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My first real hi-end audio system Please advise

Hi, this is my first post and I've just started to really get into the wonderful world of Hi-Fi audio. I'm a student at U of IL and live in a small apartment.

My father is upgrading his system and to my pleasant surprise decided to give me ALL of his audio equipments!!! I'm ridiculously excited since his equipments, although mostly 10 years old, are awesome. They include McIntosh (MC7300, C40, MCD7008, and MR7083) and a pair of 2 year old Revel M20 speakers.

The question I had was, would these gorgeous speakers sound as good in my apartment room? (about 10ft x 14ft)

I'm also thinking about selling all of the system but the speakers, and buying a Sunfire Ultimate Receiver, 3 more speakers and a subwoofer for a 5.1 system. Now, I don't have much $$$ as I'm a student, and I can't quite ask my parents for more audio equipments... I was wondering if 3 Aperion (aperionaudio.com) bookshelf speakers and a Sunfire True superjunior subwoofer would complement the Revel M20s well.

I know the sunfire receiver and the subwoofer aren't cheap for my standards, but I've done some research, and I think they'll last me a long long time and be a great entry system to the real hi-end audio world for me. As for the Aperion speakers, which I intend on using for center and surround speakers, they are only $180 each and have been receiving awesome reviews.

Has anyone tried these Aperion bookshelf speakers, sunfire ultimate receiver and the little subwoofer? Would you recommend any other system combinations for this price range? Oh, I almost forgot, can anyone also recommend a good DVD player for around $1000 or should I just connect my Apple G5 computer to the receiver? Would the computer's audio quality be a lot worse than a $1000 DVD/CD player?

Any comments/suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I'm just excited and giddy that I'll be able to treat my ears to some really good sound while I'm at school!

Thank you in advance
seongoh9f94
rsbeck
887 posts
 
Your father is building quite a surround system -- you can go to his place and watch the pod race from Star Wars a couple times -- for free -- then go home a listen to your music system. If you had the $$$ to do a surround system like your father, then maybe -- but you're making a wise decision. Keep the pre-amp. I would keep the tuner, too -- it'll probably be a collector's item. For a Sub-Woofer, check out Rel. Buy one used here on Audiogon and see what is in your price range.
rnm4
308 posts
 
Keep the pre. You do not, I think, mention what stands you have for the Revel's, but good stands, well placed, are a must for these speakers. My experience has been that it is very difficult to integrate a sub into a system. You might want to consider selling the Revels and getting genuine full range floorstanders. Maybe Totems? Some of these have quite small footprints, so they really take up no more room than monitors on stands. And they have genuinely integrated bass. plus, it will remove whatever temptation you might have to jack up the sub and annoy your neighbors by shaking their china cabinets. You can't have a dance party in such a small room anyway.
mhedges
180 posts
 
On a slightly different subject, I recommend you at least consider NOT bringing all that hi-end stuff to school with you. If your student housing is anything like mine was, places get broken and stuff goes missing all the time. You also have to worry about friends abusing your gear.

I don't know your exact situation but I can tell you if it was me who recieved this windfall I would put it into storage untill I graduated, and buy a $300 Sony minisystem to use in school.

Mark
viggen
838 posts
 
Dude, the guy is in college. He NEEDS to get the 7.1 DDS DTS THX with 15 inch dual subs to impress the frat boys and get the babes too. I know when I was visiting my friend's dorm at UCLA, everyone was going gaga over the Boston Acoustics THX system he had in his 10x12 dorm room. With the stench of beer all over, surround sound never smelled so good. Years later, I visited my friend after he purchased his first house and was beginning to build his own home theater in the loft. He got all the new Sony LCD, receiver, dvd player and even Sony speakers. His newly wed wife totally tolerated it too. But, she was weary of my audiophile ways. So, for my friend's marital happiness and home theater harmony, I told him he's got great stuff. WTG!!
spacekadet
63 posts
 
Mark (Mhedges), thank you for your concern, but my apartment is pretty safe. We have double door security system and I've been living there for two years without any problems. Plus I'll have the system in my own room and lock that up as well when I'm not there.

I currently have a Cambridge Soundworks Megatheater 510 in the living room and I can't listen to those speakers for more than an hour w/o fatigue and can't even mention their sound quality in the same sentence as my new McIntosh system.

Thank you for whoever recommended the Totem Hawk speakers, I've just demoed them for an hour in Singapore (that's where my parents live) and they sound great with significantly more clear and lower base than my Revel M20s.

If you're in Singapore, visit the Adelphi building, it's 4 stories of audiophile's wet dream. They have anything and everything from Denon, Yamaha to the highest end Revel, Mark Levinson, Krell, Linn, etc, etc...

I'm seriously thinking about selling the Revel M20s for a full range floor standing speakers and not bother finding a subwoofer to match the Revels. Currently I think the Totems sound the best in the $2000 price range I've heard at Adelphi building. (I've spent literally 8+ hours going from shop to shop demoing speakers and it was an amazing experience) Almost all the dealers are very nice there too except for Martin Logans (he ignored me completely until I mentioned my McIntosh system).

If anyone has a strong feeling against the Totem Hawk speakers, please tell me.

Thank you.
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