A high-end stereo sound system for less than five grands! ...Speakers, Interconnects, and Cables included!

A high-end stereo sound system for less than five grands! ...Speakers, Interc...

Hey guys. New here, but been lurking for a few weeks. This thread sounded fun so I thought I would spec out what I would do with $5K for a new system.

Here it goes.

- Woody

From speakers to source.

Kef LS50's - $1500

Speaker cables would be Clear Day Double Shotguns - $450

Skylan Stands for the Kefs - $350

Job 225 - $1700

Interconnects would be Clear Day - $165x2 ($330)

Luminous Audio Axiom 2 Passive - $250

Schiit Bifrost DAC - $350

Source is the computer you're looking at this forum on.

Grand total: $4930

I would have posted nice photos of my choices, but I won't let me with a low post count. :-)
 
Welcome to the forum Woody! Thank you for joining. That system looks great to me :) All good stuff.
 
Mechnutt said:
Magnepan 1.7's- $2200, Peach Tree Nova 125 integrated hybrid tube amp with built in Sabre DAC-$1500, Rhythmik F12servo Sub $800, Cardas Pasec 1 meter XLR about $350pr, Belden 10g speaker wire by Bluejeans cables about 0.90cents a foot unterminated. The Peach Tree has a nice dynamic and transparent sound being a digital amp, high current 30 amps and it almost doubles it power at 4 ohms to 220wpc. The Cardas Parsecs lean a bit to the warmer side with very good resolution and clarity. Power cord by Cullen Cables - $125

Amplifier with DAC - nova125 Amplifier DAC with Tube | Peachtree Audio

http://www.peachtreeaudio.com/media/reviews/TONEAudio-nova125-review.pdf

or the newer-

Amplifier with DAC - nova220SE Amplifier DAC with Tube | Peachtree Audio

Rythmik Audio servo subwoofer 12" F12SE Signature Edition

This system consists of gear the perform way above their price points.

Other speakers to consider are Salk Song Towers, Dyn Audio, Thiel and PSB Synchrony Two's. I love the Synchrony One's but they sell for about $4500pr.
Click to expand...

A brilliant system, Larry. Magneplanars models are hard to beat in their price ranges, especially the 1.7. The Peachtree integrated is jaw-dropping value and I've always thought the Rhythmik's look terrific in their price ranges.

I'm not sure I spring for the Cardas Parsecs on a $5k budget -- but then I haven't heard them.

You don't mention any source though. Based on my experience with the Schiit Bifrost Uber DAC with USB I'd say it's a safe bet at $520 or step up to the fully balanced Gungnir with USB at $850.

If a person wanted to avoid planars, (you'd need a heck of a reason), I'd suggest looking at the Golden Ear Triton Two or Three. With either you might get away without a separate sub, and the Three's at $3000 a pair are no more that the Maggie 1.7's plus the Rhythmik.

triton_detail_overview_image_new.jpg
 
This is an interesting thread, and something I am going through for my office system right now... something nearfield and a sub (already have the integrated). I can say that 5k is certainly doable... especially for some used equipment.
 
Croft Phono Integrated Amp (£1000)

Clearaudio Concept TT (includes a MM cart) (£995)

Harbeth P3ESR speakers (£1400)

Van Damme 2.5mm speaker cable £20 (!)
Reference Fidelity Pluto RCA's £105

£3520......probably around $5000 :) I'd be happy (and better off than now!)
 
Here's what I'm listening to, but it's some used gear.

Klyne SK-5 pre (used) $1000
Prima Luna Prologue 4 (new) $1400
Acoustat 2+2s (used) 500
OPPO 105 (new) $1100
AQ cables 500
RSA Haley (used) 500

That's about 5 grand and it sounds really nice. I've also substituted the Vandersteen 1Cis ($1100/pair new) but that goes a bit over budget.
 
Alright, so I'm going to up the ante of this proposition by adding in a couple guidelines....

1) Every pick needs to feature current, in-production gear. Vintage or recent-vintage gear need not apply.

2) You will have to assume that you're paying full retail price (minus tax) for all of the components in the system. This means used gear, industry hook-ups, gifts, and 'sale items' won't count.

So, let's get right to it!



For a classic full-range system, here's what I came up with:

Speakers: Klipsch RF-7 II's ($3200)
Integrated: Dayens Ampino (upgraded) ($672)
Source: Indiana Line Puro CD-player (around $700)

Total: $4,572. This will leave you with enough financial headroom to experiment with cables, room treatments, resonance control devices, or what have you. The goal of this system is to give you a full-range, detailed, yet supremely musical experience that'll sound good with every genre of music that you can think of. The only caveat to this system is that setting up the RF-7 II's in a room can be a b***. But once you get them dialed in right - ohhhhh man. They're good. Real good.


For smaller, more intimate spaces, I would consider the following options:

Speakers:

Totem Acoustic Sttaf ($2150) if you want a fullish-range sound and value holographic imaging, and good tone.
Harbeth P3ESR ($2150) are great if you don't need a lot of bass.
Fritz Morel 6 ($1650) If you want something that's easy to listen to, yet still very versatile.

Integrated:

Dayens Ampino ($995) - Very open, linear, yet musical sounding. Will match all three speakers well.
Indiana Line Puro 800 (roughly $1050 ) - Built-in USB DAC, a good phono stage, sounds great.

Source:

Indiana Line Puro CD-Player (roughly $700)

At the systems most expensive configuration, you end up at $3,900. This gives you $1,100 of wiggle room. You could spend that money on speaker stands, room acoustic treatments, an additional component or two like a turntable, streaming device, a separate phono stage (if you end up going with the Dayens), etc...


Honorable Mentions include: Tri Art 'Pebbles' turntable, iFi Phono pre-amp, Rega Brio R , Rega Apollo R, Totem Acoustic Hawk , Rosso Fiorentino Elba , Maggie 1.7i , and I'm sure there are loads of others that I just can't think of right now.
 
I have:

-Rogue Audio Sphinx V2 Integrated Amp $1.5k
-KEF LS50 speakers $1.25k
-Audioengine B2 Bluetooth DAC $190
-Project debut carbon TT with acrylic platter and puck $600
-Audioquest cables $400+
-Panamax mr4000 power conditioner and surge protector $200
-Budget speaker stands and shelf system $300

Total: about $4500

I currently Bluetooth my digital files and CDs from my Mac and sometimes my iPhone. My next purchase may be a JL e110 powered subwoofer, $1.5K, and an upgraded TT cartridge, Orfofon 2M Blue $240.


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Adelphos speaker kit from Meniscus. Designed by Jeff Bagby. I've heard these and to say I was stunned was an understatement for these time aligned 2 way speakers. $820 for the premium kit and figure $600 to pay a cabinet maker for the boxes in about any wood you want.

Dual HSU ULS-15 MK2 at $1960 ran as stereo.

Crown XLS 1502 at $400

Oppo Sonica at $800 as a source and pre-amp

Leaves $500 for starter room treatments (subwoofer pads and first point reflection absorption).

This setup allows for balanced input and outputs for everything including the subs. Figure $80 in XLR cabling from Amazon.
 
My advice:

KEF LS50wireless 2300 euro
Auralic Aries G1 2200 euro

That leaves 500 euro for cables and if so needed for a HDD that you can attach to the G1
 
Mordante said:
My advice:

KEF LS50wireless 2300 euro
Auralic Aries G1 2200 euro

That leaves 500 euro for cables and if so needed for a HDD that you can attach to the G1
Click to expand...

The KEF LS50s blew me away when I heard them. One of these days I’ll buy a pair.


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