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Bookshelf Speaker + appropriate amp! Total budget $5000 TOPS!


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Hello Stereo.net.au,

I am in need of your collective expertise/experience/wisdom in deciding what I should get. I have demo'd a few speakers and I think I've narrowed it down a bit.

From the few speakers I've demo'd, I liked the Dynaudio Emit 20s and the Excite 18s the most...not including the PMC 25s as they are out of BUDGET by a large margin.

 

The Krix Acoustics Mk2 was nice but a bit rough in the highs, tiny bit too sibilant.

I have heard the Monitor Audios would be worse? Can someone confirm.

The Sonus Fabres/Vienna Acoustics were nice but they were attached to a Macintosh tube amp. Not used to tube sound to be honest.

PMC was GREAT but too expensive.

 

Given my budget AT A STRETCH is 2500 for bookshelves and 2500 for amp, what should I get? Have tried the Dynaudio Excite 18s on a Arcam FMJ A29. The Emit 20 were attached to something else I can't remember. 

 

My DACs are a Schiit Gungnir Multibit and a Klein DAC II. 

 

Note: Not currently interested in a KEF LS50 UNLESS it IS really that good. Or I can demo it somewhere. 

 

Am interested in hearing a Legend Acoustics Kurre 8

What should I look for in a stereo amp?

Edited by Suopermanni
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An accurate speaker, ver nice mids, vocals are done very well............and they do more bass that what ya' would expect from something their size. Great imaging of course :)

They can be unforgiving in the sense that they give you what they are fed by the rest of the equipment.

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I love my ML2's, but ML1's would be more the budget.. $2000 odd would buy you a second hand set. 

 

I heard the LS50's and they are okay, but I think ML1s would be much better, PLUS they are butt ugly.

 

I really like the valves or pure class A with the Lenehan speakers from what i've heard.. 

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Soo, Lenehan Audio seems to be a good pick. Does anyone have a price list of the ML1 models or should I just ask Lenehan Audio directly?

 

Also, what is a good pairing with it?

 

EDIT: OKay, I cracked. I just emailed them now. Hopefully, I can do something with the info they give me! Wish me luck!

Edited by Suopermanni
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The new model ML1 I believe starts about $4400. You'd buy a set of the old shape ML1's for about $2000 (second hand of course).. If you can hunt down the Reference at a good price you'll have a winner.. the new shape is meant to sound better again, but I've never compared them directly.

 

Again I like my Valves and the Class A Luxman I tried with my ML2's but it will also come down to your taste in music, playback level and room volume... 

 

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1 hour ago, Muon said:

An accurate speaker, ver nice mids, vocals are done very well............and they do more bass that what ya' would expect from something their size. Great imaging of course :)

They can be unforgiving in the sense that they give you what they are fed by the rest of the equipment.

 

All standmounts seem to do more bass than you'd expect :)

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id snap those up, partner with a 2nd hand amp like a musical fidelity a5 integrated at 250wpc and will be a great match as both go so great together.

 

in sound these focals have a lovely warmth of mid range, sweet top end and rich bass. Placed well in a room image superbly and are a top class speaker :)

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9 hours ago, Sir Sanders Zingmore said:

 

All standmounts seem to do more bass than you'd expect :)

Especially if you have good quality stands. There were some Partington Broadsides listed which I have used with my ML1 Ref and they would be a superb match IMO. The ML1 Ref second hand can be bought for high 2s and is well worth it. 

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Guest rogerthat

Best i've heard for $5k new is ATC SCM11 and Rega Elicit/Elex or Sugden Mystro. Very hard to fault. I am still considering downsizing to this, it is that good.

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2 minutes ago, Juicester said:

don't split your budget 50 50. Spend $4000 on speakers and $1000 on amp... ;)

 

..................and then discover that the amplifier is not sufficiently powerful and/ or resolving to do justice to the speakers:)

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4 minutes ago, rantan said:

 

..................and then discover that the amplifier is not sufficiently powerful and/ or resolving to do justice to the speakers:)

meh. just saves him upgrading two components instead of one later down the track,

 

You could flip the equation instead (more on amp than speaker); it's just that general consensus is that speakers make a bigger difference compared to the other two considerations (of amp and source).

 

Yes i know there are pundits who will chip in and say he should spend 90% of his budget on improving room acoustics... but shut it! ;)

 

 

Edited by Juicester
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On 08/11/2016 at 5:27 PM, Suopermanni said:

Hello Stereo.net.au,

I am in need of your collective expertise/experience/wisdom in deciding what I should get. I have demo'd a few speakers and I think I've narrowed it down a bit.

From the few speakers I've demo'd, I liked the Dynaudio Emit 20s and the Excite 18s the most...not including the PMC 25s as they are out of BUDGET by a large margin.

 

The Krix Acoustics Mk2 was nice but a bit rough in the highs, tiny bit too sibilant.

I have heard the Monitor Audios would be worse? Can someone confirm.

The Sonus Fabres/Vienna Acoustics were nice but they were attached to a Macintosh tube amp. Not used to tube sound to be honest.

PMC was GREAT but too expensive.

 

Given my budget AT A STRETCH is 2500 for bookshelves and 2500 for amp, what should I get? Have tried the Dynaudio Excite 18s on a Arcam FMJ A29. The Emit 20 were attached to something else I can't remember. 

 

My DACs are a Schiit Gungnir Multibit and a Klein DAC II. 

 

Note: Not currently interested in a KEF LS50 UNLESS it IS really that good. Or I can demo it somewhere. 

 

Am interested in hearing a Legend Acoustics Kurre 8

What should I look for in a stereo amp?

 

I second the Kurre 8. Big fan of Legend Speakers. As for the amp, if it's for anything from Legend you want a buttload of current.. that's about it. 

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This will make just about any speakers great with the remainder of your budget.  I put dynaudio 2/6s on my mac for 2 weeks and didn't miss my paradigms.  

Edited by bunno77
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11 minutes ago, audio_file said:

I used to do this, but never got as good results as now that I spend the same amount on both.

sure - but the intent would be to upgrade the amp later down the path. not to keep it as is. i can't recall meeting an audiophile who never upgraded their system.

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4 minutes ago, Juicester said:

sure - but the intent would be to upgrade the amp later down the path. not to keep it as is. i can't recall meeting an audiophile who never upgraded their system.

I stopped upgrading as it cost me too much money, cause you tend to upgrade the weakest link, resulting in this new item as the best component instead of upgrading it to the same level as your best component.

Now I buy in the same budget for every component, and rather get more components to compare to each other than replacing items.

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