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Author Topic: Major Stereo Upgrade  (Read 7009 times)

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Offline Nick S.

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Major Stereo Upgrade
« on: August 28, 2003, 05:32:47 PM »
Ok folks, so I'm looking to get a real home setup.  My current setup is
a pair of Mirage FRx 7 speakers
consumer Sony reciever
Lucid DA
Sony r500
Hhb burner

So obviously I'm in need of a major upgrade in my speakers and amp.  Looking to spend around $2000 tops.  I know nothing about home stereo stuff so you experts out there start shooting your recomendations out there.

thanks,
Nick
And your head is spinning from a loud guitar . . .

Offline wboswell

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Re:Major Stereo Upgrade
« Reply #1 on: August 28, 2003, 05:38:00 PM »
Sounds like a great idea.  Spend some of my money too.  Looking for the most bang for my buck.  Used gear is definately the way I'd like to go as well.

Also, I'd to have the option to watch movies in Dolby, but my priority is stereo playback of audience recordings.  The movie/tv stuff is strictly 2ndary.

Offline dmonterisi

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Re:Major Stereo Upgrade
« Reply #2 on: August 28, 2003, 08:11:54 PM »
My emphasis is two channel as well, but i really like home theater.  so the best compromise for me after a fair amount of listening was a marantz home theater receiver.  for a home theater box, it handles two channel stuff better than a lot of the lower-end separates i listened to.  i think they are really musical pieces.  very smooth, yet detailed but never harsh.  I bought a sr-19 receiver in like feb or march of 2000.  they've continued to improve on the basic designs of this line nicely.  it's not overly powerful but it's got enough for me.  115wx5, i believe, maybe 110.  they drive my N804's just fine.  Certainly the higher end separates play even more nicely with the 804's but i think it sounds great.  it's 3 years old and has stood up to technology pretty well.  it has plenty of direct inputs so i feed my sacd/dvd-a player's 6 channel analog outs (in dvd-a and sacd only) directly into.  the dac sounds great as well.  I'm very pleased with it.  I bought it new for 1500 in 2000.  I think you can get very good prices on these and subsequent models used on audiogon.com.  I definitely recommend them.  certainly no wave radio, but in reality, what is?  8)

when i do upgrade, i'm most likely staying with the all-in one HT receivers cause i watch a ton of movies and will probably step up to one of the Sunfire models.  But i will look into Marantz' higher end stuff.  I think they make great stuff that's not cheap but a good value.

good luck and take your time.

-damon


Offline scervin

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Re:Major Stereo Upgrade
« Reply #3 on: August 28, 2003, 10:28:52 PM »
Sunfire.....STAY AWAY FROM THIS!!! Actually they migt be under by then.  Look into Parasound Halo, B&K or even the ew Rotel gear.  
SC

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Re:Major Stereo Upgrade
« Reply #4 on: August 29, 2003, 07:40:19 AM »
why?  i don't know anythying about the company, but i've listened to some of their stuff and thought it sounds pretty nice.

-damon

Offline scervin

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Re:Major Stereo Upgrade
« Reply #5 on: August 29, 2003, 08:59:32 AM »
why?  i don't know anythying about the company, but i've listened to some of their stuff and thought it sounds pretty nice.

-damon

We must have listened on different systems.  The company is not in the best economic situation right now.  I think it is way over priced for what you get.  I heard too much noise and just didn't like the amps at all.  Now the Halo stuff...... man I wish I had an extr $6K around.

SC

Offline Wiggler

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Re:Major Stereo Upgrade
« Reply #6 on: August 29, 2003, 10:08:06 AM »
I have had bad luck with Sunfire myself.
I purchased one of those small signature subwoofers years ago
never worked very well and I sent it back to sunfire for repair.
It took them six weeks to send it back to me and they did nothing to repair it.

When purchasing new equipment keep your amps and pre seperate from any D/A processing because the amps never go out of date.
Amps from the 1960's and 1970's are still in demand today because amp technology doesn't change very much.
On the receiver side of things top of the line receivers that cost $3000 three years ago are all outdated by new technology and can be found on E-bay for about $500.00 obsolete technology.

I just made a upgrade purchase a few days ago.
Picked up this baby one of only 500 in the world and I think it's Stereophile Class A recommended.  Now to find some speakers to match it up with?
http://www.upscaleaudio.com/updates/m3int.htm

« Last Edit: August 29, 2003, 10:29:45 AM by Wiggler »

Offline Nick S.

