akababy Posted February 26, 2012 Posted February 26, 2012 Hi guys, Was looking around for a system for my new house and thought of getting BOSE due to its sleekness but apparently everyone is saying bad things about it except for its design. Then i happen to chance upon this forum and was bombarded with tons of information that i am still reading thru. Anyway i hope you guys can help me out here. I am not a super audiophile but i do enjoy my vocal/jazz/pop CDs, some of my CDs includes Pink martini, Seals, buble, jz8, shanghai divas and occasionally i do rock :) I love to hear the nice clear voice of the singer and also instruments playing in the background. After hours of digging thru the forum I still dont have a clue on what to get except that if i wan stereo listening, i should get a CD player and an AMP to drive the speakers and not using those alot of functions amp. Read on one threads suggest getting a densen b100 to start with? Is that good? Budget initially is to get a BOSE 2.1. After seeing the tube amps i think i am in love with those tubes but i do also know that it cost a bomb. Can kind brothers here point me in the right direction on where to start? Maybe which shop in adelphi is more newbie friendly and not chop me? Thanks and really appreciate the help i can get :)
Doggie Howser Posted February 26, 2012 Posted February 26, 2012 What's your budget? What's the room you will be using like? Size? Is it dedicated to music and can you put speakers into the room?
akababy Posted February 26, 2012 Author Posted February 26, 2012 Intially set aside 3k for the BOSE so that would be roughly the budget. Its going to be in the living room of a 4room hdb with one room hacked off so that the living room becomes bigger. Yah speaker can be place but of cos in a neat way. Can accept floor standing one also.
cayinist Posted February 26, 2012 Posted February 26, 2012 For 3k and you want a tube amp, looks like china amps r a gd option. U can look around Precision Audio for Cayin tube amps (the a-55T is 900 plus I think) or Audio 88. The sales forum might have some gems too.
wizardofoz Posted February 26, 2012 Posted February 26, 2012 Welcome to the forum. You will find of course many views on what is best, but let your own ears decide in the end. Also if yr married then bring the mrs along to audition too. Bring cd's you are at least familiar with so you can know what you like. Sometimes you can find complete setups for sale here too, or even separate parts, but new can also be good if you can run to the extra cost. 3k is not too bad for a 2.0 or even 2.1 setup... If you like VFM can also try emotiva.com online store. Some shipping options to get it here cheaper. Don't rush it, take your time and get a feel for the sound you like. Tubes can also be affordable too, with the right speakers.
akababy Posted February 26, 2012 Author Posted February 26, 2012 Thanks Cayinist, will go down to the place you mention to check it out. I am not that particular about needing to get a tube amp but i do find the whole design of it very pleasing to the eye. Wizard of oz, is there any shop that you can recommend to get started with? Yes i am married and will take note on that advice of bringing the Mrs down. Btw whats VFM? You mentioned about 2.0 or 2.1, is it something i need to consider? can 2.0 generate enuff bass? or do i need the 2.1?
wizardofoz Posted February 26, 2012 Posted February 26, 2012 Value for money is vfm 2.0 can give enough bass with good speakers, normally floorstanders, or if you use bookshelf speakers you might need a small to med sub. These can often be harder to integrate unless your preamp has 2.1 support. The bass might very much depend also on your listening preferences...loud verses quiet and the genre of your listening too. Voices don't go that low, but bass instruments and especially orchestral or worse organ music can go very low. This can also be affected by the room...many hdb's have problems with bass around the 50-70hz area and can make it sound boomy...speaker placement is very important too. Out from walls and corners is better, but may not fly with your mrs...you just have to work at it sometimes.
meatballz Posted February 26, 2012 Posted February 26, 2012 No guidance needed just pay me some $$$ sin. Hehehe. First free hint: pick your speaker first.
gadenp Posted February 27, 2012 Posted February 27, 2012 No guidance needed just pay me some $$$ sin. Hehehe. First free hint: pick your speaker first. I will also agree pick the speakers first. Read up on the speakers you are interested in relation to your situation. Go audition them. And then plan your other purchases around them. For Jazz, maybe you would like to look at the Magnepan 1.7s or the Spendor S1 or S2, harbeth shl5, etc.
akababy Posted February 27, 2012 Author Posted February 27, 2012 Thanks for all the info guys. Thank you gadenp for listing some speakers for me to start with. I think I would prefer a system without a sub therefore I am very keen on the magnepan 1.7 you listed. Checked out all the reviews online and everyone have only good things to say about it. The design suits our Reno also but just abit worried that bass might not be enuff for RHCP songs. Anyone know where can audition for these speakers and what kind of amp for this? Emotivo can work?
Doggie Howser Posted February 27, 2012 Posted February 27, 2012 Intially set aside 3k for the BOSE so that would be roughly the budget. Its going to be in the living room of a 4room hdb with one room hacked off so that the living room becomes bigger. Yah speaker can be place but of cos in a neat way. Can accept floor standing one also. 3k is do-able and it would very likely have higher fidelity than the Bose system. If you aren't averse to buying second hand, you might be able to stretch your budget to a very good system. Stereophile has been doing a "hifi" on a shoestring budget series and I think some of the recommendations aren't too bad. Within your budget, you can perhaps get a Marantz CDP and a PM integrated amplifier along with a set of Wharfedale Jade 3-way bookshelves. Maybe even with enough change for some decent interconnects and cables. I find the Marantz to sound warmish without requiring use of tubes.
