Here is a nice system for not alot of cash.
Rogue 88 800.00
Rogue 66 850.00
Coincident Triumph 750.00
Musical Fidelity A3CD 700/800
Coincident IC and Speaker cables 700.00
3900.00 You can spend way more.
Buy stands and rack with the rest. |
Rotel 971 cd
Lavardin IS amp
kef Q65.2 speakers
VDH 102/122/vdh mains/lavardin mains
I think this system comes in at about 4k and for voice, jazz, chamber and acoustic it is one of the better Ive heard recently. Takes a lot of setting up and needs good mains preferably right the way back to the consumer unit. |
Magneplanar MMG ($500, new)
Resolution Audio CD50 ($1800 or less, used)
Rogue 88 ($950, new, dealer discounted)
Harmonic Technology Pro-9 ($450, used)
AudioTruth Emerald x3 ($200, used)
The total is only $2600 (BARELY HALF OF YOUR GOAL)...I believe this system represents the absolute best value going...bar none. You could buy a PS 300 or 600 with the rest, along with some good power cords, and even lots of CD's...If you must have SACD, you could find a used Sony 777 for less than the used CD50, and buy Rogue's integrated instead of the 88 (for volume control). You could even add a subwoofer and some room treatment later, and the system would just kill most everything!
SIBELIUS IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE COMPOSERS!!! |
Sounds like a good system, but check your math; it's nearly $4000. |
Yes, I see, $3900. Anybody could probably still afford it, though. |
You can run the cd 50 directly to your amp and forget the preamp altogether.There, now you're back at $3000. Kale |
Sibelius,
I am a happy owner of a Morrison ELAD also! Here's my sub-5K system:
Adcom GCD 750 ($1400 new, bought it for $700)
Morrison ELAD ($790)
Audiosource Amp 2 - bridged($500)
NHT VT1.2 ($1150 new, paid $750)
MIT T2 IC/Speaker cables ($370, courtesy of Audio Advisor)
audio rack - $250 (forgot the name...)
total: $3360
Happy Listening! |
Sibelius,
Sorry I forgot to mention this in my last post....how do you like the Stratos with the Newform speakers? I am interested in audition the speakers as one of my next upgrades, so any info and insights are welcome! |
MgS:
I am very satisfied with the Stratos/Newform/Elad Combo. Very detailed. In fact, I have just called Klaus and put in an order to convert my single Stratos to a pair of Mono's.
My next purchase will probably be a used tube preamp. I am not doctrinaire regarding Solid State/Tubes and think it would be fun to have both a good SS and Tube preamp to play with depending on the recording and type of music. |
Sibelius,
From your experience with the Stratos and the Newforms, do the Newforms need much power (>100w/ch) for optimal performance? I understand that their sensitivity is at 91db...so are you converting the Stratos to monoblocks because of power requirement, or?
I am thinking about trying out a tube integrated amp sometime in the future myself, just to see (I mean to "Hear") what all the tube fans are raving about. |
Mgs:
The Newforms absolutely do not need any additional Power. The Odyssey has more than enough juice in Stereo Config. A whole different world compared to my current guzzling Maggies. The reason I am going to Mono's are (1) It's relatively cheap and (2) I have heard folks say that the Mono's greatly increase soundstage and presence. As I have never had Mono's before, I am also a bit curious to see what kind of difference I'll hear. |
sibelius, i've spoken w/john meyer of newform, as i'm also considering his speakers, & he sez that removing the passive x-overs, & going to active x-overs & bi-amping, gives even better results. since the newforms don't need any more power, instead of getting the stratos mono amps, i'd suggest getting another stereo amp & running them in a wertically bi-amped configuration. this will give ewe the best of both worlds - ewe will still have a separate amp driving each speaker, & ewe will also be able to actively cross-over the newforms. even if ewe still use the newforms' passive x-over (which benefits from switching to hi-grade caps, btw), since ya don't need the extra power, the ability to have seperate amps for each channel *and* still being able to bi-amp the speakers, will give ewe better results than yust having a single monobloc per channel. and, yule still have more power than ya got now, when using two stereo amps. ask klaus - i spoke w/him about this, when considering buying a pair of his amps. (i ended up w/a pair of electrocompaniet aw60ftt's). i also highly recommend going to a tubed preamp - it will take your rig to another level, imho... :>) at under $1k, ewe can find a used melos sha-gold reference or melos maestro (last iteration of the sha-gold). i know of no other preamp that will approach the sonics of this unit at anywhere near the price, tho leafs may dispute this! ;~) regards, doug s. |
Sedond:
What exactly is entailed technically in "removing the passive X-Over". Is this a fairly easy procedure? Can a novice handle it? Or is this for true techies only.
