New to this hobby please help me


Hi all i’m unsure on what speakers to get i have a marantz sr5011 my budget is 4,000 for floor standing speakers.  I found a local deal on some golden ear technology t66 the red ones for$3800.  But how do i pick without the ability to listen to other brands kef sonus faber etc!!   Is golden ear even good what suggestions do you have on hearing lots of brands under one roof.  My listening is 50 percent music 50 percent movies.  

wizzard

Welcome Wizard

I would give a serious look to Paradigm 

The Founders 80C is in your range. You may be able to swing the 100F too. I think they have a sale going on. 

I was able to do side be side comparison of the Founders 100F and B&W 702 S3. I really wanted the B&Ws but there was no comparison.  The Founders blew them away.  If you like a bright sound the B&Ws may be a good choice but other than that I think the Founders are really hard beet in that price range. 

Good luck!

Here is an interesting video If you’re trying to achieve a combination of home theater and very high-end stereo listening: Combining the Best of High-end Stereo and Home Theater

If you are looking for an amplifier that will do an excellent job of driving GoldenEar T66 speakers you should definitely consider the Hypex Nilai 500 monoblocks which are capable down to 2 ohms

 

Don't overthink it.  You're on the freaking West Coast.  I think you have more places/choices to look at quality audio than almost anywhere.  Avoid influencers like the plague. People like Jay Iyagi, "Is this the greatest?", every other week, or Ron, who has made some really bad personal choices(I don't trust him), or any influencers; by definition, they're not there to suggest what's best for you.  Once you go down the YouTube Rabbit hole, you'll just be more confused.  Go and listen to lots of equipment, start trusting your own instincts, and listen to the advice these dealers give you.  That, in a way, is just as important as the audition; to get a handle on being told the truth and not.  I like to get a sense of whether the salesman is telling the truth about what he really thinks is good, regardless of whether you agree with it.  My Single Malt guy and I have different tastes, but he knows what I like and steers me in the right direction.   And that he listens to what you're trying to achieve. the goal in your system.  

If you're using these for movies, you're probably going to want something that gets to reference level or you might be dissapointed, based on your preferred listening levels.