[halogamer]

I need a good setup for listening to music and watching movies at a desk on a computer. This is my budget for each component:
Monitors - Since it's probably one of the most important things in the setup, I'm willing to spend up to $7,000 on monitors.
Amplifier - Also very important, so I would be willing to spend up to maybe $3,000. It would be nice if the amp wasn't too heavy and easy to store somewhere near or on a desk.
DAC - This is where I'm kind of unsure. I would take any recommendations for a capable DAC. I would prefer a USB connection and multiple inputs. It would be nice if it also supported Bluetooth, but it's not a deal breaker if it doesn't
Headphones - These will be for using whenever I'm unable to have the monitors on. I would spend around $3,000 for some good headphones.
Headphone Amp? - I don't have much knowledge or experience with amps, so I'm not sure if one amp could drive the monitors and headphones or if I would need a dedicated headphone amp.
 
Just to clarify some more, the setup will be in a medium sized room. It's just a regular room, so not a studio or anything. It would be nice if everything was reasonably sized and nothing massive. Another thing that I have to add is that I own a turntable that will be going into the setup as well.

 

[PleasantSounds]

With a budget like that you can really put together an impressive system, but you can also spend a lot of money on things that don't add any value. To give you really good and precise recommendations one would have to ask a ton of follow up questions, and that takes time.
 
I think the best solution for you would be to find a good brick and mortar high end audio store and pay them a visit - they should be able to understand your preferences and select gear accordingly. That would also give you opportunity to compare some of the gear side by side - this works much better then relying on someone else's opinion. In your price range technical excellence is pretty much a given and what you really are paying for are preferences, so make the most of it.

 

[Makiah S]

  With a budget like that you can really put together an impressive system, but you can also spend a lot of money on things that don't add any value. To give you really good and precise recommendations one would have to ask a ton of follow up questions, and that takes time.
 
I think the best solution for you would be to find a good brick and mortar high end audio store and pay them a visit - they should be able to understand your preferences and select gear accordingly. That would also give you opportunity to compare some of the gear side by side - this works much better then relying on someone else's opinion. In your price range technical excellence is pretty much a given and what you really are paying for are preferences, so make the most of it.

FOR SURE 
 
Honestly though, if you've got that much spare funds I'd say give a shot out to the guys n gals at Moon Audio, Drew can do a private session with you and give you ton of choices and really help you narrow down your options and hopefully get you something amazing

 

[halogamer]

Thanks for the replies, guys. I'm definitely considering going to a high end audio store, but it's just too intimidating to me since I'm not that serious(..i know....i know) or knowledgeable when it comes to audio. Looking around actually, I think what I originally planned may be overkill for my needs. I'm reading a lot about how good monitors can really bring out the flaws in music. Since I'm not really producing, it seems that really high end monitors would detract from my listening experience. Basically, I need speakers that are top class, but don't highlight the flaws in the music. The type of music I listen to as of now is lots of late 90s jungle/dnb bass (which can have some terrible mastering) and some modern electronic music. Obviously, I will be discovering new music in the future, so it isn't always going to be dnb/electronic. I think I may just buy a reasonable music setup for my PC and put the rest of the money towards a nice home theater setup. If anyone could provide some good suggestions for my situation, I would be very grateful.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

  I need a good setup for listening to music and watching movies at a desk on a computer. This is my budget for each component:
Monitors - Since it's probably one of the most important things in the setup, I'm willing to spend up to $7,000 on monitors.
Amplifier - Also very important, so I would be willing to spend up to maybe $3,000. It would be nice if the amp wasn't too heavy and easy to store somewhere near or on a desk.
DAC - This is where I'm kind of unsure. I would take any recommendations for a capable DAC. I would prefer a USB connection and multiple inputs. It would be nice if it also supported Bluetooth, but it's not a deal breaker if it doesn't
Headphones - These will be for using whenever I'm unable to have the monitors on. I would spend around $3,000 for some good headphones.
Headphone Amp? - I don't have much knowledge or experience with amps, so I'm not sure if one amp could drive the monitors and headphones or if I would need a dedicated headphone amp.
 
