[audiojoe]

Hello all!
Im new at this site, I have been reading for days before registering.

Im a music lover and I have very basic "sound systems", then I feel I have very little or nothing at all of value to add to the vast amount of knowledge and experience here but I may ocassionally ask some questions, hope you don't  mind.

I love music, not a single day without music, at home, at the office, at the car (but never when walking, I feel that's a bit dangerous and can't enjoy music because Im always alert so I never listen while walking on the street).

It is sad that my time of serious listening has been reduced due to daily chores so Im sad to say that most of my listening is with divided attention which is not the best way of listening to music but still divided attention is better than no listening at all...

What music do I love?

Basically, I love classical music. But I do listen to other music as well.
My listening is 95% classical music, all starting from Monteverdi to first half of XX Century. Mahler Symphonies are superb! Im always searching for not well know classical music, such as Ferdinad Ries piano concertos or  Helmich Roman Violin Concertos or Locatelli Violin Concertos or Van Hal Violin Concertos.

However, I find somewhat difficult to grasp more "recent" or modern classical music.  Hope with time I will be able to appreciate it.
 
Im also an Opera lover, baroque Opera is such a joy!  Specially Handel's works are superb.  Orlando Furioso from Handel is such a masterpiece.  But Vivaldi's Orlando Furioso is another gem as well. Somehow Opera is so captivating and immersing... It captures you deeply

The remaining 5% of my listening would be: heavy metal (Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Motorhead, etc), old rock (Hendrix, Zappa, Michael Schenker, Uli Jon Roth, Malmsteen, Jack Bruce, Rory Gallagher, Bob Welch, Procol Harum, Triumph, Ian Gillan, Blackmore, UFO, Scorpions, Pavlovs Dog, Zeppelin, Jethro Tull, Slade, ZZ Top etc)  some jazz (Clarke, Pastorius, Patitucci, Ellington, Ponty, etc, Im not really much into Jazz as I like it and enjoy it but Im not that wild about it) and last but not least I also listen and love so much Romantic Latin Music, specially old ones ( from the 60, 70, 80) Latin Romantic Ballads softly sung in Spanish, lovely.  Also I have a few rare LP from Italy like Corte del Miracoli and Aquafragile... Oh, I almost forgot Astor Piazolla as well as some traditional Mariachi records....
Pop? Not much really, but some from time to time...

And what audio system do I have? You will laugh! Be prepared...
I have four all in one shelf miny sistems (one for each room plus the living room) with three way speakers all of them.  I never listen to music from  my PC at home.
For classical music I listen CD only
For rock, heavy metal and Jazz and Latin Ballads I listen to MP3
At my office job I listen with my computer through headphones (MP3)

Im here to learn because I plan to buy a more serious (entry level) audio system, like a receiver plus a cd player plus a turntable (for my old vinyl LP), a pair of full range shelf speakers and two small subwoofers.  As I live in a small apartment I have never seen the need to go into receiver/amp plus cd player, plus speakers, plusr turntable, etc, etc but recently Im getting curious about it so I need to get some education about it.  I knew a guy with a big, big home full with marantz, denon, amps and preamps and cd players and turntables and huge, speakers like a fridge, yes they sound great but that would be overkill to my living place! It would look funny if not ridiculous!

I have about 1000 classical music/opera CD and perhaps about 70 of rock, heavy metal, jazz, latin ballads... And a bunch of MP3 and some FLAC files as well.  I also have about 100 classical music/opera vinyl and about 50 rock/metal vinyl LP.
Thanks all!

Hope to learn and educate myself from you all!
Regards!!

Joe

[Blackmore]

Welcome

[FullRangeMan]

Welcome Joe
Now listening Ries Violin Concerto:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-tb0zcdEi8
Ferdinand Ries was Beethoven secretary when he began to be deaf.
No surprises here Ries own a style similar to Ludwig, great music.

[Mr Peabody]

Hi Joe, welcome, and, post away.

These days there are some excellent "all-in-one" type units, like the Naim, Unity which comes in a range of prices.

Integrated amps also come with built in DAC, so you can stream to it.  All you'd need for your CD's is something to spin them, you can run the digital out to the integrated built in DAC.  These can range from reasonable, NAD, Cambridge to Parasound at around $2200.00 on up, Hegel, Mark Levinson etc.

You didn't mention a price range.  Cambridge Audio has a $599.00 receiver with phono stage and DAC, I forgot the model#.  I'm thinking SR-80

Just saying you can find some good sound these days without filling up the apartment with components.

