Advice on best amplifier + speakers to manage a difficult room

[Allears]

Hi all. First post so appreciate any advice you can give.

I have inherited some nice Vinyl from my Dad and decided it's time to buy a system to play it on.

The only room I can put the system in, is a mezzanine space above our kitchen.
It is like a loft space in that it has two sloping roofs but it open to one side with some glass.

I am looking at the Dali Kupids as they will fit under the roof and seem to be less fussy with placement paired with a Rega Planar 1.
Amp wise- I initially thought I would go for Rega IO, Marantz PM6007 or Audiolab 6000A MK1- which are all around £400

However I am aware that is going to be a difficult room to manage so I am also considering going for a WIIM Amp Ultra with a Rega Planar 1 Plus.
My thinking is that the Room Correction in the WIIM will help me manage the room.

Any thoughts on the above or other suggestions gratefully received

 

[Pedro2]

Probably worth getting some decent speaker stands and vibration isolation for your deck but the kit will sound pretty good for the money. Other options will almost certainly cost more (eg sealed box speaker designs such as the ATC SCM7, although you can pick them up second hand for about £600).

 

[Allears]

Probably worth getting some decent speaker stands and vibration isolation for your deck but the kit will sound pretty good for the money. Other options will almost certainly cost more (eg sealed box speaker designs such as the ATC SCM7, although you can pick them up second hand for about £600).

Thank you. So do you think going the Wiim Amp route for the EQ is a better route than going for a non-streamer? It is predominantly going to be a Vinyl system but will obviously use the streamer too

 

[Shrek]

We've tested the WiiM Ultra music streamer and its versatility, design and performance for the money has won us over

Is WiiM on to another winner?

www.whathifi.com

not a great review on the phono stage if your using vinyl food for thought !

 

[Allears]

We've tested the WiiM Ultra music streamer and its versatility, design and performance for the money has won us over

Is WiiM on to another winner?

www.whathifi.com

not a great review on the phono stage

Thank you. I think that is the streamer phono stage which they have taken out of the Wiim Amp Ultra.

 

[nopiano]

As records will be your main source, please bear in mind the Planar 1 isn’t designed to upgrade the cartridge. There are workarounds but it does not have the usual adjustments for tracking force or antiskate/bias. If you can stretch to a 2, or maybe consider one of the great value Pro-Ject models, then it might prove better in the long run. You’d need a separate phono stage depending on the model you choose.

Tiny speakers aren’t likely to cause serious room issues, and actually the larger space they play into with your mezzanine will reduce likely issues. Obviously I’m generalising so always best to buy from a store that’ll let you swap if necessary.

 

[RJW232]

Room correction in the Wiim is nice but not very sofisticated. Better look out for an amp with Dirac or, even better, insert a miniDSP unit in the audio chain. Be aware that using digital room correction is not easy and you can easily make it worse. And some problems can't be solved at all. Than you need some acoustical treatment to solve it.

And as said, the phono input of the Wiim isn't very good. Use a decent separate phono preamp instead.

 

[nopiano]

We've tested the WiiM Ultra music streamer and its versatility, design and performance for the money has won us over

Is WiiM on to another winner?

www.whathifi.com

not a great review on the phono stage if your using vinyl food for thought !

You’ve quoted the streamer, not the amp. Have WHF tested the Amp Ultra?

 

[Shrek]

You’ve quoted the streamer, not the amp.

oops same phono stage i think .

 

[nopiano]

oops same phono stage i think .

I thought it didn’t have one! That’s why OP selected the Plus version of the Planar 1.

 

[Shrek]

I thought it didn’t have one! That’s why OP selected the Plus version of the Planar 1.

Inputs Line level RCA, HDMI ARC, optical, Phono MM, USB A

 

[Integralista]

Hi, reading all good advices above, I will recommend not to focus on basic amp with many functions "all in" and even with room correction. I think this is not the best way for beginner in hifi. Also considering your Vinyl collection and streaming requirement. So, Rega Planar 1 or 1+(with phono preamp on board) are very good start points for vinyl enthusiast. Cartridge Rega Carbon, now with improved stylus in version Carbon plus is very good value. Amps like Rega Io or Marantz 6007 or also Rotel A8 are all very good. Also speakers Dali Kupid are truly good. No bad choice here. When selected amp without integrated streamer, than some small streamer like Bluesound or Cambridge Audio will work here. This system will be a lot better than my "Tesla" collection, where I was starting some 32 years ago.😉

 

[Fandango Andy]

Hi all. First post so appreciate any advice you can give.

