New stereo for my retirement reward!

[daviethek]

[QUOTE=blackraven]If you can stretch your budget a little, I would check www.audioadvisor.com and go with a separate amp and preamp like the Hybrid tube equipment from Vincent audio. They are running a sale on the SA-31 Hybrid Tube Preamp for $599 and their hybrid tube amp the Vincent SP-331 for $1,199. I think that Vincent would match well with the Klipsch. Tubes will lend to a warmer sound.

Your other recommendations are right-on but I must disagree with this one. I auditioned the SA-31 and found it to be sonically unimpressive, slow, muddy with lack of detail.

For tube gear in his budget, I would recommend an integrated. My current amp is a Rogue Cronus and I would recommend that except it has inched up to around 1,900 dollars. A budget stretch for the poster but a sonically rewarding and very nicely built unit. Tube rolling in retirement is one of my objectives as well. cheers.

[JoeE SP9]

uncblue asked for opinions. On this site when you ask for opinions you should step back after asking. rob_a, I knew what you were saying. So, I believe did everyone else. I try not to recommend any particular speaker. Choosing a specific model is such a personal decision only you can do it for yourself.

If you come over for some beer and music I'l do my best to convince anyone my Acoustats are the only sensible choice for speakers.

[nightflier]

For those Klipschs, a Rega Brio would be adequate:

http://www.needledoctor.com/Rega-Bri...2&category=271

I also have heard the Exposure amps and found them to sound very nice:


http://store.acousticsounds.com/d/66...ted_Amplifiers

If you can go with tubes, Jolida is a very nice bargain, so I second what others have said above. Dussun and Cayin are carried by Acoustic Sounds and this one should fit in your price range as well:


http://store.acousticsounds.com/d/16...ted_Amplifiers

[rob_a]

uncblue asked for opinions. On this site when you ask for opinions you should step back after asking. rob_a, I knew what you were saying. So, I believe did everyone else. I try not to recommend any particular speaker. Choosing a specific model is such a personal decision only you can do it for yourself.

If you come over for some beer and music I'l do my best to convince anyone my Acoustats are the only sensible choice for speakers.

hahaha! I hear ya. I agree.
I drink German Beer, not that light American stuff.

[uncblue]

uncblue asked for opinions. On this site when you ask for opinions you should step back after asking. rob_a, I knew what you were saying. So, I believe did everyone else. I try not to recommend any particular speaker. Choosing a specific model is such a personal decision only you can do it for yourself.

If you come over for some beer and music I'l do my best to convince anyone my Acoustats are the only sensible choice for speakers.

Hey JoeE SP9, I did some speaker auditioning last weekend and I have changed my mind from the Klipsch RF7s to the Bose 901s. I have begun researching appropriate amps and I would like some more input, please. I'll just leave it at that and watch the posts. Thanks again for all your input, it has been very helpful. PS: I'm trying to stay under 1500 on the amp. -Bob

[blackraven]

Nooooooooooo! Not Blossssseeeeee! There are much better and more accurate speakers out there. Don't get sucked into the hype about the 901's.

[JoeE SP9]

Hey JoeE SP9, I did some speaker auditioning last weekend and I have changed my mind from the Klipsch RF7s to the Bose 901s. I have begun researching appropriate amps and I would like some more input, please. I'll just leave it at that and watch the posts. Thanks again for all your input, it has been very helpful. PS: I'm trying to stay under 1500 on the amp. -Bob

Please, for the love of all that's good with speakers, do not, I repeat, do not buy any "Blose" product. Please go to some other places and listen to some more speakers. IMO 901's are probably the "worst buy" in audio. I didn't think much of the Klipsch you mentioned. The "Blose 901"s" are three steps lower.
As always, It's your ears that you have to please. Do you have any friends or acquaintances that have at least a half decent system? If so please talk to them. If not go to a local dealer and ask for help. Above all else I urge you to reconsider.

[TheHills44060]

OMG uncblue i was going to keep my big mouth shut because i do not like the Klipsch RF7's at all but even considering the Bose 901's is an atrocity.

There are tons and tons of other options out there. What in the world swayed you towards the 901's? What about them did you like? Maybe we can offer a much better solution.

[02audionoob]

BOSE? Seriously?

[Feanor]

Hey JoeE SP9, I did some speaker auditioning last weekend and I have changed my mind from the Klipsch RF7s to the Bose 901s. I have begun researching appropriate amps and I would like some more input, please. I'll just leave it at that and watch the posts. Thanks again for all your input, it has been very helpful. PS: I'm trying to stay under 1500 on the amp. -Bob

Bob,

If you hang around here -- or any audio enthusiast site -- you will know that Bose speakers enjoy the lowest reputation of any well-know vendors' products.

