General Asylum

General audio topics that don't fit into specific categories.

Return to General Asylum


Message Sort: Post Order or Asylum Reverse Threaded

High end system for $5000

71.166.96.96

Posted on May 23, 2015 at 13:02:22
ruxtonvet
Audiophile

Posts: 527
Location: maryland
Joined: September 25, 2004
It is possible to set up an excellent high end audio system for $5000. The main hitch is you are restricted to head phones. The sound quality is fairly amazing. I set this up to supplement my primary system. My choices were arrived at by listening to different headphones and headphone amplifiers at Axpona. Headphones are Audeze LCD-3 with a Woo WA22 tube class A balance amplifier. Source is a Sony SACD ES5400 player or vinyl through the tape out on my Spectral 20 preamp with a SOTA Cosmo SME V Lyra Titan I combo. Headphone were $1711, WA22.was $1995 and Sony was $1200. Sony out of production at this time. $5000 price excludes the phono set up. What is lacking is the feel of low bass on your body. Plus the headphones are heavy and not very comfortable for long listening sessions. Still this offers amazing sound quality for a fraction of the cost of a big rig. The Woo in black is beautiful and sounds great especially in the balanced mode. No fancy tubes or interconnects. Try it - you may like it.

 

Hide full thread outline!
    ...
restricted to headphones??? hello???, posted on May 23, 2015 at 14:31:02
Tom Schuman
Audiophile

Posts: 2632
Location: Bremen
Joined: October 22, 2003
You may be right in a way, but for $5000 you can have a hell of a lot of fun with good used equipment.
At least $1000 for some good three way vintage speakers and the rest for an integrated amplifier and turntable, and you're back in the arena listening to Lynyrd Skynyrd, Queen, Aerosmith, Billy Joel, or Elton John!! Hell, for $500 on ebay I'm having the time of my life rediscovering old favorites on a par of 'west coast sound' speakers and a twenty year old integrated amp.
To heck with high end when you have to spend $5000 on a source, headphones and 100 milliwatts!!! The source is the music, not the technology!!


 

What is the total cost of your front end? , posted on May 23, 2015 at 14:56:50
kuma
Audiophile

Posts: 10254
Location: IN
Joined: July 8, 2001
that influence a lot for the outcome more so that a total cost of headphone + amp.

That said, when you take out the room/speaker inegration factor, it is a lot easier to achieve a good sound for most.

 

OK..., posted on May 23, 2015 at 17:27:57
musetap
Audiophile

Posts: 31815
Location: San Francisco
Joined: July 8, 2003
Contributor
  Since:
January 28, 2004
but headphones suck.

Doesn't matter how much they cost or how good they are.

YMMV.


"Once this was all Black Plasma and Imagination"-Michael McClure



 

I must say ... , posted on May 23, 2015 at 20:13:46
... I agree.


I have some nice cans but I never use them. However, occasionally my wife does.

I find myself where I'd rather not listen to music if I were forced to wear headphones. Luckily I am not in a position where I ever need to use headphones.

 

& how, posted on May 23, 2015 at 20:22:11
LWR
Audiophile

Posts: 66808
Location: The woods
Joined: August 12, 2003
much more for the actual music and at what resolution and how many $$$ and for how long to keep acquiring?
Music is legal heroin.....

 

RE: OK..., posted on May 23, 2015 at 23:54:14
Disbeliever
Audiophile

Posts: 1877
Joined: June 1, 2012
Headphones suck + 1

 

RE: What is the total cost of your front end? , posted on May 24, 2015 at 02:17:34
Todd Krieger
Audiophile

Posts: 37308
Location: SW United States
Joined: November 2, 2000
The Audeze headphones are amazing, but skimping on the front end will make the headphones reveal the flaws.... I agree the source is the most important part of the chain. If it's not right, nothing downstream can fix it. Revealing downstream components will only make those source flaws more apparent.

 

RE: OK..., posted on May 24, 2015 at 08:16:00
Old SteveA
Audiophile

Posts: 648
Joined: March 27, 2011
Gee, what a surprise that you would add your 2 cents !

In real world value your 2 cents (& any other nitwit who takes the time to
post how something "sucks) is probably only worth... wait a minute you
"owe" us for wasting our time !!!

The truth is you owe us a huge amount of $$$$$$$$

 

RE: I must say ... , posted on May 24, 2015 at 08:34:03
Old SteveA
Audiophile

Posts: 648
Joined: March 27, 2011
I'm certain if you go over to 'Disbeliever's' house you will be safe
from anyone trying to "force" you to do anything !

Just bring some cheese with you, as I'm certain there's plenty of "whine"
over there !

 

My ex has a nice set of cans too. Nt, posted on May 24, 2015 at 08:54:40
Nt

 

Agree, posted on May 24, 2015 at 09:31:44
Bill the K
Audiophile

Posts: 8374
Joined: June 3, 2006
Headphone listening is selfish. Others should be able to listen to a great system thru speakers.

