[EDS_]

Ideas for a friend, he wants small, simple and rockin'.


I'll start....

$1500 Wyred4sound DAC/Amp in one box
~$2000 Salk Songtowers
cheap cables to start
~$1,000 REL sub

[ratso]

change that rel to a pair of rythmiks and you would be close to mine. 

[mamba315]

Small, simple, and rockin = good pair of actives + sub

Mac via TOSLINK

To AVI Adm9t's (~$2000)
W/ matching AVI 10" sub (+$1700)

Pocket the remaining cash and rock out.  Doesnt get any simpler or better sounding under $5k, I'd wager. 

[skunark]

Maybe....

Rogue Audio Cronus Magnum w/remote  $2195
Magnepan 1.7                        $1995
Peachtree DAC iT                     $459
Total                               $4649

And the rest on cables and AV rack as needed.
If your friend is after bass I would probably try to audition the Zu Omen..    If he's not into Tubes, then a used Bryston.

[Deanster]

Hi all - I'm the friend in question (unless I totally misunderstand), and here's my current 'best concept'

Salk SongTowers OR Definitive Mythos ST (refurb) speakers
Peachtree iNova integrated DAC/Amp/etc
Rythmic Sub 12"/15"
Cheap cables to start (gotta leave some room for later upgrades, right?)


My big questions at this point -

Thoughts on the Mythos ST's vs. SongTowers? I've auditioned the Mythos ST's, and love 'em - haven't yet found a Seattle-area audition for the SongTowers. The SongTowers should be $2300 shipped, the Mythos ST's $2500 shipped, but only a 90-day warranty on the refurbs (seems worth going refurb to save $1200).

iNova vs. iDecco - Both the SongTowers and Mythos ST's are supposed to be easy-driving, efficient designs. One review jokes that you can drive the Mythos ST's with a clock radio.    I'd love to save the $1K and go with the iDecco, but don't want to either stress the amp or under-drive the speakers. It seems clear that the iNova's 80Wpc is adequate, but that the iDecco's 40W is probably marginal. Buy the iNova, or give the iDecco a try, with the idea I could add a pure amp if I need more power? If so, any recommendation for a reasonably priced compact amp?

Sub - I'm a mixed-music listener, with everything from hiphop to opera, acoustic guitar to thumping dance music that I want to shake the house. I feel like one Rythmic 12/15 inch powered sub would work well, especially with the Mythos ST's integrated racetrack subs and their integrated sub amps. Any reason to believe another sub would work better, or that there's a powerful reason to select either the 12" or 15" version?

I'm also very open to suggestions for other components, or good sources for any of these components.

Thanks much!

[JLM]

Wyred 4 Sound, $1500, and add:

Apherion Argon3L, $3150 (current demo pair on Audiogon). 
or

Nola Contender floorstanders, $3,400. 

or

Living Sounds Audio LSA-2 Signature Towers, $2799.

(All have good reviews.  I've been "window shopping" this same scenario too.)

[kc8apf]

Thoughts on the Mythos ST's vs. SongTowers? I've auditioned the Mythos ST's, and love 'em - haven't yet found a Seattle-area audition for the SongTowers. The SongTowers should be $2300 shipped, the Mythos ST's $2500 shipped, but only a 90-day warranty on the refurbs (seems worth going refurb to save $1200).

I currently own Mythos ST's and have been seriously considering getting Salk SongTower RTs.  I like the Mythos ST a lot, but they lack some clarity in the highs and I've had a subwoofer amplifier fail already.  I haven't had a chance to hear the SongTowers locally, but it's on my TODO list.  I have few doubts that the SongTowers will best the Mythos ST's. 

[ratso]

even if those mythos were a lot lower then the salks i would get the salks. with the price being the same, it's really a no brainer.

the rythmiks are great because they are a great sub for music first and HT second. i would get the 15 if you have a big room, but best case scenario would be a pair to even out the bass response which might mean dual 12's eventually for you. with salks and rythmiks, i can guarantee you will have a great setup - i have salk HT-2TL's with dual rythmik sealed 15".

[JLM]

If you like the idea of dipoles and want to keep it simple:

Wadia Power DAC ($1200) + Hawthorne Sterling Silver 15 inchers Finished Solo speakers ($2255) + cables.

The Wadia is 8 inches by 8 inches by 2 inches and provides 25 wpc with the analog conversion done at the very end for a very detailed sound.  Wadia at this price??

The Hawthornes need room to breath, but are a very 96 dB/w/m efficient, well built, small for open baffle (22 inches x 38 inches x 11 inches), and will reach 36 Hz (in an O.B.!!).

The Hawthornes aren't super detailed, but trade that for musicality and lack of fatigue.  Together you should reach 109 dB in room (damn loud).  If you want to spend more move up their Duo that has a powered sub (about $400 more plus amps) but that adds complexity and only gains bass "feel".

[sharpsuxx]

Maybe....

Rogue Audio Cronus Magnum w/remote  $2195
Magnepan 1.7                        $1995
Peachtree DAC iT                     $459
Total                               $4649

And the rest on cables and AV rack as needed.
If your friend is after bass I would probably try to audition the Zu Omen..    If he's not into Tubes, then a used Bryston.

