[archimonde]

Hi everyone,
 
I'm planning to buy a new hi-fi system. My current setup is a crap :/. I have Shure SRH840 Headphone, Klipsch S4 and Sennheiser CX500mkII earbuds. I'm using Sandisk Sansa Clip Zip 2012 (with Rockbox) and Samsung Galaxy Nexus (with Poweramp) as portable source. I also have Creative X-Fi 5.1 USB sound card.
 
My main sound card is Asus Xonar D2x. I use that card with foobar2000 (asio). My music archive is generally flac. I also have Logitech x530 but not good for music.
 
I also have a vinyl player and will listen vinyls too.
 
I like to listening rock music, and sometimes jazz, classical.
 
So here is my question: I'm planning to build a hi-fi system but, I still unsure what should I build. Here is alternatives:
 
1) Xonar d2x -> hi-fi speaker (that one is probably the cheapest one but what about sound quality?)
2) Xonar d2x -> amplifier -> hi-fi speaker (should I add an amplifier?)
3) CD Player (or is there flac player?) -> amplifier -> hi-fi speaker
 
Since I will listen vinlys I think second option is what I need but I couldn't find and reviews d2x with amplifier -> hi-fi speaker.
 
My friend is selling his amplifier ( Marantz PM6010) with speakers (I do not know them but he said that they are not good enough). Should I buy this and add speakers?
 
Thanks in advice,

 

[trog]

I have looked up that Marantz and the good news is that it has phono input for your turn table and yes you'd see a massive increase in SQ moving up from Logitechs

Not sure if u are in the US, UK or elsewhere but great starter speakers would be anything (IMO) from Cambridge S30, Energy RC10 or Monitor Audio BX2 Your sources would be
 
1. PC + Soundcard for flacs/mp3 --> RCA ---> Marantz
2. Turntable into phono input on Marantz
 
This is for starters but you could tweak later with better sound cards/DAC or phono preamps, etc
 
Edit: Opps see that u are in Turkey so consider UK/European brands if they are well priced where u at ^^

 

[PurpleAngel]

Get the Marantz and buy new speakers.
Run a 3.5mm (1/8") to RCA (red/white) cable to connect the D2X to the Marantz.
 
Sometimes on eBay you can get a good price on some used Infinity Beta 50 or 40 or 20 speakers.

 

[archimonde]

Thanks for advice trog,
 
I knew the phono input and that was one of the reasons I'm looking for that amplifier.
 
I live in Turkey. I think I can find some of the speakers you wrote.
 
The price of the amplifier is $300 btw. I can spend more money on speakers. I liked the BX5a I also like floorstand speakers.
 
Also there is another thing, I will also listen music from CDs. Will my computer be enough for that or should I buy a entry level CD player?

 

[PurpleAngel]

Quote:

Thanks for advice trog,
 
I knew the phono input and that was one of the reasons I'm looking for that amplifier.
 
I live in Turkey. I think I can find some of the speakers you wrote.
 
The price of the amplifier is $300 btw. I can spend more money on speakers. I liked the BX5a I also like floorstand speakers.
 
Also there is another thing, I will also listen music from CDs. Will my computer be enough for that or should I buy a entry level CD player?

I would think the computer's built in CD-reader should be enough.

 

[archimonde]

Quote:

Get the Marantz and buy new speakers.
Run a 3.5mm (1/8") to RCA (red/white) cable to connect the D2X to the Marantz.
 
Sometimes on eBay you can get a good price on some used Infinity Beta 50 or 40 or 20 speakers.

I liked Infinity Beta 50. Found an used one for 600$ (couple). Reading reviews.
 
 

I would think the computer's built in CD-reader should be enough.
 

 
Thanks,

 

[cel4145]

Edit: Opps see that u are in Turkey so consider UK/European brands if they are well priced where u at ^^

Yep. Monitor Audio and Cambridge Audio that trog mentioned are good UK/EU speaker brands and may be available to you. Focal, Wharfedale, and B&W are others you might look for.

I liked Infinity Beta 50. Found an used one for 600$ (couple).

I think they might have been selling for that new originally (at least here in the US). Definitely try to get the price down.

 

[PurpleAngel]

Quote:

I liked Infinity Beta 50. Found an used one for 600$ (couple). Reading reviews.

