[Vinc]

Hi! In the past few weeks I've been interested in jumping into the speakers world. I have already a decent headphones system that I'm pretty satisfied of, so I'm not totally new in the audio world.
 
As for now, I have a budget of 3500-4000$ for the speakers, amp and DAC. I thought that I could buy the peachtree nova as the DAC/Amp/Preamp so that would leave me room to upgrade later and I could still have a decent system for not too much. That would leave me with about 2000-2500$ for the speakers. I have a small room, so I'm heading toward bookshelves speakers. I don't mind buying used stuff as long as I can test the gear prior buying.
 
Do any of you have suggestions for a speaker system in my price range? I will mostly listen to rock and jazz (70% of the time) and the rest of the time, I would probably be watching movies.
 
By the way, I don't really like bright sound signature.
 
Thanks!
-Vincent

 

[cifani090]

Have you considered vintage? You could get some nice Klipsch Cornwalls, or JBL 4345's (just kidding lol) JBL L-100's, B&W 801's, or Bose 901's. The DAC you can get if your thinking of getting a CD player, or you can just run it to your computer. Amps as well could be vintage, Marantz, Kenwood, Fisher, or newer McIntosh stuff.

 

[Teejaay]

if you were in the us i would say buy some magnepans , buy a servo subwoofer , buy a reciever with pre out, buy a vintage power amp something with massive power
 
$600-800 for speakers old 1.6 magnepans
 
$1400 for sub most important thing in the room bad subs are terrible. sub has to be at least in this range and a servo or it wont keep up with the speakers.
 
$1000 for the receiver they do every thing you could ever really ask for.
 
$250ish for the power amp buy some pro power amp audiophile amps are mostly junk. you dont even really need this but it looks cool to say you have a huge amp. i got duel emotivia 1000watt mono blocks any real point to this not really in 2 channel my receiver is plenty of power
 
$500 tax for living in northern America
 
one day upgrade to 9.1 just b/c you can.

 

[Vinc]

I'm really not looking for a sub right now, I might add one later, hence why I thought about peach tree nova for the moment. I don't think that I'll be getting a receiver because it will mostly be for music.
 
By the way, the 1.6 magnepans are too big for my room, and I've heard that you also need a big room to make them sing. I've a 10x14feet room.
 
And no, I've not considered vintage yet, it might be a good idea though.
 
By the way, I've got a deal for the Focal 1007 BE, so it might enter in my budget. Has anyone heard them?
Quote:

if you were in the us i would say buy some magnepans , buy a servo subwoofer , buy a reciever with pre out, buy a vintage power amp something with massive power
 
$600-800 for speakers old 1.6 magnepans
 
$1400 for sub most important thing in the room bad subs are terrible. sub has to be at least in this range and a servo or it wont keep up with the speakers.
 
$1000 for the receiver they do every thing you could ever really ask for.
 
$250ish for the power amp buy some pro power amp audiophile amps are mostly junk. you dont even really need this but it looks cool to say you have a huge amp. i got duel emotivia 1000watt mono blocks any real point to this not really in 2 channel my receiver is plenty of power
 
$500 tax for living in northern America
 
one day upgrade to 9.1 just b/c you can.

 

 

[Lenni]

have not heard them - but I think you're moving in the right direction. of course is always recommended to audition before buying, but if they're within your budget I'd go for them. personally I'd spend at least $1500-2000 on speakers (bookshelves), and at least $1500 on a DAC, and the rest on a amp (used). 

 

[endless402]

rock and jazz arent that similar so you may have a tough time selecting a speaker that can excel in both. at your budget, you'll either want an average sounding all rounder or something that excels on one category.
that's something for you to decide
 
my budget would be 1k for dac, 2k bookshelves, and remaining on amp
there are very few good all in one systems, peachtree is a good start but the sound that comes out of it is equivalent to a mid range cambridgeaudio / NAD and other entry level brands. Naim makes a good all in one but is a little weak on the power so you have to be careful with your speaker pairings


From experience, the Sim Audio Moon I-1 is a good entry into the more refined amplifiers, and it'll run you about 1K on the used market. It's a good all rounder
The Naim 5i is also great for jazz, but not that great for rock. It's hard to beat the rhythmic drive of the naim though.
 
Speakerwise, you'll have to audition. Dynaudio excite and focus would be a good all rounder if you like the monitor sound. B&W 600 series and CM would be another choice, as well as Monitor Audio RX. JM Labs electra series is also good. I've been through all these speaker brands and am currently on the JM Labs. dont forget to budget a few hundred for decent stands
 
Personally I'd stick to the big name brands due to resale value. Audiogon is your best friend
 

 

[Vinc]

Thanks a lot!
I've found a set up that would probably suit my need and that is in my budget.
Shanling CDT 1000 HDCD -> rogue audio Chronus -> Focal 1007 Be
I'll should audition it soon.
My online main question is would it be possible to add a sub plugged into the audio chronus line out?
 

