$2,000 Recommended Two-Channel Stereo System

[admin]

Each of our buying guides has a different set of goals, sometimes we go for ultimate performance in loo of looks, other times aesthetic appeal is very important. This $2,000 two-channel stereo guide strikes a balance between performance, looks, and price. We wanted to put together a system that most people could afford financially and could convince their spouse would look good in the home. With that target in mind, we put together a list of everything you would need, from speakers to speaker cables. Additionally, if you want to customize the system to your specific tastes, there are alternative options listed for each product category that can be mixed and matched to modify the system to your needs.

Discuss "$2,000 Recommended Two-Channel Stereo System" here. Read the article.

 

[ImcLoud]

You guys are doing great with this stuff, and these topics will be really helpfull because people will put their own thoughts in the replys... Good stuff.

This system looks really good, the only things I would change for my personal preferences are....

Instead of the outlaw receiver, I love separate units, just because if you want a larger amp, or a new receiver with a must have feature comes out, you arent scrapping the entire system...

I would go with Emotiva USP-1 $449 and an Emo UPA-200 $349 = $798 shipped so its $60 more than the Outlaw {outlaw charges me $40+ to ship that unit}. But you get a little more power and separate units, I didnt compare them feature for feature... {also while your at it I know its $100 more but the Emotiva cd player would match really nice , LOL , and I can save the $100 by not getting the turntable since I dont own any records...

And for the speakers if I wasnt putting a sub I would want something that had a little larger subwoofer in it, {although that one looks like it goes pretty low}... I just like the bass to fill a room... Maybe a tekton Lore, Oriel, or M-Lore just in my taste, for my 2 channel rig with no sub they were the only thing that made me happy... Plus my wife hates Black speakers...

Anyway keep these reviews coming they look awesome...

 

[shadyJ]

A different route to take in this price range which I think would be more value conscious would be to use active studio monitors and subwoofer connected to a computer. Skip the receiver entirely. I think most of us listen to a lot more mp3s, flacs, and wav files than vinyl, so I think a computer as a source would make more sense. It would also allow you to have finer control over the sound. I would use a UPS to protect everything. You would need a computer with a decent sound card and a good amount of storage, but you wouldn't need to spend a lot on the display or processing components for this purpose, so it wouldn't be too expensive overall.

The monitors I would be interested in in such a setup would be the JBL LSR2328P monitors, but, at $700 a pair, they do eat up a lot of the budget when you have to fit in a computer, a UPS, and a sub, so I would probably settle for some KRK Rokit 8s, or a Mackie MR8 mk2s, or some Behringer 2031a monitors, which are all $500 a pair. For a sub, I would be looking at a Hsu VTF2 or Rumba 12. Get a Cyberpower CP1350, that will offer good protection for 810 watts. That will leave you $750 for the computer (and cables). I think it is doable to piece some audio based PC together that will have at least 1 T of storage and a pro-audio sound card. Round all that up and you will have one tight sounding system, and, because its based around a PC, it will have a lot more versatility than something based on physical media sources.

 

[gene]

You guys are doing great with this stuff, and these topics will be really helpfull because people will put their own thoughts in the replys... Good stuff.

This system looks really good, the only things I would change for my personal preferences are....

Instead of the outlaw receiver, I love separate units, just because if you want a larger amp, or a new receiver with a must have feature comes out, you arent scrapping the entire system...

I would go with Emotiva USP-1 $449 and an Emo UPA-200 $349 = $798 shipped so its $60 more than the Outlaw {outlaw charges me $40+ to ship that unit}. But you get a little more power and separate units, I didnt compare them feature for feature... {also while your at it I know its $100 more but the Emotiva cd player would match really nice , LOL , and I can save the $100 by not getting the turntable since I dont own any records...

And for the speakers if I wasnt putting a sub I would want something that had a little larger subwoofer in it, {although that one looks like it goes pretty low}... I just like the bass to fill a room... Maybe a tekton Lore, Oriel, or M-Lore just in my taste, for my 2 channel rig with no sub they were the only thing that made me happy... Plus my wife hates Black speakers...

Anyway keep these reviews coming they look awesome...

Good suggestion on the Emo combo. I added that as an alternative.

 

[ImcLoud]

Good suggestion on the Emo combo. I added that as an alternative.

It seems like I'm a broken record when I recommend things, Emotiva amps, Ascend speakers, pioneer speakers, HSU subs ect.. but in this hobby there is a real offset on some items, that perform as well or better than anything even double their price... I did A LOT of research when building my systems, and I listened to so much equipment it became stressfull , I started getting heart palpitations when I pulled into the store parking lots, lol.. Threads like this will make it easier for someone so they know where to start and they can let their ears do the deciding.. But music is like cologne after you sample a few they are all askew...

As far as the PC is concerned that may be another good thread like whats a good pc system, but something like this has the foundation of what you would need, now hopefully the new audiophile or whoever has the intelligence not to buy a turntable if they dont own or plan on owning any Records.... I know I dont look at the system and say oh this is a record player system Im not interested, nope I just think, thats $100 off the final price...
But it may be a good idea to do some other options, such as instead of record player you can add a DAC and ipod dock like--- a Pure i20 $99 and a Audioengine DAC $170...

 

[africord]

A 360

A quick check of Boston Acoustics website shows that they come in cherry and white if black does not work for you.

 

[zieglj01]

Some people already own vinyl/records, and a turn-table reccomendation
is a good option.

The origional system does look like a good option, for one who does not
desire home theater power and sound levels, for their music.

 

[ImcLoud]

Some people already own vinyl/records, and a turn-table reccomendation
is a good option.

The origional system does look like a good option, for one who does not
desire home theater power and sound levels, for their music.

