Question Upgrading my old setup

vladanm

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Hi,


My old setup is NAD 3150 and Wharfedale 9.1, in combination with Topping E30 DAC for streaming from PC and Android using digital input. It's a low budget old component , but has a decent sound.

I am thinking of upgrading in a budget under 1000e. and maybe keep only Topping DAC since it's a new component, unless the amplifier has a better integrated DAC.

Those are some of amplifiers and speakers i have my eyes on, in order of "likeness":


DENON PMA-600NA
NAD 316BEE v2

MARANTZ PM 6006
NAD C338



Low budget Speakers:
WHARFEDALE D330
KEF C5
KLIPSCH R 24F



More expensive speakers:
Wharfedale Hi-Fi Diamond 12.3
KEF Q550 Black
KLIPSCH RP 260F

Any suggestion about what would be best combinations, i am leaning to DENON PMA-600NA tho i always loved the NAD sound. Considering speakers i have no idea what would be a good match. i like WHARFEDALE style visually but not sure about the sound.

Thank you.
 

vladanm

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Personally I would go with the Diamond 12.3 and the Marantz or Denon but you really must audition for yourself

Hi Al Ears,

What is your opinion on DENON PMA-800NA + KLIPSCH RP-8000F
I am not planing to go full blast with those big speakers, but i would like that deep base on lower volumes, im not sure 50w on 8 ohms is good enough forRP-8000F

Thank you.
 

muljao

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Denon is usually kind of neutral, klipsch is known to be also. It might be better to pair denon with something a bit warmer, or indeed pair the klipsch with something a bit warmer, unless you like analytical music, but the fact you've a nad I doubt it.

If I had 1000 to spend today I'd probably buy a rega brio, a set of q acoustics 3030i and keep the topping for digital, or if I wanted a 1 box setup sell the topping and sub reg for a marantz pm6007, assuming you don't need the usb part of your dac.
 

vladanm

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Denon is usually kind of neutral, klipsch is known to be also. It might be better to pair denon with something a bit warmer, or indeed pair the klipsch with something a bit warmer, unless you like analytical music, but the fact you've a nad I doubt it.

If I had 1000 to spend today I'd probably buy a rega brio, a set of q acoustics 3030i and keep the topping for digital, or if I wanted a 1 box setup sell the topping and sub reg for a marantz pm6007, assuming you don't need the usb part of your dac.

Thank you for the suggestion,

What about q acoustics 3050i tower version, if im looking for more deeper punchier base, in combination with Rega?
 

muljao

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Thank you for the suggestion,

What about q acoustics 3050i tower version, if im looking for more deeper punchier base, in combination with Rega?
If your room is big enough to accommodate them yes I'm sure they'd be great, but it won't be good if you're room is too small for them, it can become boomy very easy
 

vladanm

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If your room is big enough to accommodate them yes I'm sure they'd be great, but it won't be good if you're room is too small for them, it can become boomy very easy

Hey Muljao,
I went with your suggestion, after reading a lot of good reviews on Rega Brio.
Unfortunately i could not get Q Acoustics in my region outside EU. All distributers said its almost imposible to get due high demand on bigger markets.
Some sellers suggested DALI Oberon 5 as a good replacement for 3050i. And i read i lot of positive reviews with this combination .

So i ended up with:
Amp: Rega Brio
Speak: Dali Oberon 5
Cables: Audioquest Rocket 11 + SureGrip 100 plugs

Equipment should arrive in monday, cant wait.
 

rainsoothe

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Hey Muljao,
I went with your suggestion, after reading a lot of good reviews on Rega Brio.
Unfortunately i could not get Q Acoustics in my region outside EU. All distributers said its almost imposible to get due high demand on bigger markets.
Some sellers suggested DALI Oberon 5 as a good replacement for 3050i. And i read i lot of positive reviews with this combination .

So i ended up with:
Amp: Rega Brio
Speak: Dali Oberon 5
Cables: Audioquest Rocket 11 + SureGrip 100 plugs

Equipment should arrive in monday, cant wait.
Let us know how you find the new stuff :)
Fwiw, I find Dali way better than Q Acoustics
 
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vladanm

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Hey All,

So I got equipment at the start of the week. Current setup is:

Streaming: Tidal HiFI:
XIAOMI Mi TV Box S
Digital USB < 1 M budget cable to DAC
Topping E30
Rega Brio
Dali Oberon 5

I am not an audiophile , and a lot of professional reviewers reviewed this amp and speakers, so I just give my impression as a normal listener.

After unpacking the speakers and amp, the sound was clear but all over the place, vocals were too strong, and bass was boomy, checking the manual I started with breaking-in (running-in speakers) and experimenting with speaker position. After a day or two, speakers finally settled down and the sound was balanced and good.

I am not familiar with technical descriptions, but a normal person would describe it as having a "clarity" in the sound. All instruments are distinguished from each other, clean, detailed.

Could be described as someone who for a whole life is drinking warm water from a puddle, and then suddenly gets a drink from a cold mountain spring :) It was amazing.


And some cons:
The sound is very conditioned by the position of the speakers. Bookshelf Wharfedale 9.1 that I had , had a port tube in the front, and positioning didn't have much impact on the sound.

Bad positioning of Dali Oberon 5 will have the same clarity and clean sound, but will somehow quickly tire the ears and become unpleasant fast. While finding the right position will "ease" the sound, making it more pleasant to listen , i'm not sure how to explain.