Sibelius |
hi sibelius, i'd contact john meyer directly about this - as i'm sure ewe know, he's wery service-oriented - (as is klaus, of odyssey). but, i really doubt it's wery complicated - it wood yust inwolve removing the internal x-over, & wiring the separate drivers directly to their respective binding posts. if ewe can operate a screwdrive 7 a soldering iron, it should be no problem! :>) but, as i mentioned before, even w/o going to an active x-over, i tink yule still get better results w/a pair of stratos stereo amps, one amp for each speaker, w/one channel of the amp driving the scan-speaks & the other amp channel driving the ribbon. hope this helps, doug s. |
Since I have not heard the Melos i wont comment but recomending gear from a company no longer in bussiness may not be the best advice one can pass on. |
leafs, your point is well-taken - i approached the purchase of my melos pre w/much trepidation. but, i was reassured by the fact that melos audio restorations exists for the servicing & upgrading of these fine-sounding units. i'm sure the original company's demise due to poor quality-control & poor service, is a main reason why the product is now so (relatively) inexpensive. i say *cool* - i can afford someting w/outstanding sound-quality that wood normally be out of my price range! ;~) regards, doug s. |
Sedond your writting style is unique.What is your mother tounge. |
hi leafs, my mother *tongue* is english; not sure what my mother tounge is... ;~) regards, doug s. |
From the way you write I figured you to be of European decent and English not the first language you learned. |
Most obviously American of anyone on Audiogon. |
leafs, i find the english language fascinating & fun to play games with; i *can* spell correctly when i wanna, can ewe? ;~) paul, i dunno if that's a compliment or an insult! :>) regards, doug *me: ugly american? i hope not!* sedon |
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hey leafs, *ewe* were the one who asked... :>) sibelius, i'm curious if ya had a chance to talk w/either klaus or john meyer, & what they had to say about wertical bi-amping... also, btw - i agree, for buying brand-gnu product, that sounds like a wery nice system, for $5k. regards, doug s. |
*EWE* are in need of some type of help.Cant figure what but I now its something. |
"cant figure what but i now its something." try this: can't figure what, but i know it's something. leafs, what's yer mother tongue? ;~) leafs, i'm doin' ok, but if ya tink i need some help, s'ok, if it makes ya feel better. i also tink folks who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones - i may play w/words, which may lead ewe to believe i need some help. while i don't see the connection, that's ok. but, ewe seem to be hell-bent on attacking me, either bluntly or subtly. dunno what that sez about whether or not ewe need help, but it *is* someting i noticed. a-gon noticed it too, that ewe went thru & pinged w/negative wotes most of my posts a while back, which caused them to have to go thru & delete all yer negative wotes against me. hey, whatever floats yer boat, leafs. oh, i also noticed that, while ewe don't seem to enjoy wordplay, & feel it may indicate some problem or ignorance, *your* grammar & spelling sucks. sibelius, sorry to get off-track again, but i *am* interested in whacha ya decide to do about the newforms/stratos... doug s. |
way to go leafs - when all else fails, go back to silent negative wotes! yure a class act... doug s. |
I thought your post sucked.Am I not allowed to vote negative for it.What does class have to do with not liking a post.WAWAWA you cry baby. |
ya, leafs, sure - whatever... doug *laffin', not cryin'* sedon |
hey ladies/gents, could we please stay on the topic? I hate to interrupt, but fellow Audiogoners' English skills have nothing to do with "All Value System Under 5K"...even I, an ESL (English-as-Second-Language) speaker, can understand that...8-)
Sibelius, I am eagerly looking forward for your report on your conversation with Klaus and John. BTW, have you ever heard of a company named Accusonics? I just read a review in TAS about their mono amps (the MB400s I believe); seems like high quality stuff without the price tag to match... |
mgs - THANK YOU!!! :>) i, too, eagerly await info from sibelius. sorry about the little diwersion, but when attacked, i feel compelled to respond. i should try harder to abstain altogether from such petty nonsense - as said on another thread re: quotes - "don't wrestle w/a pig; ya yust get all dirty & the pig enjoys it." ;~) as i get nearer to a purchase of newforms, amplification questions will loom for me, also... regards, doug s. |
Roland I know you lurk around the thereads.I belive you own Newforms.Anything you can add in regards to the speakers. |
I've got Newforms and run them with a Bat vk60 amp and it's plenty of power and sounds wonderful. |