Just to clarify some more, the setup will be in a medium sized room. It's just a regular room, so not a studio or anything. It would be nice if everything was reasonably sized and nothing massive. Another thing that I have to add is that I own a turntable that will be going into the setup as well.

 
Are you using the monitors for nearfield? If you are, might as well just get a DAC or headphone amp with a preamp output and then use good active monitors like Genelec, Focal, or Dynaudio, given you can spend this much anyway. You can then keep the electronics relatively smaller. Example:

Monitors : Focal Solo6 Be,* $3,000 ($1,500x2 - they're usually sold per piece)
Headphones : Sennheiser HD800,* $1,200 to $1,500
DAC : Meier Corda DACcord (has a preamp output for the monitors), $600
Headphone Amplifier : Meier Corda Classic (has two inputs, one can be used for your phono preamp), $600
Check for discount bundles on the Meiers

Total: $5,700+sales taxes, shipping - basically around the price you've set for the monitors

----
 
If you're not using the monitors as a nearfield, you can get the following set-up:
 
Monitors : Aurum Cantus Volla,* $3,500-ish; plus $800-ish for the heavy, aesthetically matched-stands
Smooth very extended treble out of the ribbon tweeters; 
Headphone : Sennheiser HD800,* $1,200 to $1,500
Amplifier/Headphone amplifier : Cayin CS-55A,  $2000 or less (over here it's around $1,700)
Great amp driving the Volla as well as Duevel Planets towers; fantastic headphone driver stage, personally confirmed on HD600; dealer salesman said it works on a "really expensive, silver, round, bulbuous headphone" that a customer bought the amp on the spot after 30mins of listening (I'm guessing it was the Beyer T1 or T5P)
DAC : CS-55A has a built-in 24/96 USB DAC, drivers must be installed; also a bunch of other inputs for the phono pre, or another DAC given you're still well under budget at this point
 
Either way, you're under budget. Spend around $1,000 and line the walls of your listening room with acoustic panels (those black panels with spikes or perpendicular bars on them). They won't take up a lot of space but they'll maximize the sound out of your speakers. No matter how good your speakers are, if your room is EQ-ing the sound or causing other acoustic issues like reflections, you're basically throwing money at the wrong thing.
 
*Note that speaker and headphone options are rough examples for now
 

 

[halogamer]

Thanks for the recommendation. Yes, I'll be using them near field and I'll take a look at those components. Do you think the monitors would be well suited for me as someone who doesn't produce, but only listens to music (which may or may not be mastered perfectly)? I'm worried about getting speakers that will really highlight the flaws in the music. I'll also look into some acoustic panels. Which type would you recommend if I have a smallish room? Also, are the HD800s pretty much considered the best on the market around the price range? How do they compare to something like the Beyerdynamic T1 or T5p?

 

[PleasantSounds]

  [..] Do you think the monitors would be well suited for me as someone who doesn't produce, but only listens to music (which may or may not be mastered perfectly)? I'm worried about getting speakers that will really highlight the flaws in the music.

 
I had similar concerns regarding the monitors, but in practice it's not that bad. In fact this issue is much more pronounced with the headphones. For this reason I would not recommend the HD800 to you, even though I consider them the best headphones. They are quite merciless in exposing all the detail, including recording flaws. I believe you would be much better off with Audez'e LCD-X, which are more forgiving.
 
Coming back to active monitors: I consider them the best suited solution for desktop listening. They are designed for near field use, have well matched amps (so no synergy issues), and generally reward you with fantastic precision and clarity. But don't take my word for it: grab some of your music and check for yourself in a studio equipment store. 
 
For the type of music you're listening to I'd consider also a good sub - something like EVE Audio TS112 or Dynaudio BM14S. These two go really deep while being well controlled and musical.
 
Acoustic treatment may improve your speakers' performance quite radically, especially if you tend to use high volume or have bare walls or other large flat surfaces. Start with bass traps in the room corners, then add panels on the flat walls. Experiment with placement before you fix anything for good.

 

[Makiah S]

   
I had similar concerns regarding the monitors, but in practice it's not that bad. In fact this issue is much more pronounced with the headphones. For this reason I would not recommend the HD800 to you, even though I consider them the best headphones. They are quite merciless in exposing all the detail, including recording flaws. I believe you would be much better off with Audez'e LCD-X, which are more forgiving.
 