I have inherited some nice Vinyl from my Dad and decided it's time to buy a system to play it on.

The only room I can put the system in, is a mezzanine space above our kitchen.
It is like a loft space in that it has two sloping roofs but it open to one side with some glass.

I am looking at the Dali Kupids as they will fit under the roof and seem to be less fussy with placement paired with a Rega Planar 1.
Amp wise- I initially thought I would go for Rega IO, Marantz PM6007 or Audiolab 6000A MK1- which are all around £400

However I am aware that is going to be a difficult room to manage so I am also considering going for a WIIM Amp Ultra with a Rega Planar 1 Plus.
My thinking is that the Room Correction in the WIIM will help me manage the room.

Any thoughts on the above or other suggestions gratefully received

Given the limitations of the room, the Dali Kupids are a good shout.

You wont go wrong with any Rega or Pro-Ject record player. There are plusses and minuses as with all things. Some may be really easy to set up straight out the box but have less options to upgrade. There is no right or wrong there, just what suits you. I am a fan of keep it simple with a record player, so don't worry about inbuilt phono stage on the turntable, but go for a record player with one. you can aways upgrade to external later if you need to.

Normally I would recommend Marantz 6007 or also Rotel A8, but as you have identified Audiolab 6000A MK1- which are all around £400, or £300 in silver, while stocks last as they say! The room correction in WiiM is basic and you will probably lose as much in quality compared to one of those three amps as you make up with the correction.

Can you post a picture of the room. We may be able to suggest how to make the best use of the space.

 

[nopiano]

Inputs Line level RCA, HDMI ARC, optical, Phono MM, USB A

Wiim’s own page shows phono preamp is required so I don’t believe it has PhonoMM as you state. It seems to have only one line level RCA input.

 

[Allears]

Thank you so much for all of this. Here is a picture of the space. The squiggly lines under the sloping roof is where the system is going- Kupids fit under the slope but anything much bigger won't. The furniture it goes on is 150cm wide and the cross is where the chairs will be- about 6 ft from the speakers. The big windows on the left are normally covered by blinds.


From the reviews I have seen- no What HiFi one yet- the Wiim Amp Ultra seems to stack up well against the Marantz, Rotel and Rega IO and I do want streaming at some point. However the main reason for getting the Wiim at the moment is that I have seen some positive things about the room correction and I am nervous about the space.

 

[Allears]

Given the limitations of the room, the Dali Kupids are a good shout.

You wont go wrong with any Rega or Pro-Ject record player. There are plusses and minuses as with all things. Some may be really easy to set up straight out the box but have less options to upgrade. There is no right or wrong there, just what suits you. I am a fan of keep it simple with a record player, so don't worry about inbuilt phono stage on the turntable, but go for a record player with one. you can aways upgrade to external later if you need to.

Normally I would recommend Marantz 6007 or also Rotel A8, but as you have identified Audiolab 6000A MK1- which are all around £400, or £300 in silver, while stocks last as they say! The room correction in WiiM is basic and you will probably lose as much in quality compared to one of those three amps as you make up with the correction.

Can you post a picture of the room. We may be able to suggest how to make the best use of the space.

Have added a picture of the room, if that helps

 

[manicm]

Hi all. First post so appreciate any advice you can give.

I have inherited some nice Vinyl from my Dad and decided it's time to buy a system to play it on.

The only room I can put the system in, is a mezzanine space above our kitchen.
It is like a loft space in that it has two sloping roofs but it open to one side with some glass.

I am looking at the Dali Kupids as they will fit under the roof and seem to be less fussy with placement paired with a Rega Planar 1.
Amp wise- I initially thought I would go for Rega IO, Marantz PM6007 or Audiolab 6000A MK1- which are all around £400

However I am aware that is going to be a difficult room to manage so I am also considering going for a WIIM Amp Ultra with a Rega Planar 1 Plus.
My thinking is that the Room Correction in the WIIM will help me manage the room.

