How Would You Build a Budget Audiophile System?

j_garcia

j_garcia

Audioholic Jedi
I agree with the others. "Budget system" depends on what you're comparing to. For $5k I can put together a system that would work in most homes and impress most people. Good AVR with preouts for possible future amp depending on speakers, ~$2k on speakers, ~1k on sub, a quality streamer, and the rest on any other connections/stands, etc... needed to set it all up. This would far exceed the average person's needs.
 
K

Kingslug

Enthusiast
I place a budget system at 2 to 3k..which can be financed interest free these days. Or go used..which requires cash though. An integrated amp and some speakers..then whichever medium you want..cd players are inexpensive as well as TT's...or an mp3 player..
 
K

Kingslug

Enthusiast
I got lucky..my amp...yamaha m85 was free but required some inexpensive repairs..my sl1200 was free..20 dollar repair..speakers were used but a steal at 300.00 for nht 1.2.
I don't know if you can still find deals like this..but hunting for it is fun.
Then ive just added to it over time..
 
J

jcarys

Audiophyte
Perhaps you are one of those people who just like to argue on the web. This is from the article that we are all discussing - "They have $5,000 to spend and know just a bit about audio systems." It's not my definition of budget, it's from Jerry's piece. My idea of budget is a Chromebook, Topping DAC and amp, and whatever extra speakers are sitting around my house.
 
Mikado463

Mikado463

Audioholic Spartan
NAD and Bryston are two expensive brands that should not be on the list for a budget audiophile system, as per the title of this thread. You can get good audio performance with a lot more affordable electronics.
NAD expensive ?? not really ...........
 
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MrBoat

Audioholic Ninja
I let people listen to my budget systems, a couple of which are all DIY except for an old Denon AVR. Then I point them to this forum. My system ends up competing with higher end systems among my peer group. I have to keep reminding them it's DIY when they want to get picky with it. Two of 3 prefer my budget systems for music, including one of the most critical dude's wife. She told him that he needs to. . ."fix our fkn music." So now when he starts to pick, I can ask him if he has fixed their music yet. :D

I'd rather buy some 10 yr old previous mid-tier or flagship AVR than a new budget offering. Most of the used ones I have found, were never given a fair enough workout to even test the original warranty. One of the two old 3805s I ended up with, never saw more than nickelodian TV duty and the friend who gave it to me said they may have watched a dozen movies thru it before HT moved to the bottom of the family priorities list. I got it in the original box for free, and another just like it from another friend for $75. I have been using them for 5 years now. They just wanted them out of their closets, where they had been sitting for at least 10 years by the time I got them. These old AVRs will drive even the most difficult speakers. Having enough power with enough features and low distortion, opens up more, if not most speaker choices, including subs. I really like not having to second guess this part of the system.

Another favorite budget system that punches well above it's price point is another DIY system consisting of an Icepower 200 ASC 2 channel kit amp, using a DIY (Starving Student) tube headphone amp as a preamp that I might have $500 invested. This will fit in a small carry-on or even a woman's purse, perhaps and a cell phone or a CD player for a source. It sounds better than it ought to, and I could live with this as a ditch bag system for when I need to leave town, or forever if I had to. Combine this with otherwise potent desktop or bookshelf speakers and it may even make some people rethink some of the madness of excess, that often goes with this hobby.
 
BoredSysAdmin

BoredSysAdmin

Audioholic Slumlord
You keep writing incessantly about how the hobby of audio is suffering.
I gave you a Winner tag mainly for this sentence. Every time I see Jerry's article, I mentally groan and think - yet another incessant article. I get that being a couch critic is much easier than writing decent articles, but I like to visit AH's home page to read Jame's reviews than Jerry's "editorials."

And of course, $5k could be someone's budget, but it's not a "budget system".

Jerry goes on and on rambles and goes on tangents about smart-home and shades, while critically missing the big point - great sound stands from a great speaker. everything else is less important.

Kimber and Wireworld are now "budget" cable brands? 6ft of 13 gauge (less than recommended 12 gauge) cost $214 ? and this isn't their top-of-the-line cable.
 
BoredSysAdmin

BoredSysAdmin

Audioholic Slumlord
in the overall grand scheme of this hobby and in the context of this thread I think it is.
Let's agree to disagree.
1k is a budget system. 3k is an upgraded system. 5k is starting to be a generous budget for the full Audio and Vido system.
 