Coming back to active monitors: I consider them the best suited solution for desktop listening. They are designed for near field use, have well matched amps (so no synergy issues), and generally reward you with fantastic precision and clarity. But don't take my word for it: grab some of your music and check for yourself in a studio equipment store. 
 
For the type of music you're listening to I'd consider also a good sub - something like EVE Audio TS112 or Dynaudio BM14S. These two go really deep while being well controlled and musical.
 
Acoustic treatment may improve your speakers' performance quite radically, especially if you tend to use high volume or have bare walls or other large flat surfaces. Start with bass traps in the room corners, then add panels on the flat walls. Experiment with placement before you fix anything for good.

I agree, for some one who doesn't want "revealing" monitors I wouldn't go for the HD 800, it's going to butcher his  music. I to think the LCD X would be a great headphone for you, a nice amount of bass for EDM but an overally balanced sound for other music styles as well Though it's heavy if the LCD X was to heavy for you,
 
you could try Hifimans HE 560 

 

[ProtegeManiac]

  Do you think the monitors would be well suited for me as someone who doesn't produce, but only listens to music (which may or may not be mastered perfectly)? I'm worried about getting speakers that will really highlight the flaws in the music.

 

  I agree, for some one who doesn't want "revealing" monitors I wouldn't go for the HD 800, it's going to butcher his  music. I to think the LCD X would be a great headphone for you, a nice amount of bass for EDM but an overally balanced sound for other music styles as well Though it's heavy if the LCD X was to heavy for you,
 
you could try Hifimans HE 560 
 

 

I only put up the HD800 as a rough example, as indicated in my post. Past that, just to be perfectly honest, I just don't see the point in spending $7,000 on the monitors alone, and then listen to badly recorded or highly compressed music on it. Might as well go for less expensive gear because the thing is, the more you pay, the more revealing and neutral the speakers and headphones tend to be given what that particular kind of technology is capable of. What people regard as "sound signature" isn't really a "flavor," but a compromise. Since there is no such thing as a perfectly neutral response transducer, much less one that's easy to drive or has fully flat response from 20hz to 20khz, manufacturers tend to choose a compromise that they can live with.

 

Think of it this way: Spending a total of five figures on a system that will play badly-recorded music is kind of like buying a Ferrari or doping up a Skyline, but living downtown, using barely-passable fuel (over here there's one Shell station that sells Premium doped with Aviation fuel rated at 100 Octane RON/97 Octane elsewhere), never driving out to the back roads or to track weekends, and the most heart-pounding moments are potholes or other accidents (or illegal, F&F/NFS Hot Pursuit kind of mayhem if you're that kind of rich person). It doesn't necessarily just apply to studio monitors either, it also applies to hi-fi gear. I ran prog metal through Focal Stella Utopias, and everyone around me agreed we should keep that for  speakers like Focal's own car audio K2P (I personally liked how there wasn't any glare to it, although the "bite" to the guitars were barely there - but hey, flatter response and deep bass with nice imaging, even on music you would think didn't have much for imaging). Note that I've pretty much tried my music on some of hte stuff I recommended up there, so as far as "butchering" is concerned, I got those covered with some of the recommendations for music that isn't necessarily Telarc or the like (although of course the bands still care enough to use Genelec monitors, hire good engineers, etc).

If it was me, I'd spend the savings from the set-ups I proposed to buy the music in CD quality (or high res, which is a good idea if you're archiving them, and you have that much in surplus cash). Otherwise, here's a revised compromise set-up. Note that I am putting up a nearfield monitor here still because they'll be used nearfield; non-NF speakers tend to be a mixed bag at too close distances (even if they work well otherwise) unless someone actually uses them as such and attests that they work properly. These are supposed to be "pro" monitors but I find them colored; for home use, especially with not too serious sources, it's fantastic though. We use these as party speakers at my friend's roofdeck (otherwise they're in his home office).

