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All in 5-6k for setup in living room...with bad acoustics

Looking for suggestions with a total spend of 5-6k (because I think deals can be had) for a living room. Room is fairly large and we often listen to the music from the kitchen. Not an ideal setup at all but the silence without music right now is killing me. Other thing is I tend to listen to music on the loud side rather than sitting down and critically listening,

I’m sensitive to compression drivers and the "harsh" highs. Unfortunately the one side of the room is sliding glass doors with curtains so I’m thinking a dome tweeter. What about something like the Magnepan speakers? I don’t think they would have the desired output but they do sound nice.  GoldenEar an option as well?

There are a lot of speakers out there for under 6k that are tempting, a few B&W’s, Ariel 7T, and my favorite is the Focal 1038be which is out of my budget currently. If I get speakers like these will a sub be required (I’m thinking yes) and what about amps, etc. Can I power these speakers with a 1k budget or am i dreaming? Typically listen to music from my Blue Node.

Asking a lot of questions here but thanks for the help.

 

seanile31
fuzztone's avatar
fuzztone
5,629 posts
 

What tomcarr said. Invest the money on the room. I get sufficient sound in the kitchen using an FM transmitter and a clock radio. 

mofojo
2,303 posts
 

For that money I hear a lot of people are saying room treatments. Ok spend a grand on room treatments and the rest on the system. Don’t worry about cables. Very small improvements IME in the level you are looking at. Just an example of one of my systems:

 

Focal 836W rated 8 - $700 (drove 2 hours each way)

Jolida CRC 302 upgraded vintage rca input tubes rated 9 - 550

Burson Dac new model rated 9 - $600

 

This is my favorite most musical system in the house.

 

in a normal size room at reasonable volumes room treatments mean less unless you are sitting farther away. They matter for sure…

 

pick your transport or streamer or record player and done. 
 

Deals come up if your quick and need to be patient. Guy like me checks daily on all the sites 😜. 6k buys a real nice system used if you buy right. 

 

tweak1
3,668 posts
 

How's $1200 sound? DO a search for current reviews of the LSA VT 70 tube amp (with meters). LSA also sells excellent speakers

hth

seanile31 OP
15 posts
 

I would absolutely love to treat the room but it's our main living area and it's form first followed by function.  Wife decorates the room (house) and then I try to put reasonable stereo system in the room so we/I can enjoy music occasionally.  If I put the system in any other room, or even in the finished basement, it wouldn't; get much use at all.  

kota1
2,706 posts
 

A pair of Paradigm PW 600 active speakers with ARC room correction and you are done:

https://www.soundstagexperience.com/index.php/wesworld-menu/feature-articles-reviews-menu/76-uncategorized/833-paradigm-pwsoundbar-pw600-loudspeakers-monitor-sub8-subwoofer?tmpl=component

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