New HiFi + Turntable setup for Apartment

[PBrowne]

I am looking at purchasing a HiFi setup with a Rega turntable.

This will be in an apartment living area of 7.6m W by 3.3m D. Ceiling height is 2.7m.

Floors are engineered wood with a rug under coffee table.

I have my sights on a Rega 8. Is this overkill for that area?

If the Rega 8 is good for this, can I get suggestions for additional components please?

Budget is 10 to 20k Australian.

Rega P8 retails for AUD$4899

Rega Apheta 3 MC cart is AUD$3000

Rega Aria Mk3 is AUD$2299 or Gold Note PH-10 is AUD$3000

amp, speakers...

Peter

 

[jetblack9090]

Oh I'm in the US but if I had $ 10,000 or 15,000 to spend on a Hi-Fi, and I was getting a regga turntable, might as well just go for the whole salami and get a whole Rega system.

I looked it up, and the p8 from Melbourne Hi-Fi runs for about $4,500 depending on what cartridge you get. I would pair that with the ellicit Mark 5, a great amplifier and it's got a built-in digital converter plus a really good built-in phono stage And really everything you need, it also runs for about $4,500. Add on to that a nice pair of floor standers like the rega Aya that they just recently introduced and you're at about 12, 000 And you've got yourself a kick-ass hi-fi system.

You could probably also add a nice streamer as well, personally I would recommend getting like a bluesound node and then running its coaxial out into the digital input of the amplifier. I prefer the node just because of its simplicity and its stability and functionality.

Anyway don't know if this helped but it's what I would do and considering I'm regaphile I would be in hog heaven.

 

[Din5]

The P8, Elicit , Aya combo will be a cracking system and will give you the "Rega synergy" sound. Nice one !

 

[daytona600]

Rega P8 retails for AUD$4899
P8 AUD $3000 in the UK you can almost get a RP10 or a round trip to the UK & P8 in hand luggage
Project/Technics should offer better value & local speakers/amps like March Audio / Krix

 

[Integralista]

I am looking at purchasing a HiFi setup with a Rega turntable.

This will be in an apartment living area of 7.6m W by 3.3m D. Ceiling height is 2.7m.

Floors are engineered wood with a rug under coffee table.

I have my sights on a Rega 8. Is this overkill for that area?

If the Rega 8 is good for this, can I get suggestions for additional components please?

Budget is 10 to 20k Australian.

Rega P8 retails for AUD$4899

Rega Apheta 3 MC cart is AUD$3000

Rega Aria Mk3 is AUD$2299 or Gold Note PH-10 is AUD$3000

amp, speakers...

Peter

Hi,

You have opened a nice thread. I will recommend a speaker with more "meat" than Rega Aya. Even they are very good. Aya is designed to match Rega Elex mainly. Your room is a bit bigger, it deservs more headroom capability from speaker. E.g. new Q Acoustics 5050 floorstanders are very good match for room like you have. This is terrific speaker for its price. And very good match with Rega Elicit or Elex. If you select Planar 8 TT, than I recommend to combine it with MC cartridge. Either Rega Ania Pro or Apheta3 or Lyra Delos, which I use on my trusty Planar 9. It means you need separate phono stage. Rega Aria mk3 is a very good combination. It works well also with Rega Aria or e.g Electrocompanient ECP 1 Mk2, which I use now + Rega Ios. Also phonostage Vertere Acoustics Phono 1 mk2 L is terrific, better than Rega Aria but more expensive. Also Primare R35 is very, very good. And you may select also Rega Saturn mk3 as CD player with very good "open" Dac inside with USB input. Saturn with Elicit is phenomenal combination. Tests are on the net. For streaming you may take Bluesound Node and uze dac in Saturn or in Elicit mk5. And remember on solide cabling, here power cable from Rega is also my tip. It is very good and not so expensive. The rest can be e.g. QED.., Cardas...Let us know, what was your final system choice.😉

 

[nopiano]

Without knowing what choices, ranges are available it hard to suggest anything. The best bet will probably be something carried by a local dealer who will let you try at home.

Is your only intended source a turntable?

 

[My2Cents]

Hi,

You have opened a nice thread. I will recommend a speaker with more "meat" than Rega Aya. Even they are very good. Aya is designed to match Rega Elex mainly. Your room is a bit bigger, it deservs more headroom capability from speaker. E.g. new Q Acoustics 5050 floorstanders are very good match for room like you have. This is terrific speaker for its price. And very good match with Rega Elicit or Elex. If you select Planar 8 TT, than I recommend to combine it with MC cartridge. Either Rega Ania Pro or Apheta3 or Lyra Delos, which I use on my trusty Planar 9. It means you need separate phono stage. Rega Aria mk3 is a very good combination. It works well also with Rega Aria or e.g Electrocompanient ECP 1 Mk2, which I use now + Rega Ios. Also phonostage Vertere Acoustics Phono 1 mk2 L is terrific, better than Rega Aria but more expensive. Also Primare R35 is very, very good. And you may select also Rega Saturn mk3 as CD player with very good "open" Dac inside with USB input. Saturn with Elicit is phenomenal combination. Tests are on the net. For streaming you may take Bluesound Node and uze dac in Saturn or in Elicit mk5. And remember on solide cabling, here power cable from Rega is also my tip. It is very good and not so expensive. The rest can be e.g. QED.., Cardas...Let us know, what was your final system choice.😉

You talk of 'headroom capability' from the speakers, I'm not sure what you mean by this?

