[bhd812]

Hello all This here is my first post, so let me give myself a quick intro..

My name is Billy D and would say I am a audio nut just as you are. only I really don't know much in the speaker and 2 channel tube amp stuff to start up my own listening room.

I have a pretty well laid out headphone rig, So I am good there, but I really want to buy some cheapo but decent sounding floorstanding speakers and a nice little but cheap tube amp. If I listen to it enough and get into it enough then I'll buy better later on. before I do that I need to prove to myself I will actually use it enough to justify sinking loads of money.

what I have so far for the rig,

NAD 542 cdp, I should be upgrading this in about 6 months to a meridian GO8 or a Wadia 302.

Ray samuels hr2 headphone amp/preamp, This is my main headphone amp but I will use it as a preamp with the speaker rig..sounds very nice as a preamp.

what I need,

floorstanding speakers, something not to big but not to small. I really want the least exspensive I can get..just to start out with. anything up to $500 is good for now.

tube amp, I need a cheap but decent sounding tube amp, I was looking at jolida's but I am wandering were I can get something even cheaper?. like I said if I use this stuff enough I will upgrade later.

specs::
room is 12x12
tube amp does not need to be a million watts, just something to start out with.
listen to frank sinatra, andrea Boceilli mostly, the headphones can handly any other type I listen to

thank you all and its good to be on the boards..I plan on sticking around here for a long time.

[Inscrutable]

Welcome Billy,
While there may be many recommendations, my one caution (for now, anyway   ) is that you don't start so far down the sound-quality-chain, that 'not using it enough' doesn't become a self-fulfilling prophecy.  Around $1k (used) for a pair of speakers and an integrated should be OK, though.

Since you like(d) NAD, are you set on tubes or would you consider an NAD integrated?  Very good quality & watts per dollar.  Lots of good small musical SS integrateds - Rega, Audio Refinement, Creek, etc.  For tubes, the mentioned Jolida, ASL, Cayin, AES, Golden Tube (if you can find one).

Speakers: NHT, PSB, Paradigm, etc are the usual suspects.

How about something like Omega (need stands) or Horn Shoppe single drivers, enabling you to use very low powered amps (maybe keeping in your range better)?

[lextek]

Just wondering how you are going to use the HR-2 as a preamp?  I've owned one and it is strictly a headphone amp.  A fine one too!

[bhd812]

Just wondering how you are going to use the HR-2 as a preamp?  I've owned one and it is strictly a headphone amp.  A fine one too!

well I actually plug the rca to the amp out of the headphone output of the hr-2, kind of ghetto but it really adds a beauty to the system.

[bhd812]

Welcome Billy,
While there may be many recommendations, my one caution (for now, anyway   ) is that you don't start so far down the sound-quality-chain, that 'not using it enough' doesn't become a self-fulfilling prophecy.  Around $1k (used) for a pair of speakers and an integrated should be OK, though.

Since you like(d) NAD, are you set on tubes or would you consider an NAD integrated?  Very good quality & watts per dollar.  Lots of good small musical SS integrateds - Rega, Audio Refinement, Cree ...

thank you for your reply, it is much help.

the reason I am leaning towards the tube amp idea is because I really want something I can sit back and relax to without getting the urge to do something else. the warmth of the tubes should be enough for me to do this to. plus I really want a cool looking tube amp on the florr between the 2 floor standers...hmm sexy

I was really looking at the psb stuff, esp now that alot of the t series is reduced I heard the 4t's and like those. I think there would be more in the way of speakers from companies I dont know about though. any nice sounding diy kits out there?

thank you

[Tyson]

About the best sounding and best looking floor stander's I've heard at that price are the norh prism 5.2:

[bhd812]

tyson, please tell me more about this speaker and this company.

Not only am I interested but I am floored from the look and the price of these, its exactly what I thought of in what kind of smaller less known companies could be out there.

any idea of a nice cheap tube amp to use with them????

[Andrikos]

Contact AC member "NathanM".
He has a pair of gloss black prisms for sale CHEAP!

[Inscrutable]

any nice sounding diy kits out there?

You just opened the floodgates  

Of course, there are several manufacturers on this very forum.

Additionally, here is one I'm considering. These guys have a number of kits and the owner is a great guy.

[Inscrutable]

Billy, you might want to read Tyson's preliminary review of the Prism in the Critic's Circle

[Tyson]

bhd812,
I owned the 5.2's a while back, I thought I had posted it here, but it was on another forum I use to frequent.  So I reposted the review here in AC, the link to it below:

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=12461

They are available from http://www.norh.com

[Jon L]

"the reason I am leaning towards the tube amp idea is because I really want something I can sit back and relax to without getting the urge to do something else. the warmth of the tubes should be enough for me to do this"

I hate to say this, but Any amp/speaker combi you can set up for your budget will be a large disappointment compared to your Grado setup.

Also, I've used tube amps straight for years and years, and let me assure you that tube amp per se does NOT get rid of the tweakaholism/upgraditis, even if you are using Uber expensive amps.

It's also precisely in the male vocals that "cheap" speakers fail miserably, either with hollow lower midrange or over-chesty resonances.  

For what you want to do, you might want to consider something like a used Magnepan MMG, sMG, which IME tends to lets you think less about equipment.  As a bonus, a decent reliable solid state amp sounds MUCH better through the Maggies than through comparable-price box speakers, so you can pick your choice in your budget.

[bhd812]

well I am going to get nattans old 6.6's off the guy who bought them from him..lol  

I will be getting them friday but I still need a cheap amp..arrr

[ooheadsoo]

Welcome to the speaker world, Billy  I think you'll like it here.

[ohenry]

well I am going to get nattans old 6.6's off the guy who bought them from him..lol

You do realize that these speakers are cursed, don't you?     I think it has something to do with their blackness. . .

[bhd812]

i know thats what I am thinking, two owners in the last year..arrr

but I am thinking that its still a good start


 

[ohenry]

They are fine speakers.  Check out the reviews that Nathanm posted a while back:

"The Norh Prism 6.6s are the cat's ass and no mistake. I'd sell my own mother to have a pair. How does Norh do it!?"
-Michael Feemer Septober 2001 issue of Stereophilly

"Posessing a dynamic inter-transient silence and cohesive pace and timing the Prism 6.6s easily trounced lesser speakers. When placed correctly images hung in the air like the aroma of freshly baked cinamon buns at the church bake sale. An alluring upper sweetness and thundering bass section made for hours of musical enjoyment. These reproducers should be high on the list of any audiophile. Well, at least those who aren't poor and count every penny. The Prisms are for the uber-rich, quite frankly the only kind of people who should be allowed to live. If you have to ask how much they cost you don't deserve them you filthy white trash!"
- Peter Obelisk, June 2002 Upper Crust HiFi magazine

"It is hard to find fault with these unique speakers. From the bass which scrapes the upper intestines of Hell to the midrange magic and the tangy treble it performs as well as much more expensive offerings. Michael Barnes and his team of Thai cabinet makers have issued a product which seems to tell the industry, "Take THAT you sons a bitches!" I was most impressed with the crossover: exquisite parts mounted sturdily on a chunk of exotic tan MDF. The Vifa drivers are positively viferific in their transient snap and smooth response. But most impressive is of course the gloss black finish. It is the type of finish where you have to ask yourself, "How much more black could this be?" The answer is none. None more black. My wife not only accepted them when she first saw them, but over the course of our listening session, became increasing randy with each life-like stroke of the brushed snare. Can your speaker do THAT? Suffice it to say, these Norh Prisms are staying!"
- Erik Putnam August 2002 Audiophile Xcitement magazine