 

Quote:

rock and jazz arent that similar so you may have a tough time selecting a speaker that can excel in both. at your budget, you'll either want an average sounding all rounder or something that excels on one category.
that's something for you to decide
 
my budget would be 1k for dac, 2k bookshelves, and remaining on amp
there are very few good all in one systems, peachtree is a good start but the sound that comes out of it is equivalent to a mid range cambridgeaudio / NAD and other entry level brands. Naim makes a good all in one but is a little weak on the power so you have to be careful with your speaker pairings


From experience, the Sim Audio Moon I-1 is a good entry into the more refined amplifiers, and it'll run you about 1K on the used market. It's a good all rounder
The Naim 5i is also great for jazz, but not that great for rock. It's hard to beat the rhythmic drive of the naim though.
 
Speakerwise, you'll have to audition. Dynaudio excite and focus would be a good all rounder if you like the monitor sound. B&W 600 series and CM would be another choice, as well as Monitor Audio RX. JM Labs electra series is also good. I've been through all these speaker brands and am currently on the JM Labs. dont forget to budget a few hundred for decent stands
 
Personally I'd stick to the big name brands due to resale value. Audiogon is your best friend
 

 

 

[Uncle Erik]

Wow - plenty of options with that budget!

First, strongly consider buying used. Your money will go a lot further. There's Audiogon, but also look at Canuck Audio Mart - haven't used it, but a lot of Canadians use it.

I'd recommend the Maggies, too, but understand the constraints of smaller rooms. My apartment isn't too big, so I stored the ESL-63s (highly recommended if you have the room) and have been running ProAc Response 2.5 clones instead. I don't know if you're up for DIY, but you can find the real thing in your budget. It's surprising how deep a 6.5" woofer will go when set up correctly - I have no desire for a sub. They're quite capable speakers and I truly enjoy them.

Another brand to consider is Vandersteen. No, I have not heard them, but what I've read makes me want to buy a pair. Give them some consideration.

Match your amp to your speakers after you decide on a pair. I'm running a Conrad-Johnson MV-52 with the clones. A good fit, and only cost me around $700. The old Conrad-Johnsons with EL34s are a great deal.

 

[Teejaay]

Quote:

Thanks a lot!
I've found a set up that would probably suit my need and that is in my budget.
Shanling CDT 1000 HDCD -> rogue audio Chronus -> Focal 1007 Be
I'll should audition it soon.
My online main question is would it be possible to add a sub plugged into the audio chronus line out?
 

 

 

 
i wouldn't buy anything using tubes it will just add distortion unlike a good pro audio power amp that will supply much more current and power then a flimsy tube amp could ever dream of tube amps need to be retired but this will never happen with all the audiophools hanging around loving 5-10% THD they dont even supply the number THD or any real numbers on those power amps. and whats the point of a tube in a cd player other then to look pretty or something. CD player is digital item converts a cd 101010010100101 to digital 101010010100101 then to analog has good specs un like the power amp if they are true.... its comparable buying bose speakers people think bose is highend its the same both are awful and over priced junk.
 
the speakers seem good imo how much you plan to pay for them ? my vintage yamaha cost me $250 shipped it wights in at 78 pounds the transformer is the size of a brick its 500watt rms and has .05THD
 
stay far from tube power amps !

 

[lbj]

Quote:

i wouldn't buy anything using tubes it will just add distortion unlike a good pro audio power amp
[SNIP]
stay far from tube power amps !

You're entitled to your opinion of course, but I'd say it's not widely shared amongst knowledgeable people here.
 

 

[DaveBSC]

Quote:

Have you considered vintage? You could get some nice Klipsch Cornwalls, or JBL 4345's (just kidding lol) JBL L-100's, B&W 801's, or Bose 901's. The DAC you can get if your thinking of getting a CD player, or you can just run it to your computer. Amps as well could be vintage, Marantz, Kenwood, Fisher, or newer McIntosh stuff.

Are you serious man? There are SO many great speakers available new and used for the OP's budget, and you're recommending THE BOSE 901? Also, big ol' horns in a small room, uh, no. There's a reason why the old B&W Matrix speakers aren't worth much these days - they aren't very good. Planar speakers and to a somewhat lesser extent small electrostats should not be an automatic recommendation for everybody - these speakers need space, and they need proper positioning, otherwise they are just a big waste.
 
