Small space, small speakers. KEF LS50. Amp? Macintosh MA 252. That leaves $2k for source and cables. I use Pangaea stands with my LS-50s. Very happy. Marantz CD6007 is is great CD player. And he can add a Rega 3 or a Project if he wants vinyl.
Helping a friend build a new system
A good family friend has recently retired and is looking to build a system for his home office. He used to own a nice sound system some 25 years ago but hasn't been actively pursuing the hobby. He was visiting my home a few weeks ago and I guess listening to my system must have inspired him to finally build a new one. He asked me to help set up a new system (new to him, he's willing to buy used). I asked him a bunch of questions to find out what he wants and how much he is willing to spend. His responses are summarized below:
1. Budget -- since he's retired he wants to keep the total system budget to around $7-8K (including cables)
2. Components Needed -- bookshelf speakers, integrated amp, cables. He already has a CD player which would do for now, but he might get into streaming later on. He owns a few hundred CDs.
3. Room size -- around 10x12 with 10 foot ceilings. Fully carpeted with some furniture.
4. Music genres -- jazz, blues, vocals (he's a big fan of Frank Sinatra, Chet Baker, Billy Holiday, etc.), and R&B
5. Listening preferences -- he is looking for an 'intimate' and cozy experience and wants to try tube amps with high sensitivity bookshelf speakers. He mostly listens at a moderate volume and can be sensitive to high frequencies.
He also mentioned that he has some hearing loss since he's in his early 60s and suffers from a mild case of tinnitus. I'm not sure if this plays a role in the choice of components but I thought it's worth mentioning just in case.
I will really appreciate it if you guys can provide some pointers. Please remember that he is retired so $8k is absolutely the max he can do. System synergy is important. And, please no Tekton or class D recommendations. He really wants to try some affordable tube gear as a starting point.
1. Budget -- since he's retired he wants to keep the total system budget to around $7-8K (including cables)
2. Components Needed -- bookshelf speakers, integrated amp, cables. He already has a CD player which would do for now, but he might get into streaming later on. He owns a few hundred CDs.
3. Room size -- around 10x12 with 10 foot ceilings. Fully carpeted with some furniture.
4. Music genres -- jazz, blues, vocals (he's a big fan of Frank Sinatra, Chet Baker, Billy Holiday, etc.), and R&B
5. Listening preferences -- he is looking for an 'intimate' and cozy experience and wants to try tube amps with high sensitivity bookshelf speakers. He mostly listens at a moderate volume and can be sensitive to high frequencies.
He also mentioned that he has some hearing loss since he's in his early 60s and suffers from a mild case of tinnitus. I'm not sure if this plays a role in the choice of components but I thought it's worth mentioning just in case.
I will really appreciate it if you guys can provide some pointers. Please remember that he is retired so $8k is absolutely the max he can do. System synergy is important. And, please no Tekton or class D recommendations. He really wants to try some affordable tube gear as a starting point.
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- 105 posts total
I have a similar sized room, and wanted speakers that could be placed 1 foot from the front wall. Would advise a sealed or front ported speaker. I went with a Vandersteen VRL CT standmount speaker and I’m very happy. Have a Vandersteen Sub3 subwoofer with it, and a solid state integrated amp (Belles Aria Signature). The VRL CT have decent low end that benefits from its proximity to the wall, and a sub could be added later. ATC is a good suggestion, though the Vandersteen and ATC are not very efficient, and would probably benefit from the tube wattage of a Rogue Cronus Magnum tube integrated to make them sing, offer some dynamic headroom. I think ProAc, DeVore 3XL and Fritz are great suggestions for the VTL integrated. I gave serious consideration to Fritz. My 2 cents |
Oftentimes small rooms can be problematic to tune for frequency modes and other anomalies. In this situation, Dirac Live room correction can be a game changer. A wonderful product that is both an integrated amplifier and a Dirac Live processor is the miniDSP SHD Power: https://deercreekaudio.com/products/minidsp-shd-power You also can load your CD collection onto a laptop or NAS and access it directly with the SHD Power, or over your network using the included Volumio streamer. Deer Creek Audio is an authorized miniDSP Dirac Series dealer. |
- 105 posts total