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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
timf
237 posts
 
spacekadet-

It is really none of my business, but if you do not mind I am curious. Why did your Dad decide to upgrade, and then what did he upgrade to? It could not have been an easy decision to arrive at as those equiptments are excellent. I wonder if some of what he talked about can help you in your decision.
audiofankj
373 posts
 
I would advise to not sell the stuff your father is giving you. In the past I had sold my two channel system and purchsed what I was led to believe to be a very good "mid-fi" surround system. To say I was dissapointed was a vast understatement. Not to boot thousands of dollars were spent.

My advice would be to keep the two channel system. Spend $1,000 at Best Buy or the like on a surround system and subwoofer with receiver. To do surround correctly with audiophile sonics you have to spend a LOT of money. By the way to those that are laughing at my advice on the $1,000 surround system, I bet the shattering glass and explosions aren't as "realistic" however I personally feel it is pointless (unless integrated into a two channel perhaps) to spend a lot of money on something that will only reproduce effects such as shattering glass and crashes.

Disclaimer: I am a music lover and 2 channel audiophile. I have only heard very few "surround systems" that do music as well as a dedicated rig.

Again, it was just my advice... But I personally would think your father's McIntosh gear will sound fantastic. A $1,500 or so surround sound will do the job. To sell the great gear to go backwards to a Sunfire will sound better than the Best Buy gear, but will most likely not come close to touching the McIntosh gear.
ev_dearmas
15 posts
 
Your dad is doing a good deed. Do you think he gave the stuff to you so you could just resell it? I think if he would have known, he would have traded it in for his upgrade. Why don't you ask your dad what he thinks of your plans?

Listen to almost everyone who chimed in. Keep the equipment, and maybe add a subwoofer.
swampwalker's avatar
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swampwalker
5,132 posts
 
I agree with Audiofankj. Get a used NAD receiver and a Pioneer Elite DV-09 or maybe even an NAD L-70 combo, 5 small Paradigm or NHT speakers and a small sub for movies, if you must.
nrchy's avatar
nrchy
2,111 posts
 
Small speakers are ideal for a small room. Speaker size should be a relative match to room size although there is no formula or anything like that.

I would not give you yesterdays newspaper for anything Sunfire has ever made, but I would give you all the newspapers from this whole month for the MacIntosh stuff. It is worth keeping!

You have a good foundation to build on now. Don't go backwards, since if you can hear at all, you will be disappointed soon enough.
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