Budget system -Survey

[YOLO]

Hi, i want to put up a decent budget system. At the moment i have no system at all.

for the amp i shortlisted the following.

PM6005 €399

RA-11 V2 €499

NAD D3020 €399

digital input for tv and blu-ray are nessesary.

for speakers the shortlist is

QA 320 €279

Dali Zensor 1 €299

please share your vote what to choose!!

 

[insider9]

Hi and welcome to the forum. I'm also rather new here.

To get best advice could you provide more information:
- system use music or TV or both if so what's more important to you
- setup 2.0, 2.1, 5.1 etc.
- room size
- types of music you like
- what kind of sound you're looking for (warm, neutral, bright, etc.)
- what volume you'll be listening at
- overall budget

There's lot of very knowledgeable people here but they'll need as much info as possible.

 

[YOLO]

Thanks for your questions: i will try to awnser them.

- I will use the system for music.

The sources will be TV via optical and Blu Ray movies (downsampled to stereo) connectet coaxial or optical. The TV will act as VTuner source as for improving sound while watching. Bluetooth is welcome.

- setup will be stereo 2.0

- room size is 4m x 4 m (room is bigger but the stated dimensions are the sitting area)
- types of music you like (Pop, R&B '90, HipHop, Andrea Bocelli, Mariah Carey '90)
- what kind of sound you're looking for (warm, neutral, bright, etc.) neutal, but would like to hear energy (like a potent car thats running in neutral, you can tell it is powerfull.

- what volume you'll be listening at (low to moderate levels, and would like to hear detail and a good separation al low to mid levels. Occasionally the volume would be turend up when i'm alone at home

- overall budget incl. cables max € 1.000

 

[nopiano]

Welcome to the forum. Voting isn't really the point I'm afraid. You need to listen with your music choices and decide with the help of a good dealer.

I might like ice cream, and you might prefer yoghurt. But one isn't better than the other!

 

[insider9]

nopiano has a point as it will all come down to you auditioning and preferring one setup over another.

My first suggesting if at all possible is to spend more on speakers and less on an amp. Speakers will impact overall system quality more.

Out of the 2 speakers you shortlisted I'd go with Dali Zensor 1 although if at all possible Zensor 3 is much better speaker.

In terms of an amp if you have access to Onkyo A9010 then I'd recommend it. Especially with Zensor 3. That's should still be within budget thought with funds distributed differently.

 

[YOLO]

Thnx insider....very helpfull did not know about the A-9010 is €188 and has digital inputs! With achromecast audio i can stream.

The dali zensor 3 are a too big for my furniture and sitting area.

 

[gasolin]

Q Acoustics 3020 http://www.richersounds.com/product/standmount-speakers/q-acoustics/3020/qac-q3020-graph

That's an insane price, it's less than 210€ for a pair

 

[insider9]

In all honesty Zensor 1 are still a very good speaker if you thinks 3's are too big for you. Main difference between them is midrange. Zensor 1 for me sounded great at top and bottom but not that great in the middle. That's where guitars are and I was missing it.

For R&B/pop/soul where drums are vital Zensor 1 would do great. I would still suggest you audition before you decide anything. Q acoustic speakers as suggested by others may also suit you. I personally didn't like any of them when compared to Dali range. For the money Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 are fantastic so have a look at these also. They should be the cheapest against any from your list. Had a pair and they were very decent.

 

[rainsoothe]

Hi. You need to audition and decide for yourself. If it were my money, I'd spend it on Nad C326 + Wharfedale 220 (but Zensor 1 in a close second, since size is a problem). No digital inputs though, and I don't know if it leaves enough money for a separate DAC - something like Schiit Modi.

 

[lpv]

try yamaha nx-n500.. it could be the only complete system you've ever need.. sound quality above any zensor or q-acoustics

 

[muljao]

If this is your first foray into separates hifi you'll probably find that anything that gets a fairly good recommendation from a few reputable sources works very well and is a step up from a consumer midi system.

Fyi The uk onkyo a9010 has no digital inputs

 

[Gazzip]

Welcome to the forum. Voting isn't really the point I'm afraid. You need to listen with your music choices and decide with the help of a good dealer.

I might like ice cream, and you might prefer yoghurt. But one isn't better than the other!

No. *stop* Ice cream is definitely better than yoghurt.

 

[nopiano]

Thnx insider....very helpfull did not know about the A-9010 is €188 and has digital inputs! With achromecast audio i can stream.

The dali zensor 3 are a too big for my furniture and sitting area.

If it helps, you can stream into any regular amplifier with chromecast audio. You just need a stereo 3.5mm plug to two RCA phono cable.

 

[nopiano]

Welcome to the forum. Voting isn't really the point I'm afraid. You need to listen with your music choices and decide with the help of a good dealer.

I might like ice cream, and you might prefer yoghurt. But one isn't better than the other!

No. *stop* Ice cream is definitely better than yoghurt.

Happy to be corrected!!

 

[rainsoothe]

If this is your first foray into separates hifi you'll probably find that anything that gets a fairly good recommendation from a few reputable sources works very well and is a step up from a consumer midi system.

Fyi The uk onkyo a9010 has no digital inputs

but some parts are different from the ones found in the EU version (which does have them), and the sound is different. The glowing reviews are for the UK version - the EU is said to be a bit brighter sounding - or whatever.

 

[YOLO]

The NX-n500 is a good call.

1 optical for tv

1 mini aux for blu-ray (3,5mm to rca i think)

and all the wireless connectivity i would need.

I'll investigate this option

 

[lpv]

if you connect your blu-ray with tv ( via hdmi cable) than you can choose in tv menu ( under relevant hdmi input where blu-ray is connected) digital out.. then 1 cable from your tv optical out to yamaha and you have both tv & blu-ray sound thru nx-n500 dac.

 

[YOLO]

thank you lpv, i didn't know that's possibility! *good*