Looking to upgrade my setup.


Hi y'all! I'm pretty much a rookie when it comes to high end audio. As a musician my ears are pretty tuned but I only recently have gained appreciation to potentials of audio systems. Currently I'm running a pair of Energy cb-20 bookshelves through an entry level Denon reciever. I also have an m and k double 12" sub. The problem I have with it is that the highs seem rather harsh and it is lacking mid bass. I'm hoping to get a system with smoother highs and more punch an the snares and kick drums. Does anyone have any recommendations as far as a new amp and speakers? I really like the sub so I'd like something that wont be drowned out by the m&k beast. Thanks!
rolsson
Getting a Peachtree iDecco is not a bad place to start. It has a nice DAC, headphone amp, preamp, iPod dock, and a decent 30W stereo power amp in one cabinet. It doesn't have a ton of power, but makes a great starting point. Get that and speakers first, then upgrade the power amp and just use the iDecco as a preamp/DAC. Then when you upgrade your Preamp, it's still a nice DAC and headphone amp. I use one of these as an all-in-one bedroom system - it's great. They're only $800 right now; I'd say that's a good buy even if you only end up using it as a DAC.

Scour here and eBay for a used Adcom GFA-5500 or 5802 for a really solid power amp that will drive just about anything. Aim for ~400 for the 5500 and double that for the 5802.

I'd look for a Conrad Johnson PV-5 to use as a preamp if you decide to avoid the Peachtree for some reason. Jump on one if you can find it for about $700. Seriously.

What's your current source, and what were you thinking for a budget?
If set up properly, the M&K should never drown out the speakers. Are you running the speaker cables through the sub or just an RCA jack? Make sure that the sub isn't set higher than 80hz. Do you have the volume set too high?

Finally, where is the sub placed? If it's too boomy, try moving it into the room a little more. It should never be in a corner or in a cabinet.

Solve this problem before you add a new amp to the issue.
Thanks a bunch for the input. I took a trip down to the local high end stereo store. I pretty much fell in love with a pair of Dynaudio monitors. I also grabbed a used NAD integrated amp. They had a really warm sound that I needed in a rather large living room with hardwood floors. I'm also going to pick up an Arcam cd player as soon as I can scrounge up some more cash. My next project is upgrading my bedroom surround sound system. I currently have a Chiro c800 preamp that I'm looking to pair with a 5 channel amp. Any suggestions? Thanks