradeoff between what they do right and what they don't do wrong.

 

[trinanjan]

I like a warm, rich sound with excellent midrange and tight, balanced bass. I do not need extreme treble as I listen to classical music. What I mean to say is that no part of the spectrum should be over expressed. Till date I have listened mostly to portables. (My Sony mini-compo is a joke) And I like the sound of my Sennheiser PX 100 phones. So does that give you an idea of the type of sound I like? I also own an Altec Lansing ATP 3 2.1, which is hooked to my comp. That's VFM stuff, I know. To me it sounds a bit muddy. The PX 100s on the other hand have very sweet midrange and nice bass. I will go to a store to try those speakers out. But I appreciate that public opinion at a forum like this is invaluable. That's why I wanted help to choose between the B & W and the Wharfedale.

 

[anamorphic96]

Try looking at some other speakers if you can. The B&W's are great speakers. But there are so many others to look at. Let your ears decide what you like.

Also keep in mind speaker placement will have alot of impact on sound. Some good stands are important as well. Especially if you want the most from bookshelf speakers.

A few others to look at.

Paradigm
PSB
Energy
Totem
Mirage
Dynaudio
Monitor Audio

The NAD combo is a great choice by the way. But one thing to correct. The NAD is only rated at 80 watts per channel. The number you mention is the amps dynamic capability.

Let us know how things work out.

 

[Rob Babcock]

Too hot a treble will make strings sound steely and brass unbearable. But you definately want some sparkle to the highs. Smooth extended tweeters are what you want.

I don't think the B&W's you mention are bad at all. But I think you can do better. My personal preference is for Monitor Audio, but you may also want to look into Axiom and PSB. Don't worry about the amp being too powerful for your speakers; that won't be an issue whatsoever.

Either the Wharfedales or the B&W's will make mincemeat of any sorry Bose system that crosses their paths!

 

[Rob Babcock]

BTW, although that NAD is a great amp, it might be more than you need. An NAD 320 BEE is much cheaper and also a fine amp. Unless your room is huge and your volume requirements extreme, it should suffice. And save you a few bucks. Few peices of entry level gear in modern history have been so widely praised as the 320 BEE.