Question First Hi-Fi setup! Please help with some advice

[richdaws7]

Hello everybody,

I'm new to this forum so to the Hi-Fi world and would like to purchase a decent system that I can start with and improve over time.

My goal is to build a 2.1 system capable of playing music in high definition, connect it to the TV to watch movies, and in the future add a turntable and an external streamer. I don't listen to CDs. I mostly use Tidal, Spotify, and some FLAC albums I have on my PC. The room where the system will be located is rather small, almost 3 x 5 meters. My idea is to buy the components one at a time, considering that I don't have the money to buy everything at once.

Sound Profile:
The ideal system for me has a very wide soundstage. I want to feel that I am transported to a jazz concert, to be able to differentiate and recognize the position of the different instruments in a classical music orchestra piece. I want to feel that the loudspeakers disappear from the room. I want an immersive sound.
The system I am looking for should also have fast, precise, and detailed highs and mids but should not be fatiguing. The bass has to be agile and punchy but controlled. For the lower frequencies, I plan to buy a subwoofer later on.
I tend to lean more towards a balanced sound profile with sparks of treble and depth in the bass if that is even possible.

Budget:
Around 1000-1500 EUR. for Speakers + integrated Amp
(I'm also open to active speakers options if sound quality is competitive)
Streamer, Sub, and Turntable will come later.

Speakers that I've tried and opinions:
-Whaferdale EVO 4.1: I liked it but lacked soundstage and punch (paired with Audiolab 6000a Play)
-Sonus Faber Lumina 1: their clarity and precision impressed me but it lacked bass. Sounds very refined but is a little expensive for the size in my opinion.
-Wharfedale Denton 80: I loved the soundstage was so big. It felt more laid back and not so fun, a little on the warm side.
-Wharfedale Denton 85: It's too big for my room. Same for EVO 4.2
-Triangle Borea BR03: I loved it. It has the sparkle I am looking for. However, the bass was not very agile. I love the ports on the front and had a nice soundstage. It is a little too big also (paired with some Cambridge amp)
-Triangle Borea BR02: I loved it has the same shine on the highs that the BR03 but lacks the soundstage.
-Dali Oberon 1: Sounded dull after listening to the Borea BR03
-Klipsch The Fives: I was expecting a lot after watching some reviews but the sound felt compressed and the bass is very dominant.
-Q Acoustics active 200: Impressive soundstage, lacks bass and I don't like the looks at all. Expensive also

Sorry for the length of my message. I have tried to be as precise as possible with regard to what I expect from this system and above all with the intention of finding the best value equipment.

I would appreciate hearing your honest comments and realistic recommendations if only to prove to me that I am asking too much for my budget or maybe to show me some other alternative that I have not taken into consideration.

Thanks!

 

[richdaws7]

It's a nice list but asking us to find a system that will sound good to you is not going to work.

That's not the point. I picked these because I liked how they sound. So I'm okay with anyone of these, no matter if the prices are not the on the same range or there are different category speakers and amps. The question is, do you think there's a good value combination in this list? And which speakers pairs best with the listed amps and if you think the price is right.

 

[Tinman1952]

I picked these because I liked how they sound. So I'm okay with anyone of these,

Then pick the cheapest... and don't pay for features you do not need. Some of the amps listed have streaming built in and some do not...decide what you need.
I think you need to get your list down to your top three....then choose. 👍

 

[treesey]

true - but if anyone reading this has experience of any of those combinations, they could shout out...

Yes Combo B works to my ears... No Combo C really doesn't work etc etc

 

[treesey]

My advice is still - choose an amp on spec and reviews, then try and demo several sets of speakers with it in your own home.

 

[Al ears]

Then pick the cheapest... and don't pay for features you do not need. Some of the amps listed have streaming built in and some do not...decide what you need.
I think you need to get your list down to your top three....then choose. 👍

I was going to say pretty much the same thing. There's too much variation in the listed amps. If you don't need an inbuilt DAC or streaming section, or even a phono stage then don't pay for it. The OP needs to ascertain what functions are required and then shorten the list accordingly.
Get the speakers sorted first as to what works the best then worry about the amp

 

[leemccann1]

get some Kef LS50 wiress 2's. they have an HDMI for the TV and already have the amp and streamer built in for your streaming needs. add a sub (or 2) later if required

 

[richdaws7]

Hello everyone. Just to keep all who helped me with their comments up to date, I found a great deal on the Triangle BR03 and the Rotel A11 Tribute integrated amp at a local store and went for them.

I had the opportunity to test the Rotel with different speakers, which were also on my list for the same price range, such as the B&W 606 S2, Dali Oberon 3, Klipsch RP600M, and more. I also thought about stretching my budget a bit and tried the KEF Q550 and the DALI Oberon 5. Even though all these speakers sound great and some have different sound signatures, flaws, and cons, the Triangle BR03 sounded great to my taste.

What I like about the BR03: They have a smooth tonality that I like a lot, it has a musical and entertaining sound without being too over the top on the highs. The lows are dynamic and punchy, but not as defined as other speakers, but that is okay for me. In my living room, they sound great even if I have no acoustic treatment. Sometimes the lows seem a bit too strong and when I go crazy with the volume I can notice it starts getting messy. However, I'm not interested in such high volume levels. I am really happy with my choice, and for my budget, I don't think I could have done any better.

Rotel Tribute 11: I love the sound signature of this amplifier. It is a very simple integrated amplifier with an interesting story behind it that just sounds great with all the speakers I tested. I bought it for sale at 450 Eur, which I think is a great deal. My other options were the more expensive Cambridge CXA61, Audiolab 6000A, Marantz PM6007.

