Need help choosing audio system as suprise gift for husband.

[Audionewbie2013]

Hello,

I would like to surprise my husband for Christmas with a high quality audio system, but I'm at a loss of what to be looking at, separate components or an all in one unit, higher quality mini system.

After reading through posts on here I see that choosing a system and speakers is a very subjective matter, but I hope I can get some direction. My small Canadian town only has Future Shop and London Drugs, so not much selection.

I had a quick look at a more pro A/V store in a nearby town and their suggestion after what I told them was the Marantz M-CR610 with a pair of PSB Loudspeaker image series. ( I have no idea about those speakers or if they are any good?) I would have to make an appointment to go back if I want to listen to them set up. The total was going to be $700 for unit and $500 for speaker pair, plus tax. Otherwise they had mostly Yamaha and Denon product.

I will go for a drive again and check out the other A/V shop, it was closed at the time. I think they have more brands, but I want to be prepared with some ideas and more knowledge before I go. I tend to get more overwhelmed by the sales people.

Hopefully the following is enough info to help someone offer suggestions or feedback on the above. After reading about the Marantz system it seems good, but many people say it is a lot of money just because it is small and the $$$ could be much better spent?

-My max budget is $2000 including speakers

-We are far from audiofiles, but we both appreciate quality sound and don't want to listen to terribly compressed music. We don't blast it until neighbours are vibrating, but like some power.

-We listen to almost all genres from sitar music to classic rock and everything in between.

-Husband has a fair amount of CD's that I'm sure he will want to continue to listen to. He sold off Yamaha separates several years back when we had to cram into a very small space, currently we just have a Sony bookshelf system.

-The new system will be set up in the living room in our new place which is part of an open concept 750sq ft space incl. kitchen and dining area. If possible to still have a half descent sound I think a set of set of high quality book shelf speakers and a subwoofer would work best in the space.

-Neither of us own and Ipod or any similar type of device, smart phone etc. Just not our thing. (hard to believe I know!) I think it is strange to buy one of these devices to have to operate the music system at home? But that seems to be the case with much of what I see for sale.

-Would like to get into listening to internet radio, but have never done it and would also like to start downloading high quality music (lossless or flac that I have been reading about and be able to hook up a hard drive full of high quality music files or a large GB USB stick.

-not big tv watchers or movie buffs, so a system that hooks into that is not necessary.

Thank you in advance, it's very kind for people to give their time on forums like this and I sure appreciate the help

 

[afj]

at a budget of 2000 dollars i think you should go for the monitor audio rx6 speakers. they're arguable the best speakers in that price range imo. depending on what type of music you listen to and what you would prefer, the amps to go with would be nad / cambridge / marantz in no particular order. this info is to give you a start or point you in the right direction. your best bet will be to demo before you buy.

 

[theironhorse]

as you are in canada you can look forwards for canada's very own

NAD + PSB speaker combo.

also please mention what kind of sound signature is liked..

ex : bright ( better highs. treble) , more of vocals or low end thump ( bass )

+1 to rx6. they have got good reviews however they are floorstanders. they will occupy similar space at BS ( bookshelves) + stands but suggested for bigger area. as for 750 space bookshelves is not suggested.

 

[grunthos]

Isnt Paradigm also Canadian ?
The Monitor 9s are priced at US$1200 for a pair
I auditioned the Monitor 7s last month and I thought they were damn good speakers, just a notch below DALIs. The Monitor 9s should be a step up since they are 4-way driven compared to the 3 in Monitor 7
The Marantz CR-610 is a good choice. You dont need to add a CD player to it - and you dont need to get into the headache of matching CD player and stereo amplifier

 

[blackscorpio]

My research in the last couple of years regarding budget systems taught me, its always best to allocate major portion of your budget to the speakers. The speakers are here to stay and if you want to you can pair them with different electronics, until you find the one that sounds best to you.

From what you explained about your tastes, I would suggest:

Salk Songbirds

+

Any used integrated amp, like this one.


With taxes and shipping to canada, it will be little over your budget but in my opinion its a decent setup to start with.

I never heard the Song Birds but I do own a pair of Song Towers, which is one step above the Birds. So, add salt to make it a sweet recipe.