Any thoughts on the above or other suggestions gratefully received

Be warned the Dali Kupid needs a bit of oomph, I'd try the WiiM Ultra and Audiolab 6000 first, if you can stretch your budget consider the 6000 mk2, as they've improved the power supply.

Also, since the Kupids can be stuck right up against the wall, try without room correction first, then apply if you think necessary.

 

[Allears]

Be warned the Dali Kupid needs a bit of oomph, I'd try the WiiM Ultra and Audiolab 6000 first, if you can stretch your budget consider the 6000 mk2, as they've improved the power supply.

Also, since the Kupids can be stuck right up against the wall, try without room correction first, then apply if you think necessary.

Thanks for this. So you would recommend I go for the Audiolab and hope that the room correction isn't needed and then maybe swap to the Wiim Amp Ultra instead if I need audio correction? I guess my only issue with that would be that the Wiim Amp Ultra doesn't have a built in pre-amp but the Audiolab does?

 

[manicm]

Here's another thought, in a space like yours I'd actually consider the KEF LSX2, get an external phono stage, and be done. A simple all bells and whistles system that you can plug and forget. The KEF doesn't have comprehensive room correction but offers a facility in the app to specify the proximity to walls where it will then adjust to suit.

 

[manicm]

Thanks for this. So you would recommend I go for the Audiolab and hope that the room correction isn't needed and then maybe swap to the Wiim Amp Ultra instead if I need audio correction? I guess my only issue with that would be that the Wiim Amp Ultra doesn't have a built in pre-amp but the Audiolab does?

Try the WiiM Ultra first, with and without room correction. Yes for the Ultra you'd need an inexpensive phono stage for your turntable.

 

[JoelSim]

Bear in mind that the room correction on devices like this is incredibly basic, so I'd be surprised if it would be of any benefit at all.

 

[Al ears]

Wiim’s own page shows phono preamp is required so I don’t believe it has PhonoMM as you state. It seems to have only one line level RCA input.

View attachment 10247

It's the WiiM Ultra Streaming Preamp that has MM and MC phono stage.

 

[Shrek]

It's the WiiM Ultra Streaming Preamp that has MM and MC phono stage.

👍

 

[RTHerringbone]

I think my spend would correlate with what I'd expect my future engagement with Hi-Fi to be.

We don't know what impact that space will have so it's a bit of a second guess. I think a Planar 1, the Rega IO and the Dali Kupids could be a perfectly decent setup. The IO is a nice size and could easily be paired with a WiiM Ultra in a nice-looking way if some form of Room Correction feels necessary further down the line, and you'd also unlock the streaming you are considering.

If I had fears that I'd "get the Hi-Fi bug" (you will!) and start thinking about cartridge upgrades or generally more premium build etc., then I'd maybe look beyond the Planar 1 initially, but if the aim is to easily listen to your dad's vinyl, then that could be a great little nook and system to listen through - and headphones can always act as an easy form of Room Correction.....

 

[Allears]

I think my spend would correlate with what I'd expect my future engagement with Hi-Fi to be.

We don't know what impact that space will have so it's a bit of a second guess. I think a Planar 1, the Rega IO and the Dali Kupids could be a perfectly decent setup. The IO is a nice size and could easily be paired with a WiiM Ultra in a nice-looking way if some form of Room Correction feels necessary further down the line, and you'd also unlock the streaming you are considering.

If I had fears that I'd "get the Hi-Fi bug" (you will!) and start thinking about cartridge upgrades or generally more premium build etc., then I'd maybe look beyond the Planar 1 initially, but if the aim is to easily listen to your dad's vinyl, then that could be a great little nook and system to listen through - and headphones can always act as an easy form of Room Correction.....

So I think Planar 1 is a much as I can spend at the moment, but I definitely take your point on the upgrades. I agree that I may well be fine in that space and I am thinking that I can will probably add the Wiim Ultra later for streaming and room correction if necessary. So then the choice is between Rotel A8, Rega Io and the first gen Audoliab which are all around £400. Any thoughts on the relative pros and cons.