:? Want to buy something with wonderful sound, clarity, top notes, warmth, bass but not too heavy, with CD, DAB, streaming, connectable to tv/pc etc, and wireless (if poss). Any excellent advice please? I've inherited some money, so can afford to spend. Thank you.
How do I get Best Music Sound There Is, Whatever Cost?
- Thread starter avalassia
- Start date
Can you please put an upper limit to your budget* and give details about the size of your room.
Have you heard any brands that you have liked in the past, and what sort of music do you listen to?
Do you know what brands you have access to?
*In order to draw up a meaningful demo list, we need to know if you are working with £5k, £10k, or £50k+
Have you heard any brands that you have liked in the past, and what sort of music do you listen to?
Do you know what brands you have access to?
*In order to draw up a meaningful demo list, we need to know if you are working with £5k, £10k, or £50k+
www.meridian-audio.com is a start -
http://www.meridian-audio.com/the-collection/loudspeakers/dsp8000-digital-active-loudspeaker.aspx
apologies if not allowed to link to other sites
http://www.meridian-audio.com/the-collection/loudspeakers/dsp8000-digital-active-loudspeaker.aspx
apologies if not allowed to link to other sites
Wow this should be fun 
If you have a large room i'd def have these speakers on your list!
http://www.focal.com/en/home-audio-loudspeakers/hifi-speakers/floorstanding-speakers/grande-utopia-em.php
If you have a large room i'd def have these speakers on your list!
http://www.focal.com/en/home-audio-loudspeakers/hifi-speakers/floorstanding-speakers/grande-utopia-em.php
+1 for these....and maybe a rug or some cushions for room treatment?
though I'd take Abbey Road's lead and go for these...
http://www.bowers-wilkins.co.uk/Speakers/Home_Audio/800_Series_Diamond/800-Diamond.html
though I'd take Abbey Road's lead and go for these...
http://www.bowers-wilkins.co.uk/Speakers/Home_Audio/800_Series_Diamond/800-Diamond.html
It depends on the OP's starting point. If a newbie to hi-fi (which I think is what was implied, but I may be wrong) then I certainly wouldn't recommend jumping in at the top end of the Focal (or any other) range! Some good consultative selling needed here aka lot's of questions. The first of which would be on the room. Maybe spend £80k building a dedicated room and putting a £20k pair of speakers in it rather than the other way round (= same price as those Focals)
All of which is terribly logical. The true answer of course is a pair of Blades and some whopping great class A amp. Or maybe 800 Diamonds with the Classe CP800 / 4 x CAM600's. Personally I would think hard and long about spending more than £20k on speakers - diminishing returns and all that.
Actually, a more interesting question might be what the minimum you would need to spend to get a 'wow' system in line with the required spec. Might have a look and give that some thought.......easily less than £5k I reckon (Proac D18, £2k amp, £1000 DAC, Mac Mini = less than £5k with discount)
All of which is terribly logical. The true answer of course is a pair of Blades and some whopping great class A amp. Or maybe 800 Diamonds with the Classe CP800 / 4 x CAM600's. Personally I would think hard and long about spending more than £20k on speakers - diminishing returns and all that.
Actually, a more interesting question might be what the minimum you would need to spend to get a 'wow' system in line with the required spec. Might have a look and give that some thought.......easily less than £5k I reckon (Proac D18, £2k amp, £1000 DAC, Mac Mini = less than £5k with discount)
Al ears
Well-known member
philipjohnwright said:
This is what is the back of my mind when I made my comment...and it will be interesting to see (subjectively) where the sweet spot is, if one has a lot of money to spend, taking VFM into account.
philipjohnwright said:
This was assuming the 'money no object' was the case and having a bit of fun.. We can all dream a bit, i'm sure the op wouldn't have just saw the link and ordered them there and then..
plastic penguin
Well-known member
avalassia said:
Only you will know the "best music sound..." once you've visited a few good dealers. And if money is no object I urge you to book an appointment forthwith.
Get some of the recent back issues with the "50 best amps/ 50 best speakers" features then go start demoing stuff. If you're seriously looking to spend mega-bunce, you'll have no end of dealers happy to help you...... probably needn't trouble the folk at Richer Sounds though.....
BigColz
I always wondered why everything goes quiet when I arrive at a party. :roll:
Joking aside though I'd start with the room. Build something circa 25ft x 35ft, solid floor, solid high ceiling. Lots of bookcases to absorb reflections, nice fire to curl up in front of whilst listening, all the gear hidden away in a specially constructed cubby hole so you don't have to see it (not speakers obviously).
