In the market for a new 2-channel system [Archive] - Audio & Video Forums

PDA

View Full Version : In the market for a new 2-channel system



caniac
01-23-2006, 10:13 PM
My stereo setup in my bedroom has served me well, but it's ancient and I've got the itch to buy some new stuff. Looking for some recommendations for:

--a two-channel receiver, I like the Harmon Kardon 3480 but I'm sure there are other options. I would not be opposed to separates, but not sure if that's doable on my budget.

--decent CD player. Single disc, nothing too fancy. The only feature it absolutely MUST have is an optical digital out.

--a great pair of speakers. No subwoofer here, so the speakers have to be full range. I'm assuming towers are the only way to go here, correct? Listen to mostly prog rock and death metal.

Budget is about 2500, give or take 20 bucks. :D

Kaboom
01-24-2006, 04:11 AM
yep, the Cambridge CDP does indeed have optical out. and coax, too

Bernd
01-24-2006, 04:12 AM
My stereo setup in my bedroom has served me well, but it's ancient and I've got the itch to buy some new stuff. Looking for some recommendations for:

--a two-channel receiver, I like the Harmon Kardon 3480 but I'm sure there are other options. I would not be opposed to separates, but not sure if that's doable on my budget.

--decent CD player. Single disc, nothing too fancy. The only feature it absolutely MUST have is an optical digital out.

--a great pair of speakers. No subwoofer here, so the speakers have to be full range. I'm assuming towers are the only way to go here, correct? Listen to mostly prog rock and death metal.

Budget is about 2500, give or take 20 bucks. :D

Hi,

That's a good budget to get you started. I went through a similar exercise, for a young friend of mine, not to long ago. The experience is documented in "First step on the ladder". His musical tastes are similar to yours but in your case I would recommend the Epos EL S3 speakers, The Marantz PM7200 amp and Cambridge Audio Azur 640C (can't remember if it has an optical out-sorry) or the Marantz CD7300 (that would realy work well with the amp and the speakers). You would also need some decent speaker stands to bring out the best From the Epos. Believe me this system rocks.And you should come in under budget.
Hope this helps.

The power of music gives you wings

Bernd

Bernd
01-24-2006, 04:49 AM
yep, the Cambridge CDP does indeed have optical out. and coax, too

Thanks. I know I could rely on you.

topspeed
01-24-2006, 02:33 PM
Why do you need the cdp to have an optical out? Do you have a outboard dac?

caniac
01-24-2006, 06:17 PM
Why do you need the cdp to have an optical out? Do you have a outboard dac?

No, it's for a CD recorder.

topspeed
01-25-2006, 11:37 AM
Gotcha.

Is this still for your bedroom? What are room dimensions? Do you listen to the radio or sat radio? What speakers have you heard that you like or don't like?

Here's the thing; at this price point, there are literally hundreds of combinations. The more info you give us, the easier it will be to make some general recommendations.

caniac
01-25-2006, 04:42 PM
The room is 14 x 18, with 12 foot ceilings. The system will be used for regular radio and CD listening.

For the speakers, I want something with.......how should I say it, an "in your face" kind of sound. Probably should have at least an 8" woofer, preferably a 10". As for brand, I'm completely open to suggestions. I did listen to some Acoustic Research towers a couple years ago and I really liked them.

Mr Peabody
01-25-2006, 06:49 PM
With $2,500.00, forget the receivers, you can get a good integrated or mid level separates for that. There are several options, take your time and do some listening. Bernd's system looks pretty good, Marantz also makes some reasonable priced monoblocks.

For CD I don't think you can beat the Arcam entry level piece at about $699.00. Arcams integrated are good, they have a lot of detail and fast but may not have the power you'd like with Metal. I'd also suggest taking a listen to Adcom separates. Their amps have a bass hump to my ears that help out bad rock recordings.

In speakers I like Dynaudio. They may push the envelope of your budget but they would be worth it. I've not heard a speaker with better bass yet. The Audience 52's used to be around $900.00 a pair, they are bookshelf but the bass response will rival anything at that price.

If you aren't opposed to used gear, I'd be like a boy in a candy store on Audiogon with $2,500.00.

accastil
01-26-2006, 03:42 AM
you may wanna listen to B&W 603 for your kind of music. this one sounds like monster with aggressive music

matt39
01-26-2006, 05:39 AM
Consider the following: 1) Receiver: Denon DRA-685 (the HK would be fine too); 2)CDP: Cambridge Audio 540C or 640C (also consider NAD or Marantz); 3)Speakers: Boston Acoustics VR3. These components would offer a good starting point for auditions and I think would meet all your requirements for features, sound quality and price. The size of your budget gives you a large selection of options so it would pay you to be patient and do a lot of listening before making your decision. Good luck.

nightflier
01-26-2006, 12:29 PM
I would try a slightly less trodden route:

The HK3480 is great (I have one), but the Outlaw RR2150 is an amazing piece of engineering. Looks a little weird, but it has pre-outs & 12v trigger for powering an external amp if you really want to push the enveloppe beyond the 100/160W later. It also has nice bedroom features like sleep mode, 4 speaker outputs, USB input for digital music, and bass management in case you want to add a sub in the future. At $599 it's an impressive piece, although the HK has some of these features and is less than half the price, so you may want to consider the features carefully. Of course, second-hand seperates are also a good option, here.

