muznuts Posted July 21, 2014 Posted July 21, 2014 Hi there, I have joined this forum as someone never having purchased decent Hi Fi gear, im not totally clueless but am quite overwhelmed with how many options are around and was hoping to get some more advise, suggestions, recommendations, where to buy, etc etc as the topic line says I have a budget of around $6K, been doing some research and I think I want to just stick with the best floorstanding speakers I can get ie. no surround sound stuff so I will be in the market for 1. a pair of speakers 2. an amp 3. a CD player 4. cables I will want to have the system running with the TV and bluray as well as gaming thanks murray
Galactic Soap Posted July 21, 2014 Posted July 21, 2014 Hi Mate - Are you only interested in buying brand new, or are you open to second hand gear as well? Lastly, most of the advice you'll get is to listen before you buy anything: which maybe difficult but well worth the effort.
muznuts Posted July 21, 2014 Author Posted July 21, 2014 no i would definitely consider 2nd hand gear, i know there is a classified section here i will keep an eye on i totally understand it will come all come down to personal preference but would like to get some ideas of the best brands and models in this price range
Bell Ringer Posted July 21, 2014 Posted July 21, 2014 (edited) If I had $6K I would consider buying Alistair's Adam Tensor's if they are still available. Amps and speakers all in one for $5000. You would do me a favour as well because then I could stop thinking about them! http://www.stereo.net.au/forums/index.php?/topic/66784-fs-nsw-adam-tensor-delta-active-speakers/ You could use your blue ray player as a CD transport and that would leave you with $1000 to spend on a good Dac/Pre that you could plug your TV/gaming and blu/ray into. No budget there for cables but you could get by pretty cheaply. A few Dac/pre's show up on the classifieds here. Like most people on this forum I'm good at spending other people's money so I would just spend a bit more and buy @@rossb Eximus DP1 http://www.stereo.net.au/forums/index.php?/topic/68275-fs-eximus-dp-1-dac-reduced-price/?hl=eximus That's about $18K worth of gear for less than $7500, and a very compact system as well. Edit: I forgot about stands for the Tensor's. Edited July 21, 2014 by Bell Ringer 4
wolster Posted July 21, 2014 Posted July 21, 2014 Some good pointer there already. I also suggest that you go to a few dedicated hi-fi stores in Sydney (not box movers) and ask and listen. Don't be afraid to ask for home demos to see how the gear sounds in your room. Check our sponsor list and let them know you are a member here - you will get extra special service
Capone Posted July 21, 2014 Posted July 21, 2014 Hi there, I have joined this forum as someone never having purchased decent Hi Fi gear, im not totally clueless but am quite overwhelmed with how many options are around and was hoping to get some more advise, suggestions, recommendations, where to buy, etc etc as the topic line says I have a budget of around $6K, been doing some research and I think I want to just stick with the best floorstanding speakers I can get ie. no surround sound stuff so I will be in the market for 1. a pair of speakers 2. an amp 3. a CD player 4. cables I will want to have the system running with the TV and bluray as well as gaming thanks murray What no TT setup?-only joking But to get the best out of Blue ray i would recommend more than a pair of speakers to get the full experience? And as a previous reply has stated, try and listen to as much gear as you can before purchasing, as different combinations sound different. Definitely keep an eye on the Stereonet classifieds
DAMO 1147 Posted July 21, 2014 Posted July 21, 2014 What are your music preferences? that can help with speaker suggestions. If your into death metal it's likely we will be suggesting certain brands. I did sees lovely A9 in the classified section. They could be good depending on above. Room size helps as we'll. speaker choice tends too influence the amp choice too. A western tube amp will only do so much, despite how good they are. Agree a dad pre is a good idea.
muznuts Posted July 21, 2014 Author Posted July 21, 2014 What are your music preferences? that can help with speaker suggestions. If your into death metal it's likely we will be suggesting certain brands. I did sees lovely A9 in the classified section. They could be good depending on above. Room size helps as we'll. speaker choice tends too influence the amp choice too. A western tube amp will only do so much, despite how good they are. Agree a dad pre is a good idea. Musical tastes are pretty broad, i listen to everything from classical guitar through to Tool or System of a Down and everything in between (mood dependent), heaps of older stuff like the classics Led Zep, Pink Floyd, Queen... the room is pretty big, 4m x 8m, quite open plan, and tiled i know im asking some very broad questions that are too hard to put definitive answers to, maybe a different approach what do people think of Audio Physic Sitara 25, ive listened to them and can get them on sale, are there better than these for my money given the above thanks
THOMO Posted July 21, 2014 Posted July 21, 2014 JBL Studio 590s would work very well in a big room like that.For around $2500 new they are brilliant speakers and sound better than most $10,000 ones. They are also efficient so do not need much power to produce a big dynamic sound.Also would suit your musical tastes.
