Hello everybody. I'm looking to put together a new systems after a 20 year hiatus from "higher end" audio. After getting married and having kids my high end audio hopes were dashed. Now that the kids are older and we're building a new house I want to start putting together a more satisfying system.
A little history so you know where I'm coming from. My first encounter with high end audio was when I was back in college in the '80's walking around New Brunswick (Rutgers) and I heard some really great sounding coming out of the open door of a store. I never heard audio like this. I walked to the back of the store and heard some amazing sound but strange looking speakers. I later learned they were Kef 104/2 speakers. I wanted in on that kind of sound. My Infinity RSb's weren't cutting it any more. As a college student funds were limited and time passed. The next mind blowing speakers I heard were the Infinity Kappa 9's. Finally after much deliberation I ended up getting a pair of Mirage M5si's, Adcom preamp, Hafler Amp, and Denon CD Player. I still had my B&O 1602 turntable I had begged my parents for when I was in high school. I really liked that system and probably had it for 15 years. That is until I got married and my wife just couldn't stand the look of those "coffins" as she described them. I had a pair of Dynaudio Focus 240's for a while, much better WAF, but they never quite sounded right to me. I sold them and am using a pair of Vanatoo Transparent One's with a SVS sealed sub as my holdover system. That and the old pair of AR TSW610 I still have in the basement connected to a PS Audio Sprout. Their sound takes me right back to the '80's and I just can't seem to part with them. It's a good workshop set up.
Anyway, I'm looking at auditioning some speakers and want to get right to a sound I'll probably like. That being a more forgiving top end and fuller bottom, which if I'm not mistaken is how the Kappa 9's and 104/2's would be described. I also heard a pair of Kef Reference 4 around 2000 that I really liked.
So right now on my short list are the Mofi 888, or perhaps 8's with a sub. Perhaps the LS60 but my wife thinks they are too ugly. The other "pushing the budget" speaker I'm intrigued by is the Frigg 02 at 15k.
So I'm wondering what other smaller towers or bookshelves with a sub I should audition? If I don't go active I'll probably go with a integrated amp in the 5k price range. I'm really not into separates anymore. I'm really looking to try and recreate that 104/2, Kappa 9 experience at 61 years old that I felt in my 20's. I'm a working bass player so especially keen on how that sounds on the system because I know what it's supposed to sound and feel like.
Thanks for any help here.
Mark
