Recommendations for HiFi Listening Room


Newbie here.  Wife and I are looking to turn our Great Room into a listening room.  It’s roughly 21’X’19 and has a cathedral ceiling that is 11’ tall at the wall and 20’ tall at the apex.  Spoke to a good hifi dealer in the area who made the following recommendations/proposal and I’m curious if this group may have any input for getting maximum bang for my buck.  Basically, with a budget around 35k (or thereabouts) would you buy something similar or are there any components you’d add or swap out?

Paradigm Persona 3F

McIntosh MA8950

Pro-Ject Xtension 9 w/ Ortofon Black Cartridge 

Sony ES DSD Music Server (this one concerns me a touch in that it appears to be an 8 yr old product line).

Thanks so much in advance for your collective expertise.  My wife isn’t going to let me drop money into this for another 15 years so I need to get it right the first time. 

If it matters, our musical taste is quite varied: classical, jazz, classic rock, alternative, hip hop.  My mother complained in my youth that if i had 10 bucks I would just buy a CD with it.  She is still right. 

128x128brewerslaw

Also, budget for some room treatment. I popular resource for info, advice, and products at reasonable prices check out "gikacoustics.com" (when I try to copy/paste a link it gets imbedded in a very large box)

Take your time. Do not rush into any of the purchases until you really understand the sound of various speakers and what matches well with them in terms of a preamplifier and amplifier. When you audition speakers try to do the auditioning in a room of similar size. You will not be able to find a room with that ceiling height but certainly the other dimensions should be close. You need to hear how the speakers can load the room. Realize that windows and a fireplace are not going to add positively to the room. Windows can have window treatments that will reduce their negative aspect, harsh reflections. The fireplace needs to be examined closely. Setting your speakers up on either side of it will have a negative effect so if this is how you thought you would be placing the speakers then maybe you need to think about how you can shield the sound from not being swallowed by the fire box and chimney. You should eliminate any stand mounted speakers from your list due to the size of your room.

@kennyc TAS 50 Greatest Bargains in High-End Audio

Hadn’t looked in ages - interesting though, that Magnepan speakers come up in 4 of 5 categories. Got to say that a pair of Magnepan DWM (woofer) panels really improved my system.

 

if you have symmetrical corners facing the sectional get these (below).   they will fill the room, and your whole house actually, with beautiful sound.   they're big but would be out of the way in the corners.   these guys on here are mostly old and while many have lots of experience they tend to get a narrow focus and ignore what you actually asked which is about a system for your family room.  nobody in there right mind would put gik all over the walls and ceiling of a public family room.   if your wife agreed to that id be very surprised.  moreover, if you want that id be very surprised.   

this:

 

OP,

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My audio guy bugged me for a year before I finally started a trial with Qobuz. The trial did not last a month… but only a day. I immediately cancelled my Tidal subscription and never thought about it again.