New Sound System [Noob itt]

[ORoxo]

Hey guys,

I want to buy a new sound system up to 500$. However, I know nothing about this - last speakers I had were Beats Pill XL, this says a lot. Therefore, I need your help. Which sound system should I get considering the fact I listen mainly to Hip-Hop/R&B music and that I'm crazy over a nice, deep, punchy bass.

Thank you very much,

ORoxo

 

[davedotco]

Where do you plan to get your music from?

Are you streaming from online sites, streaming from you own collection of rips/downloads or do you have physical media, CDs, records etc?

Need to know before any suggestions.

 

[ORoxo]

Where do you plan to get your music from?

Are you streaming from online sites, streaming from you own collection of rips/downloads or do you have physical media, CDs, records etc?

Need to know before any suggestions.

From my iPod, most of the files were purchased from itunes.

 

[davedotco]

Firstly get yourself an Apple Airport Express, this allows you to transfer your files wirelessly, has a perfectly good dac and allows you feed directly into a pair of active speakers.

From a performance point of view, models from Presonus and Yamaha are within reach and while limited in facilities, performance is of a very high level indeed.

A pair of Presonus Eris 5 and an AEX (refurb) can be had for around £250 in the UK, add cables and speakerstands to get the best from the speakers, less than £350 all up.

 

[ORoxo]

Firstly get yourself an Apple Airport Express, this allows you to transfer your files wirelessly, has a perfectly good dac and allows you feed directly into a pair of active speakers.

From a performance point of view, models from Presonus and Yamaha are within reach and while limited in facilities, performance is of a very high level indeed.

A pair of Presonus Eris 5 and an AEX (refurb) can be had for around £250 in the UK, add cables and speakerstands to get the best from the speakers, less than £350 all up.

Thans a lot for your help!

What does AEX stand for? I'm sorry for the question. Plus, which speakerstands and cables should I get?

 

[ORoxo]

Firstly get yourself an Apple Airport Express, this allows you to transfer your files wirelessly, has a perfectly good dac and allows you feed directly into a pair of active speakers.

From a performance point of view, models from Presonus and Yamaha are within reach and while limited in facilities, performance is of a very high level indeed.

A pair of Presonus Eris 5 and an AEX (refurb) can be had for around £250 in the UK, add cables and speakerstands to get the best from the speakers, less than £350 all up.

Thans a lot for your help!

What does AEX stand for? I'm sorry for the question. Plus, which speakerstands and cables should I get?

By the way, would I also need a stereo receiver?

 

[rainsoothe]

No, the speakers are powered, they have amplifiers built in. And the aex I think is airport express

 

[davedotco]

The Airport Express (AEX) is a wireless network link designed for audio use.

I am making some assumptions here, firstly that your iThing is Airplay capable, ie an iPod touch or some type of iPhone and secondly that you have a computer network.

If you have, then the AEX is connected to your network and once set up, recieves music wirelessly over Airplay. It has a decent digital to analogue converter onboad and outputs regular two channel stereo from a jack similar to a headphone jack. All music selection and control is done from the iThing.

This output can be plugged into a regular amplifier/reciever which in turn drives a pair of speakers, but given the tight budget you will get better value combining the amplifier and speakers together to get powered or better, active speakers.

The cble needed will be a mini jack to two phonos, about 2-3 meters and splitable to give a stereo spread. Almost any proper speaker stand, around 20-24 inches high will do, getting them well sighted and rigid is the important bit.

Prices vary depending on the market but in the uk, a setup comprising an AEX, Presonus Eris 5, stands and cables can be had for around £350. Ie...

http://www.apple.com/uk/shop/product/FC414B/A/airport-express-base-station

http://www.andertons.co.uk/active-monitors/pid29608/cid738/presonus-eris-e5-active-studio-monitor-single.asp

https://www.audiovisualonline.co.uk/product/16052/mission-stancette-silver-speaker-stands-pair/

https://www.audiovisualonline.co.uk/product/3613/qed-profile-3-5mm-jack-to-phono-cable-1m/

BTW. If you have a non network capable iPod, then you can use the cable plugged into the ipod itself, forgetting about the AEX. You will be teathered by a cable to the speakers, not ideal.

 

[ORoxo]

Damn guys, I can't stress enough how grateful I am right now, srsly. I've been looking for someone to explain me this in a simple way for weeks now.

Actually my iPod is the classic model so it's not airplay capable but basically, all I have to do as soon as I get the speakers is put them on the stands, plug them with the QED 3.5 and that's it?

What do you suggest since my ipod isn't a touch one btw?

 

[davedotco]

Damn guys, I can't stress enough how grateful I am right now, srsly. I've been looking for someone to explain me this in a simple way for weeks now.

Actually my iPod is the classic model so it's not airplay capable but basically, all I have to do as soon as I get the speakers is put them on the stands, plug them with the QED 3.5 and that's it?

What do you suggest since my ipod isn't a touch one btw?

Your Classic will work fine as you describe but the output is really designed for headphones so may not be ideal driving the speakers direct, though it should work fine.

If you can find one an ipod dock with built dac might be a good solution, fairly rare though. The Pure i20 would be a good option if you can find one, no longer in production though.

Maybe time for a new iPod...*shok*

 

[ORoxo]

Damn guys, I can't stress enough how grateful I am right now, srsly. I've been looking for someone to explain me this in a simple way for weeks now.

Actually my iPod is the classic model so it's not airplay capable but basically, all I have to do as soon as I get the speakers is put them on the stands, plug them with the QED 3.5 and that's it?

What do you suggest since my ipod isn't a touch one btw?

Your Classic will work fine as you describe but the output is really designed for headphones so may not be ideal driving the speakers direct, though it should work fine.

If you can find one an ipod dock with built dac might be a good solution, fairly rare though. The Pure i20 would be a good option if you can find one, no longer in production though.

Maybe time for a new iPod...*shok*

Yeah, that actually might be a good idea tbh *mosking*

Thank you once again for your help, you're great!

 

[chris_bates1974]

As I've mentioned on some other threads, I've recently got hold of one of these myself. I was finding that the sound straight from iPad or iPhone (via QED 3.5mm to RCA) just wasn't up to the standard of vinyl or CD - like something was "missing". Music was less lifelike, and I was getting quite frustrated.

I've found that the DAC in the AEX is certainly good enough for my needs. Either it's a very very good DAC for £80, or my Cd player and turntable are much worse than I thought!!!!

I'd urge very strongly against simply using the headphone out to RCA of your iPod into an amplifier (or actives). You'll be disappointed.

 

[davedotco]

As I've mentioned on some other threads, I've recently got hold of one of these myself. I was finding that the sound straight from iPad or iPhone (via QED 3.5mm to RCA) just wasn't up to the standard of vinyl or CD - like something was "missing". Music was less lifelike, and I was getting quite frustrated.

I've found that the DAC in the AEX is certainly good enough for my needs. Either it's a very very good DAC for £80, or my Cd player and turntable are much worse than I thought!!!!

I'd urge very strongly against simply using the headphone out to RCA of your iPod into an amplifier (or actives). You'll be disappointed.

Output via the headphone socket will vary with volume and partnering equipment, but it will work, even if it can be bettered.

The AEX uses modern dac and filter chips and is entirely competent, if not exactly stellar, you will need a much better system than the one under discussion here for it to become a limiting factor.

One thing to bear in mind is that the analogue output level is a little lower than most modern CD players/DACs which is of no consequence except in direct comparison, where the slightly higher output of the dac is perceived as 'better'. Match the levels and the difference goes away.