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

We've had really great threads on Audiogon so far, so I'd like to keep the ball rolling.

One subject rarely covered enough in the music world are systems that are specifically for apartment dweller's. These systems are more modest in size and cost. Dolby Atmos? Forget-about-it!

How would you put together a system, under $10k, soup to nuts?


erik_squires
gcp
30 posts
 
Mark and Daniels  Topaz, Rubies or Sapphires (insanely refined, coherent, huge sound image masters from minimonitors) No sub needed. Mind boggling on IsoAcoustic Aperta stands.
bel canto DAC2.7 or 3.7 and CD3t 
bel cantor eOne series Ref500S  or Job 225
Cullen Cables power cords, ICs and SCs (very high value)
Gaming PC with great sound card and 4TB drive... connected to the DAC
The above takes very little space, is versatile , remote controllable and can fit on a side table top.  Totally does with realism chamber to EDM .  Add used TT if that's for you and you have space.


schubert
4,867 posts
 
Triangles are best for buck around , sound like real music .

But, as far as I can see they no longer have distributor  in USA .
hifidream's avatar
hifidream
47 posts
 
Love the super efficient, 99db, sound of Lowther Field Coil Drivers. . . Probably would put them in an open baffle such as this one from Nelson Pass http://www.firstwatt.com/pdf/art_slob.pdf
I'd combine it with a First Watt Amp. I'm sure it would be magical even at low volumes. 

- Steve
nonoise's avatar
nonoise
4,382 posts
 
Right now I have Clearwave Duet 6 monitors powered by Marantz Reference integrated with matching SACD player and it sounds great. Looking forward to hearing the new Elac Adante monitors next month. Used to have anything from Legacy Classic speakers (too big) to Hornshoppe Horns to Decware Radials and MMGs.

Most anything can work if you're willing to give up some functionality and turn your living room into a dedicated listening room. Despite the small nature of apartment spaces, listening in the near field has its advantages.

All the best,
Nonoise
larryi
1,972 posts
 

If you ever looked at Japanese audio magazines, you will see a lot of systems in tiny apartments that seem to defy logic--they are HUGE horn systems.  The reason for horns is that they actually sound fantastic at whisper quiet volume levels.  Aside from the footprint of the speakers themselves, these types of systems are quite apartment friendly.  They also tend to be very efficient, which allows for the use of the best sounding amps: low-powered pushpull or single-ended triode amps.

Another recommendation I have, in addition to those I mentioned earlier, for an apartment speaker is the Gradient Revolution.  This speaker can be configured (the bass section can be made to fire in different directions) for a fairly wide array of setup options, including against the back wall.  I have heard it sounding really good in a small room and at fairly low volume.  One downside is that it is not very efficient.

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