About the music, it sounds great for Jazz, Rock and Electronic music. Type of music that didn't sound ok was Heavy Metal with deep and fast aggressive bass. Think deep bass guitar with double pedal, like Metallica One, or Slipknot Wait and Bleed. It's like speakers dont have strength, when too much of things are going on in the lower section. This might be because i still didn't get the position right, and my room (atic) acoustic, i am not sure, will try to experiment more with positioning.

Thanks for helping me pick up this equipment, i have a lot of fun with my first step in entry hifi sound. I'm open for any suggestions you might have :)

I could also post pics of my room, if anyone is interested in looking into it.
 
Last edited:
Hey All,

So I got equipment at the start of the week. Current setup is:

Streaming: Tidal HiFI:
XIAOMI Mi TV Box S
Digital USB < 1 M budget cable to DAC
Topping E30
Rega Brio
Dali Oberon 5

I am not an audiophile , and a lot of professional reviewers reviewed this amp and speakers, so I just give my impression as a normal listener.

After unpacking the speakers and amp, the sound was clear but all over the place, vocals were too strong, and bass was boomy, checking the manual I started with breaking-in (running-in speakers) and experimenting with speaker position. After a day or two, speakers finally settled down and the sound was balanced and good.

I am not familiar with technical descriptions, but a normal person would describe it as having a "clarity" in the sound. All instruments are distinguished from each other, clean, detailed.

Could be described as someone who for a whole life is drinking warm water from a puddle, and then suddenly gets a drink from a cold mountain spring :) It was amazing.


And some cons:
The sound is very conditioned by the position of the speakers. Bookshelf Wharfedale 9.1 that I had , had a port tube in the front, and positioning didn't have much impact on the sound.

Bad positioning of Dali Oberon 5 will have the same clarity and clean sound, but will somehow quickly tire the ears and become unpleasant fast. While finding the right position will "ease" the sound, making it more pleasant to listen , i'm not sure how to explain.

About the music, it sounds great for Jazz, Rock and Electronic music. Type of music that didn't sound ok was Heavy Metal with deep and fast aggressive bass. Think deep bass guitar with double pedal, like Metallica One, or Slipknot Wait and Bleed. It's like speakers dont have strength, when too much of things are going on in the lower section. This might be because i still didn't get the position right, and my room (atic) acoustic, i am not sure, will try to experiment more with positioning.

Thanks for helping me pick up this equipment, i have a lot of fun with my first step in entry hifi sound. I'm open for any suggestions you might have :)

I could also post pics of my room, if anyone is interested in looking into it.
If your attic has a wooden panel floor this may be one reason the bass sounds are not right. You need to isolate those speakers from the floor. You may be aware that none of the reviews out there mention a weak bass response.
How have you got them set up in relation to listening position?
 

vladanm

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If your attic has a wooden panel floor this may be one reason the bass sounds are not right. You need to isolate those speakers from the floor. You may be aware that none of the reviews out there mention a weak bass response.
How have you got them set up in relation to listening position?

I had metal spikes that came with speakers, but now that you mentioned it, i replaced spikes with rubber "packs" that came with too. You were right, it seems deep bass is more defined with rubber isolation.

For position , its triangular with around 1.5 M between each , and myself. I can post some pictures.
 

vladanm

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If your attic has a wooden panel floor this may be one reason the bass sounds are not right. You need to isolate those speakers from the floor. You may be aware that none of the reviews out there mention a weak bass response.
How have you got them set up in relation to listening position?

Space is weird, with cave holes behind speakers. I am planing to close it with some plasterboard. Those are images of various positions i took during couple of days of testing. I tried putting wooden panels behind speakers, cant tell how much it helps.
 

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I see what you mean. Speakers really are in free-space and maybe need to be closer to a rear wall.
I really think you will hear an improvement if you can get them both further away from you and further apart.
Can you not site them along that wall to the right of the couch, where you have the film posters hung, and then turn the couch through 90 degrees??
It is difficult to see how much space you have off to the left of that first photo.
 
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vladanm

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I see what you mean. Speakers really are in free-space and maybe need to be closer to a rear wall.
I really think you will hear an improvement if you can get them both further away from you and further apart.
Can you not site them along that wall to the right of the couch, where you have the film posters hung, and then turn the couch through 90 degrees??
It is difficult to see how much space you have off to the left of that first photo.

I get the idea, going to try and move them apart, but there is a limit of room width.
Rotating 90% is imposible, because the door to other room is on other side. I will have to work with this positions.
 

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vladanm

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Ah! I now see why they have to go where they are.....awkward.

I did what you suggested, moved speakers to the right wall, and moved away sofa. And yes i found that missing bass :D. Played some heavy songs, i was blown away!
This Rega and Dali are truly amazing combination. Problem is this position is completely not-functional for living.
I will close the cave with plasterboard completely, maybe put some faux bricks over , leave a door a convert it to the storage room. I hope that will make original position more acoustic with fake wall behind it.

Thank you for helping out!
 
I did what you suggested, moved speakers to the right wall, and moved away sofa. And yes i found that missing bass :D. Played some heavy songs, i was blown away!
This Rega and Dali are truly amazing combination. Problem is this position is completely not-functional for living.
I will close the cave with plasterboard completely, maybe put some faux bricks over , leave a door a convert it to the storage room. I hope that will make original position more acoustic with fake wall behind it.

Thank you for helping out!
Glad you eventually found it. Your description of the bass was not what I had heard from these speakers so I guess our hearing isn't so different. :)
 
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