Monitors : KRK Rokit 6, $200x2

Headphones : Audeze LCD-2, $1,000 ;  Grado PS500, $500

DAC : Meier Corda DACcord
HPamp : Meier Corda Classic

 

----

Also, just to add to my previous point about non-Telarc/Linn/etc albums being played on more expensive systems, here's one of my favorite metal composers recording in Abbey Road and "real world" tests on the mix were on the B&W speakers in the background. The best speakers I played their CDs on? Sonus Faber Cremona Auditors. Fantasmic was just plain epic on those stand-mounts, followed by the Aurum Cantus Volla; the Dynaudio Contour S5.4 was fantastic too but that's a whole different category (HUGE floorstander).

Here's the track I used when I went around the annual hi-fi show here.
 
If your music is at least around the recording quality of a metal band like this, then you won't have that much of a problem using pro monitors. Heck, if I had that much money, I'd still use Focal at home, or Genelec so I'd use the same speakers as their new studio.

 

  I'll also look into some acoustic panels. Which type would you recommend if I have a smallish room? Also, are the HD800s pretty much considered the best on the market around the price range? How do they compare to something like the Beyerdynamic T1 or T5p?

 

As I already noted above, the HD800 was just a rough placeholder, chosen because in its price bracket that's my favorite. I revised the list above to use the LCD-2 because it "softens" the sound a bit. However, I still put the PS500 as an option because I find the LCD-2 too "soft" - they lack that harder edge to the percussion that the HD600 and HD800 have (also the K7xx; Grados especially, but the soundstage is not a priority on those). Like, while the Stella Utopia softened up the guitars, it was really more of the effect on imaging - you can hear it coming from behind the vocalist and off to one side (wider image though since it uses a guitar amp), though the bite is still there a little bit; the percussion especially retained their bite but with zero glare on any of the notes. With the LCD-2 it wasn't even that it was imaging it farther, as on the K7xx or the K1000, or the Utopias - it really was just a bit soft to my ears. Or I really just prefer how dynamic drivers handle low midrange down to the bass.

 

Also, I'm personally not that much of a fan of the T1 (at least until I can compare my amp to another). The Tesla efficiency doesn't overcome 600ohms on my amp, and it's a reasonably beefy one. I mean, there's effic response tipped up in some spots to give the illusion of dynamic range, but then there's "flat" not just in response curve but in dynamics as well. My amp did well on anything I threw at it save for these 600ohms, Tesla notwithstanding. Check how different the T5P is, at 32ohms it might be a lot less of a problem.

 

[Makiah S]

I agree the LCD 2 is too soft, the LCD X or Hifiman HE 560 would be a touch nicer I think, he could maybe even go for the HE 6 and get one of Audio GD Power Amps, with Speaker Taps and like 20wPc into 32 ohms on the headphone out. 
 
You could also try this set up for your Dac + Headphohe/Speaker amps
 
Dac
 
Use 3pin XLRS to the Headphone amp, and then the BNC Connectors to the Speaker Amp 
 
Headphone Amp
Speaker Amp
 
Then get an LCD X or HE 6
 
Oh jeeze, did we ever ask OP what his source was :/ 

 

[ProtegeManiac]

  I agree the LCD 2 is too soft, the LCD X or Hifiman HE 560 would be a touch nicer I think, he could maybe even go for the HE 6 and get one of Audio GD Power Amps, with Speaker Taps and like 20wPc into 32 ohms on the headphone out. 

 
If he didn't need the speakers to be nearfield I'd say the Ragnarok for his budget, though I haven't heard it. I did list the Cayin CS55-A, since I listened to it recently driving the Aurum Cantus Volla, Duevel Planets, and my HD600 (on the front headphone output, not the speaker binding posts), and I would have bought it if I needed one like it.
 

 
Headphone Amp
Speaker Amp

 
He needs the electronics to be relatively compact. I assume he needs space for a computer, a laptop at minimum.
 

 
Oh jeeze, did we ever ask OP what his source was :/ 

 
We're assuming it was a computer based on

1) need for nearfield
2) not a really dedicated, large audio room; has a desk 
3) he didn't post any objection to my mentioning  that the Cayin CS-55A has a USB DAC, although that might be because he basically ruled out that entire set based on the nearfield requirement