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New member Username: Greg_whitmanPost Number: 1 Registered: Oct-09 | Hey. Here's my situation. I've been waiting to buy a good quality sound system for a while now. But I'm new to the world of "serious" audio. I like clarity and richness in the sound of my music and I'm not too into the heavy bass. However, I understand that I can't let someone else decide for me, and that listening to a system myself is the most realistic method of buying a system. But, as I am new to all of this, I need a jump start on at least: what parts i need to buy and what companies are reputable. And when I say "parts" I mean: amps, speakers, subwoofers, disc changers, equalizers, etc. Additionally, I have a max budget of about $1000. Can anyone help me? |
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Gold Member Username: Stu_pittIrvington, New York USA Post Number: 3539 Registered: May-05 | Greg, Its good that you're aware that you have to go out and listen. Find a good hifi shop (not Best Buy, et al) and have a listen to what they have. That'll tell you way more than we ever could. What dictates what you need is the room. Is it a big open room, or a small closed room? Is it a family room or dedicated audio room? Are you just listening to music, or will you have a TV hooked up? 2 channel or mulit-channel? The size and layout of the room will dictate what type of speakers will work best. The speakers may dictate how much amplification you need. Do you need a radio tuner? Internet Radio? Will you use a CD player? Turntable? Computer music/music streamer? More and more people are getting away from CD players and using computer music, either streaming it wirelessly or through USB. Telling you what you need makes no sense until we know what you want the system to do. You can build a very good sounding system for $1000 if you're smart about it. |
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Platinum Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 14150 Registered: May-04 | . The bad news is $1k is not "serious" hifi money and hasn't been through several decades of inflation. The good news is there has always been a strong element of value oriented audio gear that can be put together to form a quite musical system staying within your budget. You should decide whether $1k will be your final price or whether you can build a system over time around the components you are buying at that price. The bad news is we can't tell you what parts you'll need. The good news is you don't need many of the parts you've listed. At this price range keep the system simple and effective. If you are not in need of a tuner to listen to radio broadcasts, forgo a receiver in favor of an integrated amplifier which is the heart of the electronics in a basic high quality audio system. You'll find good values in lines such as NAD and Rotel amongst others. The amount of watts is not nearly as important as the quality of watts and how well your speakers match the amplifier's abilities. If you are faced with a 50 watt amplifier of mediocre quality and a better sounding amplifier with a 25 watt rating, go with the lower powered but better sounding amplifier. Keep the digital source simple, no multi-task players, changers or universal players is probably the best advice. Realize the formats you'll actually play, CD, DVD, SACD, etc. and buy accordingly. DVD players do not as a rule make good CD players, so if no video is intended for this system buy a straight CD player. Speakers are best kept simple and on your budget kept relatively small. More bass is not always better bass in this price range so pay attention to the broader majority of sound and don't be swayed by louder or more bass heavy systems. The bottom octaves should support and motivate the rest of the music serving as a foundation and lynchpin and not as an over-riding element of its own. Performers set their individual timing by the bass line (or rhythm section in some cases) and you should hear the bass as serving this function, the players should be reacting to one another in relation to the beat or rhythmic pulse established by the bottom end. Even if at this price the bottom is slightly rolled off comparatively, you should still perceive the bass line as the essence of the timing all other performers follow. "Tight" bass is less important IMO than well timed bass. You should be able to hear each performer's contribution in relation to the bass line and easily have the ability to focus on any one instrumental line as it relates to the other players. Timing of the performance - one player to another and all as a whole - is more important than many other things and the most difficult to achieve at your price. Read this thread for more of my thoughts on speaker selection and set up; http://www.soundstage.com/equipment.shtml and a glossary of terms; http://www.stereophile.com/reference/50/index.html (Pay attention to definitions of terms such as; "bright", "warm", "laid back" and "forward".) Find a good independent dealer in your area and spend a few midweek afternoons in their showrooms with music you are familiar with and also allowing the dealer to showcase with their own demos just what their components can do. Listen first to the dealer's best system and pay attention to what it does and does not manage. A good dealer tries to present many of the same elements in all of their component choices. Transparency" is IMO of more value that "accuracy". The less mechanical the reproduction the more enjoyable it will be over the long term. Read the archives of this forum for more thoughts on equipment and set up. . |
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Platinum Member Username: NuckPost Number: 13831 Registered: Dec-04 | GHW, if you are not already setup for puter files as a source, I would recommend that you look into it. All files should be stored as lossless, and perhaps you should look at CDex as a converter and storage conduit. The remaining 1000$ will be serviced well by an integrated amp and proper speakers for the job. |
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Platinum Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 14152 Registered: May-04 | . Going the computer as source route would IMO neccesitate the addition of a USB DAC (digital to audio converter) such as this; A high value item indeed! Read the review in the current issue of Stereophile. . |
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New member Username: Greg_whitmanPost Number: 2 Registered: Oct-09 | Thanks guys. I'll do some of my own research and look into all the stuff that's been posted. And as for the answers to Stu's questions, I say this: I'm living in a college dorm room. So my space is small, here. But, as an aside, I hope that I can buy something that will be also be capable of playing in larger rooms, like a basement, perhaps. Or maybe outdoors (understanding, of course, that there are speakers meant for the outdoors and that outdoor spaces are usually terribly fit for acoustics). Anyways. I plan to use the system mostly for music. And if I'm not mistaken, that would be single/dual-channel? (question mark?) I actually don't know the advantages or disadvantages of dual- vs. multi-channel systems. (Unless all there is to it is the fact that multi-channel systems can be hooked up to video, audio, etc. all at the same time and with the ability to easily switch between channels). I might want a radio tuner, but I'll be more likely to work with CDs or stream from my computer by cable. (Jan, I looked into the USB DAC and it seems great. But, I could probably do without it for the time being. And besides, if I buy the DAC, I would not be able to put as much of my current budget towards the rest of the components of the system.) |
