New 73 year old member looking for a high quality "semi-life style" stereo system for our open-plan living room? (16’W x 28’L x 10’ H).

> WAF and KISS … musical, simple, discreet, and ease of use are key requirements. ($20-30K budget)
> Sweet spot is 14’; plus 4’ behind to front wall. (10' between speakers)
> Digital sources only (no vinyl). 1. CD/DVD; 2. Tidal/Roon music streamer; 3. TV; ... plus speakers, amps and DAC (w/quality volume control).
> Plantation shutters on front and left side windows (DSP/room correction? ... as limited space for tube traps and diffusers?

Current Short List: (Have only heard 50% of them)
Speakers  (Daedalus, Salk, PMC, ATC, Kii 3, Harbeth, Magico, ProAc, Elac, etc.)
Front End  (Pass Labs, ModWright, Oppo, Quicksilver, Line Magnetic, Hegel, Wells, Odyssey, Digital Amp, Auralic, PS 2, Aurender, Benchmark, Mytek, Bryston, Antelope, etc.)

Prior Systems: McIntosh/McIntosh; Apogee/Levinson; Duntech/Krell; Dunlavy/Bryston; Revel/Bryston

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Welcome!

Welcome.  I'm not sure where you are in Georgia, but I have a fair bit of Bryston stuff and may be looking to divest of some in the near future, as I am looking at getting Legacy Audio Aeris speakers which would utilize the Wavelet Preamp/DAC/crossover/room correction processor  This would make some current components superfluous.  You would certainly be welcome to come by for a listen or chat at my place in the north Atlanta suburbs, even if you aren't looking to buy.  Good luck whatever direction you choose!

Randy

Welcome aboard Paladin

Kind of sounds like my system. Where are you in Ga.?

Welcome Paladin 350,

Nice run of systems you list.  Bryston now does a full line with some really impressive speakers to go with their electronics. 

FWIW I spent almost 3 years trying to solve the gordian knot of a pair of Apogee Mini Grands.   Lots o' wire and amps.  Love the Duntech and Dunlavy approach re Time and Phase coherence. 


Mike

Thanks everyone for your thoughtful replies.  We're empty nestors and live in Historic Roswell.  I will be on the west coast next week. (San Francisco and Seattle). Looking forward to visiting with Lou at Daedalus, and auditioning both of his new Apollo speaker models.  Michael

For audio and HT in a room that size with two speakers I'd look for higher efficiency speakers, so Daedalus resonates with me (good imaging with life-like sized soundstage and coherent/full range sound that doesn't lock you into a single listening position).  Although quite efficient their $14,700/pair Ulysses v.2 for instance (97 dB/w/m) thrives on power.  With Oppo closing off production of disc players don't know where I'd look.  Being a speaker guy I'd steer towards PS Audio Stellar DAC/preamp and S300 stereo power amp combo ($2799) to get true balanced design, 140 wpc of control/command and refinement, class A/D efficient sound, superior volume control, easy to use with minimal visual impact.  Should be plenty of power to reproduce live concert levels and for HT effects.

Another approach would be larger mid-field active monitors if you're after brutal honesty and aren't put off by black speakers.  The $9,800/pair KH420 (vertical 3 driver, 3-way) and $11,500/pair ATC SCM45 SL Pro (horizontal 4 driver, 3-way) come to mind.  The Kii Audio Three would be very nice, but not sure they could fill your room or do justice to HT bass effects.

Do you have a need for MQA? 

Sorry for not spending your entire budget.   

New 73 year old member looking for a high quality "semi-life style" stereo system for our open-plan living room? (16’W x 28’L x 10’ H).

> WAF and KISS … musical, simple, discreet, and ease of use are key requirements. ($20-30K budget)
> Sweet spot is 14’; plus 4’ behind to front wall. (10' between speakers)
> Digital sources only (no vinyl). 1. CD/DVD; 2. Tidal/Roon music streamer; 3. TV; ... plus speakers, amps and DAC (w/quality volume control).
> Plantation shutters on front and left side windows (DSP/room correction? ... as limited space for tube traps and diffusers?

Current Short List: (Have only heard 50% of them)


I guess since you are going to Seattle lou is a 3 hour drive to Bellingham and you can audition the Apollo 11 which are GR8 speakers , I had an opportunity to listen to them with the old tweeter in Feb. of this year but choose to purchase the Poseidon 
Speakers  (Daedalus, Salk, PMC, ATC, Kii 3, Harbeth, Magico, ProAc, Elac, etc.)
Front End  (Pass Labs, ModWright, Oppo, Quicksilver, Line Magnetic, Hegel, Wells, Odyssey, Digital Amp, Auralic, PS 2, Aurender, Benchmark, Mytek, Bryston, Antelope, etc.)

Prior Systems: McIntosh/McIntosh; Apogee/Levinson; Duntech/Krell; Dunlavy/Bryston; Revel/Bryston

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Hi if you are going to be in the Seattle area Belligham is a 3 hour drive or a short flight to Lou place and you can audition the Apollo 11, I had an opportunity in Feb. of this year  to listen to the Apollo 11 with the old Tweeters and they sounded GR8 but I choose to purchase the Poseidon although Apollo are certainly GR8 speakers my choice  was a personnel "rational "and thinking,  plus immediate availability at that time 
All amps you mentioned will work well with the Apollo 11 , I use the Odyssey Kismet for when I am in a mood to listen to a solid state at this time I have a prototype QuickSilver Mono- 60 watt amps which has become my favorite listening amp very linear with a very wide bandwidth and low noise. the front end driver(pre-amp) is the Don Sachs Pre-amp DS-2 and Oppo 203K and the the PS audio Directstream DAC.
Lou had demoed at Axpona his Apollo 11 with the LTA 18 watt amps which definitely sound very linear. However if you are looking for an integrated amp don't bypass the QuickSilver INt.( tube amp) which I have on loan from a dealer of Mike Sanders it is only 20 watts per channel but sounds very sweet with the Poseidon as well as with the KEF LS 50 and  even drives the magnepan 1.7i I have without a Hiccup and it is very inexpensive I don't think their is anything high-end available at this  price point that matchs the quality and sound of this tube Integrated
Harbeth the New magico's and the Crescendo are all very good choices   

Quicksilver integrated in the front on the maple platform
Asghar