Cheers
Bill

 

RE: restricted to headphones??? hello???, posted on May 24, 2015 at 09:41:28
Agreed.

5k to sit by yourself (and that's what you have to do with ANY open back design so as not to piss off anyone near you) with a pair of cans strapped to your head - No thanks.


I would rather go the used route and enjoy a soundstage that cannot be replicated by a pair of miniscule drivers 4 inches apart.

To each his own I guess.......





 

Why limit yourself to headphones?, posted on May 24, 2015 at 10:48:43
AbeCollins
Audiophile

Posts: 46200
Location: USA
Joined: June 22, 2001
Contributor
  Since:
February 2, 2002
Unless you have circumstances that won't allow for speakers, I'd spend that $5K on some used gear and skip the headphones. IMHO, if you can spend $5K on a headphone setup, you can afford a pretty nice speaker system.

I have a decent headphone system but I much prefer listening with speakers even in my smallish home office.

 

no reason you can't build a respectable, great sounding system for $5 grand , posted on May 24, 2015 at 11:10:28
Green Lantern
Audiophile

Posts: 16952
Location: San Diego, Ca
Joined: November 12, 2002
Contributor
  Since:
June 17, 2003
If you don't mind gear on the used market. I've done it several times over the years.









 

RE: High end system for $5000, posted on May 24, 2015 at 14:17:21
briggs
Audiophile

Posts: 1674
Location: Connecticut
Joined: April 16, 2002
In addition to the social isolation, another problem I have with headphones is that most recorded music is not mic'ed or mixed for headphone listening.

If you are willing to forgo an obsession with "high end" gear, you can build a very enjoyable, musical system -- including loudspeakers and a turntable -- from new components for $5000.

It depends on what your goals are.

 

RE: My ex has a nice set of cans too. Nt, posted on May 24, 2015 at 16:05:55
Old SteveA
Audiophile

Posts: 648
Joined: March 27, 2011
OK, but I guess you didn't care for how she "Sounded" in the long
run !!!

 

RE: High end system for $5000, posted on May 24, 2015 at 19:00:19
d

 

RE: High end system for $5000, posted on May 24, 2015 at 20:08:51
stehno
Manufacturer

Posts: 739
Location: Oregon
Joined: November 8, 2001
For under $5k new or used, you could have a musical system most others couldn't begin to compete with. If you do your homework. For example:

- Wyred 4 Sound SX-1000 575 wpc mono block amps. New $2400 pair - Used $1400
- OPPO BDP-105D universal CD/DVD/Blue Ray/Hi-rez player New $1300 - Used or new $900
(the oppo has a built-in volume attenuator so no need for preamp)
- VMPS full-range speakers - Only available used for $800 - $2500
- 1 pair of Cabledyne silver ic's and 1 pair of silver speaker cables (both cryo-treated) New $1000

That's roughly $4500 and with this simple 2-channel 2-component system AS-IS, your system's level of musicality would be competing performance-wise with systems retailing for many times this $4500 price.

But that's just the beginning. As time goes on there are things you can do to dramatically improve this simple system's performance.

Oh, and it just so happens that last year at this time, I sold my cdp, int. amp, and speakers that retailed new for $25k and purchased this exact configuration with new components, except for the VMPS speakers. Had the speakers been new the these 3 components would have retailed for $10k. But since I got the fabulously musical VMPS' for a song I actually paid maybe $6k for ell 3. More importantly, in each case the replacement component was significantly more musical than its predecessor. We're talking Esoteric CDP $9k, BMC int. amp $8k, and Legacy speakers $8k.

So for under $5k, you could have an extremely musical system like this one below. Bear in mind I still have about $14k in ancillaries like line conditioners, racks, cables, etc. to really cause this otherwise humble-but-well-thought-out-system's performance to soar. But that's another story.

BTW, here's a few ancillary benefits that translate into some real performance gains choosing a route like this:

1. Some will poo-poo the OPPO's preamp claiming a passive pre lacks dynamics. Well, yes and no. If you're talking an electronics' induced dynamics then that is true. If you're talking more of a natural, not-in-your-face dynamics, then no. Because of the 575wpc mono amps, you should still have one of the most dynamic systems you've ever heard. But because of OPPO's passive volume attenuator, all the dynamics remain on the soundstage where they belong with the rest of the music. Not in your face while seated in the audience.

2. OPPO's passive volume attenuator should also provide a much more pristine, delicate, detailed, and overall more musical presentation simply because of the lowered noise floor of a non-amplified gain stage.

3. Less components imply potential sonic benefits since that's one less power supply affected by the noisy/dirty AC coming in from the street.

4. Less components imply potential sonic benefits since that's one less power supply inducing internal vibrations that will significantly degrade the sonics.

