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Please Critique my Setup and Recommend Upgrade(s)

As a lifelong musician and former recording / pro audio engineer, this is my first foray into the world of HiFi and I could really use some advice and direction.  Last week I bought the following setup for a dedicated listening room that is essentially a 13x13 square room on three sides with the area behind me extending back another 25 or so feet.  There is a partial backwall about four feet wide but it is mostly open air behind me.  Ceilings are 9' and I have GIK bass traps in all corners, early reflection points on the side walls, and panels overhead between speakers and listening position.  Speakers are about 2 1/2 feet from back wall, 6 ft. apart, slightly toed in on cheap stands weighted down by cinder blocks.

1. 2017 VPI Scout Prime turntable with Ortofon Bronze
2. 2017 Rega Brio Integrated 50wpc Amp and Phono Stage
3. ELAC Uni-Fi UB5 Speakers

So far this setup certainly sounds good, but it isn't blowing me away either.  At lower volumes the soundstage feels a little small and two-dimensional.  At louder volumes the sound seems to fill the room more, thereby enhancing the soundstage and making the music feel more natural as opposed to coming from directly in front of me.  The stereo imaging is okay, but I expected a little more stereo separation.  Also, perhaps the speakers are still breaking in, but the ELACs don't seem to do the best job of presenting the music in a cohesive manner.  It sounds like the frequency bands are a little disjointed.    

Should I stick with the ELACs but consider a higher end integrated amp that can feed them a little more power like a Parasound Halo?  Or should I nix the ELACs and invest in some more efficient and higher end loudspeakers,e.g. Devore, ATC, ProAc, etc...?  Would I still get an audible improvement with these nicer and more efficient speakers if I stick with the Rega Brio, or do these high end speakers warrant a truly high end amp?  I ask because I likely can't upgrade both speakers and amp at the same time.    

I also considered the KEF LS50, but it seems like they are similar to the ELACs in that they are rather inefficient and need a powerful amp.  

   
529proaudio
gregkohanmim
153 posts
 
529proaudio - I think that for the size of room that you have, if you can get full frequency floor standers, you'd be happier in the long run.  As a general rule, all new systems should probably start with speaker selection.

Sure, I have my favorite speakers but it's such a personal choice, what I like (Bowers and Wilkins), you may hate.  

I suggest listening to as many as you can and see what sounds great to you.  Once you've arrived at a speaker set that you really like is to think about your amp next.

All part of the fun :)

Greg


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rotarius
431 posts
 
IMO, upgrade the speakers first.  Instead of the LS50, consider the KEF R300 or R500.  The R series is really impressive and a huge step up from budget stuff like Elac.
noromance's avatar
noromance
9,766 posts
 
Tekton Double Impact. $3000 delivered. 

goheelz's avatar
goheelz
297 posts
 
Eventually, you're going to want more and better amplification. I'd start with better amp or speakers.  Later on, you can pick your "final" speakers for your listening room, but I'd recommend going for better power now, with the Elacs, just to illustrate the benefits of improved current delivery.  If you add a decent subwoofer as well, that just might take care of things long term.  You'll never get proper bass from the Elacs alone, even in your medium-sized room.

My room is about 14 x 14, opening out on two sides.  You might want to look at my photos to see I've approached this kind of space, just to give you an approximate sense of scale. 
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