[bluewax]

Hi folks…

I’m looking to invest in a system (CD, AMP, Speakers) after dismantling my last one… I still have a pair of NORH Black Marble 7.0s and 3M silver cables left, but uncertain as to whether I should build around these pieces or head down a different road… Having read through pages and pages of reviews and posts here and elsewhere, my head’s swimming a bit in terms of possibilities… Thought y’all might be able to help… Any and all suggestions very much appreciated... Grew up, by the way, on old Klipsch's and KEF Reference Model Three's

Prefer to keep things simple and straightforward in terms of CD and Amp options… Size is very important, but not yet overriding… Undecided regarding floor-standing versus bookshelf speakers (if I decided or was swayed to move away from the NORHs)… Budget anywhere from $1500 to $2500… Either very concerned about aesthetics or unconcerned, particularly if there is the option to pick outstanding stuff up more cost effectively, whether through demo, used, b-stock and/or industrial channels… Other pertinent information follows below…

ROOM / SPACE:

1.   Square 15’ x 15’ Bedroom [back corners are not at right angles, but rather flatten for a foot or two]

2.   Rectangular 8’ x ’10 3” thick carpet

3.   Wood Floors

4.   Plaster Walls & Ceiling

5.   11’ high ceilings

6.   Situated in 90 year old subdivided wooden house (creaky w/neighbors)

MUSICAL TASTES:

1.   Electronic music (primarily intelligent, low frequency-driven contemporary dance music… I am a professional DJ [tech house, breaks, deep house and deep techno house])

2.   Guitar, rhythm and melody-driven rock spanning early electronic music through post rock… recognizable (perhaps) representatives include Pink Floyd, Leon Russell, Vic Chesnutt, Mogwai, Uncle Tupelo, Radiohead and so on…

3.   To a lesser extent vocalists, jazz and so on…

NOTE: I love my low frequencies, but they need to be controlled… plus, I’ve gotta avoid making the place shake…

MEDIA:

1.   Primarily CDs… note: many will be my own live mixes burned down to hard-drive, tweaked in production software programs and then stamped on blanks – but nothing too professional, so the sound will be a bit raw

2.   vinyl compatibility would be nice as I have a thousand or two 12”s and turntables – not audiophile quality – just a set of 1200s and Shure White Label carts

3.   maybe a bad idea, but I do also have XLR, TRS and RCA outputs from my Rane Empath mixer… http://www.rane.com/empath.html

Cheers! jas  

[Tyson]

I'd stick w/the 7.0's, they are good speakers.  Add a good sub like the VMPS original, a crossover and a sub amp and you will have nice, tight, low bass, very musical.

For source, I'd get a DAC like the Mensa DIO from Bolder Cables.  The Ack! dAck is also popular, as is the Scott Nixon Tube DAC.  All are a little over $500 (I think), and all would be better than most 1 box CDP's you could find under $1k.

For a pre, the IRD Purist has gotten very good reviews from it's "world tour", and it is also quite inexpensive for the quality.

For an amp, I'd look for a used Van Alstine, either an omega III or an omegastar series (or if you are very lucky a FetValve).  All of them would be excellent matches for the 7.0's for less than $1k.

[vpolineni]

since you're in nashville, give nathan at eighth nerve a visit.  You can hear his modded dAck! and his modded carver pro zr1600.  definitely allot around 300 dollars or so for a room pack and look into the stereovox hdxv digital cable-he sells that as well.  if you don't want to mess with passive subs, kevin at diy cable sells what looks to be a killer sub using the adire audio tumult driver.  good luck.

[chino]

Hi !
I'm new here and I need some guidance too. Just two things. Preamp + Amp strictly for 2-ch audio. My budget would be around $1000-2000.  I currently have Axiom's M80Ti speakers. I like all kinds of music--acoustic (eg Sara K) + electronic (eg Telefon Tel Aviv). I'm lost between getting into tubes and solid state   As a guitarist I played thru tube and solid state amps and I prefer tubes amps but hate the noise sometimes but damn they are have life. However some solid state are good though. I dont know how it applies to home audio but that's just my taste. So far I've had sonys denons adcoms but the one I have now is NAD 320 integrated which I prefer compare to all that. A first in my next upgrade list would be power amp then the preamp. Not a whole lot of audio equipment I can test here thru local dealers so I guess I just have to take your words for it and try them   I like that Noh preamp from Bent audio so simple looking. nOrh ACA 2b Philly audio Etesian Transcendence GG preamp to name a few. As for power amp: Odysseys line look so simple. NADs 218THX S200. I dont kow but I think I like the idea of a tube preamp + solid state power amp. Pls help I'm going nuts. Thanks in advance.