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Options to upgrade from Cambridge Integrated

I currently have a Camridge Audio 540A v2 integrated amp for our 2 channel setup. It is connected to some Altec bookshelf speakers. We will be moving to a new house soon and with some of the "freed up" equity I am looking at upgrading the speakers and possibly the amplifier. I don't have a huge budget but would like to have the upgrade be worthwhile. I am looking at Totem Arro, Vandersteen 2Ce's, B&W 603's etc. as possible speakers. The listening room will be mid sized and listening volume will be moderate. Classic Rock, Blues, Jazz are primary with a little Classical and Vocal as well. What are some possible options for a budget of $400-$600 (used/Audigon is fine)for the amplifier portion? My budget for speakers is $500-$1000. Source material is a Squeezebox and possibly audio in from TV, nothing else as we have a seperate home theatre setup already. Should I consider seperates or perhaps just a better integrated?
ruleof72

Showing 2 responses by sfar

sfar's avatar
sfar
1,756 posts
 
An exceptional integrated in that price range is the Audio Refinement Complete. It's beautifully built and sounds absolutely wonderful. Here's the Soundstage review: http://www.soundstage.com/revequip/srajan01.htm
sfar's avatar
sfar
1,756 posts
 
I absolutely agree with Jaybo and Bob_reynolds that there's more bang for the buck with money applied to speakers and with Ehart that finding speakers you really like should be your first priority.

Having said that, if what you're looking for are pieces you plan to live with for awhile, my experience is that you'll want to find an amp that's reasonably well in balance with the quality of the speakers you buy.

I owned the Cambridge 540, the first version, at the same time I had the Audio Refinement Complete, bought it for a friend's system, and the difference in sonics between the Cambridge and the ARC was greater than you'd expect for the difference in the prices, certainly greater in a relative sense than the difference between the ARC and the Simaudio I-5 I bought to replace the ARC.

When the Cambridge went to my friend to replace a Rotel integrated, because she wanted remote control, there wasn't much difference either of us could hear but when I found a good deal on a Creek 4330 and swapped it for the Cambridge, the difference was obvious, certainly worth the difference of $175 between what we sold the Cambridge for and what the Creek cost.
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