Highland office system.

[adk highlander]

I've put together a 2-channel office system that has turned out to be very very nice to my ears.

A month or two back I purchased a couple of Behringer B2031P monitors after a bit of searching for a best bang for the buck under $200. These things are great. Very good detail but not fatiguing with all the nearfield listening I'm doing. They also have very tight bass which still comes through even with the lower volumes I have to listen to most of the time.

The next item was the Integra ADM 2.1 amp. This puts out 100x2 at 8ohms. I have the Onkyo version of this amp that I use to drive a few sets of the speakers in my whole house system so I was sure it would work to drive a couple of desktop monitors. The good news was I grabbed it on epray for only 75 bucks. The bad news was the guy shipped it in a box with no padding and lets just say the postal service used it for a football. I was able to recoup my cost for the shipping and the amp still works. The damage was on the back corner so from the front it looks ok.

For a CD source I was given a Sony DVP-NS325 DVD/CD player. Don't have alot to say about this one. The best part is it was free and the analog connections work so I'm happy with it.

Now for the best part. I had been running my computer directly into the amp and needless to say that connection runs very hot and I had to keep the volume way down on the computer or it was blasting. I was also getting some static that was annoying at low volumes. So I started searching for an inexpensive or a semivintage preamp to go along with the system. Well I was patient and I grabbed this Marantz SC-80 for 88 bucks. It is a mid 90's model and is in excellent condition. There is not a huge amount of info out there on this model. I've read there is a Phillips version so it may be before they went to D&M holdings.

This was packaged well and came to me without any incidents. It is heavy at around 20lbs. It has 7 source inputs including a nice phono state that will do both MM and MC. I just hooked it up this morning and am using the CD in and AUX 1 is my computer. First thing I noticed is that the noise floor issue is gone. No static just dead quiet. So far I've listened to Monte Montgomery's 1st and Repair and a mix CD. Much better sound that direct from my computer. Not as harsh and more detail.

So my complete gear list:

Pre: Marantz SC-80
Amp: Integra ADM-2.1
CD: Sony DVP-NS325
Speakers: Behringer B2031P
Computer: Dell precision 690
Wire: Monoprice 12ga

Pics:

The preamp


The toys


Office

[ParadigmDawg]

That's really nice Craig. I bet it sounds great.

[Davemcc]

If you have to be chained to a desk, that's the way to go.

[jamie2112]

Sweet little rig the Craig I bet it stomps the room.........

[adk highlander]

That's really nice Craig. I bet it sounds great.

Thanks Greg.

If you have to be chained to a desk, that's the way to go.

You know it. 5 days a week. Thank god for lcd's.

Sweet little rig the Craig I bet it stomps the room.........

It is a good day here today. They are tearing up our driveway at the office for a new water line so I have an excuse to crank it up.

[adk highlander]

I cannot say how much I am enjoying this system. It makes coming to work every day much nicer. I just cannot get over how much better this sounds using this new preamp. It is just dead quiet and allows me to listen at low volumes and still get every detail of the music.

The noise floor on my theater system is so much higher. I don't know if it is my MPS or the Onkyo pre but when I turn that system on I can hear some "static" with no sources playing. It really does not effect the sound in that room because the levels I listen are high enough that it is never an issue.

[GlocksRock]

Very nice, I just have a little harmon/kardon 2.1 setup, but having something other than the built in pc speaker sure does make working much more bearable.

[Alex2507]

Where do you find the time to work with all the gear you have to hook up, evaluate and write reviews on?

Who do you think you are? ... Tom Andry?

I Velcro two wires together and think I got me something ... oh I know what it is. You guys don't actually 'listen' to music. You get some gear, cut the power cords off the back and make up stories that you think would interest us poor slobs still trying to plug our equipment in. I'm on to you and shame on you.

Go get a job at Stereophile you POSER !!!

BTW, I was only kidding about a turntable, especially at work.
You'd never get any work done. If anything a 5 CD changer would be best.

Edit: No kidding about being grateful for LCD screens. Those 2030P's aren't exactly small.
The whole thing makes me want to do more and do it better. It looks soogin'.

[adk highlander]

Where do you find the time to work with all the gear you have to hook up, evaluate and write reviews on?

Who do you think you are? ... Tom Andry?

I Velcro two wires together and think I got me something ... oh I know what it is. You guys don't actually 'listen' to music. You get some gear, cut the power cords off the back and make up stories that you think would interest us poor slobs still trying to plug our equipment in. I'm on to you and shame on you.

Go get a job at Stereophile you POSER !!!

BTW, I was only kidding about a turntable, especially at work.
You'd never get any work done. If anything a 5 CD changer would be best.

Edit: No kidding about being grateful for LCD screens. Those 2030P's aren't exactly small.
The whole thing makes me want to do more and do it better. It looks soogin'.

Thanks Alex. I'm really grovin' on this setup. It is just one of those setups that is really pleasing to my ears. I think my next upgrade is going to be this:

HRT Music Streamer to go from my computer to the pre. They are supposed to be a huge improvement over a standard sound card.

[Alex2507]

... a huge improvement over a standard sound card.

My next upgrade is learning to use a standard sound card ...
Damn technology.