2. amps-preamps
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Where do I start!?!

Greetings!
I recently moved and actually have a small 12'x13' listening area in my new house and wanted to fill it with amazing sounds.  I currently have a Denon AVR-4500H AV receiver hooked into a pair of Monitor Audio Silver RS6 speakers.  I lucked out and got the RS6's at a really good price about 10 years ago and they're easily the best speakers I've ever owned.  I used this setup for casually listening to lossless music from a central server and very much enjoyed it.  I made mention to my father a couple weeks ago that I would like to get a nice turntable and maybe upgrade my sound package a little and he tells me that he recently ran into a pair of Acoustat speakers that he recently fell in love with and bought that he had his older system in a warehouse collecting dust.  When I went to look at it I was amazed to find a pair of McIntosh MC1.2KW monoblocks with a pair of McIntosh XRT1K speakers and a Thorens TD309 turntable in the corner.  He said I could have them if I wanted them but I would need to find something to run the monoblocks (he kept his C1100 and MX160 setup).
My biggest question now is this:  What in the world do I do with these things!?  The speakers are MASSIVE (fortunately I have 10ft ceilings) and the monoblocks are like 150lbs each!  Is 12'x13' enough room for this setup?  I thought I had a list all laid out of what components I wanted to get and how I wanted to set everything up but I was not expecting anything close to this kind of setup and it's got me pretty overwhelmed with options.  I know I need a preamplifier for the turntable but where do I go with the monoblocks?  Can I just go with a preamplifier that has an XLR output (e.g. Pro-Ject Phono Box RS) directly into each monoblock or do I need to get an AV processor to handle that transition?  Out of fear for my sanity, I haven't even started looking at cables yet.  I'm sure that'll be fun too....
Thanks for reading and looking forward to reading the replies!
thomaswells02
mcreyn
293 posts
 
I agree with Elizabeth.  I also assume that selling the equipment your FIL just kindly gave you would be an insult.  

You will need some room treatment, especially behind the speakers as the speakers will closer to the rear wall than optimal.  GIK Acoustics makes some great diffuses and absorbers for very reasonable prices and will advise you as to your best treatment options.  Figure $500 to start. 

Once you look at a preamp, going balanced, your options start at $699 for a Schiit Freya S (an absolute steal at the price and a good preamp at any price) which you can add a Mani phono preamp for $129, and they go up from there.

Don't go spending a bunch of money on cables right now.  Blue Jeans makes great cables at fair prices.  For balanced, I like the "worlds best cables" on amazon made with Mogami wire (they also make great RCA's with Canare and Mogami).  Zu Audio also sells their older cables on Ebay for good prices.  Cables are like religion, but even the most ardent cable believer will tell you, Cables are the last step in the system after you have dialed everything else in.  

ENJOY.  Your FIL has given you a wonderful gift.  
gs5556
1,234 posts
 
That room is going to require some serious acoustic treatment with expert advice, especially with that gear. 
rego
378 posts
 
You hit a JackPot in terms of Sound Reproduction / Gear.
A Line Array!
Hard to beat in any size room!
A MacIntosh Rep / Dealer would likely recommend a product from 
the Mac Line.
Look into these in order to form some idea of what the gear is designed to do.
A Preamp with Integrated Phono Pre could work well.
Very well in fact.
Any Component Preamp from Passive to SS will give a good idea of Sound.
Finding gear is a big part of the fun!
Heck ... the Agon Market should give a good idea of this range.
Please do not even think about selling until you have an idea of what you have.
Experincing the Power Meters barely budge while hearing an Ethereal 
Playback of a Demanding Passage from a Classical Recording will convince you. 

glennewdick's avatar
glennewdick
1,669 posts
 
I have to agree with a few here talk to your father and see if he minds you selling the equipment and upgrading to a nice integrated amp -  smaller separates and speakers. I hope he will understand that your just optimizing the system to your room and not wasting a gift. 

 I've lived in a room similar to yours and as much as people would like to say larger systems will work they really wont work optimally in that size room, your better to down size at least the speakers to a small floor stander or monitor and you will get closer to the full potential out of your room speaker interface. Room treatment is going to be a consideration for sure. 

I tried to run Proac Response 2.5's years ago in a room very close to the size of yours and they just did not work well. I had to put so many bass traps and other room treatment just to get it ok but never great. 

Regardless of near field or not you will be better to optimize the room speaker interface with an appropriate sized speaker for the room. 

Another consideration is speakers designed to be close to the wall or in the corners. AudioNote AN series comes to mind there are others, but that will optimise your space much better.  

glen
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