Suggestions for an all in one integrated with source built in
I'm looking to upgrade an old setup that I've had for many years. It lives in a seldom used (by me) vacation home so doesn't see a lot of action. But when I do use it, I tend to immerse myself in it for days at a time. I will have more opportunities to get out there in the upcoming years so I want to upgrade what I have.
The current system was assembled over 10 years ago using an April Music Aura Note V2 and a set of Wharfedale Jade 3 monitors. It's a delightful system for the price, but technology has advanced and I think I can do better now. Also my budget is much larger than it was back then.
I have a perhaps irrational interest in sticking with an all in one setup like this. Not sure why that is. Maybe I can be talked out of it, but I would like to explore what else exists on the market before I consider abandoning this form factor. It looks like a lot more integrated amps have onboard DACs so maybe this is not the limitation it used to be.
I don't play a lot of CDs any longer so a good streaming solution must be involved. Any new device is likely to have this covered. Don't care if it has a display or not, but a remote is required, I don't like just using my phone for that.
The speakers will be replaced with another set of monitors as well. I intend to try out some of the usual suspects like B&W 805 D4, Focal Sopra and Kanta series, KEF Reference 1 Meta, maybe some Harbeth and Spendor too. Might try some more adventurous brands if I can get my hands on demo units easily. Bottom line, I won't be using anything extremely difficult to drive, nor anything ultra sensitive.
A few ideas I had include the NAD M33 v2, Hifi Rose RS520, and the Naim Uniti Nova. What else should I take a look at?
Great process and progress, @996turbo911 ! Please keep us posted as you finalize the speaker choice and as you try out those amp/streamer/dac units. (If you end up liking the Gato DIA 400S NPM over (or at least as much as) the other 2, with the $ savings you could go for the Perspectives instead of the Pulsars ….) |
@kirkwallace Thank you, I will periodically update as I continue the (slow) journey. I'm also in the middle of building a third system in my regular home (I know, ridiculous), and that has been getting more of my attention lately. But this vacation home upgrade is long overdue so I should focus on that as well. I could go for the Perspectives if there was a worthwhile benefit, the money is not a huge deal. But I'm concerned about them overpowering the relatively small space where this system resides. It's a sort of side room off the main living room, connected but basically isolated, and only about 12x16 in size with a low ceiling. So it doesn't take much to overpower the space, particularly on the low end. |
@996turbo911 how low is that ceiling? I do indeed understand your concern about overpowering, and I have not heard the Pulsars, but of course have read many of the glowing reviews. That said, one very nice thing about the Perspectives is that they are really relatively small as floorstanders go and work close in and also further afield. The room my Perspective 2s are in is ~14’ wide x 26’ long, but the main listening area is under a 8’ ceiling and I sit relatively close in, about 7’3” from ears to the front baffles on the diagonal and the speakers are about 82” apart (on center). (You can see a pic on my virtual system page) The sound and imaging are great. Maybe it depends on what decibel levels you like to listen at as well. I rarely crank them above 60-63 dBs. (And of course, if you ever wanted speakers for a somewhat larger room, the Perspectives would give you flexibility to move them, whereas the Pulsars might not be big enough.). In any event, I suspect you can’t go wrong with either model. |
@doni Definitely, the PlatiMons are such great speakers. I had never heard of them prior to this little adventure, now I'm baffled as to why they aren't widely known and used by many. I guess market saturation is a problem though. Between the PlatiMons, the Pulsars, and the Franco Serblin Goldbergs, I think the Goldbergs might be the easiest to eliminate. Which is unfortunate because they do have a certain charm (that midrange!) plus they are easily the best looking of the bunch. I'll update thoughts when I do more listening. @kirkwallace Standard 8 foot ceiling. Maybe the Perspectives would work for me after all. I didn't consider myself a quiet listener but then when I visit friends and hear how loud they routinely play... I guess I actually am. I believe I have a source to hear the Perspectives vs Pulsars for myself so that is now on my to do list. |
