Apartment Dweller's Paradise - The Ideal 2 ch. system?

You can get state of the art sound by getting a top flight headphone and dedicated amp to drive them...even upgraded cable from one to the other for 1/2 the price.....and you'll have jawdropping audio with no complaints from the neighbors no matter how loud you play it.

KEF LS50 Wireless and an AURALiC Aries Mini or Bluesound Node 2.

Please keep things in balance, part of the goal of this is affordability. If you can buy a $100k stereo system, I doubt you are living in a small apartment.

Man, you guys have a lot of rent money. :)

The Magico M1S really is at the very top of physical size I would be able to keep in my apartment.

Best,

E

+1 for headphones 

Unfortunately, the ideal apartment system may be modest in size, but not in cost.  I think the best small system I ever heard consisted of the Magico M1s (20k+), Viva Solista (20k+) fronted by a used Linn CD12. Amazingly good.

Vandersteen Model 2, Ayre V5 or Theta Dreadnaut, Wadia 302 or something similar, 2 seperate runs of AQ Type 6 or 8, AQ Panther or Jaguar balanced IC's.

That system will hold its own with just about anything.

Oh, I like the Audio Notes!

Also like the Seas A26 kit a great deal.

Best,

E

Regarding high efficiency speakers... Audio Note AN-J or AN-K are small stand mounts that can be placed against a wall. Zu makes small floor standers such as the Soul. I have a bedroom system built around a pair of Celestion SL700s; if you are patient, they can be found used for 1000usd and although not high efficiency are outstanding. BBC monitor equivalents are another option. Many possibilities 

@zavato I think EVERY audiophile should own a pair. :)

I think someone in an apartment should seriously consider a high quality headphone and headphone amplifier combination. 

I have coincident speakers which are quite efficient.  However for my office i built merrill zigmahornets.   Amazing midrange, great imaging but no bass.

Hi @seikosha

Thanks!! I ask because I think very few of us who know about high efficiency speakers also know about small one's. :) So talking about specific brands really helps illustrate this strange new world for us.

Best,

E

Anything from Omega, some of the smaller Tektons, Blumensteins, Decware or anything else with similar efficiency ratings.

@seikosha 

Please name a few high-efficiency speakers which would fit in a modest living room for us!

E

A nice SET and high efficiency speakers are perfect for apartment listening.  All the details are there at lower volume settings, no need to keep turning it up.

put them against the wall for casual...

Magnepan used to advertise, out em against the wall for casual listening, move them out for critical listening...

Maggies are very easy to move, and then there are the Mini Maggies - I had a pair and they were quite good

What about their total footprint though for the maggies? I mean, don't they need a lot of floor space in front and behind?

I'm waiting on someone to bring up small, horn loaded speakers like say the Hsu satellites:

http://www.hsuresearch.com/products/hb-1.html

or some of the Klipsch models.

I would start with Magnepans because their bass is less likely to disturb other apartments...an interesting thread on the technical reasons for this last year...

Or skip subs altogether. :)

Should be the same as for a small listening room, yes? Might want to skip the double subs if you are on the 2nd floor though :)

Personally I like Arcam integrateds and Monitor Audio bookshelves.