If your pockets are deep look at Devaliet.  I've heard them a few times and was always impressed.

Speakers you can get good sound from budget priced speakers like Elac.  Floorstanding with built in powered bass, like Golden Ear.  Totem is floorstanding that take up little real estate.  Gallo Acoustics make some nice sub/sat systems.  Tons of traditional monitors, Dynaudio has a very wide price range of high quality speakers.  For Classical you might really enjoy something like Magnepan or nice electrostatic speakers, but both typically require really good amplification.  Some hybrid electrostats like Martin Logan aren't so picky due to the powered bass module but can still dip low in the impedance.

In turntables brands like Pro-Ject or Rega can get you spinning for a few hundred dollars.  If in the $1500 range Clearaudio makes the Marantz REference table with a cart, the package is an excellent price to performance ratio.  Not much more Clearaudio has the Concept.  Rega has a wide range themselves.  VPI is popular.

I just scratched the surface and everyone has their favs.  Have fun, that's what it's about ,

[JLM]

Welcome Joe.  We love helping others to spend their money.   


I haven't owned a turntable for 34 years (literally dropped mine  and already had a CD player (CDP), but can offer advice on the rest.


CDP's are so yesterday.  CD's are pretty much only available via internet.  Even players are getting hard to find and have been replaced with internet radio, internet streaming, and internet downloads (like MP3).  CD's can be easily be ripped (copied to a hard drive) in about 7 minutes each.  Download options also include high resolution formats (better than CD quality).  All this can be done via your computer or with the use of various dedicated music servers (computers optimized for audio).  Ripped music can be shared throughout the house via your local network.  Inexpensive servers are available from Sonus, BlueSound, even a $200 Grace Mondo (super nice clock radio that also receives internet radio).


With ubiquitous internet radio (MP3 quality that functions just like FM for free or CD quality/commercial free for a subscription) over the air radio is dead to all but audiophiles interested in vintage gear.  Virtually every FM station offers internet radio versions of what they broadcast.  Another wonderful option is Tidal (CD quality over the internet for $20/month that has access to over 44 million albums that you can choose and it remembers them then making suggestions of similar albums).  So no need for a receiver unless you want to do a multi-channel home theater setup, in fact stereo receivers are another dinosaur.


Playing back computer/server based music requires some sort of digital to analog converter (DAC).  Many have DAC's built in.  The technology is improving rapidly so unless you want to be on the leading edge, I'd stay with inexpensive options, like Audioquest Dragon ($100-200) or Meridian Explorer 2 ($200).  Note that a number of self-powered speakers also have DAC's built in.


The options for speakers have expanded greatly too.  More and more self-powered speakers are available that relieves the need for a power or integrated amp, saving money and complexity.  AudioEngine for instance offers self-powered speakers from $249/pair with DAC (for desktop use) on up.  Better self-powered speakers (called active speakers) are used by studio professionals.  The JBL LSR305 (no DAC) offers remarkable sound for desktop to medium sized rooms at street pricing of $260/pair.  Note that being self-powered these speakers must be plugged into the wall for power.


Since you already have a good sized library, 90% of which is in CD's, I might suggest replacing your vinyl with CD's or downloads and save the money/hassle of spinning records.  Here are a couple of inexpensive examples of digital audio systems that wouldn't require ever buying music:

1.)  Smart phone (with Tidal subscription) with $800 BlueSound Node 2 server/amp, $15/pair Blue Jean speaker cables, and $280 Elac B6 speakers.  The phone acts as controller.  Both the Node and the B6 are available from Amazon.  Note that Tidal would travel with your phone, just add headphones (iPhone 6 on up have very good built-in DACs).

2.)  Rip your CD's to your computer, plug a $200 Meridian Explorer 2 DAC into a spare USB port and run $12/pair Monoprice wires (with XLR/RCA adaptor) to $260/pair JBL LSR305.  Add speaker stands for in-room listening and $20/month Tidal when you're ready to expand your library.  Again available from Amazon.

[JakeJ]

Hello and welcome to AC, Joe!  I hope you will find AudioCircle a great place to learn.

[Phil A]

Welcome!

