Help me choose my first (used) speakers

[sjtm]

Good advice.

[Mr Peabody]

Yeah, the M7's don't look like that great of deal at 10 years old. Half price and still in the box looks like a good deal, and only $25.00 for the next model up, meaning 716v over 714v

Good advice.

[sjtm]

Commitment is a good thing. Especially in the form of a pair of 716v's. The dealer was happy to let me demo them. Initially I liked the sound of the 714's better - actually a little brighter, which was to be expected given the smaller drivers. But after a while the qualities of the 716v's began to emerge. Still great clarity, but a fuller sound that I decided better represented the recording. Are there better speakers? Yes. Are there better $800 speakers? Not in my house!

So I blew through my initial $1,000 budget (ended up at $1,600), but I ended up with all new equipment with full manufacturer's warranties at just a hair over half of the list price and I think a system that will serve me well for many years.

Still will not get to hear it all together until at least the weekend - need to rearrange some things in the room and order some cables. I am going to buy the Blue Jeans cables - just need to figure out lengths.

One quesion - I saw photos online of these and other speakers sitting on what appear to be granite slabs. What is the purpose? Stability or sound attenuation? My room has wall to wall carpet ( tight berber weave) over concrete slab ( basement) so no hardwood floor to consider.

[Mr Peabody]

As long as your speakers have spikes that make contact with the concrete you are fine. I actually have carpet over concrete myself.

Let us know how you like the system. I think you'll be happy.

[blackraven]

Congrats on the great system! Give it time to break in and play around with positioning of the speakers using tape to mark the spots.

Play around with running the Cd player into the amp's analog inputs as well as using the digital out's of the player into the digital input of the amps DAC and see which you prefer. I imaging they will sound the same but there might be slight differences that you prefer.

Please let us know how things progress. You won't be sorry spending the extra money but you would have been sorry in not getting the sound that you wanted.

Best Regards,

Larry