Speakers / Record Player / Receiver for Music

[andresgt]

Hello,

Im sort of noob. I love playing and listening to music. I finally have decided to get a nice system together strictly for music listening and maybe tv(5-10% of the time). With that being said Im more interested in getting the best music reproduction as possible. My living room size is 12'2X14'6.

My budget is 2-2.5k total. I need speaker, record player and receiver.

1) I was looking at getting the paradigm millenia 300 ($1300). I have read that paradigms are good. Not to many reviews on these so I was hoping to get some input on anybody who had experience on them. I'm open to other speaker suggestions as well!


2) For the record player I was looking at the music hall mmf 2.2le ($500). Any recommendations on this unit? or maybe others that might be better?

3) For receiver I have no idea. I have heard good things about Denon. Any sugegstions on a good denon receiver around 500-800 ? Preferably something that I can stream my music from itunes wirelessly through the receiver. I'm also open to marantz or onkyo receivers =)

Thanks for any suggestions or tip/ links

Drew

 

[ican]

If you record, then why not look into studio monitors with multiple inputs? then you dont have to buy a receiver either? And as for streaming, I am not sure if logitech's squeezebox will do?


M-Audio BX5A

 

[FatmanSize48]

I was in the same boat quite recently myself. If you were to get a Denon with Air Play, it would run you at $549.99. Or, you could buy a bottom line Denon receiver for $249.99. With the extra cash, you could spend more on speakers, or buy a Playstation 3 for $249.99 or an Xbox 360 for $199.99. As for the speakers, go out and listen to a whole bunch for a few hours at least. Buy what you like best...unless the speakers are Bose.

Currently I have a Project-Debut III turntable with a Sumiko Gold Pearl cartridge. List price is around $350 for the turntable and $125 for the cartridge, but I managed to snag them individually for $410 plus tax. Please note that the turntable comes with a cartridge and that my purchase of the Sumiko cartridge was just an upgrade.

Good luck

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

I have not idea what so ever about getting a record player other than you should make sure the receiver you getting (or integrated amp) needs to have a dedicated phono input (pre-amp)

Speakers:
These would be day and night better for 2 channel music than paradigims
philharmonicaudio.com

Receiver:
Marantz Sr4023 80w X 2ch Ci Friendly Stereo Receiver | Accessories4less

Record player:
???????

 

[bikemig]

Do you want a 2 channel receiver or an av receiver? That will make a difference in streaming via airplay since few 2 channel rigs are set up for that. Since your main interest is music, you could go with a 2 channel set up and then add the airport express to stream itunes: Amazon.com: Apple Airport Express: Electronics. It doesn't sound that great using an analog cable and so you will want to use a digital cable and let your receiver do the digital to analog conversion. That really limits you when it comes to stereo receivers because most don't have digital inputs. You could get the HK 3490 or the Onkyo TX 8050 since they each have digital inputs. The HK is the more powerful of the two but the Onkyo is better set up for digital inputs and has a usb input for ipod playback if you desire. Or you could get an av reciever since that had digital inputs and some are airplay capable as well.

Edit: for speakers, you'll want to audition as many as possible to find which ones sound best for you. Take a look at the PSB Image T-6 ($1300). They sound great and either of the 2 stereo receivers I mentioned will drive them easily.

 

[3db]

Hello,

Im sort of noob. I love playing and listening to music. I finally have decided to get a nice system together strictly for music listening and maybe tv(5-10% of the time). With that being said Im more interested in getting the best music reproduction as possible. My living room size is 12'2X14'6.

My budget is 2-2.5k total. I need speaker, record player and receiver.

1) I was looking at getting the paradigm millenia 300 ($1300). I have read that paradigms are good. Not to many reviews on these so I was hoping to get some input on anybody who had experience on them. I'm open to other speaker suggestions as well!


2) For the record player I was looking at the music hall mmf 2.2le ($500). Any recommendations on this unit? or maybe others that might be better?

3) For receiver I have no idea. I have heard good things about Denon. Any sugegstions on a good denon receiver around 500-800 ? Preferably something that I can stream my music from itunes wirelessly through the receiver. I'm also open to marantz or onkyo receivers =)

Thanks for any suggestions or tip/ links

Drew

Are you looking for a strict 2 channel setup or do you want to venture into a Home Theater system and use it to for two channel sound?

 

[andresgt]

Thanks for all the great ideas! So to clarify I'm looking for an av receiver but my primary use will be for music listening. Initially I just plan to buy two tower speakers but I might add more later on.

