[SearchOfSub]

Hello new to the forum.
 
I am currently looking for seperates to do my home theatre and music. I currently have a pair of speakers, a tv, bluray playerand direct tv and now looking for seperate combo's to power the speakers up and have it running.
 
I have read good things about these brands, and my current budget is $4,000. I am new to this stuff and I was wondering if some knowledgeble members here can help me out on my decision. Few questions..

 
 
1. Do I need a balanced DAC, a pre-amp, and a amplifier to get he best sound? or can I just skip the DAC and just go with a pre-amp and a amplifier? Or, can i just get a DAC and a AMP without a pre-amp? 
 
 
2. What is the best combo for the money?
 
 
 
I am strictly going to be using this set-up for a dedicated 2.0 listening.
 
Thanks in advance!

 

[KG Jag]

You need to tell us what specific equipment you have already; what cans you intend to drive and the format of your music and other audio.

 

[SearchOfSub]

Hello thanks for the reply.
 
I have a Vizio E552VLE TV, Sony BDP BX59 Bluray Player, Direct TV Genie, and Tekton SEAS Pendragon' speakers.
 
I will most likely be listening to a normal CD through the Sony Bluray player as well as Pandora, and Bluray/DVD movies through the my Sony player and Direct TV Genie in 1080P.
 
My budget is 4k for the seperates and I will be about 50% music and 50% movies in a dedicated 2.0 channel.
 
Any recommendation is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[KG Jag]

I recently got the Lore speakers.  You must be one of the first to get the Sea Pendragons.
 
I would replace your Sony with the OPPO BDP-105, which will probably also solve your DAC needs and play many formats of audio and video.  The 105 has a built in headphone amp and section.  I would try it with a Senn HD 800 and see if any stand alone headphone amp is needed.
 
With the $1,250 to $1,700 you have left, I'd look at receivers, or amps & pre-amps that best meet your needs.  Can't help much more with that, as I have no recent experience putting together a stereo only home theater system.

 

[SearchOfSub]

How do you like your Lores? I heard of the OPPO 105 and its quality of DAC and audio quality. It got really good reviews. I just had a question, what makes the most difference in sound? Is it the amp or the preamp or the standalone dac? Thanks!

 

[KG Jag]

My Lores arrived the day before I left home for almost a month.  Based on just a day of use (before they are broken in), I am very pleased with them.  I'll be working them out again next week.
 
I have two 83 SE's; have used a 95 at a Head-Fi meet with some of the best cans ever made; and have been following the 105 for months--although I have not yet heard or seen it's "magic" in the flesh.  It is the quality of the drive, the new built-in headphone amp plus the DAC's that have caught my atttention.  I understand from my reading that you can use the DAC's with other equipment.
 
In my case the Oppo's DAC's in the context of other equipment is not that big of a deal because a great deal of what I have is analog and because the DAC's in at least some of my Sony SACD players are also excellent.  I have also been happy with the DAC that is part of my Yamaha Adventage A/V receivers.