2. amps-preamps
  3. 1409197196

Buiding listening room from scratch - need advice

I am finally in a position to build a dedicated listening room in a new addition we are building onto our home. It will be in the basement and the room will be about 12' x 18'; not huge but the most space due to some limitations. I plan to hire Rives to consult on the design of the actual space. What I am looking for is recommendations on equipment. This will be a two channel setup with a turntable, cd player and ability to play computer audio. I am looking for a new amplifier, preamp, speakers and interconnects. I will probably have about $25k to $30K to spend on equipment depending on how the rest of the renovation goes. I have listened to a few setups with Moon electronics and B&W and Sonus Faber speakers. I actually preferred the Sonus Fabers over the 802Ds even though they had a $75K stack of equipment powering them versus the Sonus Fabers that had $20K stack. Lastly, I am intrigued by Wilson Audio Sashas and Lamm hybrid amps that I have read about on Audiogon - never heard them. Okay, that is the background, please let me know your thoughts. Thank you in advance!
mmporsche
mmporsche's avatar
mmporsche OP
144 posts
 
Thank you to all the responses. To be clear, I am looking for a replacement amp, preamp, etc.-new to me. I am certainly open to used and believe that will stretch my dollars considerably.

I also realize this is very personal, however, I would like opinions and some examples of what people have found that just blows you away. I am open to SS and tube and hybrids as I mentioned the LAMM amps. I want bang for my bucks and don't care about brand names.

Rives was recommended by my local shop and they have a number of services and price ranges ($1100 to $15K). Again the budget I proposed is just for the equipment mentioned, not the building of the room. I expect that to be at least $5K to $10K in treatments, design, etc.

So that being said, please express your opinions and tell me some example setups that you love, doesn't have to be your own. I just need to narrow the focus as the selection is a bit overwhelming.

Thank you!
mapman's avatar
mapman
22,687 posts
 
Start with speakers that will meet your listening needs and fit into and work well in your room and go from there.

Consider omni versus more directional versus everything in between for example. Omnis will sound similarly good from any listening position while more directional designs will sound best by far in a small sweet spot for listening.
pryso
1,973 posts
 
+1 with Mapman, start by selecting speakers. Find something that "speaks" to you. I can recommend auditioning Janszens, either the zA2.1 or new stand mounted zA1.1 if you can find any near you, but there is a huge array of choices.

Speakers can determine room design. Are they best suited for traditional positioning 2' to 4' out from the front wall? Maybe dipoles better situated 5' + from the wall. Or the currently more rare against the wall or even in corner placement designs. Obviously which design type appeals to you should be established before beginning any room design.

Also, following speaker selection your search for amp(s) and then source components should begin to be focused down to fewer options.

Good luck.
jmcgrogan2's avatar
jmcgrogan2
6,346 posts
 
I would suggest that you start by auditioning different types of systems. When listening, make sure to note the amp>speaker interaction, as this is critical, as is speaker placement. The reason I state that auditioning systems first is so important is because you may find out that SET amplifiers present a sound that you find engaging. If that is the case, speaker choices will change. Just as if you find low sensitivity speakers engaging, your amp choices will change.

Only you can decide whether a single ended amp with high sensitivity speakers sound better to you than a low sensitivity - high power amp combo. The right amp/speaker combo is the key.
jwpstayman
408 posts
 
I am going to take a different approach. I suggest that you allocate $1000 and go out to RMAF in Denver and hear LOTS of systems ad components in the same (relatively bad) acoustics. It will narrow down the search considerably and let you have a FUN weekend as well. Just my take....
More to discover