DAMO 1147 Posted July 22, 2014 Posted July 22, 2014 Ok Muzz - sounds a lot like my musical preferences, I tend to range from Auciustic guitars to TOOL & SOD which i love & loud. If your speakers can accommodate those boys then it will handle any of your middle rock and roll as well. I would agree the JBL 590 worth an audition for sure! I would think that you may do well with Australian made speaker as you will be able to get some input from the makers on the best model for you. Check out the Australian made speakers thread for your audition list: Recommend - VAF DC-X series speakers and above, Adelaide speakers and Red Spade Audio HE2 very worthy of consideration. Monitor Audio & PMC could be worth looking into. S/H harbeths but it might not leave to much left over for amps. Given our similar tastes in music it would be remiss of me not to mention my favourite. They’re not for everyone as they are single driver however if you like a live sound with great dynamics then check out Zu Audio for sure. I run the Omens however If I had 6K I be looking at Soul Mk11 for sure. http://www.krispyaudio.com.au/products/Zu-Audio-Soul-MkII-speakers.html http://www.digitalaudioreview.net/2013/06/zu-soul-mkii-loudspeaker-review/ Ask Cameron for an introductory deal, if he has Souls in stock, if not Mike at magenta audio is the distributer. That leaves plenty of room for one of Earls great creations- Topaz or alike - but the bonus with these babies is that you don’t even have to spend a heap on the amps they play beautiful with tubes for sure but they are great with vintage and non vintage SS -as well. I run both SE - tube and a – tuned Sansui Au 505 with my Omens & they sing. I sent the wife out for Damo’s hour of power just last weekend –TOOL running just over half on my 8w class A tube had the hairs standing up on the back of my neck as the waves hit me, awesome! Ear bleading - but they also handle light acoustic guitars with great sensitivety and tone as well very strong dynamic scale IMO. Lively and forward presentation though so they need an auditon some people hate them. There are few Zu threads to check out- Tubularbells just sold his Souls to pick up some Harberths so he would be a good guy to PM for impressions. Combos are endless but a Rega Brio (has phono) and Apollo R or Rega DAC with cheaper source- would be a great match and under budget as well. A nice cd63 in the classifies too. IMO its best to decide on speakers you want first and pull the trigger on those then ask for amp & cd ecommendations. There should be a few around in NSW that you may be able to get to hear. Get together an auditon list of 5 speakers and give them an audition first. cheers Damo
Upgrayed Posted July 22, 2014 Posted July 22, 2014 Decent budget, nice room size to achieve a great sound. My way would be recent model secondhand Oppo Universal disc spinner. Wyred4Sound MinT Intergrated with in built dac(USB input) for your power source, heaps of grunt to drive any speakers chosen with what funds you have left over. Annoy many retailers and listen making sure the speakers go loud and have good clarity. The JBL's mentioned above, Vaf Dcx63 although you have to home demo these for 30 days and then decide and keep an eye out in the SNA classified. Recently there have been some astonishing bargains to be had.
