Looking to upgrade my Audio experience, what CD Player & AMP best choice for stereo?

[Gibbo]

Hi there

At the moment I am listening to CD's played by my over 3yr Philips Hi-Fi which is powering both its STD speakers and a pair Eltax Liberty 5+ speakers. Needless to say the Hi-Fi's built in AMP struggles to power all 4 speakers or even the Eltax speakers on their own and the CD player I imagine is of just basic/average quality.

My my sound choice is music from CD's and MP3's from my PC so I mainly listen to stereo. Though I do watch DVD's on my PC and am interested in having great sound from DVD's via 2 channel.

What do you guys recommend:-

This is what I am thinking:-
NAD C521 BEE Titanium (CD Player) @ £149.95

• What Hi-Fi best budget CD Player
• Burr-Brown Sigma-Delta 20 bit DAC and seperate power supplies for digital and analogue

FULL SPECIFICATION


NAD C320 BEE Titanium (Stereo Amplifier) @ £159.95

• Bass lines are rock-solid and punchy."-What Hi-Fi? Sound and Vision magazine.
• powerful 50 watts per channel (2 channel)

FULL SPECIFICATION

OR


DENON AVR1706 (AV Receiver)

• Pro-Logic 2
• 6.1
• Dolby Digital
• Dts
• 6 x 75W per channel

FULL SPECIFICATION


The speakers I shall be connecting upto this will be:-
Eltax Liberty 5+ Floor Standing Speakers

• Long term max power = 100W
• Short term max power = 150W
• Frequency = 40-22,000Hz
• Sensivity = 87dB
• Impedance = 4-8 Ohm

FULL SPECIFICATION


As I say I listen to CD's which are mainly dance music and I do like good hard hitting clean BASS. I also use the PC for playing MP3's and watching DVD's and the PC is equipped with upto 7.1 channel sound card with digital and analogue outputs.

What does everybody advice or should I go with the selection above? Am I best keeping with the stero AMP or is the AVR Amp the better option considering I am watching DVD's too but I will remain with 2 channels for now.

 

[Gibbo]

Arcam Diva Series, and Amp - you can't lose.

In a different price league though unfortunately.

 

[Gibbo]

A few thoughts:
- If you go the route of a dedicated CD player, you'll not be able to use MP3 from your PC (or films). You could buy a decent external DAC (digital to analogue convertor). For the money you're looking at, I'd suggest something like a Meridian 203 (s/h). You should then be able to run a coaxial digital output from your PC to the DAC, and also an optical from a cheapy CD or DVD player that you have to hand. That will improve the stereo sound of your music and DVDs.
- With ref to your MP3s, once you get whatever system you buy, take a few mins to run a quick listening test between an MP3 cut from a CD you own. That might change how you listen to music

Hi m8

OK confused why can't I listen to sounds from my PC with a dedicated CD player? Won't the amp have more than one input, one for CD and one for AUX connector?

What do you mean about cutting an MP3 from a CD I own? Please explain....