[uncblue]

I do see that's the concensus, Bill. I guess I am a newbie when it comes to understanding the complexities of different speakers, too. In truth, I actually didn't hear a pair of 901's, I heard a pair of 301s and extrapolated it to mean that the 901s would be significantly better sounding. I, my son-in-law, and grandson thought the 301s were very rich-sounding and pleasant, with very good mid-range and adequate base. I could picture myself listening to that "bouquet" of sound for a long time without becoming fatigued. But, I'll be the first to admit, while I know what my ears like, I haven't heard a lot of quality audio equipment in my life. There is a better place to listen to speakers in our area and I'm going to keep an open mind (ear) and keep listening. I have until the latter half of July, anyway, and this is very informative and exciting. Thanks, guys (girls), for your continued input. - Bob

[JoeE SP9]

One thing that should be noticed is that Bose dealers don't demo Bose products against anything else. A good dealer will have several lines of speakers and will be willing to demo one brand against another. When there is nothing to compare it's easy to make a product sound good. If you continue to audition speakers I'm certain you will hear much better than Bose. I suggest listening to speakers and associated gear above your price range. That will give you a better idea what a "good" system can sound like.

[uncblue]

I had an ear-opening experience this afternoon at another local audio dealer when I heard for the first time a pair of PSB Imagine T loudspeakers. They were hooked up to a pair of McIntosh mono-block amps and they sounded way better than anything I've heard to date! While I'll never be able to afford the McIntosh amps, they do sell a very good Marantz integrated amp (I didn't get to hear). I saw the spec sheet on it, and the dealer said it has a three-year warranty, a very solid chassis, and at 1K is in my price range. The PSBs were at the upper limit of my range at 2K, but I will definitely get them if I don't anything better. Anyone else heard them hooked up to another power source? Any opinions on them? Thank, again. - Bob

[Feanor]

I had an ear-opening experience this afternoon at another local audio dealer when I heard for the first time a pair of PSB Imagine T loudspeakers. They were hooked up to a pair of McIntosh mono-block amps and they sounded way better than anything I've heard to date! While I'll never be able to afford the McIntosh amps, they do sell a very good Marantz integrated amp (I didn't get to hear). I saw the spec sheet on it, and the dealer said it has a three-year warranty, a very solid chassis, and at 1K is in my price range. The PSBs were at the upper limit of my range at 2K, but I will definitely get them if I don't anything better. Anyone else heard them hooked up to another power source? Any opinions on them? Thank, again. - Bob

uncblue,

Your experience with these PSB illustrates what happens when you get around and listen to a variety of well-setup speakers.

As for PSB, that company seems to be on a bit of a roll. For example, their speakers where represented in almost every price range in The Absolute Sound magazine's recent recommended component issue. PBS' "Image" line, a bit less expensive than the "Imagine", might be an alternative for you.

For a bit different listening experience, try to hear some Magneplanar speakers, (website here). Their MG 12, ($1200), and MG 1.7, ($2000), models might be in your price range. Or you might find their recently discontinued MG 1.6 model at a good discount off its $1900 price.

[Poultrygeist]

If you are a tarheel you may not live too far from these. With a low power inexpensive tube amp these horns are way beyond the gear most folks recommend. Read the reviews on this site and drive to Leesville, SC and listen for yourself.


http://www.thehornshoppe.com/model1.html

[LeRoy]

Congrats on your upcoming retirement.

I've been following this thread and thought now would be the time to jump in. Everyone's making some great suggestions yet I am only familiar with some of the gear being mentioned. So, from what I think I know:

I would endorse the idea of system building to get the sound you prefer...where there is system compatibility what usually follows is pretty darn good musical reproduction.

I certainly second Fenor's recommendation of the Naim Nait integrated amp and Nightfilier's recommendation of the Rega Brio 3 ( I happen to own the Brio 3). Let me say one thing about the Rega Brio 3...it doesn't do anything wrong musically but it can be tricky matching up speakers with this integrated and once you get that one taken care of you're still left without a remote control. You may want to consider the Rega Mira 3 instead but for about the same amount of money the Naim Nait is the ticket IMO.

Ajani's recommendation of the Monitor Audio RX6 is a really good suggestion. Lots of big sound with high sound quality for a fair price.

I owned Bose 901's series 3, 501 series 3 back in my high school days. Bob,you deserve a better retirement system than what Bose has to offer. Klipsch are easy to drive and if you like horn speakers then you like them...I don't-- but if you do then I hope you are happy with them. I've also owned PSB Image series speakers at found them exciting at first then I grew tired of their sound.

If you happen to have an Audio dealer near you that carries speakers from Usher or Paradigm give them a listen too. The Usher speaker is very dynamic and visually appealing as well. Paradigm makes several models in various price ranges and you might find what you are looking for in this line.

All of it would be for naught if you didn't take connectivity into consideration. Speaker wire and interconnects do make a difference in whether your final system configuration sounds like it's been advertised to sound like or not...at least that has been my experience.

Good luck with your shopping and selections.

LeRoy