[davidthepark]

Focus your budget on speakers more so than electronics, as that will give you the best bang for the buck in sound quality. Better to get the best $1500 speakers and a $500 receiver, than the best $1000 speakers and a $1000 amp.

In addition to being a big difficult to drive, Magnepans are considered to be finicky about placement. I think you might do better with the Focal Chorus that were recommended or a pair of these Philharmonitors or Ascend Acoustics Sierra 1s.

If you ever want to expand your setup with additional speakers for watching movies or blu-ray music concerts, then an audio video receiver would be the best choice. Not only for it's ability to power a center and surrounds, but also because of the bass management (if you ever add a sub) and the built in room correction software (I recommend Denon, Marantz or Onkyo for Audyssey room EQ). Then there are additional convenience features like music streaming capability, remote management via android or ios, bluetooth, etc. AVRs are often a better price/performance value than integrated amps because they are the more competitive area of the market. Previous year Denon models tend to go on sale spring/summer as the new models come out, so you can get excellent deals if you are patient.

With apartment living, a sub can often be a problem with neighbors. If you listen to music with deep sub bass (e.g., EDM or hip hop) or plan on using your setup to watch movies, tower speakers could be the way to go to give you extra low bass over bookshelf/monitor size speakers instead of adding a sub.

Finally, forget the Audioengine P4 speakers. There are better choices out there in that budget range (Chane A1rx-c, HSU HB-1, and Ascend CBM-170 SE). The P4's are only popular among people who know the Audioengine brand name and don't know about other options.

 
This may be a stupid question, but if I get a AV receiver, do I not need any other components such as tube amps or DACs or phono amps for my turntable and MacMini (which will be just used to listen to my music on iTunes library and watch movies through a DVD reader. I will NOT be getting a DVD/blu-ray player)

 

[cel4145]

Some AVRs have a built in phono stage for connecting a turntable, although they now leave that off entry level and many mid-level receivers since turntables are not that popular.

AVRs have their own built in DAC, and have HDMI and optical (and maybe coaxial) inputs for connecting other devices to use their DAC. I don't know what kind of digital output your computer has. The HK 3370 is a stereo receiver (not AVR) that has phono inputs and optical inputs.

I don't know why you need a tube amp for a speaker setup. Good tube amps for speakers run in the thousands and are usually only considered by people with much, much higher budgets that buy more expensive speakers than your budget allows.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

 
This may be a stupid question, but if I get a AV receiver, do I not need any other components such as tube amps or DACs or phono amps for my turntable and MacMini (which will be just used to listen to my music on iTunes library and watch movies through a DVD reader. I will NOT be getting a DVD/blu-ray player)

 

Some AVRs have a built in phono stage for connecting a turntable, although they now leave that off entry level and many mid-level receivers since turntables are not that popular.

He'll end up paying a lot of money just to get an A/V receiver with a phono preamp, and the way it is with HDMI and reducing costs on newer receivers, most of them don't even have analog inputs anymore. Used to be there were Aux inputs at least but these days USB with access to the device memory is the norm. Hell, even with integrated amps, with direct digital designs they're also following the all digital input amps - except they still use SPDIF (many entry level AVR's don't even have these now) instead of HDMI, and in some cases like the D3020, they still have a provision for analog inputs.

 

[Eee Pee]

Cool thread!  I usually agree with Shaffer, especially lately, but for long term by all means get those Maggies!  To heck with the room and amplifier requirements, just make em work with what you got for now and later on when you move, there they are.  So worth it.
 
Oye, biggest (not really) regret of my life was letting my Maggies go.  They did things that nothing else could!  I had a half dozen speakers but the Maggies!  Oh man.  The wall of sound was incredible.  Nothing else I tried did it like they did.

 

[davidthepark]

  Cool thread!  I usually agree with Shaffer, especially lately, but for long term by all means get those Maggies!  To heck with the room and amplifier requirements, just make em work with what you got for now and later on when you move, there they are.  So worth it.
 
Oye, biggest (not really) regret of my life was letting my Maggies go.  They did things that nothing else could!  I had a half dozen speakers but the Maggies!  Oh man.  The wall of sound was incredible.  Nothing else I tried did it like they did.

What kind of set up did you have with your Maggies?
Tube amps? DAC? AVR?
 
Also, what is the difference between a stereo receiver and a AVR?

 

[cel4145]

He'll end up paying a lot of money just to get an A/V receiver with a phono preamp,

A lot of money in comparison to what? Lot of models in the US go on sale once they are replaced with newer models. Then there are great deals on factory refurbished/factory warrantied models from accessories4less, such as this RX-A1000. So best to look around before assuming that an AVR with phono is very expensive.

and the way it is with HDMI and reducing costs on newer receivers, most of them don't even have analog inputs anymore.

Check again. Denon, Pioneer, and Onkyo still have analog inputs even on some of their basic models. Analog inputs are far from gone.

 

[Eee Pee]

Old NAD amp.  I'd have to look it up, as an old GF has it now, and my B&W 302s.  Lucky her.  