[ArthurDent]

Greetings & Welcome to AC Joe   

[audiojoe]

Hello all!
Thanks very much for your answers, they have provided a lot of food for thought!!
As you mention, I guess I forgot to set a budget...
Well, as Im starting, I was thinking about US$500 for a receiver and another $300.0 for a CD player.
And for speakers? Maybe another $500.00 for a pair of shelf speaker.  Subwoofer would come later...
As you see, Im limited. 
Im willing to sacrifice receiver budget so to increase speaker budget.  I have seen some low priced $250 to 350 receivers from Pioneer and Onkyo so this will allow more money for speakers.
For instance Pioneer receiver VSX-531 (basic, entry level) and Onkyo DX-C390 cd player.
Then I can put more money into better speakers.
What do you think?
Well, you mention brands that I didn't even know they existed, thanks for that, I need time to look for them but they sound as if they are beyond my current budget...
Thaks for your friendly welcome... Time to do some research...
Cheers!

[FullRangeMan]

Then I can put more money into better speakers.
What do you think?
Today amps evolution are fast except tube amps, so focus $ on a better speaker makes sense imo.

[JakeJ]

Hi Joe,

Interesting pieces.  The Pioneer VSX-531 has a DAC built in and the Onkyo features digital outputs so you can try the DAC in either the Pioneer or the Onkyo and determine which sounds better and use it full time.

There are many opinions on what to spend on speakers, one rule of thumb is 60% to 70% of the total system budget should be dedicated to the speakers.  That's just one point, I also think it is important to choose a speaker you can live with over the long haul so one needs to do a significant amount of research to find that speaker and then the right gear to match up to it.  System synergy is awsome when you get it right.  Then there's the room but we'll save that for another thread! 

Do you have an idea of the sound character you wasnt?  Warm, neutral, analytical?

[dB Cooper]

Welcome to the sweet spot, audiojoe.

[JLM]

Joe,


You're still so '80s.  Again FM is for the cars and clock radios nowadays and CD's are becoming near impossible to find in a store.


If you refuse to go with self-powered speakers, here's a good option:

Rip your CD's to your computer hard drive.

$500 PS Audio Sprout (6" x 8" x 1.75" 50 watt/channel integrated amp with built-in DAC with analog/vinyl, wireless, smart phone inputs and headphone/subwoofer outputs)

$15 Blue Jean speaker cable ($12 pair)

$500/pair (MSRP) ELAC UB5 speakers (stand-mounts, tweeter/midrange driver are coaxial design, plus woofer, ELAC and designer Andrew Jones are well respected)

[audiojoe]

Hello JLM,

Thanks, Im taking a look at that Sprout amp.  It looks so nice, elegant, minimalist, it is for a small room! Wow!  And it is within budget!  Thanks for that!

I already ripped all of my CDs into an external hard disk drive.  The point, I guess I have to do it again.  When I did it I ripped them to MP3 going from 128 to 256.  Yeah, I was such an ignorant!
They don't sound bad (to my ears) to be honest, but if Im going to get a nice audio system and nice speakers, I think I have to do it again but now rip them to FLAC.  It would take some time....  And another HDD.

Im reading the description, it says "It features a phono preamplifier for vinyl, a Bluetooth receiver for music streamed from smartphones, a high-quality hi-res DAC to handle anything stored on a laptop, enough power for any speaker, and a headphone amp that drives even the toughest loads."

Im really confused about DAC. As far as I understand a DAC is some sort of electronic circuit that converts digital signal (like that directly coming from a CD) into analogic signal so it can be amplified.  But it says "hi-res DAC to handle anything stored on a laptop" Ok, but if Im correct my laptop audio output is analogic, right? I mean, the audio output (3.5mm) where I can plug headphones or active speakers, etc...Ok, sorry

Now, about those Elac speakers, thanks again, Im reading the webpage. I like them!
I like them that they are 3 way speakers!!
Well, it may be my ignorance but for some reason I tend to think 3 way is a better design than 2 way, at least theoretically speaking.  In practice it may be more complicated.
 
Most audiophile level speakers that I have seen are 2 way speakers and they are really expensive and their reputation is high.  In fact, these Elac speakers are the first 3 way speakers that I take a look at recently. And they are within budget!

Thanks!

ps: yeah, Im somewhat stuck in the 80 and 90.  When listening to rock/heavy metal Im ok with digital files (mp3, flac, whatever).  But when listening classical music I love the CD because it helps me to commit to listen to an entire CD from the very first track to the last one.  With rock/metal I don't care jumping from one song to another and back and for doing so digital files are the way to go.

[dB Cooper]

Re-rippimg to FLAC will be worth the time investment, but might not be as important for pop/rock as for jazz/classical.

Powered/active isn't the only way to go, but the fewer boxes you have to buy, the lower the outlay.