T

Trebdp83

Audioholic Ninja
A budget is a budget is a budget. Perhaps “tight budget” would be more accurate for many concerning available funds for audio equipment. This is where knowledgeable folk such as those who frequent this forum come into play. They can help those on a “tight budget” get the most bang for their buck. Sometimes spending less money wisely gets you more than just spending more money.
 
ryanosaur

ryanosaur

Audioholic Overlord
Let's not get confused between "having a budget" for a system and a "budget system" ;)

We all know that words can matter, but in some instances semantic changes mean the world. A "Budget System" implies low cost. The article wasn't about "how to budget for a system," after all. :D
 
Mikado463

Mikado463

Audioholic Spartan
Let's not get confused between "having a budget" for a system and a "budget system" ;)

We all know that words can matter, but in some instances semantic changes mean the world. A "Budget System" implies low cost. The article wasn't about "how to budget for a system," after all. :D
True and in a world filled with high five and even six figure systems, 5k is a budget system. That was what I was implying but yes, the word 'budget' can in fact have several meanings !
 
MalVeauX

MalVeauX

Senior Audioholic
Hi,

Everyone has a budget, it scales based on their interest or dedication and access to funds. It's hard to call something budget at $5k in today's world. I would rather it be broken up into tiers, because some people's budget system is $5k and some people's budget system is $10k and some people's budget system is under $500, less even. Are they not allowed to love audio? I don't think there's as big of a price wall for entry to this as some seem to think. But I'm not here to change someone's mind who already thinks $5k is budget system, when it's really nearly end-game quality speakers for most people.

And I think there's never enough emphasis on the idea of having high quality media to listen to first as an approach to audiophila rather than just buying "good speakers" and anything will sound great (which is not true at all, even with physical media when you break out a post-loudness-wars CD and listen to low dynamic range mess). There's some education that goes with all of this I think which is also often too overlooked at starting out, on understanding what high quality recordings are vs not and how to identity and source them. Clicking "HD" in the corner on a stream service, isn't it. And just any CD or record, also, isn't it. But the audiophile experience starts with the actual recording.

Headphones:

I think the best budget approach to the misnomer concept of audiophile critical listening equipment would come in the form of headphones. And it wouldn't take up the $5000 budget either. It would be actually budget level for the 98% of people out there who do not have $5k USD to drop on audio equipment as an entry point to an already elistist filled hobby grossly saturated by attitudes and ideals from 30~50 years ago. I would argue full size headphones and a good source rig so that there's no room influence to worry about, no particular space needed, and plenty of budget left over to buy source media that is high quality. This easily gets overlooked I think in today's world with the idea of high quality streaming vs physical media vs high quality digital media, etc. Especially if one has an interest in physical media like vinyl, the budget needs to include for this and this will cost more than the equipment frankly at this purchase level.

I would put someone on a Schiit Asgard and either a Sennheiser HD600, Beyer DT880's or Hifiman HE6SE's.

Put the rest into high quality digital media to listen to and save the rest for where the hobby takes you.

If you get into vinyl, maybe something like the Pro-Ject Debut Carbon EVO. And then put the rest into building a high quality vinyl collection that are known high quality recordings. You can certainly go cheaper on the turntable. There are just a few critical components to a good turn table and the cheap ones all need something to be swapped out, etc. So I think skipping all that may be better and just go to a mid-tier turn table up front.

Overall, all-in, this would compare to many hobby buy ins, from PC building, to XBOX/PS5 with controllers and several games, or Drones, or Photography equipment, a nice entry Telescope, etc. Achievable I would say. Around that $1k mark basically (not including a turn table), which is not super budget, but it's significant still for a lot of people. But this is by no means a budget experience, as this is nearly end-game class equipment for headphone critical listening.

Speakers:

This is also difficult because one could do a $1k speaker setup or a full $5k speaker setup and they will be wildly different in quality. These days, you can totally get an end-game speaker setup in the $5k range. $1k comes with a ton of budget compromise components and results, but still can be great. But I would say this is more difficult because most people starting out are not going to want to think about the room involved and that having a good room and listening space as being important let alone the idea of treating a room and setting this up with acoustics and audio first, and convenience to other things or compromise to other things coming second. This is a harder sell. Most people starting out will want to buy something and it just work no matter where the they put it. Only to discover putting it in that hard floor, hard wall room full or windows and sitting 20 feet away from it sounds completely awful. I'm not saying to blow the budget on building an audio room or buying a dedicated audio shed if you don't have a room to use, etc, but it at least should be a big part of the learning processing and setup process and matter for the end-user listening experience.

My top picks for the speakers, from bookshelf to small mini tower class, will be the Philharmonic BMR or the Ascend Acoustics Sierra-2EX's or even the Salk Songbirds. And that's with no sub. But, if you wanted to go ahead on a sub, it's not needed at all to start out, but if you wanted to go ahead with it starting out, the RSL Speedwoofer 10S MKII is what I would pick probably.

