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Complete newbie needing guidance/purchase advice

Hi folks-

First of all, let me apologize in advance for a lengthy post. I'm a brand new forum member after recently being introduced to this site by an acquaintance who heard I was looking for sound advice... As my thread title states, I'm completely ignorant when it comes to the audiophile world, but I really want to start building a system and learn something in the process. A little background on me: I've been making a living as a recording artist and studio musician for almost 20 years, but my career choice as a music-maker has somehow ironically detached me from the simple pleasure of just sitting and _listening_ to music for the sheer enjoyment of it. My wife and I are currently in the process of remodeling our bonus room into a media room, and one of my objectives is to at the very least turn it into a space where I can do some critical listening.

I currently don't have anything decent... Just some old Bose bookshelf speakers and a Yamaha surround receiver. The closest thing to 'something decent' that I own are a pair of Etymotic ER-4S headphones coupled with a Headroom headphone amplifier.

The big limiting factor is my budget. Given that fact, maybe I have no business posting here... I will probably need to build this piece-by-piece over time, so I'm content with having to stretch the process out. I'm not concerned with having to have the 'best' of anything; I would just really like to make listening to music an engaging and emotional experience for me like it was for me many years ago.

Would a speaker purchase be a good place to start? I was perusing the Audiogon classifieds today and saw that there is actually a pair of DK Designs LSA-2's for sale local to me. The asking price is at the top of my speaker budget, a little over a grand, which I realize is probably 'chump change' in the audiophile world. However, I've read some reviews and they seem mostly positive. Would be super-convenient to be able to find something nice that was used and local, but as I said before, I'm completely new to this. Another related question: Is it better to go with floor-standing speakers, or can decent sound also be accomplished with bookshelf speakers combined with a subwoofer?

Also, what are the other 'basic' components that would need to be purchased? The only other thing I know I'd love to have would be a decent turntable; I'd love to be able to go and purchase some of my favorite classic albums to listen to once again. Do I need a separate preamp and power amp combination? Are there any 'receivers' that do a decent job of covering both tasks?

Any other feedback or direction you experts could throw my way would be greatly appreciated... Thanks in advance!
renaissanceman9
ghosthouse's avatar
ghosthouse
4,307 posts
 
Stringreen - My mistake. I looked at your system photo thumbnails and thought you had 4 different systems! That aside, while I agree with your caution to the OP about wasting money on "interim junk" I have to agree somewhat with Toddnkaya. The "you people" comment does rankle and smacks of elitism. I doubt you really think a system can't deliver the music unless it crosses some threshold $ investment level that you approve. Another point I'd like to make is, justification for spending at a given level ought to require education. I've found it necessary to go through an interative process to validate ultimate buying decisions. I doubt you arrived at your preferred system in one step nor would I expect you to recommend the equipment you put together as the preferred system for everyone. I think intermediate/transient gear is an important part of the process.

Hope that makes sense. A Merry Christmas to you and yours. If you celebrate something else, my sincere wishes for happiness in that.
renaissanceman9 OP
14 posts
 
Thanks again for all of the fantastic insight. It is all very much appreciated, and all points have been well-taken, including all component and speaker suggestions. At this point, I really need to start listening to some things and find out what I like. Since the LSA2's and the Revel's are local, I think I'm going to take my Yamaha receiver with me and go listen to them first.

Another random thought: A couple of folks I've been talking to suggested I maybe check out a 'vintage' receiver, such as the Marantz 2250 or 2270... Is gear like that already way out of date as far as sound quality goes, or does it still 'stack up' in terms of musicality and warmth?
tobias
1,534 posts
 
Re the Marantz receivers -- I and probably a certain number of others on this site used to sell, own or repair them and other contemporary units. Some of us still own one or more.

At the time they were among the best of mass-market gear. Sonically they can be quite agreeable but as an owner and ex-salesman I feel they honestly don't stack up against the modern units you've had suggested to you in this thread. (It hardly bears pointing out that the modern high end units are more expensive than used gear 30 or 40 years old.)

Although Yammie receivers contemporary with those Marantzes sounded almost as good, mass market electronics took a turn for the worse in the 1980s and have continued that way. I have not heard your Yamaha but I would not expect it to sound as musical as the best-built 2-channel Yamahas from the 70s. That means the antique Marantzes may sound nicer than the Yamaha receiver you have today, but not, I think, so much nicer that you could refer to them as an upgrade. More what is known as a sidegrade, and sidegrades are expensive detours on the way to audio bliss.

And then there is the question of maintaining gear that is 30 or 40 years old.
renaissanceman9 OP
14 posts
 
Thanks, Tobias. That makes total sense. I will continue to check out the integrated amp suggestions made here thus far.
unsound
7,329 posts
 
Speakers are the most important choice to make. With that said, please keep in mind that speakers might perform quite differently in different rooms and/or with different amplification. I would suggest choosing speakers that will perform appropriately in your given room, and with the amplification that appropriately suits that individual speaker in your room, not what you have on hand. Building a system with your current and potential budget, around your current receiver is bound to cause a needlessly frustrating bottle neck.
There has been a lot of conflicting advice given, welcome to the hobby!. None of it is really wrong. IMHO, your correct in deciding upon speakers first. As I've already suggested, I think that one should think in terms of speakers with amplification. Separates will offer you more choices and allow you to make changes easier as you get a better feel for what direction you might want to pursue in the future. If you choose quality used products, you can try them in your home, and keep them if you like them or sell them if you don't, for pretty much what you paid for them, with little penalty other than perhaps shipping costs. As such, while I respect the opposing position, I see little reason to hold off buying key components and upgrading secondary components as your budget allows. Why be without music and the learning experience in the mean time? The key is to buy gear that has stood the test of time and retains it's value. Needless to say, and though there might be some novelty exceptions, poor sounding gear doesn't usually make the list. That doesn't mean that you shouldn't take advantage of opportunities to listen to other systems. Just try to keep them in context of systems that will be at there best within your budget (now and into the realistic short term future), and your room.
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