"Chris Cox" wrote in message
...
Thanks very much for your feedback. To answer your queries:

Don - Yes, my impression was that - by a mix of luck and good
advice - I'd
hit on some respectable components but at a decent price. It'd be
good to
buy these the same way, but before setting a budget, I'd like to
explore
how much quality I can get for how much extra money. If you can
suggest a
few options, it'll be extremely useful.

Phil - The CD player's about 10 years old - I think it's the mk II
model?
but sadly not the KI. The furnishings are somewhere between your
extremes -
curtains, one sofa, carpeted at the moment, but that may go in due
course.

Dave, Laurence - My previous speakers were Acoustic Research AR18BX,
bought for a smaller room. I've always assumed they were the weakest
link
but have never properly looked into it. Perhaps my first question
might have
been "would you repair or replace them?"

Chris




Simple answer: if you like (liked) the sound of the AR's then stick
with them.

Otherwise speakers are a very personal choice and you should listen
before you buy, or at least buy where you can take them back.

If you budget is tight look at www.richersounds.co.uk for as good
prices as you can get, or go look in your local good secondhand shop.
I saw a pair of B&W DM2's in one such last week for £70 - about a
quarter of their original price. OK these are a 20 year old model, but
for classical you will be hard pushed to beat them for shear
musicality. In secondhand also look at Rogers and (particularly)
Spendors.

Personally I have always liked the KEF sound - and I like classical as
well, but if you look at Richers don't turn away from the Tannoys or
Mourdant Short. If you have the space for floor standers (which will
give you the much more natural and deep bass of classical) you will
find TDL hard to beat.


--
Woody

harrogate3 at ntlworld dot com