Then, well.....Blades, 800's, Sonus Fabers, big stats, Tannoy Westminsters, hmmm. Think my starting point would be a B&W 800 series surround setup, so the Classe gear would be a logical partner. Could be tempted by 5 x Blade though - even better if they come out with a centre Blade. About £100k all in including projector and screen I reckon. Plus room.
Oh and a restored Thorens 124 for old times sake, complete with SPU cartridge. Maybe I should complete that thought process and get a brace of Albarry's and find someone who's still got some working Allison One's, if such things exists. I could have one system at one end of the room, the other facing it 35 ft away! Now we're talking.
I always wondered why everything goes quiet when I arrive at a party. :roll:
Joking aside though I'd start with the room. Build something circa 25ft x 35ft, solid floor, solid high ceiling. Lots of bookcases to absorb reflections, nice fire to curl up in front of whilst listening, all the gear hidden away in a specially constructed cubby hole so you don't have to see it (not speakers obviously).
Then, well.....Blades, 800's, Sonus Fabers, big stats, Tannoy Westminsters, hmmm. Think my starting point would be a B&W 800 series surround setup, so the Classe gear would be a logical partner. Could be tempted by 5 x Blade though - even better if they come out with a centre Blade. About £100k all in including projector and screen I reckon. Plus room.
Oh and a restored Thorens 124 for old times sake, complete with SPU cartridge. Maybe I should complete that thought process and get a brace of Albarry's and find someone who's still got some working Allison One's, if such things exists. I could have one system at one end of the room, the other facing it 35 ft away! Now we're talking.
Alears said:Start with a pair of Wilson Audio Alexandria XLF speakers and go downhill from there.
Lol.
Trefor Patten
Well-known member
Whatever cost? Best sound? Forget about buying hi-fi and go to all the live music you enjoy, whether it is a Symphony orchestra, jazz club, opera, rave, gamelan. It all sounds better than any hi-fi. :cheers:
Andrew17321
Well-known member
I agree with Trefor!
Last week I listened to a top-end Linn set-up and then B&O active floor-standers (which were much better than the Linn speakers in my opinion). Then I went to three orchestral concerts three nights running. Conclusion: forget upgrading from my Arcam / Spendor set-up. The difference was minimal compared to live. I'll spend my money on live concerts, even when that includes hotel costs.
Andrew
Last week I listened to a top-end Linn set-up and then B&O active floor-standers (which were much better than the Linn speakers in my opinion). Then I went to three orchestral concerts three nights running. Conclusion: forget upgrading from my Arcam / Spendor set-up. The difference was minimal compared to live. I'll spend my money on live concerts, even when that includes hotel costs.
Andrew
BenLaw
Well-known member
I've got a picture in my head of Trefor at a rave, going up to all the teenagers and telling them that the slogans on their t-shirts are spelled incorrectly.
steve_1979
Well-known member
Trefor Patten said:
Most of the raves that I've been to had rubbish quality sound systems. They were very loud with loads of bass but like most big PA systems there wasn't much clarity.
I still enjoy listening to rave music at home and the sound quality of my Neutrons is miles better in every way than any PA system that I've ever heard.
Get yourself an iPhone, some decent headphones and go travelling! Far more benefit than HiFi.
Could do with a few montns in Bali myself.
Could do with a few montns in Bali myself.
steve_1979
Well-known member
avalassia said:
Something like the £6300 Genelec 8260A would be a good place to start auditioning. They're butt ugly but Genelec make speakers that sound exceptionally good and these are the best (but not the biggest) that they make.
http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/jan11/articles/genelec-8260a-0111.htm
steve_1979 said:
Have to disagree with that Steve; PAs used to be duffers, but companies like Turbosound have pushed the boundaries out for years now. Went to see Muse the other week in Glasgow and the sound quality was - even for the SECC - very impressive. Would've left any speaker absolutely standing.
steve_1979 said:
While we're suggesting ugly pro-audio, how about these ugly speakers from Fostex. Around 30,000 pounds for a pair. I don't think that includes the Accuphase power amps for the speakers.
philipjohnwright said:
Yeah if were being serious i'd def start with the room.. Yeah Bookcases or proper diffusers depending on how you'd design the room.. Being young i'd prob go a bit contempory.. Be so awesome to be able to start fom scratch!! As for speakers i suppose it depends how much disposable income you have and what you feel they're worth, There are smaller versions of those focals that are probably very impressive.. But yeah I'd prob start with a pair of big ass A class amps and audition with some £20kish speakers... 5 x blades would be pretty crazy..
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