 

[mpw]

hi,

my BiL in the US has a similar situation.

I suggested a Nad D3020 + PSB Imagine on stands for him

The NAD will take care of your future needs like internet radio and stuff and i think this system can be accomodated in USD 500 for Nad d3020 + about $ 1000 for the PSB Imagine ( new ) ( else look up AudiogoN - The High-end Audio Community for some nice deals ).

there are some nice speakers like Totem rainmaker available at a nice price point of USD 700 appro

That will leave you with some change for a decent CDP .. if you wish.

Mind you the above combo will not play with "earthshaking bass " but will make sweet music.

Later you can add a subwoofer to the nad D3020 using its already built in pre outs ( if you find you need even more room filling bass )

try this link..

PSB Imagine B Bookshelf speakers | Monitors | Hooksett, New Hampshire 03106 | AudiogoN - The High-end Audio Community

Or

http://www.musicdirect.com/p-139677-focal-chorus-806v-bookshelf-speakers-pr.aspx

ask the seller for original double packing..

Good luck !

PS : Music is an individual taste. the reccos given are with sincerity but i recommend an audition if possible. The NAD and PSB are stablemates but that doesnt mean the Focal will not go well.

mpw

 

[magma]

i would look at getting the PSB synchrony 2 towers
(they are discontinued but im sure youll find a dealer in Canada who has them and willing to get them off for 1200$ )

with that i would look at pairing the NAD 375 amp

or the Exposure or Audioloab

 

[jagdish_p]

Marantz with PSB speaker combination is a good choice.

Though the 60 w may not fill the entire open 750 Sq ft area

You may want to add a powered sub woofer if you want extra bass.

 

[hifipal4all]

Considering your budget, the following combo would be the best choice.

CD Player - NAD - Model: C516BEE
Amplifier - NAD - Model: C326BEE
Speakers - PSB - Model: Image B6

Interconnects between the CD player & Amplifier - Chord Crimson - 1 Metre

Speaker cables: Chord Carnival silver screen - 2.5 or 3 metres (2 lengths) ... for Left & Right speakers.

All the best

 

[asliarun]

My research in the last couple of years regarding budget systems taught me, its always best to allocate major portion of your budget to the speakers. The speakers are here to stay and if you want to you can pair them with different electronics, until you find the one that sounds best to you.

From what you explained about your tastes, I would suggest:

Salk Songbirds

+

Any used integrated amp, like this one.


With taxes and shipping to canada, it will be little over your budget but in my opinion its a decent setup to start with.

I never heard the Song Birds but I do own a pair of Song Towers, which is one step above the Birds. So, add salt to make it a sweet recipe.

A double thumbs up to Salk Song Birds. I have heard them (albeit briefly) and they sound really good - much better than many other speakers for the price. Jim Salk and Salk Audio put a lot of care in handcrafting their speakers using quality materials and veneers, and the result of their craftsmanship clearly shows. These speakers also use high quality parts.

The other advantages of buying Salk speakers is that
- They are able to give you much better value for your money because they ship direct and can thus completely avoid the overheads of dealers
- You get a personal level of service that you simply cannot get from a mass market product. They really take care of their customers. For example, they even help sell speakers for their customers when their customers want to upgrade to the next line of Salk speakers
- They offer custom veneers and finishes. You can actually get the exact color and look and finish you want - and you can thus match it with your decor or get something that really looks pleasing to the eye. And they have some gorgeous options

I am actually not sure which amp would pair well with these speakers. However, you could also reach out to Salk Audio about this and I'm sure they would be happy to recommend some amplification options in your budget.

Besides this, you could also go for speakers and amps from Odyssey Audio. They too are similar to Salk Audio in many ways. Sending them an email or calling them directly and talking to them about your requirement would be the best way to go about this. Unlike Salk, they make both speakers and amplifiers.

P.S. What a lovely place you live in! The raw natural beauty of the place is staggering!

 

[Audionewbie2013]

Thanks for all the help and suggestions everyone.

From the responses sounds like because the living room space is part of a 750 sq ft open concept that bookshelf speakers will not be powerful enough?

The Songbird speakers seem like they would be very top end an amazing, but I would not have anyway to listen to them and it might be getting out of my budget to get them and add on the other equipment. Although by reading about them it seems like I couldn't go wrong with the purchase.

