2. amps-preamps
  3. 1101534228

Small Room. 2-channels. $1,500 & nothing else.

The title says it all: Small, 9.5'x11' room. Hardwood floors. Absolutely no gear to start with. Looking for a 2 channel system. $1,500. Used or new or refurbed - it's all good if it sounds good!

What would you do?

I have a nice HT/downstairs audio system in the way of an NAD T762, PSB Stratus Silver i's, PSB C5i center, PSB Sub 7 15" sub, NAD 542 CD, and a cheap DVD player. Quite frankly, superb sound for the less than $2.5k I spent on it. But the reality is that I am setting up a second room upstairs in the house as a "retreat". It will have little in it - a couch, small flatscreen TV. Beer cooler.

And a 2 channel stereo.

I am working on keeping this ultra simple. As simple as I can: Int/Amp, CDP, Speakers. Wires. No sub wanted. Just good, clean, enjoyable, upgradeable 2-channel sound.

My initial thoughts:

Int Amp:
1. NAD 320 BEE
2. NAD 352
4. Music Hall Maverick
5. Jolida 202
6. Jolida 302
- The Music Hall Maverick is by far the most expensive with a retail of $1250...I would definitely have to find it used. But it is one very lovely looking int amp. and I daresay that the listening has been very good...

CDP
1. Music Hall CD25
2. NAD T542 or 521 BEE (could sub the 521 into the downstairs...take the 542 upstairs...)

Speakers
1. PSB Stratus Mini's
2. Green Mountain Europa
3. B&W ???

As silly as it seems, I want this system to LOOK good, not just sound good. This is my private home away from home. Pictures on the wall, peace, quiet. Aesthetics are all part of this as well.

Type of music I listen to? Classical, Jazz. New Age. Opera. Save the rock & roll for downstairs - this is a retreat room where I can find peace.

This is a wide open type of request. I suppose if I had more money, I would likely go with the Music Hall CD25 & Maverick and then try to find a set of speakers to match it - but I figure that the best I could do then would be a $2k system...which is out of my reach at least in the short term.

What say you, Audiophiles?
rnovi

Showing 1 response by suits_me

suits_me
121 posts
 
I would check out the Onix Ref 1 in Rosewood and Chinese Melody tube integrated deal at av123.com. You will have to look around under news and future products to find this. Call them for the deal. Both for $1200 or so and a $200 credit on their cabling. There's no reason this shouldn't make nice music in your sized room. They also will have a version of the Music Hall CD player for around $300 or so, with mods available. These folks have been around the audio industry for a long time, at various companies.

If you don't like that then the $1500 http://www.odysseyaudio.com offering of speaker, pre and amp and cabling is also thought to be quite good.

I also like the idea of a Pioneer DVD player and a Scott Nixon tubedac, although it would be more expensive than the av123 CD player. (The tubedac has no upsampling - an advantage I think.)
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