Finally--a use for my compulsive list making!
First, a few notes:
All my music comes from my computer, so I won't be specifying a source. A Pi seems like the obvious choice, at least at the lower end.
Unless otherwise noted, assume your choice of free EQ software running on the source.
If the user does not already have a calibrated mic, add $79 for a UMIK-1 unless otherwise noted.
I don't like or use headphones.
Amir has not reviewed many subs, but I believe all the ones on this list have been recommended at least once in various posts.
I really think we need not only three price levels, but four use cases, as well:
- Desktop
- Headphone setups
- Far field
- Multi-channel
Since price points have not yet been set, I'll list many:
As cheap as possible--desktop:
$51 TempoTec Sonata HD Pro dongle
$300 iLoud Micro Monitors (often on sale for as little as $200)
$120 (optional) Elac Sub1010
Total $250-$500 street price
As cheap as possible--far field (or desktop if you have the room)
$400 Edifier S2000MKIII
$400-$700
$140-$185 S.M.S.L. SA300 or Loxjie A30 (small room) or
$280 S.M.S.L. AO200 (medium to large room)
$150-$300 JBL Studio A130 (often on sale)
$120 Elac Sub1010
or
$140 Topping D10S Balanced
$400 Adam Audio T5V
Around $1000
$700-$850 KEF LSX from Amazon Warehouse
$120-240 1 or 2 Elac Sub1010, or 1 BIC Formula F-12
or
$140 Topping D10S Balanced
$600 Adam Audio T8V
$400 Adam Audio T10S
Around $1500
$140 Topping D10S Balanced
$500 Buckeye NC252MP
$700-$800 Revel M16 (street price)
$209 BIC Formula F-12
Around $2000
$270 Topping E50
$1,400 Genelec 8030C
$420 JBL P310S
Around $2500
$400 Topping D30 Pro
$500 Buckeye NC252MP
$1200-$1300 Revel M105 (street price)
$420 JBL P310S
Around $3000
$450 miniDSP DDRC-24 (UMIK-1 included)
$649 Buckeye NC502MP
$1200-$1300 Revel M105 (street price)
$500 SVS SB-1000
Around $3500 (desktop or small room)
$1,254 miniDSP SHD with remote
$1,400 Genelec 8030C
$800 SVS Micro 3000
Around $3500 (medium to large room)
$1,250 miniDSP SHD
$649 Buckeye NC502MP
$1200-$1300 Revel M105 (street price)
$400 RSL Speedwoofer
Around $4000 (desktop or small room)
$500 Gustard X16
$300 Genelec GLM User Kit
$1,800 Genelec 8330A
$1,250 Genelec 7350A
Around $4000 (medium to large room)
$1,250 miniDSP SHD
$649 Buckeye NC502MP
$1200-$1300 Revel M105 (street price)
$800-$1000 2x RSL Speedwoofer or 2x SVS SB1000
Around $5000
$1,250 miniDSP SHD
$3,000 Focal Solo6 Be
$589 Rhythmik L12
or
$1,250 miniDSP SHD
$1,080 VTV Purifi Eigentakt (unless the Buckeye Purifi has been released)
$2,000 Kef R3 or Revel M106
$800 2x RSL Speedwoofer
$6000-$6500
$1,250 miniDSP SHD
$1,080 VTV Purifi Eigentakt (unless the Buckeye Purifi has been released)
$2800-$3200 Revel F206 (street price)
$1180 2x Rhythmik L12
Under $10,000 (desktop or small room)
$1,200 Okto dac8 stereo
$300 Genelec GLM User Kit
$4,500 Genelec 8331A
$2,520 2x Genelec 7350A
Under $10,000 (small to medium room)
$9,700 Dutch & Dutch 8c Studio
Under $10,000 (medium to large room)
$1,250 miniDSP SHD
$1,980 2x VTV Purifi Eigentakt Monoblock Amplifiers (unless the Buckeye Purifi has been released)
$4,000-$4,300 Revel F208 (street price)
$1180 2x Rhythmik L12
I've been in developing nations for most of the last two decades so my opportunities to hear good audio have been limited. The best sounding system I have ever heard was a pair of Revel Salons (original version) powered by a pair of Mark Levinson monoblocks and whatever state of the art DVD player that dealer sold in 2000, fed through a Mark Levinson preamp. (I also heard some Pass Labs amps that sounded fantastic, but never paired with speakers as good as the Revels.) If I won the lottery (unlikely since I've never played) and had to choose components without auditioning them (hard to imagine, but for the sake of daydreaming), I'd go with:
$10,000-$40,000 Unknown source, but something extremely flexible and better than what I can assemble myself
$22,000 Revel Salon 2
$20,000 Mark Levinson No. 526 DAC + Preamplifier (not reviewed on ASR)
$60,000 4x (I mean, you HAVE to bi-amp, right?) Mark Levinson No. 536 (not reviewed on ASR)