Need suggestions for a $1500 used system for my daughter.......

Does she own a desktop PC? If so, how about a pair of Audioengine A2+ or A5+ powered speakers and one of their subs? I have this combo that I use for the bedroom system using the A2+ speakers and no sub ... and it sounds entirely enjoyable and involving. Plus, she can play CDs and stream Spotify and use headphones if she wants to.

https://audioengineusa.com/

Frank

How about one of the Peachtree integrated that has a tube in the signal path only.
I had one for my second system and was very impressed and it had inputs to cover just about everything!
Plenty on the used market around $500 or even less.
Even looks sort of art deco Chic!
Plenty of money left over for a cheap streamer like a Chromecast Audio or similar.

I like the Peachtree idea.  I will look into these units.   

Bluesound Powernode 2i with Magnepan LRS. For a warmer speaker Monitor Audio Bronze 5 which will take you right to your budget and the Powernode will have no problem driving them... the Maggie’s will work but may not come to their full potential with this amp plus they need to be out in the room a little. The Monitor Audio’s are a lot easier to set up.

Totem Sttaf floor-standers $700,  Rega shoebox integrated $700.  Done

All new components.  With the Outlaw, she will have a component that she can grow with.


https://www.stereophile.com/content/jbl-stage-a170-loudspeaker

JBL Stage A170 @ $500

https://www.outlawaudio.com/products/rr2160.html

Outlaw Receiver RR2160 @ $850

Another Peachtree vote. Speakers? Wow, so many options. B&W 600 (shelf or possibly small towers) series can be had, with a Peachtree integrated for 1500.00ish. Really, there are tons of options. Look at Marantz too, especially if she wants A/V flexibility. Funny bringing this up, I literally setup my daughters system in her new house today with my oldish Denon receiver and a set of oldie but goodie Yamaha speakers. Added a Yamaha center and she couldn’t be happier. Works for her with airplay and iPod connectivity. Easy.

I use the Peachtree Nova 150 with KEF LS50’s. It is a great sounding system for the price. I have had better electronics on the LS50’s but they cost a lot more. The Peachtree is a very good unit, especially the new stuff without the tubes. I think the new gear is made in Canada.

The top end is a little tamed and the unit is rather mellow sounding. I use mine about 8 hours a day.

I just moved a bit of furniture around and the system sounds even better today. The room is of course the biggest thing to figure out, at least for me.

BTW- the 150 and KEF LS50 can be bought for about 1500. She could always look at the LS50 wireless used.

The peach tree would likely be the cheapest solution.  The “Peachtree Audio i NOVA - Integrated Tube Amplifier with DAC” is the one you want. It’s discontinued, but there’s one one ebay for $595.  Then you can roll 6922 variant tubes for whatever sound you want.

Another idea are the Vincent Audio Integrated amps.  They are very nice and very smooth and very warm, but higher priced at 800-1000.  And you still need a DAC with a streamer.

Great speakers if she can swing it: https://www.usaudiomart.com/details/649567050-beautiful-nola-boxer-speakers/

Naim Mu-so 2

The Nola Boxer does look like a great option.  Need stands....Thanks Lak. 

@david_ten. Wow! I had not seen that Naim unit.  Hard for me to think it could match the sound of a Peachtree or Nuprime int amp with the Boxer? Interesting. 

From your description I would either suggest the PS Audio Sprout100 which has a nice warm sound and even a bass boost which is quite good, or one of the tube products from Schiit. 

The Nola Boxer would likely be a very good option because of the silk dome tweeter.  For a warm sound, I would avoid any speaker that has a metal/titanium/aluminum tweeter.  Also avoid speakers with metal mid woofers.  This means that I would not recommend the Monitor Audio Bronze and the KEF speakers mentioned above.  Metal drivers for the tweeter and midrange will have breakup distortion that will create a bright tizzy edge.

@grannyring   Bill, step back. Audiophiles shouldn't let their children grow up to be Audiophiles. One quick look around these environs should be enough to convince anyone. 😇

You can open up that box and have your way with it. And yes, it does accept Acoustic BBQ cabling. 😉

I getting the Boxers! Also a Nuprime Int amp.   Thanks all! Just need a decent streamer for cheap now.  MicroRendo perhaps used.  Any ideas? The Nuprime has a dac.  

LOL David! She loves to listen and will appreciate the Boxers.  

Rather than starting with a starter system it might be more economically prudent in the long run to go to a big boy class system right from the get go.  I'm thinking OTL mono amps, reproductions of vintage horns and an R2R source.  By shopping wisely you should be able to come in under 100x your planned budget.  Good luck!

Ha! Nice.  

Hey Bill,

Another possibility to check out is the Vanatoo Transparent One speakers with amp and DAC built in.  At the last Axpona, I heard them and was so impressed, I went back to that room 3 times in one day to see if I still thought so.  Beautiful with transparency like an expensive audiophile speaker, excellent clarity and good bass in a very compact speaker.  $650 for a pair with much of the other needed parts of the system already there.   The sound is not JUST good for the money.

Bob

Right now Cambridge Audio is closing out the CXA80 integrated
on Ebay for $400, you can add the BT100 adapter from Cambridge
for another $75 and have bluetooth streaming, that still leaves you a grand for speakers.
Adorama has the Polk Lsim705 tower speakers for $400 each which is a steal
since they were $1500 each. Or you can buy the Polk 703 for $449.00 a pair
and they were $1500 a pair. Huge bang for your buck.

