OK, I know it won’t sound as good but I rarely get to listen to my music at a decent volume these days and I don’t suppose the quality streamed from google music via chrome cast is that good.
Will be getting rid of Marantz cd player and amp and B&W 601 speakers, needs to be cost neutral so I guess I’ll have about £300-£400 to spend. Are any soundbars in that price range particularly better at music than others. Will be used for TV sound too but not interested in surround or massive bass.
Active speakers may be a possibility if unobtrusive.

Can’t speak for sound bar, but I replaced separates with this https://www.whathifi.com/q-acoustics/q-bt3/review. Very happy with them

i have one of these for such duties https://www.qacoustics.co.uk/m2-soundbase.html

Are you a Sky customer. If so they do a fantastic deal on their sound bar which is excellent by all accounts. Thinking of getting one myself.

Just got the Q Acoustics M2 a couple of weeks ago. Sounds great, especially Bluetooth. Would recommend one without hesitation.

We got a Sony sound base in last year’s Xmas sales at John Lewis and it’s been very impressive, not as good as proper seperates but good enough.

Will be getting rid of Marantz cd player and amp and B&W 601 speakers

Yes I’m sad at losing the separates but they haven’t been used properly for years and just add to the clutter. Another sacrifice to marriage and kids 😐

Could you not keep the CD player at least. The q acoustics m2 has audio connections for it.

Another sacrifice to…..

I’ve got more hi-fi in the house now I’m married compared to when I was single!

Just bought a technics amp, project turntable and speakers and added a Bluetooth module for the kitchen dining room. Going to upgrade speakers in lounge to floorstanders soon too. Just explained why they were better to my wife and she said yes that makes sense let’s go for it. And it’s cheaper than all that Sonos crap too. 😉

What model is the CD player?

Based on what I’ve read (as opposed to what I own, my 5.1 setup in the lounge is going nowhere) I’d look at the Q Acoustics bars and bases.

I’ve the Q acoustic BT3s…hard to get hold of now.

They didn’t have that particualr sound base when I was looking – but the one at the time also had raving reviews.

I love my BT3s – sounds REALLY really good, TBH.
But..you need the space next to the TV for them.

You could lose the separates, and have BT/ipod/Echo/TV as source for the BT3s and still be V happy..

DrP

What about something like these:

Dali Active Speakers

Small, wall mountable, active with digital input and bluetooth.

If your hifi is good enough it becomes a viable option to replace the TV and just listen to music.

A soundbar will never be that good.

Thanks all, deciding between the Q Acoustics options.

Small, wall mountable, active with digital input and bluetooth.

how do you switch them on/off or between inputs? is there any kind of remote?

Have you seen the Bose kit on the classifieds?

Have you seen the Bose kit on the classifieds?

he said music was a priority – ime bose systems like that might sound acceptable with movies but are pretty poor with music.

He also said he couldn’t play at any decent volume.. but I guess audiophiles always sit in their ‘listening rooms’ with music shaking the walls, so can’t appreciate that.

He also said he couldn’t play at any decent volume.. but I guess audiophiles always sit in their ‘listening rooms’ with music shaking the walls, so can’t appreciate that.

my speakers are only rated at 25w so they certainly don’t shake the walls, however my system does sound good.

It’s a pity that you’ve obviously never heard a decent system and it’s left you bitter enough to feel justified in critising those that appreciate them.

Why is spending money on a decent hifi system, which gets used, considered fair game for ridiculing whereas spending a lot more money on a stupidly powerful car that you can’t fully utilise anywhere legally in the UK is OK ?

You’ve got me all wrong, Turnerguy. No interest in cars whatsoever for one thing. I just made a suggestion for an option, based on the OP’s criteria.

how do you switch them on/off or between inputs? is there any kind of remote?

Yep, there’s a remote. Sub out too!

Q Acoustics M2 ordered from John Lewis, picking up from Waitrose tomorrow.
Expect to see my separates in the classifieds next week