Question Best "Whaooo" sound configuration options from all-in-one to all seperate elements... which one would you pick ?

[MathieuA.]

Dear all members,

After spending hours watching lots of reviews I plan to totally transform my setup... but I face quite differents ways to do it.
Which option would you pick from those below ? It goes from the all-in-one, to the all seperate...

A- Buchardt A500 (active speakers with wireless connection !) difficult to do a more "all-in-one" setup ! (~3500€)

B- Heaven 11 Billie to get tube preamp + class D amp + digital streamer & DAC all-in-one integrated (~1000€)

C- Tube amp Willsenton R8 (~1200€) + Digital streamer : AudioLab 6000N (~500€) or Cambridge CXN V2 (~900€) or Bluesound node 2i (~500€)... still don't know which one would be the best option + no DAC because already within the streamers.

D- Digital streamer + no DAC + Schiit Freya tube preamp (~900€) + XTZ Edge A2-300 class D amplifier (~500€)

+ in Option: DAC Denafrips ARES II (~700€)

For information, today I simply use a Yamaha RN-803D all-in-one streamer+DAC+amp (~700€) , linked to Dynaudio Emit M20 speakers (~700€) that I will not change so far + a RegaPlanar turntable. The sound is much better than before, when I used a small hifi station but still not a "whaooo" effect...

Is one of those configuration a sound quality for budget the best ? Or does it all depends of my ears preferences ? Or should I go for something else ? Or should I do nothing because it will not change much the result ?

Sometimes I feel integrated systems will be more solid because build all together, easier to plug & play, space saving..., and sometimes I feel that getting the best for each component will be better for both the sound experience and the upgrade capabilities...

Thank you so much for your help, insights & advices.
Mathieu.

 

[record_spot]

I hear the Buchardts are impressive. No surprise from me, but I'd go the active route. You can always add a passive preamp if you want to add additional sources later (which I do with mine).

 

[daytona600]

Buchardt 3500Euros hell of a lot for a made in china speaker with no pedigree compared to Heed , ATC , JBL , Neumann , Adams etc

 

[Deleted member 108165]

PMC also do some nice actives with DSP - TwoTwo5, TwoTwo6, and TwoTwo8.

 

[record_spot]

Buchardt 3500Euros hell of a lot for a made in china speaker with no pedigree compared to Heed , ATC , JBL , Neumann , Adams etc

If the product is good, if the QA is in place, and they sound good then they're going to be worth the money regardless of where they're made.

 

[Gray]

If the product is good, if the QA is in place, and they sound good then they're going to be worth the money regardless of where they're made.

All true.
But long-term reliability ultimately determines value. People have reported inferior components in some products.
Components that pass QA tests, but with the potential to leave items prematurely fit for the bin.

 

[record_spot]

All true.
But long-term reliability ultimately determines value. People have reported inferior components in some products.
Components that pass QA tests, but with the potential to leave items prematurely fit for the bin.

Components like my Cambridge 752BD, six years in, in regular use and still going strong.

As for reliability, that affects any brand. I'd have no issues buying a Chinese product. YMMV.

 

[Simon 13th note]

A500 use a box for all the streaming and are reputedly quite impressive. No middle men and dealers taking a big fat chunk. If you buy distance sold, you can always get them whilst borrowing other gear from a shop. I’ve wanted to check those a500 out.

 

[Gray]

Components like my Cambridge 752BD, six years in, in regular use and still going strong.

Still going 'strong' after 6 years?
I remember a thread about an AVR (that cost thousands) which had gone wrong twice in 9 years. Someone suggested it was OK to bin it due to it having had a 'long life' .

Both my amp and CDP are on 18 years trouble-free - I don't think that's special.
My Quad FM4 looks and sounds as it did the day I bought it......36 years ago.
OK, I've repaired it once or twice, but at least it is repairable.

Reliability, to me, is measured in decades, not years.

 

[record_spot]

Still going 'strong' after 6 years?
I remember a thread about an AVR (that cost thousands) which had gone wrong twice in 9 years. Someone suggested it was OK to bin it due to it having had a 'long life' .

Both my amp and CDP are on 18 years trouble-free - I don't think that's special.
My Quad FM4 looks and sounds as it did the day I bought it......36 years ago.
OK, I've repaired it once or twice, but at least it is repairable.

Reliability, to me, is measured in decades, not years.

Well, my, aren't you the one? Seeing as it's had near daily use over that time bar the last few months, that's a conservative 300+ days, with multiple uses each day, over six years. So, thousands of drawer operations. Without a hitch.

As for the rest, come back in ten years, I'm sure it'll be just as tickety boo then too. 👍

Repairs? Chuckle...

 

[Gray]

Well, my, aren't you the one? Seeing as it's had near daily use over that time bar the last few months, that's a conservative 300+ days, with multiple uses each day, over six years. So, thousands of drawer operations. Without a hitch.

As for the rest, come back in ten years, I'm sure it'll be just as tickety boo then too. 👍

Repairs? Chuckle...

I wasn't boasting, neither do I take longevity for granted (especially now).
Indeed, maybe now, 6 years of regular use is good.
But I'm sure the majority of people would be unhappy if their hi-fi failed sooner.
Maybe that's why they talk of the 6 year rule. Whereby (they claim) an item must be fit for its purpose for a minimum of 6 years.
As for the repair - point being that it's full of replaceable components that are still available almost 40 years on. Good luck with that on anything we buy now 😀

 

[record_spot]

I wasn't boasting, neither do I take longevity for granted (especially now).
Indeed, maybe now, 6 years of regular use is good.
But I'm sure the majority of people would be unhappy if their hi-fi failed sooner.
Maybe that's why they talk of the 6 year rule. Whereby (they claim) an item must be fit for its purpose for a minimum of 6 years.
As for the repair - point being that it's full of replaceable components that are still available almost 40 years on. Good luck with that on anything we buy now 😀

There was a point?? Goodness, thank you for confirming there was something hidden in the shallow depths.

 

[Gray]

They're was a point?? Goodness, thank you for confirming there was something hidden in the shallow depths.

No less of a point than your posts, just without any unnecessary insult thrown in.

 

[record_spot]

No less of a point than your posts, just without any unnecessary insult thrown in.

No, you felt the need to be a wise-ass and try to belittle another's point, unecessarily. You got what you give. Not like it? Don't hand it out then cry foul when you get it back.

Edit: ignored.

 

[Deleted member 108165]

There was a point?? Goodness, thank you for confirming there was something hidden in the shallow depths.

Touchy! You took Gray's post totally out of context. I know the man and I can assure he is in no way a wise-ass, or was attempting to belittle your comments in any way whatsoever. Think that you may have misconstrued his response.

 

[Al ears]

I would agree that certain comments may have been misconstrued here.
Suggest Gray and Record-spot let this thread get back on track and consider the OPs question only.

 

[Gray]

Touchy! You took Gray's post totally out of context. I know the man and I can assure he is in no way a wise-ass, or was attempting to belittle your comments in any way whatsoever. Think that you may have misconstrued his response.

Thanks for those words Doug.
If he read them he can most certainly believe them.
I doubt he will.
The fact that he felt any belittling motive shows how his mind works in a different way.
In all the comments I've ever made, nobody else has ever thought I was belittling them - he's unique on the forum (I'm pleased to say).