The philharmonic speakers have impressive stats but I think I'm leaning more on the traditional tower look overall. I have never heard of the PSB Image T6 speakers but from what I read they seem to be very good. I will def go and listen to them this weekend. Any other recommendations for good speakers in the 1300-1600 / (pair)price range ?. I was also wondering if I will require and Amp as well to drive my speakers or will a good receiver suffice? never really understood that whole concept really.

For the receiver I already have an airport express so I guess I can integrate that into the receiver I get. Not to sure about the analog vs digital option though and how that works. I guess I'm just looking for a good receiver that can handle the two towers I end up getting and the record players and potentially have the capacity to add more speakers(surround) in the future as well as being able to stream my itunes library (most of my music is in itunes or lp's, I dont have cd's)

Thanks again for the help!

 

[DD66000]

Any other recommendations for good speakers in the 1300-1600 / (pair)price range ?. I was also wondering if I will require and Amp as well to drive my speakers or will a good receiver suffice? never really understood that whole concept really.

For the receiver I already have an airport express so I guess I can integrate that into the receiver I get. Not to sure about the analog vs digital option though and how that works. I guess I'm just looking for a good receiver that can handle the two towers I end up getting and the record players and potentially have the capacity to add more speakers(surround) in the future as well as being able to stream my itunes library (most of my music is in itunes or lp's, I dont have cd's)

Thanks again for the help!

As you are looking for a pair of speakers in the $1400 range, check out the JBL Studio L L890s. With these speakers you'll get the full range w/o a sub, down to 28 htz. That is lower than LPs will play. I doubt you can find better at that price point.

Depending on where you live, you may or may not find them, as it is with many speaker brands today. But they are available online, Amazon being just one of many e-tailers selling them at discounts.
As for a receiver, the HK 3490, or Outlaw Audio RR2150.

Amazon.com: speakers JBL L890: Electronics

 

[3db]

As you are looking for a pair of speakers in the $1400 range, check out the JBL Studio L L890s. With these speakers you'll get the full range w/o a sub, down to 28 htz. That is lower than LPs will play. I doubt you can find better at that price point.

Not quite true. The frequency response on vinyl is the full 20Hz to 20KHz spectrum.

Depending on where you live, you may or may not find them, as it is with many speaker brands today. But they are available online, Amazon being just one of many e-tailers selling them at discounts.
As for a receiver, the HK 3490, or Outlaw Audio RR2150.

I second those two choices if the OP wanted a stereo system only. But since he's leaning towards HT, he would have to consider an AVR.

Amazon.com: speakers JBL L890: Electronics[/QUOTE]

 

[bikemig]

Thanks for all the great ideas! So to clarify I'm looking for an av receiver but my primary use will be for music listening. Initially I just plan to buy two tower speakers but I might add more later on.

The philharmonic speakers have impressive stats but I think I'm leaning more on the traditional tower look overall. I have never heard of the PSB Image T6 speakers but from what I read they seem to be very good. I will def go and listen to them this weekend. Any other recommendations for good speakers in the 1300-1600 / (pair)price range ?. I was also wondering if I will require and Amp as well to drive my speakers or will a good receiver suffice? never really understood that whole concept really.

For the receiver I already have an airport express so I guess I can integrate that into the receiver I get. Not to sure about the analog vs digital option though and how that works. I guess I'm just looking for a good receiver that can handle the two towers I end up getting and the record players and potentially have the capacity to add more speakers(surround) in the future as well as being able to stream my itunes library (most of my music is in itunes or lp's, I dont have cd's)

Thanks again for the help!

It's cool that you have the airport express because that will make streaming via itunes really simple. You can use the express with an rca cable but the sound is so so since you are relying on the digital to analog converter inside the unit. A better choice is using a digital cable and connecting to a digital input in your AV receiver which has much better dacs. You'll hear the difference in sound quality and you'll need one of these (toslink to mini toslink cable): Amazon.com: Cables To Go 27016 Velocity Toslink-to-Optical Mini Plug Digital Cable (2 Meters): Electronics.

Also check out the KEF Q900; they were reviewed very positively on this site. Accessories4less has open box specials at $649: KEF Q900 Q Series 8 inch Black Floorstanding Speaker Each | Accessories4less

There are also a number of manufacturer refurbished AV receivers you can check out on accessories4less from cambridge, marantz, and onkyo.

With the airport express, you won't need to buy an AV receiver that is airplay capable.