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Finally saved 3000 what is a good setup.

After year trolling this website and saving I have finally earned 3K to spend on a system. Currently I am using some old Sony studio speakers my friend gave a few years back but now its time for a change. I am firmly in the digital camp and have been using a Squeezebox for the last few years and have transferred much of my collection onto a hard drive. What I need advice how to split 3000 between a set of speakers and an integrated amp or power amp (my setup now and use the digital volume on the SB).

To help with suggestion, my living room in going to be my main setup. The room is 18 X 14 X 10 with carpeted floors. I have room to spread these puppies at most 8 - 10 feet apart. I don't care if their monitors or floor standers but cannot be panel. I am married and my wife, who is also into music, would not like something that will dominate the household.

Heres a little about me. I am a studio musician and teacher by trade. In addition, I listen to all types of music, considering I am exposed to so much different types of music at the studio, and regularly go to live concerts to see a wide variety of music. As such, my idea deal speaker is true to the source without adding too much, makes me feel like I am actually one of those live concerts, is realistic, and just disappear. I know for many bass is key but I like honest bass not the exaggerated bass that so many speakers produce IMO.

So what you think. What would be a good combination?
aldres
gumbydammit
186 posts
 
With the Squeezebox as a source, the Emotiva XDA-1 is a no brainer at 248 delivered.
It also acts as a preamp with remote.
This D/A unit competes with stuff costing 1200+ and then some.
I happen to really like mine a lot and I tried a few things out before buying it.

www.hawthorneaudio.com

Check out the silver iris speakers Darrel builds. You cannot find anything near the cost at their level.
Play with your favorite amplifier.
A spud is all well and good if you don't want to crank it up, but they run out of power too fast for me.

If you went this route, you would have money for a very nice used tube amp...since, if you did the speaker kits yourself, you would not be into it for 1000 dollars including cable.

That would leave 2k for an amp!
bander's avatar
bander
504 posts
 
There's a pair of Totem Arros on sale here for $875. The sound they produce belies their small size, They image beautifully. Read up on them.
magfan
1,583 posts
 
Topline CA 840a at huge discount new::It has at least one set of balanced inputs for forward thinking.

http://www.audioadvisor.com/prodinfo.asp?number=CA840AV2

Pick up a set of used Vandersteins 2c......
tonyangel
309 posts
 
Well, as far as speakers go, there was a guy on ebay last night selling a pair of Monitor Audio RX-1s for under $400; but you'll need to convince him to ship.
mordante
511 posts
 
If you have a PC or Laptop I would use that as the source. Then buy a something like a Cambridge DacMagic a good integrated amp and spend the rest on you speaker. My budget would be:

USB DAC $500 (Dac magic, W4S Dac1 etc)
integrated amp $1000 (Sugden A21or PrimaLuna if you like tubes)
speakers $1500 (easy to drive speakers)

Or you could even go for active speakers and a DAC with a volume controll. There are many many options.
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