Premier Rock Forum

seby wrote: Thu Nov 11, 2021 3:34 pm

enframed wrote: Thu Nov 11, 2021 12:25 pm Moved house couple weeks ago. The best new component I have had in years is my new living room! Stoked!

Awesome! We move this coming week as well.

Pics of your space?

Not quite yet, still need to organize a little more, it's a little cluttered still. Will post when I finish.

Good luck with your move.

New speaker placement away from the system requires a quick fix of cheap cable. Next on the list is to replace that, but prob not til January. Too busy to bother right now.

Hola,

I've been enjoying computer listening while I work via the Schiit Magni/Modi headphone amp/DAC setup. I'm interested in adding powered speakers and using the amp as a pre-amp with convenient volume knob (it's designed to do this), but I'm not sure where to start with powered speakers. I'm looking for an affordable pair that would work for a small living room, rather than just desktop/nearfield listening.

Does anyone have thoughts/experience?


Thanks!

lotharsandwich wrote: Sat Nov 13, 2021 2:26 pm Hola,

I've been enjoying computer listening while I work via the Schiit Magni/Modi headphone amp/DAC setup. I'm interested in adding powered speakers and using the amp as a pre-amp with convenient volume knob (it's designed to do this), but I'm not sure where to start with powered speakers. I'm looking for an affordable pair that would work for a small living room, rather than just desktop/nearfield listening.

Does anyone have thoughts/experience?


Thanks!

I know there is a wireless/powered version of the KEF LS50. I bet they would sound pretty good up on some decent stands, if carefully positioned. Klipsch makes powered versions of several of their smaller speakers. People love Klipsch. B&W makes some expensive ones. Linn has a line of active powered speakers, but it only works with their stuff. and they are ridiculously expensive.

Many of the cheaper powered speakers are, as you mentioned, intended for desktop nearfield listening, and are just a stereo version of your run of the mill portable bluetooth beach speaker. So I think the reasonably priced powered speaker thing is still kind of niche right now.

Since I am cheap, I would think about a power amp plus speakers instead. This would allow you to buy a basically infinite universe of cheap used passive speakers. And when you get a different house, you can get something more appropriate. also if the amp shits the bed, you can just replace it, or upgrade as your budget warrants. a little more flexibility. incremental upgrades are possible more easily.

motorbike guy wrote: Mon Nov 15, 2021 8:16 am

lotharsandwich wrote: Sat Nov 13, 2021 2:26 pm Hola,

I've been enjoying computer listening while I work via the Schiit Magni/Modi headphone amp/DAC setup. I'm interested in adding powered speakers and using the amp as a pre-amp with convenient volume knob (it's designed to do this), but I'm not sure where to start with powered speakers. I'm looking for an affordable pair that would work for a small living room, rather than just desktop/nearfield listening.

Does anyone have thoughts/experience?


Thanks!

I know there is a wireless/powered version of the KEF LS50. I bet they would sound pretty good up on some decent stands, if carefully positioned. Klipsch makes powered versions of several of their smaller speakers. People love Klipsch. B&W makes some expensive ones. Linn has a line of active powered speakers, but it only works with their stuff. and they are ridiculously expensive.

Many of the cheaper powered speakers are, as you mentioned, intended for desktop nearfield listening, and are just a stereo version of your run of the mill portable bluetooth beach speaker. So I think the reasonably priced powered speaker thing is still kind of niche right now.

Since I am cheap, I would think about a power amp plus speakers instead. This would allow you to buy a basically infinite universe of cheap used passive speakers. And when you get a different house, you can get something more appropriate. also if the amp shits the bed, you can just replace it, or upgrade as your budget warrants. a little more flexibility. incremental upgrades are possible more easily.

This makes sense, thanks. Those KEFs look great (I've only actually heard the LSX ), but are beyond the budget for this project. It may also be that simpler is better and a setup with fewer fancy electronics (beyond those that I already own) and more easily replaceable parts is the way to go.

i totally understand wanting to keep the number of boxes and cords to a minimum, but you pay a steep price for that minimalism. Since I have gone active crossover, the boxes seem to be multiplying on their own.

