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Finally saved 3000 what is a good setup.

After year trolling this website and saving I have finally earned 3K to spend on a system. Currently I am using some old Sony studio speakers my friend gave a few years back but now its time for a change. I am firmly in the digital camp and have been using a Squeezebox for the last few years and have transferred much of my collection onto a hard drive. What I need advice how to split 3000 between a set of speakers and an integrated amp or power amp (my setup now and use the digital volume on the SB).

To help with suggestion, my living room in going to be my main setup. The room is 18 X 14 X 10 with carpeted floors. I have room to spread these puppies at most 8 - 10 feet apart. I don't care if their monitors or floor standers but cannot be panel. I am married and my wife, who is also into music, would not like something that will dominate the household.

Heres a little about me. I am a studio musician and teacher by trade. In addition, I listen to all types of music, considering I am exposed to so much different types of music at the studio, and regularly go to live concerts to see a wide variety of music. As such, my idea deal speaker is true to the source without adding too much, makes me feel like I am actually one of those live concerts, is realistic, and just disappear. I know for many bass is key but I like honest bass not the exaggerated bass that so many speakers produce IMO.

So what you think. What would be a good combination?
aldres
dfgkali's avatar
dfgkali
23 posts
 
www.emotiva.com
pre amp: usp 1
Cd: ERC 2
Amp: XPA 2
Speakers of your choice.... w/the Emotiva setup you're goanna get awesome SS setup with 5 year warranty and 30 days in home trial. They even have speakers, and the quality is great, don't let the price fool you, they're direct re seller.

Good Luck :)
ddd1
153 posts
 
Used Benchmark DAC-1 Pre or HDR + the best powered studio monitors (ie. Mackie, Dynaudio, etc.) you can afford with what's left.
manitunc
795 posts
 
Pick the PSB or Paradigm speaker that tickles your fancy and suits your needs. There is no better bargain in speaker audio today. Buy used for an even better deal. Get an integrated amp. There are any number of them under $1000 used such as Dussun, Jolida, Cambridge Audio. Set a price limit and get the best used one you can find. Now you have about $1000 left over for a source. While I hate digital and only listen to vinyl, you can pick up a decent combo player and dac such as an Oppo, Cambridge Audio etc. Worry about cables after you have all the rest together and you see how much money you have left. Or go vinyl and pick up a used VPI Sota or Rega.
freediver
585 posts
 
Greetings fellow A'goners & Happy New Year to everyone!Aldres,with $3 K you can have a KILLER system...IMHO you would ABSOLUTELY love Dynaudio speakers...Trust me,listen to a WELL broken in pair,driven by either an ALL TUBE Integrated Amplifier(40-50 wpc @4 ohms will be perfect)or one of SimAudio's integrated amps fronting a decent Multi Disc(will play CD-DVD video-DVD Audio & SACD) DVD Player & you'll be in audio heaven...As the differences between modest & good sources & cables is MUCH smaller than the differences between modest & good amps & speakers you should put the majority of your funds into your amp & speakers...PS...Please do NOT listen to anyone who screams Dynaudio's need lots of power to sing,I have lived with a 40wpc ALL Tube integrated amplifier & Dynaudio Focus 140's for the last year & they are a match made in heaven!!!
gumbydammit
186 posts
 
With the Squeezebox as a source, the Emotiva XDA-1 is a no brainer at 248 delivered.
It also acts as a preamp with remote.
This D/A unit competes with stuff costing 1200+ and then some.
I happen to really like mine a lot and I tried a few things out before buying it.

www.hawthorneaudio.com

Check out the silver iris speakers Darrel builds. You cannot find anything near the cost at their level.
Play with your favorite amplifier.
A spud is all well and good if you don't want to crank it up, but they run out of power too fast for me.

If you went this route, you would have money for a very nice used tube amp...since, if you did the speaker kits yourself, you would not be into it for 1000 dollars including cable.

That would leave 2k for an amp!
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