What to buy for $4000?

[Chamomile tea]

Hello folks

Soon I will be moving to a new place with my family and therefore get a new room. The room is 2,85 meter/9,35 feet x 2,50 meter/8,20 feet. I think there is 3,50 meter/11,48 feet to the ceiling. It has wooden floors.
Unfortunately the speakers will have to be positioned in the 2,5m/8,2f area.

Right now I am using the Razer Mako 2.1 with a Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium Fatal1ty Champion Series sound card, but after listening to the B&W 685's in a HiFi-store a couple of weeks ago I saw what a gigantic difference there was between real HiFi and just good pc speakers. So since that day I have been looking on audio equipment (It's almost like I have been cursed) every day and now I ask you what are the best I can get for a room that size for around $4000. I'm talking preamp, poweramp and bookshelf/floorstanding speakers. You are welcome to recommend a subwoofer too, but that won't count in the budget since I will get that later.
Thank you

(I have been looking at the Emotiva XPA-2 poweramp and Emotiva USP-1 preamp and they seem pretty good and for a cheap price)

 

[mannoiaj]

The usp-1 and xpa-2 combo would seem to provide a good bang for the buck so long as you purchase some high quality fronts that can take advantage. I'd look to better than the b&w 685's for sure with a $4k budget.

http://www.salksound.com/speakers_songseries_songtowerqwt_pricing.shtml
Salk makes some speakers and are internet direct.

B&W isn't a bad option either, but I wouldn't call them bang for your buck. I also wouldn't get anything from the 68* series with that budget. I'd probably look used on audiogon.

 

[Chamomile tea]

Yeah, that's why I ask if you may have some good speakers in mind?

 

[mannoiaj]

Just edited my post with a pair of ~$2K fronts that would near the top of my list if I were in your position.

You plan on 2-channel only right? Mostly music?

 

[Chamomile tea]

Yes, 2.0 or 2.1 with mostly music.
But I am also thinking if floorstanding speakers would be too big for my room? After all it is not that big.

 

[mannoiaj]

These are quite a bit under budget but perform way past their price tag.
http://www.ascendacoustics.com/pages/products/speakers/SRM1/srm1.html

Add in 2 of these,
http://www.ascendacoustics.com/pages/products/subs/f12se.html

Powered by the emotiva combo and you'd need some room treatments considering were talking hardwood flooring, and maybe even a rug

http://www.atsacoustics.com/

Speakers are pretty subjective. Is there a way you could go to some local hi-fi dealers and listen to an array of different designs/companies gear?

 

[jinjuku]

Take a look at the Zaph ZRT 2.5's from Madisound.

I would bet that considering the price they have punch way above their weight class.

You could also look at getting a used amp. I have a Parasound HCA 1000A that was basically brand new that I picked up on Craigs List and an Adcom GFA 5503 that looks like it's never been used even though it is 13 years old.

 

[WmAx]

You want real advice? A way to maximize your $$?

B&W Matrix 801 Series II or Series III. It's from the 80's, it still has top performance for today. You can find it used for $2500-$3500 pair, used of course. A comparable performance new speaker will cost you $15,000 pair minimum. This is a level of performance you have probably never experienced - and far ahead of the 'budget' hi-fi speakers you have so far listened too.

Get a used Lexicon DC-2 pre-amp ($300 - was $2500 when new in 2000) for a top performance preamp. Get a DCX2496 for room EQ and general fine tonal adjustments ($275) and a Yamaha P2500S professional amplifier ($400) to provide the clean, dynamic power to properly utilize the high end speakers.

$4000 and you will have a system comparable to a 'good' audiophile system that would typically cost $20,000 or more. All that's left is to work on your room acoustics (which should be done for ANY speaker system).

-Chris

-Chris

 

[mannoiaj]

Sorry I could only offer you "fake" advice OP. Nice job on the "real" advice Wmax.

 

[Chamomile tea]

Okay, thanks WmAx. I couldn't find the speakers on Audiogon, do you have some other speakers in mind?

