Budget system around $500-600 - old vs new

R

remark900

Audiophyte
Hello!

Looking to put together a budget system around $500-600 and am trying to decide between a few components...

The system will be used for:

- Bang & Olufsen Beogram turntable via Phono

- TV via Optical

- Spotify either via a 3.5mm to Coaxial or RCA and possibly Bluetooth

Amplifier Options:
Vintage (would need optical to RCA for TV)
Yamaha A-760 with T-670 tuner ($300)
Kenwood KA-8006 ($200)


New
Onkyo A-9110 ($369)
Yamaha A-S301 ($349)
Denon PMA-600NE ($399)
Yamaha R-N303 (only bluetooth enabled option) ($299)


Speaker Options:
Vintage
B.I.C. Venturi V830 (asking $200 for the pair)
Infinity CS Crescendo 3007 (asking $300 for the pair)
Sansui SP-X8000 (asking $250 for the pair)
ADS L-710 (asking $350 for the pair)

New
Sony Core SSCS3 ($199/each)
Polk T50 ($109/each)
Pioneer SP-FS52 ($145/each)

So which speaker/amp would sound the best?

Also, I am not limited to this list if there are any better recommendations...

Thanks!
 
R

remark900

Audiophyte
Any help?

I'm leaning towards to ADS speakers and either the Kenwood KA-8006 or Onkyo A-9110 amplifier
 
Pogre

Pogre

Audioholic Slumlord
Of your speaker options I have an affinity for Infinity. I've never heard ADS tho and it would depend on the condition of the speakers. As for your amp and turntable selections I have to research a little. I'm familiar with B&O, but more for speakers. I'd be more apt to buy used speakers before used amps as far as reliability goes, tho some can and do last a long time or may have been professionally re-capped and cleaned up nice.
 
S

shadyJ

Speaker of the House
Staff member
I would forget the vintage stuff. I would go for the Yamaha A-S301 receiver. For speakers, I don't know. The Pioneers are OK, supposedly the Sony Core speakers are decent. A very good being sold for a very good price at the moment is the Monolith K-BAS bookshelf speakers. These are bookshelf speakers with tower-esque bass. They are fairly linear and accurate as well. Very nice speaker and too-often overlooked speaker. At the moment they are $158 each.

If you really want a floor-stander, one inexpensive speaker that I have experience with that I know is pretty good in this price range is the Dayton Audio MK442T. If it were me, I would play it safe and just get that. Or maybe just a pair of Dayton MK402X bookshelf speakers and a Dayton SUB1200 subwoofer.
 
davidscott

davidscott

Audioholic Ninja
Any help?

I'm leaning towards to ADS speakers and either the Kenwood KA-8006 or Onkyo A-9110 amplifier
I believe those ADS are 4 ohm speakers so keep that in mind when considering an amp.
 
Pogre

Pogre

Audioholic Slumlord
Oh! I also forgot about the DCM TFE Series speakers recently discounted! A few members have been taking advantage of a recent price drop DCM made to a couple of their speaker lines. I bought the "entry level" TP160S bookshelf and I gotta say, I was really, really impressed for the money spent. The TFE series is a nice step up from the TP series and has been garnering great reviews. @zieglj01 introduced most of us to the deal and he owns a pair of TFEs.


Those speakers will easily hang with with others in the $500 - $1000 range. They're discounted quite drastically. @KEW has been calling them the deal of a decade.

*Edit: I swear, it's tempting for me to buy those myself! I keep looking over at my wife and thinking "is it worth it..?" :p
 
davidscott

davidscott

Audioholic Ninja
At that price they are almost giving those away! :)
 
KEW

KEW

Audioholic Overlord
Oh! I also forgot about the DCM TFE Series speakers recently discounted! A few members have been taking advantage of a recent price drop DCM made to a couple of their speaker lines. I bought the "entry level" TP160S bookshelf and I gotta say, I was really, really impressed for the money spent. The TFE series is a nice step up from the TP series and has been garnering great reviews. @zieglj01 introduced most of us to the deal and he owns a pair of TFEs.


Those speakers will easily hang with with others in the $500 - $1000 range. They're discounted quite drastically. @KEW has been calling them the deal of a decade.

*Edit: I swear, it's tempting for me to buy those myself! I keep looking over at my wife and thinking "is it worth it..?" :p
For the budget, nothing else will be as good!
It is that simple!

Sony Core SSCS3 ($199/each)
Polk T50 ($109/each)
Pioneer SP-FS52 ($145/each)
The DCM TFE is well ahead of the Pioneer and the Sony!
It was a wonderful speaker at its full retail price ($800/pr IIRC), but these are being liquidated at ~66% off!
That is why I consider it the deal of the decade.

Here is a discussion that starts with the DCM TP60S (the Time Piece (TP) Series is a level below the Time Frame Evolution (TFE) Series) later on the conversation shifts to the TFE speakers.

 
KEW

KEW

Audioholic Overlord
The DCM TFE is well ahead of the Pioneer and the Sony!
Edit:
I should have made clear that I did not mention the Polk T50 simply because I, personally have not heard it!
I am fairly confident that the DCM TFE surpass the Polk T50 as well because they are reported to be better than Polks from a higher series than the T50!
 
davidscott

davidscott

Audioholic Ninja
Nominal impedance but still has times where it dips to 4 ohms....
Lovinthehd is correct
ADS L710
  • Impedance: 6 Ω (nominal); 4 Ω (minimum)
  • Efficiency: 93 dB SPL with 2,8 V RMS (1 watt) pink noise input measured at 1 m in typical listening room (2000 ft³)
  • But they are sure efficient and should not need a lot of power.
 
R

remark900

Audiophyte
Nominal impedance but still has times where it dips to 4 ohms....
Lovinthehd is correct
ADS L710
  • Impedance: 6 Ω (nominal); 4 Ω (minimum)
  • Efficiency: 93 dB SPL with 2,8 V RMS (1 watt) pink noise input measured at 1 m in typical listening room (2000 ft³)
  • But they are sure efficient and should not need a lot of power.
Thinking the Kenwood KA-8006 should power those fine...

Also I've been taking a hard look at this:

 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
Why the old amps? Just being old doesn't make it vintage :) The Kenwood's spec isn't as good as the old Yamaha, if it is still up to spec.

Personally with speakers like you're looking at I'd use a sub, and use an integrated amp/receiver with decent bass management. I don't think you get that in the 301 etc lineup of integrated amps....
 

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