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Finally saved 3000 what is a good setup.

After year trolling this website and saving I have finally earned 3K to spend on a system. Currently I am using some old Sony studio speakers my friend gave a few years back but now its time for a change. I am firmly in the digital camp and have been using a Squeezebox for the last few years and have transferred much of my collection onto a hard drive. What I need advice how to split 3000 between a set of speakers and an integrated amp or power amp (my setup now and use the digital volume on the SB).

To help with suggestion, my living room in going to be my main setup. The room is 18 X 14 X 10 with carpeted floors. I have room to spread these puppies at most 8 - 10 feet apart. I don't care if their monitors or floor standers but cannot be panel. I am married and my wife, who is also into music, would not like something that will dominate the household.

Heres a little about me. I am a studio musician and teacher by trade. In addition, I listen to all types of music, considering I am exposed to so much different types of music at the studio, and regularly go to live concerts to see a wide variety of music. As such, my idea deal speaker is true to the source without adding too much, makes me feel like I am actually one of those live concerts, is realistic, and just disappear. I know for many bass is key but I like honest bass not the exaggerated bass that so many speakers produce IMO.

So what you think. What would be a good combination?
aldres
levy03
442 posts
 
i'd suggest a krell integrated (s300i or similar) and a pair of aerial 7b's. it's a set-up i initially started with and served me well for a 2 years.

thinking you should be able to do this at about 3000-3500 used. 7b's are great all around speakers but need juice to shine. the krell integrated amps have the power they need. the only caution i have is to stay away from silver IC's. they sounded a bit forward in this set-up imho.

just my 2 cents.
ngjockey
1,042 posts
 
A few amps that caught my eye were a Classe 70 ($475), a Legacy (Coda... $800) and a couple McCormack DNA-1's. Except for the McCormacks, the other two have the option of XLR inputs which would be nice with the Audiolab.
mrkoven
93 posts
 
go with fritz carbon 7 monitors and spend the rest on an integrated, krell is what i used, it'll be the best bang for your buck, the carbon 7's are giant killers
agear
1,362 posts
 
Mrkoven, good call on the Fritz carbon 7s. I own speakers which emply series x-overs and Scanspeak drivers, and they are the shizzle in terms of coherence and musicality. He would need a sub though to pull off deep bass (organ) notes since they only dip to 39 Hz.
timlub
2,039 posts
 
I agree and back up the Fritz Carbon 7 recommendation. Something in the range of a Audio Refinement Complete integrated, a $350 laptop, inexpensive dac, alot of good cables without spending massive money and you have a very satisfying, very audiophile system.
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