 
AVR is Audio Video Receiver so it's the same thing more or less.  Stereo would imply it's just a 2 channel, not the newer 19 channel stuff.

 

[Eee Pee]

And seriously, buy those Maggies, buy whatever receiver with a phono you can find, or whatever, for now, and enjoy those speakers.  Maggies do things that most other speakers cannot do.  It's something that took me years to realize what was missing until I finally figured out, it's their size and forwards and backwards radiation and all that fancy stuff.  Even if they aren't perfect, what they do is so good, it's so worth it.
 
I actually went on their website to consider buying a new pair just now.  I have no reason, but just because.  And when I can, I will have their best.
 
It's like your front wall comes alive.  It's really weird, in a good way.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

A lot of money in comparison to what? Lot of models in the US go on sale once they are replaced with newer models. Then there are great deals on factory refurbished/factory warrantied models from accessories4less, such as this RX-A1000. So best to look around before assuming that an AVR with phono is very expensive.

 
I didn't consider refurbs, but I'm not one to use AVR's either, primarily because of size. if anything, at least they have the sub crossover and preamp control, but the D3020 at least has the preamp.
 
 

Check again. Denon, Pioneer, and Onkyo still have analog inputs even on some of their basic models. Analog inputs are far from gone.

 

I seem to remember things differently - a couple of years ago I was looking for one but I couldn't seem to locate one. In any case I think what really had me drop my plans at the time was how not all of them worked the Zone2 output similarly - I remember finding some kind of note on a manual that specifically stated that the Zone2 output only worked with the Aux input as source, but for some reason, not the network media, so that means no iPad remote for whatever I'm playing through the patio (which is weird because that's exactly how I assumed these would be used).

 

 

 

  To heck with the room and amplifier requirements, just make em work with what you got for now and later on when you move, there they are.

 
The question is how long will he be in that apartment. If he had a local Maggie dealer so shipping huge  panels wouldn't be prohibitive (heck he could even use his own car if he has one, or borrow a van/suv) then he can return them, or better yet, with a dealer in the area he might even be able to test them at home first.
 

 

[ProtegeManiac]

deleted

 

[cel4145]

I didn't consider refurbs, but I'm not one to use AVR's either, primarily because of size. if anything, at least they have the sub crossover and preamp control, but the D3020 at least has the preamp.

The D3020 is a nice lifestyle unit if one wants the small size, but when on sale, AVRs definitely provide more bang for the buck. Denon models will definitely go on sale for 35 to 40% off over the next few months as the new models come in and they try to sell out the old. For $400 (what the D3020 costs here), easy to get something that out performs it without even looking at refurbs. Onkyo also frequently has sales at shoponkyo (don't know when).

I seem to remember things differently - a couple of years ago I was looking for one but I couldn't seem to locate one. In any case I think what really had me drop my plans at the time was how not all of them worked the Zone2 output similarly - I remember finding some kind of note on a manual that specifically stated that the Zone2 output only worked with the Aux input as source, but for some reason, not the network media, so that means no iPad remote for whatever I'm playing through the patio (which is weird because that's exactly how I assumed these would be used).

Probably what you are thinking of is pre-amp outs, which are definitely only with higher models, and then the zone outs do work weird. There was a time (not sure if it's still true) where zone outs on some models would not work with digital inputs (it was an attempt to prevent recording of digital media)--not sure if that's still true. And some had other strange behavior, such as not being able to play what the main speakers were playing.

 

[Eee Pee]

Alright, but Maggies!
 
This is coming from a guy who went all the way down to single driver horn loaded speakers.  
 

 
I miss the those Maggies so much.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

Probably what you are thinking of is pre-amp outs, which are definitely only with higher models, and then the zone outs do work weird. There was a time (not sure if it's still true) where zone outs on some models would not work with digital inputs (it was an attempt to prevent recording of digital media)--not sure if that's still true. And some had other strange behavior, such as not being able to play what the main speakers were playing.

 
Nah the entry level units weren't really known for preamp outputs, but I guess that sounds like a good reason why they wouldn't allow a normal source for the Zone 2 line output. At the time I was hoping to use the powered speakers I already had, instead of passives, but even then I couldn't find any that had speaker amp outputs for Zone2 (it was either 7.2 or bi-amp).

 

[davidthepark]

  Alright, but Maggies!
 
This is coming from a guy who went all the way down to single driver horn loaded speakers.  
 

 
I miss the those Maggies so much.

 
I was really set on getting the Maggies, but I heard their bass is not so good. I think I am leaning more towards to the Focal Chorus, Dali Zensor 3 or Wharfedale Diamond 220s.
 
Any suggestions on the three?

 

[cel4145]

I was really set on getting the Maggies, but I heard their bass is not so good. I think I am leaning more towards to the Focal Chorus, [COLOR=222222]Dali Zensor 3 or [/COLOR][COLOR=222222]Wharfedale Diamond 220s.

If you want good bass, then most bookshelf speakers are not a good choice. You need floorstanding speakers. Well, except for those Philharmonitors I linked to. They have a frequency response of 42Hz - 30kHz (+/- 2db), which makes them more like floorstanding speakers.