I think the OP is right to consider the humble two-way as the best choice, that's definitely where I would put my money. That said, I am NOT a Focal fan, and would definitely say try before you buy on that one. Assuming a budget up to around $2,500 for the speakers, there are a lot of great choices other than Focal - one of the models from Fritz or Selah Audio, on Audiogon the EgglestonWorks Isabel and the Merlin TSM MME which is a ridiculously good speaker.
 
I'm frankly not that crazy about the Peachtree either. Primare is a good choice for an integrated amp, as is Exposure. I would avoid Arcam because they have been really hit or miss over the years. Musical Fidelity integrateds are usually solid, if not necessarily amazing. Simaudio amps are lovely. Krell integrateds are not. I would suggest something like an Audio-GD to start with for a DAC, and then upgrade that as your budget allows. That way you don't have to throw out the whole amp at once and start over. A quality integrated like an Exposure 2010S or a Simaudio i3.3 should be able to stay with you for quite awhile.

 

[Vinc]

I am back from some listening test at a local store! Thanks a lot for all the replies.
I've test a Bel Canto in the first set up (integrated amp + DAC). It was nice, but I felt like the amp section really didn't worth the money, I had the impressions that most of the speakers were underpowered with them. We then exchanged the ampli for the Naim nait 5i-2 with the naim cd-2. It was what I was looking for! A LOT more details, more juice, more liveness in the records. The bass was tighter and the highs were more agressive (in a good way). I felt like I was in a concert.
Then, three days later I came back to the store to test some more speakers (I tested a sonus faber bookshelves and toy tower the previous day). I listened to the Proac-D18 with the nait 5i-2, and **** I was impressed! A lot of mid bass, tight one, and every thing was balanced.
 
It was a little bit higher than my budget, because I can't really get a decent source now if I buy the naim nait 5i-2 and the proac d-18. Although, I'm probably should get that set up soon, I really wonder how it would sound in my room! I really like my experience.

 

[Uncle Erik]

 
i wouldn't buy anything using tubes it will just add distortion unlike a good pro audio power amp that will supply much more current and power then a flimsy tube amp could ever dream of tube amps need to be retired but this will never happen with all the audiophools hanging around loving 5-10% THD they dont even supply the number THD or any real numbers on those power amps. and whats the point of a tube in a cd player other then to look pretty or something. CD player is digital item converts a cd 101010010100101 to digital 101010010100101 then to analog has good specs un like the power amp if they are true.... its comparable buying bose speakers people think bose is highend its the same both are awful and over priced junk.
 
the speakers seem good imo how much you plan to pay for them ? my vintage yamaha cost me $250 shipped it wights in at 78 pounds the transformer is the size of a brick its 500watt rms and has .05THD
 
stay far from tube power amps !

Sorry, I won't take the bait, however much you need to be set straight.

If you want to learn a lesson, go post that over in the DIY Forum. You'll find enormous chunks of your backside missing within a few posts.

As for the OP, good choice on the ProAcs! I haven't heard a (real) ProAc, but the clone design is something wonderful.

 

[DaveBSC]

Quote:

I've test a Bel Canto in the first set up (integrated amp + DAC). It was nice, but I felt like the amp section really didn't worth the money, I had the impressions that most of the speakers were underpowered with them. We then exchanged the ampli for the Naim nait 5i-2 with the naim cd-2. It was what I was looking for! A LOT more details, more juice, more liveness in the records. The bass was tighter and the highs were more agressive (in a good way). I felt like I was in a concert.
Then, three days later I came back to the store to test some more speakers (I tested a sonus faber bookshelves and toy tower the previous day). I listened to the Proac-D18 with the nait 5i-2, and **** I was impressed! A lot of mid bass, tight one, and every thing was balanced.
 
It was a little bit higher than my budget, because I can't really get a decent source now if I buy the naim nait 5i-2 and the proac d-18. Although, I'm probably should get that set up soon, I really wonder how it would sound in my room! I really like my experience.

 
ICEpower amps such as the Bel Canto have never done anything for me. They are suitable as muscle for subwoofers, not much else. The Naim Nait series has long had a very positive reputation among integrateds, and it's a solid choice. I would suggest trying a few more though. Just make sure you say "Class A/B please"

 

 

[Teejaay]

Quote:

Sorry, I won't take the bait, however much you need to be set straight.

If you want to learn a lesson, go post that over in the DIY Forum. You'll find enormous chunks of your backside missing within a few posts.

As for the OP, good choice on the ProAcs! I haven't heard a (real) ProAc, but the clone design is something wonderful.

 
tubes are just a throw back from 40 years ago that light up.