I think you are in the TN area.
Atelier 13 is a great shop in Nashville (well, Constantin is a great dealer IMO, and although have never been to the brick and mortar, I have purchased a bit and have always received incredible service and advice.)  He has a nice $1500 system as a package.  Elac DEBUT 2.0 B6.2 Monitors, DEBUT 2.0 3010 Subwoofer and 

EA-101EQ-G Integrated Amp

Just an Idea.  And if you are close I'm sure he will demo it for you

$1,400 isn’t much money to spend.  Maybe you could chip in.  You would need to go used.  I have an old really good Yamaha surround receiver I could sell for $100 plus shipping.

Maybe get a pair of Audio Engine speakers until she can afford more.  Sure the group can help.

Use an Apple TV to stream.

My vote to the Vanatoos. They are incredible. Grab a sub and you'll be shocked. For a source I'd get a tablet, like a refurb Microsoft surface 4 pro, or something older but still powerful and elegant. Then when she gets a big-girl DAC she can use it to drive foobar or Roon or something and get DSD for free.

Look into Tekton Lore Reference. Mid-towers that are easy to drive. The Peachtree would sound great with these.

@larry5729, I think @grannyring's already 'chipping in'....;)

I'd vote for the little Maggie's, but it's not my $...*s*

Just a thought...a a/v receiver with Bluetooth can give the young lady a lot of options.  Doubtless she already has a cellphone, perhaps a laptop.

The first, what she already may be totting around; the 2nd, Everything Else.  There's some decent eq apps available online to be able to ignore the tone controls on the receiver.  She could even dabble with 'active room eq' with a mic into the laptop.

Does she own CD's?  I'd bet so....  Interested in LP's?  Perhaps an entry TT?  Where would She like to go?

'Audiophiles are 'grown', and shouldn't be cloned. *S*

(That way, she can 'come here', to AG....step on your toes, and Punch Back. *LOL*)

Good luck with your generous gift, Gran. ;) *hug*

The Volumio Primo looks like a good streamer. If she is not an audiophile yet she can start with just a tablet and possibly upgrade later.

https://darko.audio/2019/06/a-short-film-about-the-volumio-primo/

Craigslist is your friend!  Get a Marantz reciever, JBL or Pioneer speakers, and whatever streaming device you want.  Don't buy new.

Thanks all! I ended up finding some nice Meadowlark Osprey speakers at a great price on Craigslist. Also purchased a Nuprime IDA-8 at a great price. Both for $1400 total. Now need to get a streamer for cheap with built in computer board as she does not have a laptop to use. Volumio is perfect, but costs too much.

You can build an RPi yourself with a Hifiberry board.  Or buy an Allo the Boss Player and skip the dac in the Peachtree.

https://www.hifiberry.com/products/digiplus/

https://volumio.org/product/allo-boss-player/

this might sound crazy but if she would want great video sound also ; as a seasoned audiophile i am in wonderment over the Nakamichi Shockwave soundbar. It comes w two wireless subs that integrate beautifully. i mostly use it for music and am very pleased using it in a second home. looks good too. just a thought

I still say the Google Chromecast Audio puck is simplest cheapest way to stream up to 24/96.
It finds your home network and basically sets itself up, hardest task is giving it a name... Lol.
I use two of them in my house for older analog only systems.
SQ is excellent IMHO.
It only has a 3.5mm out but that can do both analog with a 3.5mmto twin RCA cable or a mini toslink adapter for a digital output.
I tried both on my Peachtree and actually preferred the analog output.

Only downside is no longer made but still some nos units on eBay at $50 to $55 Max.
Gets my vote as easiest streaming I have ever dealt with.

Bill,

   If you're going with the Meadowlark Osprey for your daughter, you might consider upgrading the caps in the crossover before your daughter hooks them up.

Streamer ?   Used Bluesound Node or Denon HEOS preamp.   All streaming options, internet radio, can access NAS and USB drives.  App controlled.   

The Axiom M3 wireless speaker system will do everything to need for $1300. 60 watts per channel and will handle a variety of inputs. 

@sherod


I am on it! Problem is she is far away.  Need two flights to see her.  One to see what’s in there and one to do the work 🙂

Unless you know the values?

I don't know the cap or resistor values. I owned the Osprey about 15 years ago but they were stock. That was before I started getting into the the crossover tweak mode. 
   I recall reading somewhere that it was beneficial to upgrade the crossover caps in the Osprey, even though it is a simple 1st order, the manufacturer used middle-of-the-road caps and resistors.
  Even stock, the Osprey sounded great. I only sold them because I was going through a divorce and everything had to go.

Bill,
  Here is a link to a Canuck Audio ad where the seller just sold a pair of Osprey that he modified. Note that he replaced the mid drivers with a better Scan Speak driver. He also modified the crossovers. 
  I emailed him to ask him if he had kept records of the original values of caps and resistors and he said he thinks he kept a record in his computer and would get back with me later. I'll post again if he gives me the info.

    https://www.canuckaudiomart.com/details/649414827-meadowlark-osprey-floorstanding-speakers-read-desc...

Used Spica 50's or 60's on 1-1/2 foot metal stands.  A NAD amplifier or receiver (if she likes FM as well as streaming).  You are done, other than the streaming device.  And well under $1500.  My experience ..... todays young adults, even if they love music, want it not to dominate their living spaces.