And to you mannoiaj:
I live in Denmark and there is this hifi shop called "Hi-Fi Klubben" which means Hi-Fi club
The speaker brands they are selling are: Argon, Cervin Vega, Dali, B&W, Scandyna, Arcam and Lyngdorf. The amplifier brands they are selling are: Denon, Nad, Lyngdorf, Scandyna, Classé, Cambridge and Argon (Argon is their own brand/not very good)

 

[jostenmeat]

Oh, Denmark. Your country is known for making very fine speakers. Check out Dynaudio. If you can't find those BWs on the classifieds there, I am pretty certain you can at least find some Dyns. If in the US, you can afford Contour line fore sure on the classifieds, where the Confidence line will most likely blow budget. Something to check out, as they're made in your backyard. In fact, I believe I've read that some BW cabinets are made in your country too.

 

[L3VY]

2,5m x 2,85m thats only 7 square meters and thats VERY small for audio.

You won't get bass in that room, only resonans on 68Hz.

If you put there bookshelf speakers you will be 1,5m from them. If you could change the room at least for two times bigger (maybe get rid of a wall) that will be the best option to spend some money.

Don't forget about Danish Audiophile Loudspeaker Industries (DALI).

 

[WmAx]

Okay, thanks WmAx. I couldn't find the speakers on Audiogon, do you have some other speakers in mind?

And to you mannoiaj:
I live in Denmark and there is this hifi shop called "Hi-Fi Klubben" which means Hi-Fi club
The speaker brands they are selling are: Argon, Cervin Vega, Dali, B&W, Scandyna, Arcam and Lyngdorf. The amplifier brands they are selling are: Denon, Nad, Lyngdorf, Scandyna, Classé, Cambridge and Argon (Argon is their own brand/not very good)

Bingo:

http://cgi.ebay.com/B-W-Matrix-801-II-ANNIVERSARY-VINTAGE-SPEAKERS-B-W_W0QQitemZ120527805732QQcmdZViewItemQQptZVintage_Electronics_R2?hash=item1c10045d24

The seller is willing to ship international, as well.

-Chris

 

[Chamomile tea]

I'm sorry, but I can't chance the room
But would you recommend bookshelf or floorstanding for that room?

 

[WmAx]

I'm sorry, but I can't chance the room
But would you recommend bookshelf or floorstanding for that room?

Just about anything can be made to work well if you use proper acoustical treatments.

-Chris

 

[Davemcc]

You live in Denmark. You must listen to Dynaudio speakers.

 

[Chamomile tea]

Hey WmAx.
You really sound like someone who knows what you are talking about
The Lexicon DC-2 pre-amp you mentioned is probably really good, but the Yamaha P2500S professional amplifier, I just don't know what to think about that. I don't think I like it that much. How about the Sunfire Cinema Grand 200w poweramp or Emotiva XPA-2 300w poweramp?
I would also need a nice cd player, wouldn't I?
Can you recommend more speakers, new and used?
Thanks in advance

 

[Chamomile tea]

WmAx, anyone?

 

[jostenmeat]

WmAx, anyone?

Oh, I see, 4k is for everything, not just speakers. I say forget everything but the speakers for now. That is where the greatest variation in performance will come from. I forget the numbers, but it wouldn't surprise me if speakers had 100x the distortion levels of modern electronics.

You don't mention why you don't like the Yamaha amp. I suppose people are interpreting that as pure aesthetics. Therefore, he probably was just saving his breath. You can run search functions. If you want to pick his thoughts more, use the advanced search function, enter WmAx as poster, select posts or threads as results, and use keyword. You can search the keyword only in thread titles, or not, and search username started threads, or not.

I personally will stay away from Emotiva for the foreseeable future. There are way too many members here who have had problematic amps, IMO.

If you buy a nice Sunfire amp, you just took away a very large proportion that could go towards speakers. The thing is that depending on the speakers you choose, you might not even need a beefy amp.

My personal route was to save by getting an integrated. This allowed me to dump more money into acoustical treatments. The latter presents much greater value as far as SQ.

For now, don't even put a cdp on the radar. 100% of your efforts should be focused on speakers. 99% is not enough, it should be 100%. As far as purchasing decisions anyways. If we include knowledge in general, then I say 50% speakers, and 50% room acoustics.

 

[Chamomile tea]

Okay then. I have been looking at http://www.axiomaudio.com/m22.html

The reviews are pretty good and I like the fact that it is transparent.

And maybe combining it with http://www.axiomaudio.com/ep400.html since it should fit perfectly in small rooms.

What do you think about that?