For the CD player I would also consider the Cambridge players. Solid construction and nice interface. As a side note, I would not rule out getting a decent DVD player instead in case you want to add a TV to the bedroom in the future. If you go with HK for the receiver, they make some very nice DVD players too, and I read that they now have the DVD47 which is a multi-format player (DVD/CD/DVDA/SACD) - the HK remote can then be used for both. But let me peddle back for a minute: your source is perhaps more important. If you don't mind buying used, you could consider the Arcam Alpha CD players (there was an Alpha 7 that sold for $250-ish last week on eBay), also: anything from Krell (built like a tank) and Marantz makes some solid players too.

For the speakers I would take a gander at the Usher Audio X-719's. They are not standouts in all areas, but the one thing that they do really well is produce powerfull bass for rock, hip-hop, jazz, or whatever, while still producing very clean mids & highs. They are large, heavy bookshelves that can really pack a punch. They can be had for around $700 used or $1100 new (I think). We did an extended listening session at a friend's house and they were incredible for the price, and sounded better than his previous favorites the Polk LSi9's. If that is too expensive, you could consider the mainstream Klipsch stuff (inexpensive, plenty loud and bass-savy, but the older second hand-stuff like the RB5-II is even better). Some other standouts are: the Onix RS250 MKII from Rocket (on sale for $600 at av123.com), PSB Image B25 (although it won't handle a lot of power IMHO), and everybody's always throwing the Paradigm name into the same sentence as rock-n-roll, but I haven't heard 'em. I still think the Ushers are your best bet here, if you don't want towers.

topspeed
01-26-2006, 04:55 PM
The room is 14 x 18, with 12 foot ceilings. The system will be used for regular radio and CD listening.

For the speakers, I want something with.......how should I say it, an "in your face" kind of sound. Probably should have at least an 8" woofer, preferably a 10". As for brand, I'm completely open to suggestions. I did listen to some Acoustic Research towers a couple years ago and I really liked them.For the most part, you can ignore driver size. Just because it's a 10" woofer doesn't mean it will produce heart pounding bass. A lot of that has to do with speaker design and room placement.

For what you listen to, I'm surprised you want an aggressive speaker. An "in your face" speaker like Klipsch combined with Disturbed will initially make you say "WOW!", but after a half-hour there's an excellent chance that listener fatigue will set-in. If you only listen to a couple of tracks at a time, fine. Otherwise you might consider something a bit more neutral.

I think a fun, full range two channel rig would be a pair of Von Schweikert VR2's ($2K new street price, but only $1100 used on audiogon) combined with a solid integrated amp from Creek, Roksan, Jolida, or Primaluna. The speakers are efficient and an easy load, so ss or tubes will be fine. Plus, they drop down to mid 20's hz and will easily pressurize your room. For a source, a good Cambridge Audio 640c would do nicely, or if you plan to go hi-rez, a Denon 2910 for about $100 more.

Naturally, you have a million combinations and have already received a lot of great suggestions. This thread (http://forums.audioreview.com/showthread.php?t=10906) will give you a some suggestions for speakers to audition. Start with picking your speaks as they will have the most profound affect on sound. After you've decided, pick an amp/integrated that creates a nice synergy with the speakers and can properly drive them. Finally, a decent source component will make it good to go. Spend at least half of your budget on the speakers. They are, without a doubt, the soul of the system.

Hope this helps.

caniac
02-05-2006, 10:16 PM
Just picked up the first piece today, an Adcom GFA-555 amplifier. Cost me $480, used but in PERFECT shape.

Now to look for some speakers that can handle this beast.

drseid
02-06-2006, 02:58 AM
Just picked up the first piece today, an Adcom GFA-555 amplifier. Cost me $480, used but in PERFECT shape.

Now to look for some speakers that can handle this beast.

I recommend you consider some used Legacy Audio Classics. Nice powerful low bass that is perfect for Rock, and the rest of the music spectrum ain't bad either. They tend to go used for about $1500 on audiogon.com.

For the CD player, I'll also recommend Cambridge Audio... Other possibilities used are Jolida (if you would like a tube cd), Rotel, or even a used Consonance CD-120 like I own ($500-600).

---Dave

caniac
02-06-2006, 06:44 PM
What do you guys think of the NHT Four?

At 1800, a little more than I'd like to spend, but I listened to some a few days ago and put them on my "impressive" list. The built-in subwoofers are awesome, I didn't know such a thing existed.

Mr Peabody
02-06-2006, 07:00 PM
For $1,800.00, I think you should take a listen to some Dynaudio. I saw a pair of Contour 1.8's on Audiogon today for $1,800.00. But for that are less Dynaudio offers a few choices and I have yet to hear a better speaker.

Congrads on the amp. I think you will find it rocks.