For $600 you could find a pair of decent new speakers, with a manufacturer's warranty.
 
I was able to buy new Infinity Beta 40s at a close-out price of $180 each (4 years ago)
 
I would offer the seller $300 for the pair, see if you can get him to come down to $400.

 

[archimonde]

Yep. Monitor Audio and Cambridge Audio that trog mentioned are good UK/EU speaker brands and may be available to you. Focal, Wharfedale, and B&W are others you might look for.
I think they might have been selling for that new originally (at least here in the US). Definitely try to get the price down.

I found Monitor Audio's Turkey distributor. new BX2 couple price is $450, BX5 is $900, BX600 is $1200.
 
I will listen these at store but I want to know which speakers fit me. I also play guitar and will use speakers for monitoring guitar sound.
 
Any suggestions?
 
Also area is about 30mt^2

 

[archimonde]

Also find Polk Audio TSI300 couple for $650. What about that?

 

[cel4145]

I found Monitor Audio's Turkey distributor. new BX2 couple price is $450, BX5 is $900, BX600 is $1200.

I will listen these at store but I want to know which speakers fit me. I also play guitar and will use speakers for monitoring guitar sound.

Any suggestions?

Also area is about 30mt^2

That's the going rate for MA BX2s: http://www.audioadvisor.com/prodinfo.asp?number=MRBBX2

Which speakers fit you best are the ones that sound best to you

Also find Polk Audio TSI300 couple for $650. What about that?

Monitor Audio Bronze is a better grade of speaker. Those TSI300s are just TSI200s in a tower.

 

[archimonde]

Quote:

That's the going rate for MA BX2s: http://www.audioadvisor.com/prodinfo.asp?number=MRBBX2

Which speakers fit you best are the ones that sound best to you

Monitor Audio Bronze is a better grade of speaker. Those TSI300s are just TSI200s in a tower.

Thanks!.
 
What about Epos Epic 1-2-5? or Monitor Audio RX1-2?
 
I will go to the hi-fi store to listen Monitor Audio. But they are not selling Epos so 
I need to go elsewhere. I read some reviews about Epos Epic, they say it is very good for its price.

 

[cel4145]

Thanks!.

What about Epos Epic 1-2-5? or Monitor Audio RX1-2?

I will go to the hi-fi store to listen Monitor Audio. But they are not selling Epos so 
I need to go elsewhere. I read some reviews about Epos Epic, they say it is very good for its price.

Best thing to do is go listen and decide which you like better. Be sure to take your own demo music.

 

[StudioSound]

Unless you are buying active monitors, you need an amplifier to drive any speakers you buy.

These days a lot of people are using multichannel AVRs instead of 2-channel integrated amplifiers for stereo setups though, as they are a DAC and amplifier in one box, many give you advanced calibration options, and you have the option to expand to multichannel if you want.

I would not buy the ASUS soundcard, or any internal soundcard these days. I would buy a USB or Optical DAC if you are wanting to connect a computer up to a stereo amplifier. (and I would use JRiver to handle playback)

 

[archimonde]

Quote:

Unless you are buying active monitors, you need an amplifier to drive any speakers you buy.

These days a lot of people are using multichannel AVRs instead of 2-channel integrated amplifiers for stereo setups though, as they are a DAC and amplifier in one box, many give you advanced calibration options, and you have the option to expand to multichannel if you want.

I would not buy the ASUS soundcard, or any internal soundcard these days. I would buy a USB or Optical DAC if you are wanting to connect a computer up to a stereo amplifier. (and I would use JRiver to handle playback)

 
I'm buying Marantz PM6010.
 
Since I have a pickup, I need a phono amplifier and PM6010 has it.
 
I already bought the ASUS soundcard and I don't think its DACs (TI Burr-Brown PCM1796*4 DAC (120dB SNR, Max. 192Khz/24bit)) are bad.
 
I can sell my soundcard and buy a decent USB DAC but I just want to try that setup which I already have.
 
I have questions about testing the speakers, too. Luckily, the dealer where I test speakers (Monitor Audio) is also selling Marantz Amplifiers. So, I can try speakers with PM5004/PM6004 but,
other store has no Marantz product. I need to go another city to try them :/. Maybe I will try used ones with my amplifier.