 

[Freddy58]

I'm tempted by Triangle br02 which I hope can get even more wonderful sounds out of my Marantz mcr603 with Yamaha wxc50 combo. I'm currently trialing the Audiolab 6000A, which I'm not really getting on with and not liking as much as the above, though still only listening via Bluetooth withAmazon music HD (don't dis it until you've tried it, sound quality is pretty good!). The Audiolab promises a lot but maybe doesn't truly deliver until you get much higher end speakers. At the moment my good ol' Elac debut b5 sound a bit lifeless with it.

You talk of 'headroom capability' from the speakers, I'm not sure what you mean by this?

I’m guessing he means speakers that can fill a room without having to push them too hard?

 

[My2Cents]

I am looking at purchasing a HiFi setup with a Rega turntable.

This will be in an apartment living area of 7.6m W by 3.3m D. Ceiling height is 2.7m.

Floors are engineered wood with a rug under coffee table.

I have my sights on a Rega 8. Is this overkill for that area?

If the Rega 8 is good for this, can I get suggestions for additional components please?

Budget is 10 to 20k Australian.

Rega P8 retails for AUD$4899

Rega Apheta 3 MC cart is AUD$3000

Rega Aria Mk3 is AUD$2299 or Gold Note PH-10 is AUD$3000

amp, speakers...

Peter

P8 with Alpheta 3 @ Len Wallis Audio in Sydney is $6,199 (don't know if that includes sales tax).
Most advice is going to be equipment recommendations from people who have never even heard the gear that they are recommending.
Just go to a hi-fi store and demo. stuff in your price range. When you tell them your budget is up to 20k they will treat you like royalty.
Unless you live in some dusty town in the middle of the outback... which might pose a problem.

 

[Al ears]

Not too sure why you think a turntable might be 'overkill' for an area.
It's your speakers, and your neighbours, you have to worry about.
P.S. If you buy an amplifier with a moving magnet phono stage built in then you could save some money by buying a step-up transformer rather than the Ania.
You could also save money by forgetting the Apheta and buying a good moving magnet cartridge, just a thought.

 

[PBrowne]

P8 with Alpheta 3 @ Len Wallis Audio in Sydney is $6,199 (don't know if that includes sales tax).
Most advice is going to be equipment recommendations from people who have never even heard the gear that they are recommending.
Just go to a hi-fi store and demo. stuff in your price range. When you tell them your budget is up to 20k they will treat you like royalty.
Unless you live in some dusty town in the middle of the outback... which might pose a problem.

I'm in Perth, Western Australia. We have a few good stores here, West Coast HiFi etc.

 

[jjbomber]

Rega P8 retails for AUD$4899
P8 AUD $3000 in the UK you can almost get a RP10 or a round trip to the UK & P8 in hand luggage

But a long way to take it back if something goes wrong!

 

[PBrowne]

Thanks for the replies and suggestions all.

The room is a long rectangle.

The lounge is at one end, and 3m from the other side of the room.

The room is 7.6m wide. So not sure about speaker placements.

The long wall up to almost the end of dining area will have a floor to wall wall unit with glass and solid doors (books, objects etc) which will house the HiFi.

A bit like this https://www.woodnform.com.au/homelibrarydesignfloreat

Perhaps wall mounted speakers?

 

[Dom]

Monitor Audio W1M Single Wall Speaker - £400



Enhanced sound quality in a medium-sized room.

 

[Fandango Andy]

Thanks for the replies and suggestions all.

The room is a long rectangle.

The lounge is at one end, and 3m from the other side of the room.

The room is 7.6m wide. So not sure about speaker placements.

The long wall up to almost the end of dining area will have a floor to wall wall unit with glass and solid doors (books, objects etc) which will house the HiFi.

A bit like this https://www.woodnform.com.au/homelibrarydesignfloreat

Perhaps wall mounted speakers?

View attachment 6691

Assuming you set the room ap as in the plan and the speakers facing the sofa, you have a wall to your right (as you are looking at the speakers) and a big open space to the left. if you are spending that kind of money on a setup, you might want some room treatments. whatever you decide, speaker placement is critical.