I just jumped on Ebay and there is an NAD 2200 power amp on there for sale, should go for around $200. There is an NAD 2100 for $185. There are also tons of Adcom GFA 555 and 545 amps for cheap money. Those will sound decent (not super high end, but better than your basic pioneer/technics/harmon kardon receiver and drive almost any speaker well. Then you just need to find a decent pair of speakers that you like and that are appropriately sized for your room. There are a million and one possibilities - I bought my son a pair of Paradigm Reference bookshelf speakers for about $600. They sound amazing. Polk also makes a ton of good less expensive speakers.

I ran a Linn system (LP12/ Karik CD Player-LK1 Preamp - LK2 Power amp) into Boston Acoustics A-40s for several years and it always sounded amazing. The speakers were roughly $150 brand new. They were sat on Linn Kan Stands, which cost more than the speakers.

My main setup is a rather dull affair:
Pro-Ject turntable with I think an "oyster" cartridge
Hagerman phono pre that I DIY'd
Modern boring Sony A/V receiver with HDMI
Parts Express speakers $180, a few years ago) https://www.parts-express.com/Dayton-Au ... it-300-640

This is also connected to video stuff. Originally, I used the receiver an an HDMI hub, but now I use the TV as the hub, and send the receiver optical. I'm also not likely to do surround sound. So this opens me up to a nicer receiver or integrated amp situation, because the Sony receiver is pretty lifeless. It would be nice to have some amp that can handle optical and also has a preamp because the fewer boxes I need to turn on the better.

Is there something out there that's otherwise a traditional integrated amp but has some modern amenities like optical input , maybe bluetooth) and at its heart is a traditional, dynamic transistor path that we know and love? Is such a thing a unicorn?

Something like this hits the mark, features, controls, looks and price-wise.

https://www.crutchfield.com/p_022AS501S ... l?tp=34948

There's a 100 watt version as well

twelvepoint wrote: Wed Nov 17, 2021 9:22 am

Is there something out there that's otherwise a traditional integrated amp but has some modern amenities like optical input , maybe bluetooth) and at its heart is a traditional, dynamic transistor path that we know and love? Is such a thing a unicorn?

Integrated amps with DACs and Streamers built in are the hot shit right now.

NAD has a whole line of integrated amps that have built in DACs and bluetooth.
There are a ton of these things in the higher price brackets. Naim, Hegel, etc. have $5000 amps that are supposed to be great. For $1500 or less I would look at the Cambridge, Rotel, Arcam ,Audiolab and, yes, the Yamaha and Technics ones. The Leak integrated also looks really cool and retro, if that is your thing.

motorbike guy wrote: Wed Nov 17, 2021 11:51 am

twelvepoint wrote: Wed Nov 17, 2021 9:22 am

Is there something out there that's otherwise a traditional integrated amp but has some modern amenities like optical input , maybe bluetooth) and at its heart is a traditional, dynamic transistor path that we know and love? Is such a thing a unicorn?

Integrated amps with DACs and Streamers built in are the hot shit right now.

NAD has a whole line of integrated amps that have built in DACs and bluetooth.
There are a ton of these things in the higher price brackets. Naim, Hegel, etc. have $5000 amps that are supposed to be great. For $1500 or less I would look at the Cambridge, Rotel, Arcam ,Audiolab and, yes, the Yamaha and Technics ones. The Leak integrated also looks really cool and retro, if that is your thing.

Thanks!

Really, the more like a 70s amp the better: class a/b transistor amp with phono preamp and mechanical controls at the front are perfect. I have one of those little class d bluetooth NAD amps for my office and it works, but the controls are poorly designed and the sound is not too exciting, so I'm thinking keep it simple. Like, some old Marantz would be perfect, but having a remote and optical input are important.

Also, a >$1000 price tag becomes a price point where some, err, negotiation will be required!