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Speaker Asylum General speaker questions for audio and home theater. |
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Speaker Asylum General speaker questions for audio and home theater. |
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In Reply to: i got $2000 to spent for a stereo system, what should i get posted by msch1166 on January 23, 2008 at 07:58:55:
Hi again msch:
To expand on my earlier reply, see if this example helps you to understand what is involved. Friends ask my assistance in assembling a total music system (I forgot CD my first post) with a budget of $1K. They both have musical backgrounds with love of a variety of music types but no interest in an "audiophile" approach including imagining, depth of field, bass below 40 Hz, etc. Here is a summary of steps we went through so you might better appreciate the process. Other choices could have been made but fortunately this system works well.
SPEAKERS - to stay within 20-25% of total budget, we had to go used. Also, I knew they would not be interested in a listening "sweet spot" but would like the sound to reach them wherever they sat (or stood) in their family room. Next, I couldn't expect them to use speaker stands so floor standers would be needed. Lastly, with this budget, they would not be buying a powerful amp so efficiency was a consideration. Several options could satisfy these requirements. What I found was a slightly tatty pair of DCM Time Windows in good working order for a fair price. Floor standing, wide dispersion, reasonably efficient, bingo! I ordered new sox (wrap around grill cloth) from DCM, re-oiled the wood caps on top and bottom and had their answer for a total of $200 for speakers that looked and sounded nearly like new.
AMPLIFIER - because they wanted to play phono, FM, CD, and cassettes (needing a tape loop) and space being a consideration, a receiver seemed the best answer. An audio friend recently bought a new Kenwood AV receiver that offered decent sound. So I found a new (benefit = warranty) Kenwood with about 40 WPC but the power supply to drive a 5.1 speaker system (helpful for stereo) discounted from something like $250 down to $200.
CD - at lower price points, I don't believe there is much difference between major brands and we found something marked down from $200 to $150. Like the Kenwood receiver, this included the convenience of a remote control and came with a warranty. The point of the warranty at these prices is that it makes them "throw-away" items. Use the component for the warranty period of one to two years (most solid state component failures occur within the first few hours, after that they are likely to last for years) and toss and replace with something new when it fails. (sorry, I admit this is not a very GREEN attitude but one almost forced on consumers.)
CASSETTE - this was important because they had a large collection of tapes from their previous (all in one) system. Not many options existed but again I found a clean, used 3-head Onkyo deck without many hours for $40.
PHONO - my friend still had a few LPs from years past and he recently began buying more at library sales. During a stop at a yard sale I found a Sansui belt drive turntable and arm with a broken cartridge. The table was clean and the belt appeared to be in good condition so I got it for $15. I wasn't familiar with this particular model but I remembered it receiving high acclaim in the British magazines. I then picked up a new Grado cartridge from a local dealer at a small discount for $60, mounted and aligned the cartridges and my friends were set for $75.
WIRE - a couple of pairs of reasonable quality interconnect, 30' of speaker wire, a surge protector, sales tax where they had to, and they were out for a grand total right around $800.
THE POINTS ARE -
1. there are an almost uncountable number of options in putting together an audio system.
2. this variety can be overwhelming for anyone new to the hobby.
3. the most reasonable way to get started is to find help from someone who has some experience. They can work from your needs and objectives to select what can work reasonably well for you and stay within your budget.
4. I'll add that as you gain knowledge and experience, you should be able to decide on future upgrades yourself.
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Follow Ups
- Lets see if this example helps. - M3 lover 15:35:04 01/24/08 (0)
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