Advice re AppleTV+DAC+receiver+speakers

[zumasurfer]

I have a last generation Apple TV in my living room. Would like to invest in a set up that includes a DAC, a receiver and (bookshelf) speakers to listen to streamed lossless files from my main mac. Not interested in surround sound or anything like that. I would also like to hook up my current Bluray player to the receiver to play actual cd's. I have a very low budget, $500-800 and am curious to hear how (and on what brands/ models) I should spend the money. Have a read a lot of positive reviews about the Audioengine D1 DAC, but am in the dark re receiver/ amp and speaker choices (heard good things about Polk). Any advice is greatly appreciated.

 

[Grador]

With a budget that size for everything total, you shouldn't even be considering a DAC. Many here will argue that having an outboard DAC will offer very little (if any) advantage over the DAC built into a receiver, but in this situation that argument can be put aside as the speakers will not be anywhere near revealing enough to let you hear a difference.

The current entry level bookshelf speaker getting strong recommendations here are the Pioneer Andrew Jones speakers. I have not personally heard them, but I have heard entry level polks and find them to be extraordinarily bad.

Pioneer SP-BS22-LR Andrew Jones Designed Bookshelf SP-BS22-LR

As for receivers, I'm fond of yamaha's myself, others will point you to denon or onkyo options.

Newegg.com - YAMAHA RX-V471 5.1-Channel AV Receiver

The above combo will fit very nicely in your budget and do you well. I'd probably try and go a level up on the receiver if possible, and possibly look at some nicer speakers. A DAC could be looked at for something in the future after the speaker level has been upped a bit.

 

[ImcLoud]

I would just grab a decent dac and amplifier and skip the amp, the d1 or a used emotiva xda1 with a dayton apa150 and a pair of what ever bookshelfs fit you music, budget and ears....

 

[Grador]

I would just grab a decent dac and amplifier and skip the amp, the d1 or a used emotiva xda1 with a dayton apa150 and a pair of what ever bookshelfs fit you music, budget and ears....

This is also a good way to go depending upon your overall thoughts on use (now and in the future), aesthetic concerns, and ease of use considerations.

 

[jostenmeat]

What Grador said. I also find entry Polks of the past to be really awful. I think Onkyo HTIB speakers are superior.

Almost everyone (like 19/20 people? 99/100?) thinks those Pioneers are extraordinary values. Haven't heard them either.

I'm one of those who would probably go with Denon/Onkyo, but that's because I want Audyssey; in a 2ch situation I wouldn't care nearly as much to have the tech. Yamaha has good reliability, and the link seems to be a very good value as it's superceded. I for one don't think you should go up with receiver budget, unless you're sure you got the best speakers you can for the money, because that's where it's all going to matter. I'm just "feeling" that this system is for a small room, office, nearfield, moderate listening, something like that. It's all about the speakers. Getting the electrical signal through is relatively easy all the way up to where the wire ends at the speaker terminals. From there however, this is where the greatest compromise in a purchased audio component come from, not even close: getting the electrical now into mechanical energy that your auditory senses will pick apart is a complex and compromised thing.

 

[agarwalro]

If your Mac can play CDs, you can also look into self powered speakers and just use the Mac's analog outs.

 

[zumasurfer]

It's for a small living room, no mac (only streaming from the mac in the office/ bedroom). A big reason for an amp/ receiver is that I would like to be able to plug in the bluray player for listening to cd's.

 

[zumasurfer]

Which 'nicer' speakers would u recommend? And would it be an idea to consider this Onkyo amplifier <http://www.amazon.com/Onkyo--5VL-Integrated-Stereo-Amplifier/dp/B002C73WR2/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1358482367&sr=1-1&keywords=onkyo+a5l+digital+amp>?