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Most non-fatiguing 2.0 nearfield setup for $1000

Hello everyone, first-time poster here. This might be a little lengthy, but I won't mind if you skip over it if you just want to recommend some laid-back speakers, a good amp, or a good dac that might be lesser known. Anything is welcome. Like the topic suggests, I'm trying to put together the most non-fatiguing setup (DAC+amp+bookshelves) that I can and my maximum budget is around $1000. My goal is to have something that's less fatiguing than silence. Okay, I'm kidding, but I'm just generally looking for something that's laid-back, warm, perhaps somewhat mushy is not a bad thing in my opinion. I realize that ultimately my own subjective listening will determine what's best for me, but any input would be greatly appreciated.

Right now I'm using an early 90's entry level Harmon Kardon receiver with JBL bookshelves that have gone through hell. I don't think it's bad, and many would probably enjoy it but I find it to be too fatiguing, even with some EQ applied. I find this setup to be too harsh for my liking, not terribly bad, but I'd rather give them to my parents or my sister if I can't enjoy it to its fullest.

Lately I've been considering a Peachtree Decco as my source. Perhaps I could stretch for the Nova but I'd rather not as money is tight. I'm not a tube person but whenever someone mentions "tube" there seems to be an unwritten rule that it's warm (not the tube getting warm, or maybe that's what they meant! ;_;), even if it may not be universally true. If getting a separate DAC, I don't mind USB or digital out, though I understand some (most?) onboard audio doesn't have the best digital out so I may need to get an inexpensive sound card for this purpose. In general, it seems to me that I should just go with whatever DAC is neutral, and I'd probably be pleased with an Emu 0404 USB. Cheaper internal audio cards like the Auzentech Forte and Asus Xonar Essence ST from what I've read may or may not have internal noise and may or may not be bright sounding.

If I had to get a separate integrated stereo amplifier, I might just go for something cheap like the Gizmo t-amp or something vintage off of craigslist. If you have better suggestions I'm all ears.

Speakers. Here's the fun part and probably most important from what I gather. Right now I'm looking at Ascend Acoustics CBM-170 SE, Energy RC-10, PSB Alpha B1, Av123/Onix X-LS and ELT525 (I think I might prefer the X-LS more), Triangle Stella, or whatever cheap Spendor bookshelves I can get my hands on in the US. I might even go for some Paradigm Atoms which seem to be all the rage these days though they're both "bright" and "not-so-bright". It's hard to go by such a subjective descriptor in my opinion, plus I don't know if people sometimes refer to their older Atoms which are supposedly nowhere near the new ones. Well, this is basically a summary of where my one month of research has led me. I hope I did not bore you, though I'm sure it did since I'm so green at this. Any input, criticism, commentary, answers, questions are appreciated. Thank you.

Oh, I almost forgot, but should I bother with tube buffers? I had no idea what the heck one of these things were until recently, so I have not yet been able to do much research but if anyone has anything to say about them, I'm eager to learn. Thanks once again.
yogaflame

Showing 3 responses by jax2

jax2
3,031 posts
 
Warm and mushy, eh? Well, I think I may know what you mean, though they aren't exactly a very flattering pair of adjectives. Tubes are probably a very good thing just in terms of warmth. Laid back in nearfield is a tough one and may have more to do with the speakers you choose than anything else. I'd go with a tubed integrated amp, like a Jolida 102B, Sophia SET Baby (disclaimer: I am selling one of the latter), or other EL84 based small integrated. This should run you from $350-450. Tube buffer stages are not really necessary (I assume you are talking about a DAC buffer). Just get a tubed DAC. I would recommend an MHDT Paradisea (has one tube in the output stage for that warmth and, um, mushiness you are after). Actually the Paradisea is a very natural sounding DAC...I wouldn't really call it "mushy" at all, but I think it will fit what you're after in context. These go pretty fast, but if you are patient and vigilant you should be able to find one for about $400. I would not use a soundcard - an external DAC will give you better results IMO. Ideally you want to take that conversion outside of the noisy electronic environment of a computer chasis. OK, I've spent 800 bucks of your 1k...that only leaves 200 for speakers. There were a pair of Omega Compact 3i's up for sale here that would probably be a nice match with a low-power tube amp in nearfield. I think they were around $400 though. You'll need something efficient if you go with the tube amps I suggested. There's a Klipsch monitor that I have not heard that is supposed to be very good. I like their older stuff when Paul still had a hand in things, but haven't really heard that much of the new stuff that floats my boat, but their RB5 monitors are supposed to be very good. I've seen them for as little as $275 on the used market. I don't know if they'd be laid back or "mushy" though. I'll defer to someone else on that one. I would say the general sense I get from your description points to tubes. I'd try to find some better adjectives though :-)

Have fun!
jax2
3,031 posts
 
I'd second the Era's - great speakers - the 5's are even better if you can afford the extra $. McFavre4 - don't they require a bit more power (they are fairly inefficient, aren't they?). Another good choice in an SS integrated is a used Rega Brio 3 if you can find one.
jax2
3,031 posts
 
For the dac and amp, the Peachtree looks to be the best bet for now but if I could score an MHDT Paradisea and one of the other amps suggested that would be sweet too.

Beware that some of this stuff doesn't mix and match well. You do need to pay attention, specifically to the combination of amp and speakers. The Era Designs are great speakers - the 5's go lower and have a bit more impact overall, to my ears, than the 4's do. Spica TC50's are classics and available inexpensively. I don't think you can get drivers for them anymore so if you blow a driver you'll have to get it repaired. I owned Spica TC-50s for many years and I would definitely NOT call them warm, laid back, or mushy. They are lively speakers and outstanding imaging speakers, but they are more on the side of neutral. It certainly would not occur to me to use them nearfield as they are pretty large. Don't get me wrong, great speakers, especially mounted to good stands. Like the Era's they'd require some muscle to push as I don't recall them being that efficient. So if you go for an Era or Spica you will need a more powerful amp. The Nova would be fine for either. The amps I recommended early on would definitely NOT be fine as they are lower powered tube amps that are better suited to more sensitive speakers.
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