Need a bit of help with equipment selection

[habman6]

So much budget is about 1700-1800$, with 500$ being dedicated to building a PC. This leaves about 1200 left for audio equipment (Canadian dollars).

I have decided on Behringer 2030P or 2031P monitors. It was suggested to me that I have an active crossover system crossed at 80Hz. This means I would need a crossover, DAC, sub, and amp. The Behringer Ultracurve DEQ2496/Ultradrive Pro DCX2496 seems to cover the DAC and crossover department, and will run me about 350-400$

So total this leaves 250$ + 400$ = 650$

What are your recommendations for the amp and sub? Is it even possible to fit in a sub with this budget?

Do you have any other suggestions for a possible setup? (side point - I have no idea what I'm going to do regarding headphone amplification...that is another issue). Perhaps I should ditch the crossover idea and get a stereo receiver (I was looking at Harmon Kardon)?

Much thanks

 

[nkk]

i recenlty did this, but on a smaller budget (all prices in USD).

I got:
Audio-GD Compass and all three OPA - $360 shipped
Adcom 5200 2 channel amp -$105 shipped
The Speaker Company TSB series bookshelf speakers - $130 shipped

For you, I would recommend (you have about $1500 USD by my calculations):

Compass (I am waiting for mine, but is said to sound as good as things at $1000. Also has headphone amp).

NHT Classic Three (about $600 on amazon for a pair in the US, Irealize amaon does not ship to Canada)

And with the about $600 left, get yourself a nice tube amp and sub.m I did not research these, and thus do not feel that I know enought to recommend one. OR a SS amp and better sub. Adcom (solid state) (older and used is fine) amps came highly recommended in my budget for an amp (about $100).

Note that I have heard NONE of the things in my recommendation, but this is based on extensive research, as I was almost persuaded to get the NHT speakers, but could not justify the cost at that time. This is all based on my research.

Hope that helps a little,
Nkk

 

[Bmac]

I think you should focus your money on what will bring you the most gain in terms of sound quality; your source and the speakers themselves.

Like nkk said the Audio-gd compass would make for a decent DAC and headphone amp, or alternatively you could use the Asus Xonar Essence STX and save some money. If you spend $500 on your computer and $225 - $400 on one of those sources then you have $900 - 1,075 to spend on speakers, amplification and cables.

You need to decide how important bass is to you. If you are not a huge basshead you will probably get more enjoyment out of a pair of good quality speakers than some ok speakers and a sub. You can always add a sub down the road as budget permits. For ~$1000 you should be able to find a good integrated amp and some nice bookshelves or some good quality active monitors.

 

[habman6]

Thanks for the advice, and different options.

How are receivers in terms of sound quality, in comparison to a dedicated external DAC? The Onkyo TX-SR506 for example seems to provide all the options I would want, and would be perfect if it sounded quite nice as well. I don't need a bigtime amp since it is just a bedroom setup, and pretty much 95% of the listening will be nearfield (perhaps I should have mentioned that - alot will be for music production).

If I go the passive monitor + receiver route I can also pick up a sub and a new pair of headphones (probably sony mdr-7506).

 

[Bmac]

I haven't heard the Onkyo you are referring to. I would imagine the DAC is ok but it will probably pale in comparison to a good quality external DAC. As far as the amplification goes it probably sounds ok too, but not as good as a nice integrated. With a receiver you pay for a lot of bells and whistles like video processing, whereas with an integrated you are paying only for what makes music and not much else. Even a stereo receiver would probably be a better choice than a 5.1 or whatever if stereo is your intended use.

If your goal is music production, you might want to look at active monitors or even active speakers. Many good active monitors have low-pass filters built in, so you won't need to worry about having an external crossover if you add a sub. Some KRK, Yamaha or Fostex monitors will leave you with enough left over to buy a sub. Blue Sky Media also makes some 2.1 sets that fit your budget. If you want to stretch your budget a little, Dynaudio BM5A's are pretty awesome. If you're in Montreal Steve's Music will carry some of those brands. You might also want to check out Gearslutz, there is a wealth of information there on mixing and monitors.

For active speakers you might want to look at some used Quad 11L A's or possibly 12L A's. They can be found for $600-$700, but they have no crossovers. The Audioengine's are a popular choice too but probably not that well suited for mixing.