As for equipment, do you have store you can visit, or are you buying blind? If you have a store, go and talk to them about auditioning equipment. I would start with a Rega system as a baseline, then see what else they offer for the money. Remember, if you are are in a listening room it will sound different to your room. Its only really the speakers that matter in this sense.

 

[PBrowne]

Assuming you set the room ap as in the plan and the speakers facing the sofa, you have a wall to your right (as you are looking at the speakers) and a big open space to the left. if you are spending that kind of money on a setup, you might want some room treatments. whatever you decide, speaker placement is critical.

As for equipment, do you have store you can visit, or are you buying blind? If you have a store, go and talk to them about auditioning equipment. I would start with a Rega system as a baseline, then see what else they offer for the money. Remember, if you are are in a listening room it will sound different to your room. Its only really the speakers that matter in this sense.

Its an apartment in a complex that is almost finished - https://www.orchardterrace.com.au/

I am set on Rega turntable either P8 or at a stretch P10. I'll visit a store, but want to have a good idea of what will work beforehand.

I'm thinking now that the layout could be adjusted with some central placement of the listening position, so that the speakers are much further apart...

 

[My2Cents]

It's a terrible space for a relatively high end hi-fi. The room appears to have a lot of glass too. How is the sound isolation between apartments?
I would forget speakers and use headphones for my serious listening sessions. Perhaps a small pair of bookshelf speakers for when you want some background music.
Why are you so set on a Rega 8/10?
If a good hi-fi was my priority I would have purchased/rented a house.

 

[Freddy58]

I think before taking such a big leap (financially), I’d try something more modest (preferably secondhand or even loan) to see if the space will actually work for you.

 

[DougK1]

Looking at the plan of your room why not have the armchair as the listening position?

 

[Fandango Andy]

Looking at the plan of your room why not have the armchair as the listening position?

I was kind of thinking that when I commented on the room layout/setup. It would make setup/treatment simpler and possibly more effective.

 

[PBrowne]

It's a terrible space for a relatively high end hi-fi. The room appears to have a lot of glass too. How is the sound isolation between apartments?
I would forget speakers and use headphones for my serious listening sessions. Perhaps a small pair of bookshelf speakers for when you want some background music.
Why are you so set on a Rega 8/10?
If a good hi-fi was my priority I would have purchased/rented a house.

Well yes, I agree. But the priority is a brand new apartment and downgrading from a house due to health issues from Long COVID/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. So I have to work within that plan.

The sound isolation is to Australian standards for new apartments, double wall with sound proofing material in-between.

 

[Fandango Andy]

I am looking at purchasing a HiFi setup with a Rega turntable.

This will be in an apartment living area of 7.6m W by 3.3m D. Ceiling height is 2.7m.

Floors are engineered wood with a rug under coffee table.

I have my sights on a Rega 8. Is this overkill for that area?

If the Rega 8 is good for this, can I get suggestions for additional components please?

Budget is 10 to 20k Australian.

Rega P8 retails for AUD$4899

Rega Apheta 3 MC cart is AUD$3000

Rega Aria Mk3 is AUD$2299 or Gold Note PH-10 is AUD$3000

amp, speakers...

Peter

Random question; you are spending a lot of money on a hifi, is this new to you, or to replace an existing system? If you already have a system it might make sense to have a play with positioning and see what the room acoustics are like before jumping in.

 

[PBrowne]

I agree that prioritising a good speaker positioning for the room and then being flexible for serious listening position might be the way to go.

The glass is at the end of the room leading out to the balcony area. Curtains for the glass area is installed.

 

[My2Cents]

Well yes, I agree. But the priority is a brand new apartment and downgrading from a house due to health issues from Long COVID/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. So I have to work within that plan.

Oh boy, I'm sorry to hear that. It looks like a nice place though. Anyway, we're all probably jealous that you live in Perth!
Obviously it's your money... enjoy it!
Perhaps go for the high end TT and amp and some good small speakers first (like other have said, get a 'feel' for the place). You could always exchange the speakers at a later date at the hi-fi store.
With a pair (or two) of good headphones you could relax in a nice armchair looking over the city with an adult beverage and cut out all that city noise around you?
Or perhaps some KEF LS50 II's with matching stands... that would give you streaming options too (perhaps you have no need for that)? And perhaps even add the matching sub in the future.
What kind of music are you into?

 

[PBrowne]

Random question; you are spending a lot of money on a hifi, is this new to you, or to replace an existing system? If you already have a system it might make sense to have a play with positioning and see what the room acoustics are like before jumping in.

Well it's new to me in terms of recent times, and not having equipment to replace. My father and his brother used to import high end HiFi components from the UK and US ; Monitor Audio, Cybernet, Fons, S.A.E, Stanton, Memorex, Neal etc. So I was familiar, but technology has changed.