DIYer Straits Posted February 27, 2012 Posted February 27, 2012 For 3k, you can do a lot. Avoid tube amps. I don't recommend them for beginners. Avoid turntables, unless you're willing to invest in LPs and and go through a long learning curve on how to set up and care for your turntable. For CD players, get a Cambridge Audio Azur series. For amps, try a Marantz or Rotel. For speakers, go for the usual suspects like Tannoy, Mission, Mordaunt Short, Wharfedale etc. Most of these are pretty easy on the ears, allowing you to enjoy your music. Why? The more expensive your equipment, the more revealing they are. As a result, you have to keep up and your source/software must be up to it too or else your system will be unlistenable. Heck, I seem to be paraphrasing Doggie! ;D
joeling Posted February 27, 2012 Posted February 27, 2012 Agree totally. Start with an integrate amp. Book shelf speakers + stand. CD player. Enough. NAD, REGA also worth a look for in the int. amp category Have not bought cd player for a long time so cannot offer any comment. For 3k, you can do a lot. Avoid tube amps. I don't recommend them for beginners. Avoid turntables, unless you're willing to invest in LPs and and go through a long learning curve on how to set up and care for your turntable. For CD players, get a Cambridge Audio Azur series. For amps, try a Marantz or Rotel. For speakers, go for the usual suspects like Tannoy, Mission, Mordaunt Short, Wharfedale etc. Most of these are pretty easy on the ears, allowing you to enjoy your music. Why? The more expensive your equipment, the more revealing they are. As a result, you have to keep up and your source/software must be up to it too or else your system will be unlistenable. Heck, I seem to be paraphrasing Doggie! ;D Regards, Joe Ling
Doggie Howser Posted February 27, 2012 Posted February 27, 2012 I think this pair of speakers are about 1.7k. I've heard this with an Audiolab 8200CDQ and 8200 power amp and it wasn't half bad. It will push the budget beyond 3k but I think for a pre/power solution and a 3 way setup, it's hard to beat.
akababy Posted February 27, 2012 Author Posted February 27, 2012 Greatly appreciate all the kind help you guys have given me. So most probably it will be Cambridge Audio Azur series or Marantz cd player? Speaker wise wharfedale or magnepan? Never heard any of these b4 would be great if brothers here can recommend which is better for starters? Amp wise got recommendation for Marantz or Rotel or NAD or Regal. which is better for money? i would have thought marantz cos of the brand.
yihyan Posted February 27, 2012 Posted February 27, 2012 Greatly appreciate all the kind help you guys have given me. So most probably it will be Cambridge Audio Azur series or Marantz cd player? Amp wise got recommendation for Marantz or Rotel or NAD or Regal. which is better for money? i would have thought marantz cos of the brand. Stick to the same brand for better synergy (CDP/Pre/Pow or CDP/Int-Amp). IMHO.
wizardofoz Posted February 27, 2012 Posted February 27, 2012 Not sure if the Maggie's are in yr budget. Try to get a pre per integrated amp that can also have sub output incase you need down the track. Also HTBypass if you ever want to add an AVR later for HT
akababy Posted February 27, 2012 Author Posted February 27, 2012 OK Same brand for better synergy. Marantz perhaps. Pre amp hm... i think for a start can i do without it? Is the bass on the jade 3 good enough, only need it for occasional rock. Most of the time vocal or pop. Which shop can demo wharfdale jade?
yihyan Posted February 27, 2012 Posted February 27, 2012 OK Same brand for better synergy. Marantz perhaps. Pre amp hm... i think for a start can i do without it? Is the bass on the jade 3 good enough, only need it for occasional rock. Most of the time vocal or pop. Which shop can demo wharfdale jade? Even for integrated, better to have HT-bypass. So in future, u can buy a pre-amp and use the integrated as power amp. Or useful like woz said, when you want to integrate into your home theatre AVR.
akababy Posted February 27, 2012 Author Posted February 27, 2012 I see... HT by-pass. Which marantz intergrated amp has it? I check their website the 5004 rear panel doesnt has a hole that says HT - bypass.
yihyan Posted February 27, 2012 Posted February 27, 2012 I see... HT by-pass. Which marantz intergrated amp has it? I check their website the 5004 rear panel doesnt has a hole that says HT - bypass. It is called Power Amp direct for Marantz http://us.marantz.com/us/products/pages/productdetails.aspx?CatId=HiFiComponents&ProductId=PM8004
akababy Posted February 27, 2012 Author Posted February 27, 2012 wow out of budget for me for this amp...
akababy Posted February 27, 2012 Author Posted February 27, 2012 Lets say i've more and less decided on jade 3. Which intergrated amp would you guys recommend to drive this speaker? is the entry model pm5004 enuff to drive these?
Doggie Howser Posted February 27, 2012 Posted February 27, 2012 I was at City earlier. The Marantz SA7004 is under 800. You can squeeze in a Marantz CD5004 for around 500+. That might still sneak in under your budget together with the Jade 3. Go have a listen first. And if you can stretch it, ask them to put the PM KI Lite and SA KI Lite combo and see if it's worth stretching your budget.
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