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Silver Member Username: MagfanUSA Post Number: 610 Registered: Oct-07 | 1,000$ is certainly not a large sum in todays market. I'd start with a core system and build out. Might want to decide (coin flip?) on CD or computer and go that way first, with the intent of adding later. Tuner or TT can be added later, if you decide you need either. For example, I find that the XM that comes with my small dish is fine for most of my casual listening. As a result I have no desire to add a tuner. fewer pieces of better quality will require less replacement going forward than buying a bunch of lesser gear now. If you buy for a dorm size room now, and you buy good stuff, you can turn it into a 2nd system later? Just an opin. |
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Gold Member Username: Mike3Wylie, Tx USA Post Number: 2206 Registered: May-06 | If you can play CDs on your computer or laptop and did buy the HRT Mediastreamer for $99 you would not need a CD player. If you do buy bookshelf or stand mount speakers you must put aside a small budget for stands as these designs lose their identity when placed on cabinet surfaces or in cabinets. Set aside about 20% of the budget for Interconnects and speaker wires. Sub-woofers and power cord upgrades can be pursued when the funds re-accumulate. Do what JV said and go listen. The more you can relate to a dealer in terms of what you want from a system the more they can do to help you. Oh yeah, most important, NEVER EVER just buy something just because it had the best sale price. |
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New member Username: Greg_whitmanPost Number: 3 Registered: Oct-09 | Only $99? That's funny. Cause I only looked as far as this website for some reason. http://www.soundline.co.nz/store/product_info.php?products_id=248&osCsid=0725577 62ebcb5ccf4bd7e1ce934aa80 And then I searched again after I looked at your post, Mike, and found this: http://store.nhthifi.com/HRT-Music-Streamer And thought "wow... biiig difference". Now, the HRT-streamer doesn't seem like such a bad investment. But I'd still like to listen to the difference between the music streaming straight from my computer and the music streaming through the HRT. (And just as well test the results of the HRT-Musicstreamer with one set of speakers, amplifyer, etc. against the streamer with another set... right?... or would there not be a noticeable difference?) Oh. And Leo. Define "core system". |
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Silver Member Username: MagfanUSA Post Number: 612 Registered: Oct-07 | Core? Speakers, integrated and source. Don't spend a bundle on interconnects and cords. Maybe a powerconditioner / surge protector, but some, myself included have found some constriction on power amps. The speakers can stay with you quite a while as can the integrated. The opinion that says 'source first' may have you upgrade the source first, but here again, try to buy a piece of more (dare I say?) lasting value. Additions can be made. Want a TT? easy as adding the TT itself and a preamp, if needed. DVD / Stereo integration w/TV? just as easy, needing a DVD player and another interconnect. It's just my opinion, after all. Buy fewer 'things' of better performance. One further thought: At 1000$ buy in, you can only get so much....already said by several. However, if the budget can be squeezed by even a few hundred $$ more, possibilities open up. |
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Gold Member Username: Stu_pittIrvington, New York USA Post Number: 3541 Registered: May-05 | If you mainly want to listen to music and don't care for the surround sound effects, get a 2 channel stereo system IMO. The difference is that you can buy 2 very good speakers for say $500 vs a mediocre to poor 5 speakers and a sub for $500 total. I have my 2 channel stereo hooked up to my TV and think it sounds great. I don't get back and channels, but I don't really need them. Music straight from your computer will probably sound pretty bad unless you've got a great sound card. And great sound cards cost a lot of money. The better the system, the worse it'll sound straight out of the computer. I haven't heard the HRT Streamer, but several people here have and like it a lot. Its basically a wired music streamer and DAC in one unit. It takes the digital signal from the computer and converts it to music. There's the $99 one, and the $199 + version. Both are reportedly excellent for the money. In your position, I'd skip the radio tuner and go with internet radio. I'm not sure how good reception you'd get in a dorm room anyway. If radio is a big deal to you, you can always add one down the road. Look into integrated amps. Forget about the power ratings. There's really not much difference between a 50 watt and 100 watt amp if you have average speakers. That's not to say that a higher powered one won't have better parts and sound better, but the number of watts isn't what everyone thinks it is. NAD, Rotel, Cambridge, and Marantz all make integrated amps that should fit within your budget and give great sound for the money. They all have different presentations and you shouldn't buy any of them without hearing them. The good thing about most integrated amps is that you can add a more powerful amp down the road if need be. I'd also go with bookshelf/monitor speakers. You can add a sub later on if needed. Some companies who make great speakers for the money are Epos, Focal, PSB, and Paradigm. There are tons of brands out there. I'm just throwing out a few names. There are also places like Spearit Sound who sell refurbished gear to save a bit more money. It may be the difference between one model and the next model up. |
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Gold Member Username: Touche6784USA Post Number: 1374 Registered: Nov-04 | My first system which was in a dorm like apt was a HK3480, B&W 601 series 1 and a Velodyne VRP1000. That was probably within the 1 grand budget with some to spare. I would say search audiogon or ebay for some deals on used gear. So far the only thing I have that was bought as a new item is my CD player which was a gift from my father. I have been pretty happy thus far with my purchases as I can always sell my old gear for almost no loss to someone else that wants it and get something else that may fit me better. |
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Silver Member Username: MagfanUSA Post Number: 614 Registered: Oct-07 | For your consideration:: http://www.amazon.com/Onkyo-Integrated-Digital-Stereo-Amplifier/dp/B000J0ORMS http://www.stereophile.com/integratedamps/907onk/ A bargain, perhaps? |