Within budget, if one wanted towers and no sub, I would suggest starting with something like the Polk Reserve R700 at the mid-point tier or the Polk Legend L800 at the top of the budget. It's actually nuts what you're getting with the Polk L800 and its within this budget range with its full range output and SDA for a great stereo setup in this budget class. Closer to the $1k mark, maybe the Emotiva T2+ towers. Otherwise, at the top of the budget, you still have the option of Philharmonic BMR Towers! which are frankly end game class. Granted, some of these tower options take up the budget leaving no room for source equipment, and so may not work here. Still worth a mention.

For source equipment, I wouldn't push hard on discrete up front and instead keep it a little more accessible for connectivity so that a display could be used possibly without much trouble, so maybe something like a Marantz NR1200 or Cambridge AXR85 (no HDMI, but a solid multi-source receiver). Or honestly any inexpensive entry AVR or any AVR really, would be a good start, like a Yamaha RX-385 for an entry but good AVR, or back to something like the NR1200 for pre-amp outs, HDMI, remote, etc as a do all option.

Otherwise, if someone wanted to go discrete up front, maybe a VTV Hyperex NCore NC252MP and a Schiit Modius. Or add in the turntable here too if wanted.

The rest I would put into claiming some dedicated space. Setting up some good distance for placement. Some basic acoustic treatment and a nice listening chair or whatever you prefer. And of course, the same idea of putting the rest into the actual high quality recordings you plan on listening to and having room to explore that with the budget.

For basic treatment, I would look at DIY baseboards from a local big hardware store as the framing and HVAC rolls of insulation to stuff in there. Wrap with fabric of choice. Staple. Go for 3~4 inches thick. Place behind speakers on the first boundary wall. Do another pair for first reflection points. Not expensive, helps manage almost any basic room starting out.

And I would start with the idea of measuring SPL, looking at response curves, understanding how to read audio graphs. We have great articles already here in AH website. A small extra resource to add to the audiophile aresenal to get the most from their setup and room, is learning to measure things and understand what their room is doing too. The MiniDSP Umik-1 is a great start.

Very best,
 
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Trebdp83

Audioholic Ninja
Let's not get confused between "having a budget" for a system and a "budget system" ;)

We all know that words can matter, but in some instances semantic changes mean the world. A "Budget System" implies low cost. The article wasn't about "how to budget for a system," after all. :D
Yes, "budget" is often used as an adjective that indicates, not just low cost, but "cheap" as in low quality. I consider its use in this way to be low class myself. Let's keep it as a noun. Perhaps a better title would have been "How Would you Build A Low Cost, High Quality Audiophile System?" This might perk up some ears rather than make some readers averse to a perceived negative connotation.
 
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ryanosaur

ryanosaur

Audioholic Overlord
Yes, "budget" is often used as an adjective that indicates, not just low cost, but "cheap" as in low quality. I consider its use in this way to be low class myself. Let's keep it as a noun. Perhaps a better title would have been "How Would you Build A Low Cost, High Quality Audiophile System?" This might perk up some ears rather than make some readers averse to a perceived negative connotation.
I'll drink to that!
Drinking Meme GIFs - Get the best GIF on GIPHY
 
MalVeauX

MalVeauX

Senior Audioholic
Yes, "budget" is often used as an adjective that indicates, not just low cost, but "cheap" as in low quality. I consider its use in this way to be low class myself. Let's keep it as a noun. Perhaps a better title would have been "How Would you Build A Low Cost, High Quality Audiophile System?" This might perk up some ears rather than make some readers averse to a perceived negative connotation.
Agreed, "budget" is too often used. Words and phrases that are more associated with high value for cost and related to tiers of cost would be better in my mind. Too many arbitrary numbers out there. And the market shifted up this year already, so lots of numbers from early 2022 don't apply now. It's a living thing.

Very best,
 
jinjuku

jinjuku

Moderator
Budget is always in context of the market and the price ranges in the market. Be it cars, houses, watches, or audio.

Given the audio cost curve with the real, non-bling, high end realistically falling in the 40-70K range, I think a budget system is typically between 1-2K.

If someone wanted to dip their toes into an accurate, quality, budget system my suggestion would be something along the lines of the JBL 308MKII and matching subs, a ~$200-$300 DAC that can take USB, Coax, BlueTooth.
 
ryanosaur

ryanosaur

Audioholic Overlord
Budget is always in context of the market and the price ranges in the market. Be it cars, houses, watches, or audio.

Given the audio cost curve with the real, non-bling, high end realistically falling in the 40-70K range, I think a budget system is typically between 1-2K.

If someone wanted to dip their toes into an accurate, quality, budget system my suggestion would be something along the lines of the JBL 308MKII and matching subs, a ~$200-$300 DAC that can take USB, Coax, BlueTooth.
Shady mentioned something similar above, about using the Studio Monitors as a beginning of a system.
I like it.
 
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