Newbie needs help with starting a set-up.

pennylane · « **on:** 18 Jul 2005, 06:17 am »

Hi. I'm new to the forums and to home audio as well. I have a pretty good headphone set-up (sennheiser hi-580s, custom cables, modified source).

I'm looking for a pair of bookshelf speakers and a receiver. My source right now is a mass-market DVD player, but I plan on getting that later. My budget is about $1000 (give or take a couple hundred) and I'd rather focus it on 2 things instead of 3. I'd like to be able to expand to at least be able to add a subwoofer at some point. Additional channels would also be nice.

I tend to listen to a wide variety of stuff. Anywhere from rock to jazz to classical. The rock tends to be on the smoother side than the rougher side but it's pretty varied. (In headphone terms) I'm used to the "laid-back" HD-580 sound but I wouldn't mind a slightly more upfront, slightly more "groovy" sound. Perhaps more like the HD-650. Less of a veil.

The room is an apartment living room. Smaller than a home living room but a little bigger than the home bedroom. I plan on moving the set-up to my bedroom when I get out of the apartment.

I was thinking about this Onix set-up:
http://www.av123.com/products_product.php?section=processors&product=33

I was also recommended a pair of Polk LSI9's and a Harman Kardon AVR-330.

I'm fairly set on the Polk/HK route (at least the Polks), but I'm still open to suggestions. If not for a pair of speakers, then a receiver. I was thinking about getting the digital JVC F10's before I was recommended to get the HK's. I don't mind going used with everything.

Any help would be GREATLY appreciated. Thanks.

maxwalrath · « **Reply #1 on:** 18 Jul 2005, 08:07 am »

what types of music do you like, and how loud do you like it?

woodsyi · « **Reply #2 on:** 18 Jul 2005, 02:43 pm »

Pennylane,

I have been looking for a simple bedroom set up and have been eyeing the Onix/Melody offer for months now. I have also been looking at Redwine/Omega combo. I have nothing against Polk speakers. In fact, I use a pair of SDAII for my HT set up. I just can't get excited over what Polk offers right now. You can use the 30 day grace period to audition the combo's I mentioned. As for me, I have to get rid of my (wife's) Bose first......

warnerwh · « **Reply #3 on:** 18 Jul 2005, 03:10 pm »

Those are two good choices for speakers but please keep an open mind. There are many very good speakers available. Some may even be more to your liking than what you've mentioned. What size of room and what you listen to will help us help you.

pennylane · « **Reply #4 on:** 18 Jul 2005, 03:29 pm »

I edited my original post.

I listen to a somewhat wide variety. Anything from rock to jazz to classical. I like the laid-back sound of my HD-580's but I wouldn't mind something a little more upfront.

My room is an apartment living room. Smaller than a home living room but bigger than a bedroom.

I don't turn up the volume too much. I'm afraid of having the volume up too high. I just try to keep it as low as possible (which can vary, unfortunately, depending on the background noise).

marvda1 · « **Reply #5 on:** 18 Jul 2005, 04:24 pm »

hello, if you can up your budbet to $1500 this deal is very hard to beat.
you get power amp,preamp,speakers,interconnects, speaker cables. you can use your dvd player until you save up again for a cd player. here's a review.

http://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/equipment/0705/odysseyaudio.htm

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #6 on:** 19 Jul 2005, 04:44 am »

Quote from: marvda1

hello, if you can up your budbet to $1500 this deal is very hard to beat.
you get power amp,preamp,speakers,interconnects, speaker cables. you can use your dvd player until you save up again for a cd player. here's a review.

http://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/equipment/0705/odysseyaudio.htm

marvda1 is correct....excellent deal, excellent sound...tough to beat !!! There was talk of a home audition tour... take a look. Good luck pennylane !!

pennylane · « **Reply #7 on:** 19 Jul 2005, 03:40 pm »

$1500 is definitely pushing it. I'm not sure if I have that much money right now. Any other suggestions?

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #8 on:** 19 Jul 2005, 03:53 pm »

Quote from: pennylane

$1500 is definitely pushing it. I'm not sure if I have that much money right now. Any other suggestions?

$1,500.00 may be pushing it...but why settle for less ? Take some time to raise the extra cash...then you'll have an excellent system that you will enjoy !

pennylane · « **Reply #9 on:** 19 Jul 2005, 06:27 pm »

This may be silly, but I wouldn't mind having a receiver/amp that has a remote. So I could control volume and stuff easily. An HT type receiver may be better for me, right?

I don't need a pre-amp right away and I don't need nice interconnects right away. I have to buy some other stuff too and I just need the bare essentials to start off with.

flintstone · « **Reply #10 on:** 19 Jul 2005, 07:26 pm »

Search out a pair of Apogee Centaur Minors in very good condition at Audiogon (I own a pair and use one as a center channel speaker), you can find a pair with their stands for around $500-$600.

They take up no more floor space than any book shelf will on stands. These are great for your musical tastes...I used to use mine in a second system.

Bass is their short comming as they only have a 6.5 inch woofer...a good sub fixes all this!

The baby Maggies are another thought but need to be well out into the room...more so than the baby Apogees...both are very good speakers although I like the Centaur Minor a tad better in my room.

The Centaur Minor are a hybred design...6.5" cone and 26" ribbon. You can drive them with a good 50-100 watt tube integrated for best sound, but any good receiver will also drive them well.

Dave

marvda1 · « **Reply #11 on:** 31 Jul 2005, 03:38 am »

pennylane, here's the deal at av123.com sp3 tube integrated amp/reference 1 speakers/x cd88 cdp =$1249. you can sub the 120 watt ss a120mk2 amp in the system for a total of $1149 and i'm sure you can save more if you sub in the 60 watt ss amp.
marvin

KeithR · « **Reply #12 on:** 31 Jul 2005, 09:11 pm »

Just get a used Nad integrated, and a pair of PSB 5Ts or the like. Use your dvd player as a source

Will be well under 1k. The 5Ts are a bargain these days (and the mags agree) and don't need tons of power--i ran them off a Sony receiver in an HT rig for some time

Cheers,

Keith