5. Less components imply potential sonic benefits since that's at least one less component chassis capturing and trapping air-borne and internally-generated vibrations that are left to fully resonate within.

In other words, the less is more philosophy translates into very real performance gains. Oh, and you'll save money on components, cabling, line conditioners, racking system shelves, and your system won't look cluttered and taking up precious real estate space in your room.

And while others are loading up and spending way more on other components striving to improve their systems with the more is more philosophy, you choosing to keep things simple not only saves you much money, but allows you performance opportunities others could never begin to explore.

This is the system you'd be looking at for under $5k.



 

RE: High end system for $5000, posted on May 25, 2015 at 05:22:06
Steve O
Audiophile

Posts: 12323
Location: SE MI
Joined: September 6, 2001
Hmmmm...Heavy and uncomfortable headphones costing ~ $1,200? I'd find that a pretty significant sacrifice and would be looking to change things in short order.

 

RE: High end system for $5000, posted on May 25, 2015 at 17:44:14
RGA
Reviewer

Posts: 15177
Location: Hong Kong
Joined: August 8, 2001
As you can see not too many headphone fans here - try posting this at HEAD here on the asylum or head-fi - so you will get responses that actually adhere to what you said

"It is possible to set up an excellent high end audio system for $5000. The main hitch is you are restricted to head phones."

The HD 580 coupled with any numerous similarly priced headphone amps would be a high end headphone system - $5000 should get you an "elite" headphone system unless you do something very wrong.

Headphone systems are easy
1) choose a comfortable all day wearable headphone from any of the major manufacturers - all of them make good sounding headphones in the upper price ranges
2) buy an amp that can power them and meets the sound you like
3) don't use a sucky source

easy.

 

Yep, posted on May 26, 2015 at 06:10:21
E-Stat
Audiophile

Posts: 37464
Joined: May 12, 2000
Contributor
  Since:
April 5, 2002
On the other hand, I love my Shure 535se IEMs for listening to music via phone or pad while traveling, running, mowing the lawn or other mobile activities.

 

RE: High end system for $5000, posted on May 26, 2015 at 08:34:44
A.Wayne
Audiophile

Posts: 2527
Location: Front row center
Joined: November 30, 2011
This is the system you'd be looking at for under $5k.- Stehno


How much more for lights and magic..... ?

 

RE: High end system for $5000, posted on May 26, 2015 at 08:50:23
BillH
Audiophile

Posts: 3913
Location: Baton Rouge
Joined: December 23, 1999
Yeah, if I had lights like that I might forget about soundstage.

 

RE: How much more for lights and magic..... ?, posted on May 26, 2015 at 14:56:42
X1992
Audiophile

Posts: 54
Joined: May 3, 2015
Could use that room to investigate the death of Laura Palmer.

 

"Try it - you may like it. ", posted on May 26, 2015 at 15:17:22
X1992
Audiophile

Posts: 54
Joined: May 3, 2015
I tried it at Axpona and couple other times; thought it was awesome. They have some more comfortable competitors, but I thought only Stax for more than twice the price sounds as good. Tempting purchase, especially as an adjunct, or for quiet listening or a poor room.

 

RE: "Headphone listening is selfish.", posted on May 27, 2015 at 05:16:36
How come everything I can't help doing is considered selfish?

 

Mobile activities..., posted on May 27, 2015 at 09:08:30
musetap
Audiophile

Posts: 31815
Location: San Francisco
Joined: July 8, 2003
Contributor
  Since:
January 28, 2004
probably the only times headphones don't suck and are imperative.

That and mixing, but that's a job, NOT a pleasurable pastime.

"Once this was all Black Plasma and Imagination"-Michael McClure



 

Nah., posted on May 28, 2015 at 15:09:48
Kal Rubinson
Reviewer

Posts: 12430
Location: New York
Joined: June 5, 2002
Cannot tolerate headphones because they are uncomfortable. Besides, they fail to image properly......unless you limit yourself to the paltry few binaural recordings or you use a Smyth Realiser.

 

RE: High end system for $5000, posted on May 28, 2015 at 16:07:24
Like Kal says, only for some people.

If you love imaging and you really can't stand wearing headphones, a headphone system can never be considered. OTOH, if you don't mind wearing earmuffs and can ignore the imaging problems there is probably no better way to spend a few thou on a system.

Hearing music sparkle and reverberate in open airspace makes loudspeaker listening special and I doubt that headphones will ever compete with speakers along such lines.

The lowest possible noise floor, stellar detail retrieval, and an immutable "sweet spot" for listening make headphone listening the special and unique experience that it is.

 

RE: Nah., posted on May 29, 2015 at 14:07:21
The only times I use headphones are: 1. When I have to, and 2. When I have to.

:)

 

Page processed in 0.054 seconds.