I +1 +2 and +3 this, that would go beyond a simple system to some peoples dream system.  I might look into a little ballsier amp for the 1.7s but if you are happy with the volumes the tubes can produce I bet you would be very happy.  The only bugger there would be staying under 5k with all the room treatments to really dial in the Maggies.

I think a pair of Vapor Audio Breeze - 1250+ whatever tweaks you want for it.  And a pair of Rythmic 12" subs for 1800.  From there I would dig up a well reputed amp/dac on the second hand market to to get the best value, I prefer tubes but to each their own.  Then bam audio nirvana, for the budget at least.  Ribbon top end, very coherent midrange, and no lack in bass.  If you can go cheapish on the used amp/dac you can even have some extra pennies for good bass EQ and room treatments int the initial budget.  As always YMMV.

[Deanster]

So, after a ton of research and listening, I went with the Peachtree iNova for $1800+tax (bought through Amazon - couldn't find a reliable discounted seller), and the refurb Definitive Mythos ST's for $2375 total from bajawaverunner (DefTech's parent company's ebay store).

I grabbed two of the Monster 15' THX shielded cables off Amazon for $35 each, and I need to find a loooooong USB cable to run from my iMac. Should be less than $100 total on cables.

End result has me at ~$4400 all-in, including tax, shipping, cables, etc. for what should be a stomping system - at least, the iNova+Mythos ST combo sounded amazing at my local hi-fi store. Given the built-in subs on the ST's, I decided to hold off on a separate sub - I can always add a pair of 15" Rythmics later, right?

I feel a little bad - used quite a bit of the salesman's time, but buying through them would have cost almost $1500 more. I could still pretty easily go tip him $100 for his time without damaging my budget too badly. 

Everything should be here by the end of the week - I'll let you know how it goes!

[sharpsuxx]

Did you try to see if he could come anywhere near the price?  I think that is really all of the due diligence you owe, the tip would surely be a nice gesture though I am sure.  Always fun to have a good relationship with your local HiFi guy .

[EDS_]

So, after a ton of research and listening, I went with the Peachtree iNova for $1800+tax (bought through Amazon - couldn't find a reliable discounted seller), and the refurb Definitive Mythos ST's for $2375 total from bajawaverunner (DefTech's parent company's ebay store).

I grabbed two of the Monster 15' THX shielded cables off Amazon for $35 each, and I need to find a loooooong USB cable to run from my iMac. Should be less than $100 total on cables.

End result has me at ~$4400 all-in, including tax, shipping, cables, etc. for what should be a stomping system - at least, the iNova+Mythos ST combo sounded amazing at my local hi-fi store. Given the built-in subs on the ST's, I decided to hold off on a separate sub - I can always add a pair of 15" Rythmics later, right?

I feel a little bad - used quite a bit of the salesman's time, but buying through them would have cost almost $1500 more. I could still pretty easily go tip him $100 for his time without damaging my budget too badly. 

Everything should be here by the end of the week - I'll let you know how it goes!

Me like very much.  File a full report here on AC sometime soon with your impressions.

An upgrade consideration for the future might be a bit of power conditioning.  That said I would not entertain such for a good while.

I'd be ready to move the Mythos around a lot searching for perfect placement.

Well done.

[Deanster]

Thanks!

re: perfect placement... that's actually one of the things that pushed me to the Mythos ST's... my setup options are super-limited, and these really need to go on either side of a pair of bookcases, closer to a wall than I'd probably prefer, and without much opportunity to futz with more than toe-in and a few inches of wiggle room.

The relatively narrow and sleek Mythos ST's will give me a lot more room to wiggle them around, though that's still not a ton. Also, not having to accommodate even a SuperCube-size sub will go a long way in keeping things under control.

The SongTowers and their lovely veneers are perhaps more pleasing to the eye, but I also think the Mythos ST's will 'disappear' into the room.

The iNova showed up today, and just got it hooked up to a pair of 5x7 Bose powered accessory speakers I had lying around... I can say with absolute clarity that those speakers sound far far better than they ever did attached to anything Bose has ever produced.

Mythos ST's are slated for arrival tomorrow!

[EDS_]

Thanks!

re: perfect placement... that's actually one of the things that pushed me to the Mythos ST's... my setup options are super-limited, and these really need to go on either side of a pair of bookcases, closer to a wall than I'd probably prefer, and without much opportunity to futz with more than toe-in and a few inches of wiggle room.

The relatively narrow and sleek Mythos ST's will give me a lot more room to wiggle them around, though that's still not a ton. Also, not having to accommodate even a SuperCube-size sub will go a long way in keeping things under control.

The SongTowers and their lovely veneers are perhaps more pleasing to the eye, but I also think the Mythos ST's will 'disappear' into the room.

The iNova showed up today, and just got it hooked up to a pair of 5x7 Bose powered accessory speakers I had lying around... I can say with absolute clarity that those speakers sound far far better than they ever did attached to anything Bose has ever produced.

Mythos ST's are slated for arrival tomorrow!

Santa is taking care of the Deanster early!