Hi, Hi-Fi enthusiasts,
I'm brand new to the forum and seeking some advice on a new system.
For the past decade+, I've listened to my vinyl collection (and all other media) on a cobbled together low budget system. A local hole-in-the-wall A/V store sold me a set of old (50s, maybe?) Vega-branded speakers for ~$40, I grabbed a cheap Technics receiver from the 70s on eBay for another ~$80, and after my old Sony turntable died, I splurged on a base-model U-Turn Orbit (back when they were very new on the scene and ~$180). It's not a boutique setup by any stretch, but it sounds better than its ~$300 cost would suggest, and I've made some minor upgrades (platter, cartridge, etc.) to the turntable over the years.
Recently, my partner and I have decided to get rid of our seldom-used dining table and turn what has been our dining room into a cozy space for listening to music, reading, and hanging out. The system described above is in another room and used for TV audio as well as music-listening, so this presents an opportunity to buy a new system for the new room. I'm looking for some advice on this as I'd like to spend my somewhat modest budget wisely. I'm a fan of simplicity and longevity—I'd rather have fewer add-on features (bluetooth, digital connectivity, etc.) if it means better sound, better build-quality, and longer-term reliability.
To start with, I'm just looking to get a new turntable, an integrated amp, and a pair of bookshelf speakers (to use on stands). I may add a CD player or something down the line, but the primary purpose of this system will be listening to vinyl records. My tastes are fairly eclectic, but I'm not listening to much super heavy metal, bass-heavy electronic music or hiphop, or that kind of thing. I'm more in the folk/jazz/soul/rock/pop/classical zone. The room is fairly small, and we can't push the volume much as we're apartment dwellers.
After a day of reading reviews and recommendations online, I'm especially interested in Rega—it seems like I could get a Planar 1 for around $400 (open-box) and a used Io for the same price (used). Rega themselves pair these two together in their "System One" package with the Kyte speakers, but I'm a little skeptical of the molded plastic construction of the Kytes—in the past, I worked in recording studios and live sound environments, and I never head a molded plastic speaker that outperformed a good wooden cabinet. Maybe the Kytes buck that trend (or maybe hifi speakers are just a totally different ballgame), but as I'm not going to be able to demo before buying, I'm considering other (slightly more traditional) designs. I'd love to stay in a similar price range as the turntable and amp, but I could throw a bit more money at the speakers if needed. So far I've been considering the KEF Q1 Metas ($400 on sale right now), the Wharfedale Diamond 12.1s ($400 on clearance), the DALI Oberon 1s ($500 on sale right now), and the B+W 607 S3s ($700ish open-box).
So, I'd love some advice from the crowd. Assuming a budget of $1000-1500 all in, are the Planar 1 and Io good choices to start with? Are the Kytes cooler than they seem (reviews suggest they might be), or am I right to be looking at other speakers? At around $500 (used is fine), what bookshelf speakers would you recommend? Any other suggestions?
I'm brand new to the forum and seeking some advice on a new system.
For the past decade+, I've listened to my vinyl collection (and all other media) on a cobbled together low budget system. A local hole-in-the-wall A/V store sold me a set of old (50s, maybe?) Vega-branded speakers for ~$40, I grabbed a cheap Technics receiver from the 70s on eBay for another ~$80, and after my old Sony turntable died, I splurged on a base-model U-Turn Orbit (back when they were very new on the scene and ~$180). It's not a boutique setup by any stretch, but it sounds better than its ~$300 cost would suggest, and I've made some minor upgrades (platter, cartridge, etc.) to the turntable over the years.
Recently, my partner and I have decided to get rid of our seldom-used dining table and turn what has been our dining room into a cozy space for listening to music, reading, and hanging out. The system described above is in another room and used for TV audio as well as music-listening, so this presents an opportunity to buy a new system for the new room. I'm looking for some advice on this as I'd like to spend my somewhat modest budget wisely. I'm a fan of simplicity and longevity—I'd rather have fewer add-on features (bluetooth, digital connectivity, etc.) if it means better sound, better build-quality, and longer-term reliability.
To start with, I'm just looking to get a new turntable, an integrated amp, and a pair of bookshelf speakers (to use on stands). I may add a CD player or something down the line, but the primary purpose of this system will be listening to vinyl records. My tastes are fairly eclectic, but I'm not listening to much super heavy metal, bass-heavy electronic music or hiphop, or that kind of thing. I'm more in the folk/jazz/soul/rock/pop/classical zone. The room is fairly small, and we can't push the volume much as we're apartment dwellers.
After a day of reading reviews and recommendations online, I'm especially interested in Rega—it seems like I could get a Planar 1 for around $400 (open-box) and a used Io for the same price (used). Rega themselves pair these two together in their "System One" package with the Kyte speakers, but I'm a little skeptical of the molded plastic construction of the Kytes—in the past, I worked in recording studios and live sound environments, and I never head a molded plastic speaker that outperformed a good wooden cabinet. Maybe the Kytes buck that trend (or maybe hifi speakers are just a totally different ballgame), but as I'm not going to be able to demo before buying, I'm considering other (slightly more traditional) designs. I'd love to stay in a similar price range as the turntable and amp, but I could throw a bit more money at the speakers if needed. So far I've been considering the KEF Q1 Metas ($400 on sale right now), the Wharfedale Diamond 12.1s ($400 on clearance), the DALI Oberon 1s ($500 on sale right now), and the B+W 607 S3s ($700ish open-box).
So, I'd love some advice from the crowd. Assuming a budget of $1000-1500 all in, are the Planar 1 and Io good choices to start with? Are the Kytes cooler than they seem (reviews suggest they might be), or am I right to be looking at other speakers? At around $500 (used is fine), what bookshelf speakers would you recommend? Any other suggestions?
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