greigw Posted July 22, 2014 Posted July 22, 2014 You may like the ETI Lenehan S2Rs. See link below for speaker, stands, cables deal. Pair these with a new Quasimodo amp (no remote though) or 2nd hand amp and a DAC of your choice (see Cafads amp reviews - he has S2Rs). http://www.stereo.net.au/forums/index.php?/topic/57252-eti-lenehan-release-s2r-stand-mounts/page-2#entry1127050 http://www.stereo.net.au/forums/index.php?/topic/55178-integrated-amps-an-addicts-guide-part-ii/
gemini07 Posted July 22, 2014 Posted July 22, 2014 (edited) Suggest you have a look at what 'glockers' is selling at the moment: Spendor A9 full range floorstanders - $3k Bladelius Thor Two integrated amp - $2.5k Both are well under half price, very high quality and would meet most of your requirements immediately. There's a number of good quality second hand CD players around for you to consider, depending on what you think would be a good match with the above system. Have fun! G Edited July 22, 2014 by gemini07 1
Al Leece Posted July 22, 2014 Posted July 22, 2014 Listen, listen, listen - to as many systems as you can find among friends, fellow SNAers who live near-by, shops with listening rooms, etc. There is great advice here already but there are areas where you can come unstuck and it they are avoidable by listening first. Using a Wyred 4 Sound amp is a great idea, for example, if you like their sound. Not too much these days polarises hi-fi nuts as much as class D versus more traditional amps so find out if you like the Class D sound. Similarly, Tensor active speakers are a bargain at that price but again, only if you like their sound. Some active speakers tend towards a very flat response, designed for use in studio situations; not everyone (in fact, probably very few people) like that sort of sound all day every day unless they are sound engineers. Again, listening first will help you decide. If you have nothing to start with at the moment you may well not need to spend that much on equipment and you can save for bigger upgrades later. That does not sound like a bargain, but if you splash out $5k on active speakers now and find you don't like them you then have no alternative but to sell before you can attempt getting something you prefer. Can you listen first with second hand? Yes. Some people will give you the chance to try before you buy; I bought my latest W4S amps for my main system on that basis. However, I already had smaller W4S amps so I knew I liked their sound and I knew that I would need a good improvement to entice me to spend. I got it. Similarly, before I bought my PMC speakers second hand on SNA I knew what sound I was looking for - more warm than flat response but still open and a good image. I managed to listen to a pair of similar (smaller) PMC speakers in a shop before deciding to buy the second hand ones, as well as polling people's opinions and researching reviews on PMC speakers to see if they were likely to be to my liking. But - and here's the rub - I knew the sound I like. That sound is what you need to start researching. But the good news is, it is fun! Enjoy the journey. 1
illusion Posted July 22, 2014 Posted July 22, 2014 1. a pair of speakers ............B&W CM8 $2500.00 2. an amp ............................Rotel RA-12 Amplifier $999.00 3. a CD player ......................Oppo BDP105 Blu Ray Player $1499.00 4. speaker cables cables ......Tara Labs TL-2/14 Loudspeaker Cable - 2.4m pair $209.00 5. hdmi cable ....................... Shunyata Venom HDMI cable $130.00 6. rca interconnects ..............Krispy Kables RCA Interconnect STAGE 2 $189.00 7. headphones ..................... NAD Viso HP50 $349.00 8. hard drive ......................... WD Elements 2TB Desktop External Hard Drive $109.00 Total $5984.00 1
muznuts Posted July 24, 2014 Author Posted July 24, 2014 thanks for all the replies guys, they all seem to be great suggestions and i appreciate the input, i will be doing research into all of it those Zu Audio look interesting and that shop is fairly local to me, also the JBL sound like they would suit me oppo seems to be a popular choice for a bluray/cd but the package deal suggested by greigw is obviously a bargain thanks illusion youve worked that one out to the dollar, its good to see all the add ons like cables with model nos. and $ wow, its a lot to absorb but keep them coming, thanks
peacewise Posted July 24, 2014 Posted July 24, 2014 2 X Krix seismix cube subwoofer @ $1598 1 Pair Krix Phoenix Mk 2 speakers @ $1795 1 Harmon Kardon HK990 Integrated amp @ $1998 1 Harmon Kardon HD990 cd player @ $679 GraveScience cables and interconnects @ $300. $6370 A touch over but surely a canny trader can find room for a small discount from retailers to squeeze into your $6k budget. I've picked the twin subs due to your room size and the amp supports twin subs. The Krix Phoenix won the sound and image awards 2014 STEREO SPEAKERS OF THE YEAR UNDER $2000 and is a good aussie pedigree. The Amp and CD are a matched pair, I'm presuming you've got a bluray player, though if you haven't then perhaps it's time to pick up an xbox one or playstation 4. 1
Janjuggler Posted July 24, 2014 Posted July 24, 2014 Hi Lots of options, infinite really with different combinations, the best way to find 'your best' is to go and listen to as many combos as possible, and see if you can have some home trials as shops will sound differently to your home environment, but the best way is to spend some time before purchasing and listen .... JJ