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Re:Major Stereo Upgrade
« Reply #7 on: August 29, 2003, 11:17:55 AM »
Thanks for the tips guys, I am definately looking for something that will not be obsolete in 5 years so I will probably be going the pre/ amp route.  So after doing some research I kind of had my eye on the Rotel RB series (any idea how much juice I'm gonna need, my listening room is an open living room, high ceilings, wood floors)  but  wanted some pre recs.  I really like the tube sound (it was either a playback upgrade or some schoeps tubes, wisely I was talked into upgrading the playback first ;) so start throwing them my way.  I have heard good things about Mcintosh and my dealer carries them so that might be a starting point.  

thanks for the help guys,
Nick
And your head is spinning from a loud guitar . . .

Offline JeffK

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Re:Major Stereo Upgrade
« Reply #8 on: August 29, 2003, 12:37:20 PM »
Mcintosh will be a bit pricey, if you're looking to stay in your $2k pricerange for amps and speakers.

Trey was selling an Arcam integrated amp that would be a great deal (http://www.taperssection.com/yabbse/index.php?board=7;action=display;threadid=571).  For the money, I'd say look into the B&W DM600 line of products... you most likely have a dealer that has em in stock so that you could demo.

Offline scervin

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Re:Major Stereo Upgrade
« Reply #9 on: August 29, 2003, 01:11:24 PM »
I have had bad luck with Sunfire myself.
I purchased one of those small signature subwoofers years ago
never worked very well and I sent it back to sunfire for repair.
It took them six weeks to send it back to me and they did nothing to repair it.

When purchasing new equipment keep your amps and pre seperate from any D/A processing because the amps never go out of date.
Amps from the 1960's and 1970's are still in demand today because amp technology doesn't change very much.
On the receiver side of things top of the line receivers that cost $3000 three years ago are all outdated by new technology and can be found on E-bay for about $500.00 obsolete technology.

I just made a upgrade purchase a few days ago.
Picked up this baby one of only 500 in the world and I think it's Stereophile Class A recommended.  Now to find some speakers to match it up with?
http://www.upscaleaudio.com/updates/m3int.htm



That looks mighty nice.  Once I start at the Tech Center I'll have to swing by after work to hear this beast!  
What Jeff said, McIntosh will be out your range for the time being.  There are many other great products out there. I think you can get the Parasound stuff pretty cheap on the used market.  There are so many pieces to choose from.  March on over to audiogon...

Offline Wes

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Re:Major Stereo Upgrade
« Reply #10 on: August 29, 2003, 01:28:23 PM »
I like Arcam's products.  I've got a a22 and p25 matching power amp.  this combo can be had for around $2k used.  they are stereo only but the a22 has speaker outs as well pre outs so they can be used to bi-amp suitable speakers.
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Offline goose

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Re:Major Stereo Upgrade
« Reply #11 on: August 29, 2003, 07:43:59 PM »
I am listening to some new equipment that I just picked up.  I found some used equipment to upgrade to, and a very nice improvement was realized.

My (old) setup goes something like this:
B&W DM602 s2 front speakers (cheap speaker cable)
B&W LCR6 s2 center speaker
B&W ASW600 sub
if used - bose 301s for surround
JVC RX 888v home theater surround receiver
Sony 5 disc changer with digi out
Tascam CDR700 burner
Tascam DA20mkII dat
JVC DVD blah blah blah

Well, I found a great deal on some used speakers and a 2 channel receiver, so I picked up a pair of B&W CDM1 speakers and a Rotel  RA 985BX receiver.  What a delicious sound compared to the JVC.  Big difference immediately.  The receiver is the big difference, but the speakers are great as well.  Nicely rounds out a B&W home theater.  I also got some TARA labs biwire cables with the purchase.  Nice to upgrade my cables as well.

Can't do home theater with the Rotel, but I deal with that for now.  I can change to the JVC for that until I can upgrade more.  The gear is circa 1996 (lightly used by professional female) but a fantastic deal I could not pass up.

Hope you guys are as happy with your future upgrade as I am with this one!  The endless search begins.


Offline goose

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Re:Major Stereo Upgrade
« Reply #12 on: August 29, 2003, 07:55:02 PM »
thanks m0k3 !!   :drummer:      I'm rockin out!!

Thought about giving you a call the other day as I was commuting home from a Long Beach site the other day after work - was passing through Laguna Nigel area - guess you know I didn't call.

We'll have to get together again soon.  I'd love to see/hear the home stereo system you described in the other post...

Offline EScott

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Re:Major Stereo Upgrade
« Reply #13 on: August 30, 2003, 03:10:15 AM »
Any thoughts on AR?


Eric
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But wouldn't bust a grape in a fruit fight"

Offline jlykos

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Re:Major Stereo Upgrade
« Reply #14 on: September 02, 2003, 10:53:56 AM »
Any thoughts on AR?


Eric

Audio Research?  Some of the best equipment I have ever heard.  Their tube amps and preamps are to die for.  HUGE soundstage, incredible detail.  Very, very warm products.  Listen before you buy; some don't like the degree of warmth in their products.  I like it, but it definitely is there.
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