I am still a bit confused, I see the recommendation of the Nad D3020 says it will take care of needs such as internet radio etc. But do the other recommendations of NAD amplifiers etc do that as well and have the ability to have a usb stick or harddrive of music plugged into them.

Sorry, I am really lost when it comes to this kind of stuff, that is why when I started looking at the Marantz M-CR610 system because I knew it had all the features I needed.

Would it be a bad match to put the Marantz M-CR610 with a pair of speakers in the $1000 or even $1500 such as the Songbirds, or do those type of speakers deserve a more powerful quality amp and other matched separate components?

What is the proper order? To pick the speakers or system first?

I am intrigued by the songbirds, but are they for smaller spaces? If I needed to go with the Song Towers it would take up my entire budget just for the speakers. From what I read it seems like you get a lot of quality for less money than other speakers sold in stores.

Otherwise I can set up an appointment to listen to some Paradigm or PSB, not sure about the Monitor speakers recommended, I'll have to see if they have that brand.

Thanks so much.

 

[rbalagopalan]

Oh what a gifted husband to get a gift of a stereo system from his wife, great. Good luck for your search and I pray that you should get a nice well matched set up that will really move your hubby and be with you for ever.

BTW coming to the topic I had listened to a pair of PSB book shelf with Rockson - Candy the matching was excellent so you can think in that way with next higher size to suit your room size.

Being in Canada you can think about Paradigm way too, but your point of connecting a drive with a lossless audio data is also a concern here to squeeze it in your budget. It is possible. Be sure to have an audition and be specific to the showroom guy with your requirement of USB drive capability for lossless audio.

 

[Santy]

Since you have a large room, FS I believe is the way to go, for a given budget.

The ability of an amp to drive a speaker largely depends on the sensitivity of the speakers. I see that Song birds are of 84db which are quite difficult to drive. I am not sure if Marantz or NAD you mentioned will be able to extract enough juice out of it. The PSB Imagine T for instance is relatively easier to drive.

IMO, you can always start with the speakers and then hunt for a matching amp. You can also audition Focal Chorus 816v towers if possible. They are highly sensitive speakers so you don't have to spend too much on the amp (power is costly).

 

[reubensm]

First of all, what a sweet thought...to buy your husband a stereo rig from Christmas. I'm sure its going to be the best Christmas gift he'll receive in a long long time. Also appreciate the approach you've taken before buying stuff. Its always good to consult before buying audio equipment as there's so much out there and then, there are also the numerous assumptions, dependencies and risks involved with audio component matching.

If you're into cd listening, then obviously, a 2 channel system is the way to go. Home theatre setups are generally not suitable for music listening. Your budget is more than good enough for you to indulge in some serious gear.

You have 2 options in front of you (1) buy new, (2) buy pre-used. If you go the eBay route, you may end up getting a bigger bang for the buck but there are risks associated with cosmetics and functionality. With a new purchase, you get a lot less for the money but you have the assurances of warranties, after sales service and most importantly, a new product.

There are 2 approaches, you can first select your speakers and then find a matching amplifier or you can first decide on the amplifier and then find the matching speakers for it. If you both are not very keen about flashy looking hifi, then the NAD amplifiers are the way to go. They are reliable and sound good. They also play well with most speakers. However, its better to listen to equipment before buying.

On another note, your surprise element may be killed but it would not be a bad idea to take your husband with you on a listening spree. Get his feedback on what he likes and then surprise him by actually buying the stuff for him. From experience, I can tell you that when a guy (who's into audio) sees equipment, he would not really care how he got it or who gave it to him, but would get immersed in wiring it up, operating it and enjoying it. The thankyou hugs are bound to come later

 

[Audionewbie2013]

Thank you for all the help I am learning a lot. I was confused about how the amp and speakers had to work together. I didn't realize the speakers could be too much for the amp. I thought it was the other way around.

I assume that if I go to a pro style audio store they are going to make sure I have the right matched equipment to speakers as far as that sort of thing goes?

I am going to try and keep it a surprise if I can. He will be thrilled to receive this as a gift, but he is very practical and would never buy it for himself at this time. He would feel guilty that it was an unnecessary purchase.