DAMO 1147 Posted July 24, 2014 Posted July 24, 2014 (edited) thanks for all the replies guys, they all seem to be great suggestions and i appreciate the input, i will be doing research into all of it those Zu Audio look interesting and that shop is fairly local to me, also the JBL sound like they would suit me oppo seems to be a popular choice for a bluray/cd but the package deal suggested by greigw is obviously a bargain thanks illusion youve worked that one out to the dollar, its good to see all the add ons like cables with model nos. and $ wow, its a lot to absorb but keep them coming, thanks The Zu are worth an auditon IMO- you may hate them. IMO concentrate on the speakers first because it informs you choice of amp. I like the look of the A9's in the classifies - having not heard them i wonder if they are too polite? Krix come in under the Australian made recomendation. Good luck let us know how some of your auditions go - be patient 6K is a good budget you dont have to spend it all at once. Or all in one shop! Edited July 24, 2014 by DAMO 1147
Cafad Posted July 24, 2014 Posted July 24, 2014 There are a lot of good choices in this thread already, but that's no reason not to add another one or two. Greg Osborn has a pair of Interludes on special at the moment for $2100, or you could get a pair of F4 or F4 Supers for just south of $2K (and a pair of speaker cables as well, why not buy them from the speaker manufacturer). Pair them with a Quasimodo, Exposure 2010S2 or Redgum RGi35ENR for between $900 and $1300 and you've got plenty left for a cd player and ICs. The SNA version of the S2Rs are mind-bogglingly good value (stand mounts but since they come with stands, and cables, for a total price of $4K they really should be considered as an option) but you might have a bit of trouble getting both a cd spinner and amp from your change..., what about a Cambridge 851A for $1400 and either a Cambridge 651C cd player for $600 or a Rega Apollo R for $750. Or you could invest in a stand alone DAC and use your blu ray player?
muznuts Posted July 24, 2014 Author Posted July 24, 2014 thanks for more replies, just a few questions peacewise thats another interesting option with the twin subs, although i like strong bass i have to consider what time i will be mostly listening...when the kids (and wife) are in bed, will the bass with a set up like that be too much do you think? cafad with those S2R's do they need to be on the stands or can they work sitting on a TV unit? damo i have contacted Cameron and will go to see him where he will run through some setups including the Zu Audio, he seems like a nice bloke does anyone know where i could listen to the A9's or the Osbornes here in Sydney?
Show Posted July 24, 2014 Posted July 24, 2014 Maybe I missed it, but I don't think anyone has mentioned room size. This is quite important, because I have heard a Beolab 5 in a 12' by 8' room. Not a pretty situation to be in I assure you. 2 subs are also overkill, unless you're in a largish room. You'd also have to consider your crossover points, which will all depend on your amp and your speaker pairing. Floor standers generally do well with bass in smaller rooms, that's because if you're coming from a lowish end system, the bass drivers in the floor standers are already much heavier and larger than what you're accustomed to. Upgrade only when the need is perceived. If I had to budget 6k on a system, and taking into account, there isn't going to be much more funding over the next year, I'd be considering spending ~$1,500 on second hand speakers from this fine forum here. Try to pick up appropriate gear for as little as possible thereafter, paying no attention to cables yet. The urge to upgrade will be strong after a few months, regardless of your initial purchase, and a large portion of your enjoyment will come from unveiling the potential of your speakers/system. Patience is a virtue in this forum, you'll be able to fund a much more meaningful upgrade as you stalk the classifieds here.
Cafad Posted July 25, 2014 Posted July 25, 2014 cafad with those S2R's do they need to be on the stands or can they work sitting on a TV unit? They behave the same as any book shelf or stand mount speaker, you can put them on anything really, tables, TV units, stack of bricks, etc, etc, and they will work just fine, but they will work better on a pair of stands than they will on any of the above. You could always purchase the stands later on if you had a better use for the funds, but with the SNA offer on at the moment (at least I believe it is still on, I haven't heard anything about it ending) it makes good sense to buy as a bundle.
Once was an audiophile Posted July 25, 2014 Posted July 25, 2014 1. a pair of speakers ............B&W CM8 $2500.00 2. an amp ............................Rotel RA-12 Amplifier $999.00 3. a CD player ......................Oppo BDP105 Blu Ray Player $1499.00 4. speaker cables cables ......Tara Labs TL-2/14 Loudspeaker Cable - 2.4m pair $209.00 5. hdmi cable ....................... Shunyata Venom HDMI cable $130.00 6. rca interconnects ..............Krispy Kables RCA Interconnect STAGE 2 $189.00 7. headphones ..................... NAD Viso HP50 $349.00 8. hard drive ......................... WD Elements 2TB Desktop External Hard Drive $109.00 Total $5984.00 Resale value F????? All ....................
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