[JackTheRipper]

Alright I just got a real good job and I'm hunting the piece of equipment that wont make me want some more.
I'm a speaker guy but was holding on to headphones not having the budget for speakers
Now I do so I thought I'll go all out.
I love bass.
Quality comes before power.
I listen to hip-hop, ska, dub, rock, punk in no specefic preferences except for rap hip hop.
Thanks
Fred.

 

[sonq]

I've heard enough mediocre sounding megabuck systems; spending more is not the same as getting more.

You sound like you need a Naim system; self contained and well defined upgrade path. Naim Supernait into one of their speakers. Just throw in a Squeezebox Duet. Even the exact cables are supplied by Naim.

If you need to be more conspicuous, nothing beats this; even your non-audiophile friends will get it:
Steinway & Sons - Noteworthy - News and Information - Steinway & Sons Names The 5 Browns to International Artist Roster

 

[883dave]

How about a Wavac Model : SH-833

Tara Labs Zero and Omega Gold

Wilson Alexandria and a couple Thor's hammers: or Marten Coltrane Supreme

Add a Continuum Turntable with a Cobra arm and Koetsu Coral cartridge

Should be a little south of a million

 

[Uncle Erik]

No price limits?

I say build a custom listening room. The room is as important as the speakers. Find an acoustic engineer and get a room built for great sound.

As for the high end in speakers, I like the Magnepan 20.1 and the Quad ESL-2905. Not everyone likes planars, but they've always been more "real" to me than dynamic speakers. As for amps, figure out what speakers you want first, then determine what amp(s) will drive them the best.

 

[sonq]

The fact that you're asking this question means you're unlikely to have anyn clue what's out there, much less how to assemble a synergistic high end system.

I think a good dealer or a highly systemized brand like Naim, MBL, burmester etc may be a better bet. I think it's more about component synergy than bringing the best of everything into the pot - may end end with a really expensive pot of mediocrity instead.

 

[krmathis]

A nice MBL rig maybe?
Should just set you back some $6-700,000...

[size=xx-small]Click for larger[/size]

 

[memepool]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JackTheRipper /img/forum/go_quote.gif I love bass. Quality comes before power. I listen to hip-hop, ska, dub, rock, punk in no specefic preferences except for rap hip hop. Thanks Fred.

If you want serious bass then Electrostatics like the Quads or Magneplanars arn't really going to float your boat. For this kind of music you need serious solid state amps and big cones.

The advice about room treatment is spot on but beyond this if your room is small I'd go for some transmission lines like PMC with Bryston amplification.

If you've got more space to play with then the Naim set is a good recommendation but personally I wouldn't bother with their speakers, I'd go for B&W 801s.

 

[ozz]

Another vote for B&W 801 or 802D's coupled to Classe pre and amp
and with an SVS ultra pb 13 subwoofer.I have never found magic sound
in cabling just use a good brand of Belden or Canare snake oil free.

 

[robm321]

Agree with Uncle Erik that the room should be the main priority if money is no object.

I would go for the VR11 (Von Schweikert) speakers...

 

[robm321]

Agree with Uncle Erik that the room should be the main priority if money is no object.

I would go for the VR11 (Von Schweikert) speakers...

K-1000 headphones with a very high end tube amp

 

[epaludo]

Yeah, definitely the room has a LOT of influence. How the acoustic waves will act inside the room can make a world of difference, good point Uncle Erik.

I don't know much about speaker systems, but having studied acoustics and vibrations i can tell how much influence it has ...

 

[chesebert]

why don't you come back with your real budget.

I really think post like this is a waste of time.

 

[HiWire]

It's funny that the source is the only part missing from the OP's list of equipment query. Sure, we could name a bunch of big-name items, but it's more fun to try the stuff out at audio stores. I'd love to try a daTZeel amp on Sonus Faber's Stradivari Homage speakers, running out of a dCS Scarlatti and Nordost Odin cables... what's that, over $100,000?

 

[krmathis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by chesebert /img/forum/go_quote.gif why don't you come back with your real budget. I really think post like this is a waste of time.

x2
All these "no price limit" threads are mostly pointless. Cause very few have a bottomless wallet, and if you for some reason have one I am quite sure you would ask for advice other places than Head-Fi.

 

[Planar_head]

Get a pair of Magnepan 20.1's biamp them with Stereophile: Ayre MX-R monoblock power amplifier (one to sub panel, then other to the mid and tweeter) or, you could get a good tube amp to power the tweeter, then build one of these THE BIGGEST HORN SUB OF THE WORLD. If you want, you could do 5.1 with Magnepan 20.1's, and get a good magnepan center (I think there is a magnepan stand that lays the 20.1s sideways so you can use it as a center). Go find Peter Gunn of Audio Asylum and ask him to make stand for you

He has a website I found, but I'll leave that to you... Don't forget to build a dedicated listening room, with plenty of acoustic treatments. You won't regret any a single dollar you spent on such a thing

I'm don't know the extreme high end source gear, but what about Esoteric monoblock DACs? I think they make those... Don't forget your expensive cables too.

This was a fun post to write