Need recommendations for a bedroom system

[tmurnin]

So it's my son's 10th birthday in a few weeks and he wants his first-ever stereo for his room. I will up-front confess that I am using this as an excuse to get excited about a 2-channel music-only system, so I know I am way "overbuying" for a 10-year-old's needs. However, I also think (or maybe I'm justifying...) that if his first system is a good system, that can inspire a life-long love of music. Regardless, I wanted to get some recommendations.

Parameters:
- System needs to be relatively compact. This is going in a kid's bedroom, probably on top of a dresser or chest, so no room for a large AVR or huge speakers
- Easy-to-use. I don't want to be getting a call every time he can't get the remote to play or forgets to turn on one of the components
- Has to look cool. The wife will shoot down anything that looks like I strung together a "bunch of stuff"
- Must have: CD player (he listens to some audiobooks on CD already), would LOVE airplay but at the least needs an iPod dock/connection

I was looking at the Yamaha CRX-N560 which comes without speakers and adding my own. Question, for the usage I'm talking about, is it worth it to do that? I can also buy the Yamaha MCR-N560 which comes with Yamaha speakers for about $150 more. If I do my own speakers I was considering the Focal 705s, Dynaudio DM 2/6, Paradigm Atom (I'm open to other suggestions), or Totem Dreamcatchers.

Thoughts?

 

[shadyJ]

Lol, so you are really buying this for your son and not for yourself? I'm not sure how many 10 years olds would really dig a hi-fi system, but you know the situation better than me. Although when I was 10 I would loved to have received a nice system as a gift, but I was atypical. Anyway one of those Yamahas looks perfect for your needs. For speakers I would get whatever you can afford that has the best extension since it doesn't look like a subwoofer is going to be used.

 

[tmurnin]

I may add a sub down the road but even I can't justify that right now!

 

[ImcLoud]

What is your actual budget?

My son has a little system in his room, he loves it , it is a lepai 2020 with a pair of b652's the amp was $18 and the speakers were on sale back then for $25 he uses his ps3 as a cd player and it plays his tv through them.... He loves it...


Anyway...

If I were you I would look into...

Wave Crest Audio $230 for a pair of hvl1's
Dayton Audio APA150 150W Power Amplifier | 300-812
then for a cd player i personally would get him a portable one he can hook in with a long cable 3.5mm to rca cable...

 

[tmurnin]

For speakers? I'm pretty open, but I don't want to get ridiculous. My own impulses will lead me into some dark places that my wife will kill me for. I'd say if I'm spending over $500/pr for bookshelves, they better be incredible. In the $300-400/pr range is probably more ideal.

 

[tmurnin]

If you mean budget for the entire thing, I want to keep it under $1K.

 

[ImcLoud]

Well if you are going to spend that kind of money, then Go with NAD...

cd player- C 516BEE CD Player - NAD Electronics
int. amp - C 316BEE Stereo Integrated Amplifier - NAD Electronics
and I stand by the HVL1's for $230 although there are tons of other options, ascend cbm170's, carnegie csb1's, wharfedale diamon 10.2's, ect ect ect...

 

[j_garcia]

Sounds excessive for a 10YO I'd go with the first Yamaha and add some lesser speakers just to get things rolling and get some nicer ones down the road. I gave both of my kids my old "executive" system when they were teens and they both enjoyed and appreciated having it. It also survived both of them amazingly. Easy to use and able to take the abuse kids are likely to dish out, both cranking too loud wise, stacking stuff on them and knocking the speakers over, etc...

 

[tmurnin]

Love the idea of the bookshelves you're recommending (would love an excuse to buy the Carnegie's) but I think those are too large for the WAF, especially the depth of some of them. The NAD is great equipment but lacks Airplay. Think I will stick with the Yamaha for the main systemsystem

 

[j_garcia]

If the CSB-1s are too big, then probably something like the Ascend CBM-170s or Cambridge S-30s would probably work.

CAMBRIDGE AUDIO S30 4½" 2-way Bookshelf Speakers Pair Black | Accessories4less

 

[Steve81]

For compact bookshelf speakers, I'd toss these into the mix:
EMP Tek E41 Bookshelf Speaker
and
KEF Q100s

 

[zieglj01]

I was looking at the Yamaha CRX-N560 which comes without speakers and adding my own. Question, for the usage I'm talking about, is it worth it to do that? If I do my own speakers I was considering the Focal 705s, Dynaudio DM 2/6, Paradigm Atom (I'm open to other suggestions), or Totem Dreamcatchers.

Thoughts?

The Yamaha is 32 watts (6 ohms @1 khz) per channel - I would make sure that
the speakers are easy to drive.

Even Yamaha makes some decent higher-up speakers.

 

[shadyJ]

Why not just get an iPod dock and a couple of active speakers? It can't get any simpler than that. Alternatively this Marantz CD player with iPod dock would work well too. You might get something like that with a couple good active monitors like the JBL LSR308 which is on a very good sale at Crutchfield right now. If you are just not interested in active speakers, you could get this Yamaha CRX-322 which is pretty cheap, a CD player receiver with a digital connection for iPods.

 

[tmurnin]

What about the Ascend HTm-200? I think that's closer to the ideal size. I'm also considering the Aperion Verus satellites and the Intimus 4b line, but I know a lot of people here are big fans of the Ascend line.

 

[zieglj01]

What about the Ascend HTm-200? I think that's closer to the ideal size. I'm also considering the Aperion Verus satellites and the Intimus 4b line, but I know a lot of people here are big fans of the Ascend line.

Since you own the Aperion Verus Grand, and your budget is up to $500
Then look at the Verus Forte
Verus Forte Satellite Speaker Pair - Verus Family - Speakers By Family - Aperion Audio

 

[Steve81]

What about the Ascend HTm-200?

I'd expect them to be a bit bass shy for standalone work, though they could work depending on your tastes, and adding a sub later would obviously solve the problem.

 

[Whitey80]

My first stereo got when I was 10 in 1990....seems about the right speed

 

[Ponzio]

Splurge on the kid. Get him a pair of Ascend Acoustics Sierra-1's. Maybe he'll let you borrow them.


Of course, he'll probably have a mono-block Jones by the age of 16.

 

[tmurnin]

If he can truly appreciate the monoblocks, and listens to decent music, then I may support that purchase!

 

[Ponzio]

If he can truly appreciate the monoblocks, and listens to decent music, then I may support that purchase!

Whose you're Daddy?

Please, adopt me.