I think I will pick the best quality speakers the budget can afford, that makes sense to me since they should be around for a long time. Then I'll get the rest of the equipment to go with them. I don't think I feel comfortable enough to buy used, so new will be the way I will go, pros and cons to that as said.

 

[keith_correa]

OK, to summarize:

Budget: $2000

Listening room size: 750sq ft space including kitchen and dining area

Music tastes: Sitar music to classic rock and everything in between

Need: To be able listen to CD's and internet radio. Be able to hook up an external hard drive full of high quality music files or a large GB USB stick

Are far from audiofiles, but appreciate quality sound and don't want to listen to terribly compressed music. We don't blast it until neighbours are vibrating, but like some power.

No need: HT

Here's my 2 cents worth:

Buy a good AVR with a good built-in DAC. There are tons out there and I'm sure FM's will chime in with their choices. Allocate maybe $600 to this. Pick the right one and you will be able to get the internet radio+USB music stuff fulfilled.

Buy a CDP to hook up to the AVR but don't spend too much on this. Allocate maybe $400 to $500 to this. Marantz makes some good CDP's but I'm sure FM's can suggest cheaper alternates.

Spend the rest on floor standing speakers. Consider Axiom. They are a Canadian company and I had heard their M22's a while ago and was staggered by the sound.
Consider Q Acoustics. Superb sound for the price.
Although the SongBird would be excellent, I think it would be inadequate for the space that you have.

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

I believe that she should go for the best stereo amplifier and speaker combination that budget allows, along with CD player. I won't even begin to try to recommend what, as I have not been a buyer of such things for more than a decade. I was buying today, I'd probably be asking questions here too! I guess that NAD and Marantz are safe names: I don't think I'd mind buying NAD for myself, and I certainly do like the NAD look.

Having invested in a very fine for the budget traditional cd-playing 2ch stereo system, digital input from a PC, laptop, etc can easily be added on. DACS, like other hifi components are priced at how-much-do-you-want-to-pay, but something like an ODAC can be added for less than $200 with fine results. It can be a later add-on.

Alternatively, you could look at a PC-based system --- apply the same philosophy to choice of amp and speakers, but subtract the CD player, because, hey, PCs play CDs (even without ripping) too! It is a possibility; a choice that may appeal or may not. Personally, even though most of what I do, including music listening, is PC-based, I still like to have a CD player. Not only is is easier for others, even visitors, to just turn on and play, but old habits die hard for me too.

 

[rbalagopalan]

OK, to summarize:

Budget: $2000

Listening room size: 750sq ft space including kitchen and dining area

Music tastes: Sitar music to classic rock and everything in between

Need: To be able listen to CD's and internet radio. Be able to hook up an external hard drive full of high quality music files or a large GB USB stick

Are far from audiofiles, but appreciate quality sound and don't want to listen to terribly compressed music. We don't blast it until neighbours are vibrating, but like some power.

No need: HT

Here's my 2 cents worth:

Buy a good AVR with a good built-in DAC.

It is clear in your own summery. What they need is clean, pure audiophile music. So certainly I will not go and recommend AVR way. I have used many AVRs in the past including high ends. Nothing could come closer to a dedicated Two Channel setup. Yes I do agree there is some constraints in present budget, so adding a DAC can be left to near future up grade. So with out a DAC the budget is fair enough to get a descent 2 channel set up.

 

[Audionewbie2013]

Thanks everyone, I will try to sort through all the suggestions, it's all a bit overwhelming. I had to actually look up what DAC was. Seems to be varying opinions of what route to go.

 

[rbalagopalan]

I had to actually look up what DAC was. Seems to be varying opinions of what route to go.

Music and sound are 100% of personal preferences. You will not be able to fix the brand and model from this forum directly. All our inputs will be mostly based on individual preference and products used, but the advantage here would be you will get a broad based idea of what to buy and what not to and what to do and what not to. As I had mentioned earlier please have an audition personally and as suggested by FM reubensm if you can mock your hubby and take for the audition it will be great.

With regard to DAC see please see NAD DAC1 wireless DAC it is plug and play. please go thru the NAD site you will understand. This will solve your internet radio and playing lossless files also.