First Hi-Fi Questions:

[megcellent]

First off, hello all and thank you for reading. This is my first post so bear with me if this doesn't belong here or I make a beginners mistake.

I am 18 years of age and have a ever expanding vinyl collection. While the vinyl is now worth quite a bit I feel that playing it on an Audio Technica LP60-USB turntable does not do my collection justice. I have a budget of about $4500 for the analogue equipment and then another $2000, in a year or two, for some digital/streaming/cd sources etc. I wanted some experienced listeners to give me their opinions on some of the equipment I've been thinking about. All suggestions are welcome but I have some limitations.

I have a fairly small listening room in which the volume would have to maintain reasonable levels. I listen to a wide variety of things but usually it's rock, metal, jazz, or experimental recordings. Anyways, here is the gear I was looking to accquire for my first respectable hi-fi system:

Rega RP-3 w/ TTPSU -OR- Rega RP-6 TT

Rega Brio-R Integrated Amplifier

Neat Iota Speakers

Cable ???

--

Naim UnitiQute

NAD C-515BEE CD Player

All suggestions / feedback welcome,

Cheers!

Jamie

 

[Exoticsounds]

In addition to Rega Brio-R you should also try to audition Arcam FMJ A19 and Marantz PM-KI Pearl Lite.

Neat Iota is great speakers, but since you also mention you listen to Rock and Metal you might also want to try out something like KEF R300 and Dynaudio Excite X12.

For speaker cables try Audioquest Type-4 or FLX-SLiP 14/4

 

[nopiano]

Hi Jamie, and welcome. You have generous budget which will get you a really nice system, as you doubtless realise. The items you list are well regarded and you will find dozens of reviews on this site.

You might want to consider the Naim Unitilite as that incorporates the CD player, and costs GBP1650. The Iotas apparently match it very well, though I've not heard that combo myself.

You mention dollars, so your location will affect availability and pricing. Accordingly, much as I'd like to recommend British gear, it might be wiser to get something made locally. Where are you?

 

[megcellent]

I live in British Columbia, Canada! I have a few local shops that carry Rega, Naim, etc so those have been brands I've been looking into. All suggestions welcome if there are Canadian brands, though I don't care about origin, just the sound quality!

Thanks,

Jamie

 

[ID.]

NAD, Bryston and Totem are, I think, Canadian companies that are very highly regarded, and in addition to making great products, may, in their native Canada provide better value for money than many imported brands.

 

[Ketan Bharadia]

That Rega RP3/Brio-R/ Neat combo should work really well in a small room.

 

[CarmeloDiSalvo]

Hi all,

I have an YBA IA350 and I want to connect it to a Lehmann linear headphone amp. I have connected the Lehmann in to the yba pre-amp out and the Lehmann out to the video in of the yba as suggested by YBA , but when I lissen to music in the headphone I can still ear music in the speakers it seems I cannot by-pass them automatically.

Shall I buy a speakers switch to switch off the speakers when I use the headphones?

Help

Thanks

Carmelo

 

[rainsoothe]

hey

since you live in Canada and you have that nice budget, then you should defenately audition a VPI Traveller turntable (to me it sounded better then Rega RP3 (ye, i know it's way cheaper) and Clearaudio Concept). For me it had just the right amount of warmth, detail and sense of forward motion. Some guy in a review described it as the only tt that reminded him of the reel to reel tape type of sound (in a good way, of course).

And if the amp you're getting doesn't have a phono stage, there's praises aplenty about Lehmann Black Cube SE 2 and Musical Surroundings Phonomena ii, as they appear to be real bargains.

As for amps, especially if you're into rock, i'm all about Naim (Unitiqute 2 + Nap 100 is a great combo, Unitilite is also good if you need a CD player), BUT you have 2 local brands that are also VERY good imo: Bryston and Simaudio - give those a try (Simaudio Moon Neo 250i seems to be in your price range if you get a good deal on it).

Speakers - Dynaudio, B&W, ATC, PMC and Neat would be the brands I would be looking at.

goodluck

 

[Tzutzu]

As rainsoothe suggested, there are several Canadian brands you have to take into account when you start your hunt for hifi. Moon Simaudio, Bryston, Totem, Paradigm.

Canadian, American, British, French, Japanese or any other, one thing is capital: you should listen as much gear as you can. This will help you not only decide what you like most, but also help you know your "hifi self".

So I wish you "Ears wide open!"*wink*

 

[Tzutzu]

*wacko*

Anyway, to the OP - did you find your gear?

 

[rainsoothe]

Rofl. I just replied to 1 y old op 🙂))

 

[nopiano]

Carmelo, welcome. You have posted an unrelated question in an old thread, and I suggest you repost as a new topic about speaker switching. Regret I'm not familiar with your amp, but I'd suggest your dealer needs to supply a solution that does what you require! Good luck.