As my main source for music is and will be digital (Tidal MQA atm, but will try Qobuz later), I am currently using the APT-X Bluetooth connection from my cellphone, which I know is a pity and a bottleneck. I was looking to get an integrated streaming amplifier at first but then decided that I could survive for a while with Bluetooth until I have the money to add a Bluesound NODE streamer which I used to test all the speakers and amps in the audition room.
Now I have started digging for streamers and reading about DAC's, which will be the subject of my next post.

Thank you all again for helping me to take my first step into the world of sound.

 

[Witterings]

Now I have started digging for streamers and reading about DAC's, which will be the subject of my next post.

If you want a relatively budget way to get a decent streamer / Dac maybe have a look at a WiiM, either a Mini or Pro and a Topping E30 or E50 Dac.

 

[Noddy]

This might be of interest:

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/topping-e30-dac-review.12119/

 

[nopiano]

This might be of interest:

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/topping-e30-dac-review.12119/

Only 289 pages long! Isn’t there a version II now?

 

[plastic penguin]

These reviews are all good but there's no substitute for hearing the component directly.

 

[Noddy]

These reviews are all good but there's no substitute for hearing the component directly.

Not in the case of a DAC, in my opinion of course. If the frequency response isn’t level, then it’s faulty or poor quality.

 

[record_spot]

I'd put active speakers ahead of the passive/integrated amp options. Not least as it's really the other way around from what you said; it's passives that need to come up to active speakers performance. I swapped over to actives back in 2015 or so, won't be going back anytime soon. Acoustic Energy's AE22 actives were a revelation. Surpassed anything I'd heard before and they came in at less than £1000.

These days my system is a pair of AVI actives and a Cambridge Audio DACMagic DM200. Music comes via flac or DSD files from a micro SD card on my phone and ripped from my own discs.

My only advice would be - as you seem to - know the kind of sound you like / want to hear then find the gear that fits those qualities. Also consider the functionality you think you'll need - including any products that also incorporate apps to deliver services. Lastly, if you can audition in your home, in your own surroundings, take advantage of this. Not all dealers have a wide range of all the stock you can hear and consumer legislation lets you listen to equipment as part of the 14 day exchange.

 

[Noman Zahid]

Hello everyone. Just to keep all who helped me with their comments up to date, I found a great deal on the Triangle BR03 and the Rotel A11 Tribute integrated amp at a local store and went for them.

I had the opportunity to test the Rotel with different speakers, which were also on my list for the same price range, such as the B&W 606 S2, Dali Oberon 3, Klipsch RP600M, and more. I also thought about stretching my budget a bit and tried the KEF Q550 and the DALI Oberon 5. Even though all these speakers sound great and some have different sound signatures, flaws, and cons, the Triangle BR03 sounded great to my taste.

What I like about the BR03: They have a smooth tonality that I like a lot, it has a musical and entertaining sound without being too over the top on the highs. The lows are dynamic and punchy, but not as defined as other speakers, but that is okay for me. In my living room, they sound great even if I have no acoustic treatment. Sometimes the lows seem a bit too strong and when I go crazy with the volume I can notice it starts getting messy. However, I'm not interested in such high volume levels. I am really happy with my choice, and for my budget, I don't think I could have done any better.

Rotel Tribute 11: I love the sound signature of this amplifier. It is a very simple integrated amplifier with an interesting story behind it that just sounds great with all the speakers I tested. I bought it for sale at 450 Eur, which I think is a great deal. My other options were the more expensive Cambridge CXA61, Audiolab 6000A, Marantz PM6007.

As my main source for music is and will be digital (Tidal MQA atm, but will try Qobuz later), I am currently using the APT-X Bluetooth connection from my cellphone, which I know is a pity and a bottleneck. I was looking to get an integrated streaming amplifier at first but then decided that I could survive for a while with Bluetooth until I have the money to add a Bluesound NODE streamer which I used to test all the speakers and amps in the audition room.
Now I have started digging for streamers and reading about DAC's, which will be the subject of my next post.

Thank you all again for helping me to take my first step into the world of sound.

I Searched Seprate Amplifier to power my Klipsch RP600M Speakers which I have recently purchased, I read mutiple blogs but this website confused me to select amplifier for Klipsch RP600M speakers Can you suggest me any amplifier?

 

[richdaws7]

As you know from the previous messages on this post, I'm not the expert. I can only tell you from my own experience.
As I was told many times, only you can decide what sounds best with your speakers. It's a matter of taste and perspective, and I agree with it.
You need to know what your main source of music will be. Digital ? Records? Then, as you already have the speakers, I would find a store that sell your speakers and try different integrated amplifiers with them.
Try to understand what is the sound profile of your speakers, or how they sound to you. Aim for an amplifier that complements the sound profile of your speakers (if you think your speakers sounds too bright on the highs, aim for an amplifier that isn't bright). I guess, there are many general rules you can follow, but for a beginner level, and for the price range of our speakers, any well reviewed integrated amplifier will sound good to be honest.
I can recommend you to get an amplifier with analogic and digital inputs. This is some kind of bottleneck for me because my amplifier has only analogic input and I need to buy an external streamer and DAC because I listen to digital music only.
In my experience all the Marantz amplifiers pair really well with the Klipsch RP600M. I would go for the Marantz PM7000N which has an integrated streamer or the PM6007 which sounds almost the same, is very popular and recommended for a lower budget but with less options. Audiolab 6000A also sounds great with your speakers. It has a more analytical sound signature (less dynamic and musical as the Marantz) and ratter focussed on the sound detail for a good price and has all the digital /analogic input options.

I hope this helps. Sorry for my poor english.

 

[JDL]

Hi, I've tried them in the outlets I visited. In some cases the rooms were huge and they were placed against the wall in a shelf next to other speakers..

I would suggest that you listen to some B&W speakers.