Definitely a good option especially since this is an audiophile sight, but most people with records already have a decent record player... I would certainly keep the record player as the go to device for the reviews, since the price should follow a digital device pretty close... You spend $2000 on a system you will have a $100 record player some with the digital you will use something like an i20. If you have a $4000 system you will have a $300 turntable and the digital alternative would be a i20 with the addition of a dac like the audio engine which would put you around $300. If you had a $7000 system it would have a $500 turntable and the digital side would be a better dac like the wadia which is around there in price...
I think the audio community is sharp enough to figure that out for themselves, and I would leave the record players in the system... Although another option would be leave the sources out entirely and do a separate review on turntables, cd players, and digital devices like pc's, ipods, docks, dacs ect...

I like to keep my signal path simple, ipod to dac to amp KISS theory.. I had it going from the ipod dock to the dac to the receiver to the a crossover thing then to the amp. When I went to just the dac it felt so much easier and sounded maybe even better{I didn't a/b them}... I tryed going right from the i20 to the amp but although the pure has a good dac, the XDA1 is better, plus it has balanced outs, volume though the remote, and turns the amp on and off..

 

[zieglj01]

The inside of the Boston A360
http://www.bostonacoustics.com/Assets/Images/Products/c26-aseries-cabinet-l.jpg

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

I think that A 360 is good solid option, but depends on the deals potentially even better system could be built
For example:
KEF Q900 or BOSTON ACOUSTICS VS336P (both priced at AC4L)
AH's store for HK3490
$100 - BR Player with spdif out
$100 or so in cables
Tripp Lite ISOBAR6ULTRA Surge protector - $50

 

[haraldo]

very good suggestions here, but it bugs me, the hang to recommend CD players that does not really doule up as proper music streamers, I agree that it's good with the physical format. I still buy all my music in physical format and rips it to flac. After living with a squeezbox for quite a few years I just cannot see myself without it. Bad that squuezebox is dead, but if you have one or can get hold of one it will give you lots of musical ease and pleasure, better than CD player

Streamers are better than CD players for systems at this price level

 

[NewHTbuyer]

Unless you need the built in bass management, I would opt for the HK 3490(in fact, I did just get one). Especially, because it was on sale at J&R for only $299.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

very good suggestions here, but it bugs me, the hang to recommend CD players that does not really doule up as proper music streamers, I agree that it's good with the physical format. I still buy all my music in physical format and rips it to flac. After living with a squeezbox for quite a few years I just cannot see myself without it. Bad that squuezebox is dead, but if you have one or can get hold of one it will give you lots of musical ease and pleasure, better than CD player

Streamers are better than CD players for systems at this price level

One could change HK3490 for TX-8050 (loose most likely unnoticeable 20w) and stream FLACs upto 24/96 - and even save few bucks
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004UR486G/?tag=hyprod-20&hvadid=15469586139&hvpos=1o5&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=18729264551677900916&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&ref=asc_df_B004UR486G

 

[haraldo]

One could change HK3490 for TX-8050 (loose most likely unnoticeable 20w) and stream FLACs upto 24/96 - and even save few bucks
Amazon.com: Onkyo TX-8050 Network Stereo Receiver (Black): Electronics

Good suggestions but I'm unsure if these attached usb ports support anything else than vfat file systems, and then is this as userfriendly to operate as the leading ege streamers?

If yes, goodie goodie
If no, still probably a good streamer is a way to go

Hard to find something that doesn't break the budget but could be this Denon player, denons is known to be unbreakable, I had a DCD 2560 CD player for more than 20 years and it's still working (I think)
http://www.amazon.com/Denon-DNP-720AE-Network-Audio-Player/dp/B005FUGPOU/ref=sr_1_4?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1349727887&sr=1-4&keywords=denon+streamer

But then the vinyl player will have to rest until there's more money

Or the Squeezebox touch
http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-930-000090-Squeezebox-Touch/dp/B002LARRDA/ref=pd_cp_e_2

 

[haraldo]

How about NuForce Icon HDPT, MSRP: $449
Quite good DAC and preamp, connect it to powered speakers and voila, and this sounds good
NuForce Icon HDP

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Good suggestions but I'm unsure if these attached usb ports support anything else than vfat file systems, and then is this as userfriendly to operate as the leading ege streamers?

This guy have some good info, including support for NTFS usb drives

8050 can stream from network as well (using dlna - aka pull)
Amazon.com: Dagger's review of Onkyo TX-8050 Network Stereo Receiver (Black)

 

[haraldo]

Why not the Urban Fidelity Mini Art speakers
Urban Fidelity Mini Art Speakers | AudioStream

 

[haraldo]

This guy have some good info, including support for NTFS usb drives

8050 can stream from network as well (using dlna - aka pull)
Amazon.com: Dagger's review of Onkyo TX-8050 Network Stereo Receiver (Black)

Now we're talking, how about ext3 or ext4?
For these Linux guys out there

 

[gene]

very good suggestions here, but it bugs me, the hang to recommend CD players that does not really doule up as proper music streamers, I agree that it's good with the physical format. I still buy all my music in physical format and rips it to flac. After living with a squeezbox for quite a few years I just cannot see myself without it. Bad that squuezebox is dead, but if you have one or can get hold of one it will give you lots of musical ease and pleasure, better than CD player

Streamers are better than CD players for systems at this price level

Put up some good streaming options here and we will consider adding them as alternatives or even primary sources in future systems. Not sure if most consumers go with streaming or just use hard disc only. Personally I use Pandora and a HD media server myself but I typically don't stream from a smartphone or a PC.

 

[gene]

Unless you need the built in bass management, I would opt for the HK 3490(in fact, I did just get one). Especially, because it was on sale at J&R for only $299.

The HK3490 is a great sounding receiver and a steal at $299!