Back into audio after retiring...(tl;dr Help!)

[q3cpma]

Will you bother doing the room correction yourself or not? If not, Neumann KH120A + KH750DSP + MA-1 or Genelec 8330A + GLM + 7350A (can be bought later).
Otherwise, the KH120A or 8030C are very good "super-bookshelves" that would greatly benefit from a cheap sub like the LSR310S.

 

[6sigma]

The thing that has changed is the large amount of speakers that Amir has measured , and together with @hardisj from Erin's Audio Corner and @napilopez there are a lot to choose from.

Your budget and room size have decreased a bit but are still substantial. Getting Chromecast Audios is great because you seriously don't need more for streaming and its dac is plenty good if you have an optical in, plus plenty of cheap great performing dacs if you need one. More money for other things.

Genelec, Neumann, JBL and Adam on the active side, plus the new KEF LS50 Wireless 2 Meta is a substantial improvement over the old. That's a very convenient one.

Passive: Revel F35 or M105, or passive LS50 meta. I'll throw out the Philarmonic BMR as an option you probably haven't heard before and which Erin has measured. It'd be great for your use case when you have guests and need it to perform with people moving about and not at a smaller sweet spot. BMR Designer Dennis Murphy was recently looking for members to sign up for in-home auditions bc he was going on a road tour to show off the new driver and finish, not sure if that has filled up yet.

With the passives think about an amp for $500-600 from member Buckeye amps who builds Hypex at practically cost. Otherwise a steady performer like a Yamaha 701 that has an optical in and lineouts to add subwoofers if desired.

With the F35 open box/outlet price you'd have $ left for a subwoofers and DSP solution. Crutchfield has a very generous audition and return policy...

Thanks so much for taking the time to update me, @Colonel7 . Much appreciated!!!

 

[6sigma]

Will you bother doing the room correction yourself or not? If not, Neumann KH120A + KH750DSP + MA-1 or Genelec 8330A + GLM + 7350A (can be bought later).
Otherwise, the KH120A or 8030C are very good "super-bookshelves" that would greatly benefit from a cheap sub like the LSR310S.

I've never done any room correction work - other than speaker placement & moving treatments around by ear. I'm really eager to set up a system, start listening to music again and....then, I want to learn REW or Dirac or Audyssey or miniDSP or Umik-1 or some of these other terms I've heard. I think it might be really interesting to set up my system by ear (in a room that is clearly less than optimal), then see what room correction software tells me is wrong.

 

[Colonel7]

Thanks so much for taking the time to update me, @Colonel7 . Much appreciated!!!

You're welcome, Amir recently hit his 100th speaker review, which is amazing for a year's work

 

[TimW]

Keep in mind that with most music streaming apps, the Chromecast audio (CCA) does not offer gapless playback. Meaning there are always gaps between each track and something like Dark Side of the Moon won't sound right.

The only software I know of that enables gapless playback with the CCA is Roon. You may want to consider investing in Roon or a different streamer if you want gapless playback.

 

[6sigma]

If you go the JBL powered speaker route, electronics could be as simple as a Raspberry Pi (for streaming) connected to a DAC with volume control (e.g. Topping E30).

Thanks for your reply. I was looking at the review of the Topping E30 and another question arose. There is a SINAD bar chart near the top of that review titled, "DAC DIstortion and Noise (SINAD) Higher Better." How do I get to that chart for all Dacs? Thanks.

 

[6sigma]

Keep in mind that with most music streaming apps, the Chromecast audio (CCA) does not offer gapless playback. Meaning there are always gaps between each track and something like Dark Side of the Moon won't sound right.

The only software I know of that enables gapless playback with the CCA is Roon. You may want to consider investing in Roon or a different streamer if you want gapless playback.

Wow...that's an important detail. As a guy that spent a lot of years listening to LP's, I want that listening experience with the convenience of controlling my choices from my phone. I'm glad you told me about the CCA.

 

[BDWoody]

Wow...that's an important detail. As a guy that spent a lot of years listening to LP's, I want that listening experience with the convenience of controlling my choices from my phone. I'm glad you told me about the CCA.

That is definitely a detail that would annoy me as well. That's one of the many reasons I bought the Roon lifetime subscription within a few days of trying it.

Welcome back, and hope you can get yourself set up soon.

 

[6sigma]

That is definitely a detail that would annoy me as well. That's one of the many reasons I bought the Roon lifetime subscription within a few days of trying it.

Welcome back, and hope you can get yourself set up soon.

I'm trying to hurry with caution! Back in the mid-90's I helped a business that was building a field service team for computers. I was around so many plastic speakers that came bundled with PCs that it tainted my opinion of "active" speakers.

It's irrational to compare those with what is discussed here, but I've got to get past that mental block & jump into the active world!

 

[Rick Sykora]

Your opinion of active computer speakers seems reasonable to me. I recently upgraded my amps to Hypex ones and even my old passive speakers sound better. Despite clear potential advantages, I still do not like the compromises I see in most active speakers today. Since the integration is such that I cannot upgrade parts to address, I am building my own.

Unless you are really set on traditional monopoles, would look at what Tekton offers. Hope this helps!

 

[BDWoody]

I'm trying to hurry with caution! Back in the mid-90's I helped a business that was building a field service team for computers. I was around so many plastic speakers that came bundled with PCs that it tainted my opinion of "active" speakers.

It's irrational to compare those with what is discussed here, but I've got to get past that mental block & jump into the active world!

I was in a similar place. I am now happily listening to a pair of JBL708P's (active), and am wondering how much I'd have to spend to get much better.

The 705's are also great, and have them on my desk. (I got both at basically half list price through what seems to be a periodic B-Stock sale.)

You have some good options in that budget for sure.

 

[6sigma]

Your opinion of active computer speakers seems reasonable to me. I recently upgraded my amps to Hypex ones and even my old passive speakers sound better. Despite clear potential advantages, I still do not like the compromises I see in most active speakers today. Since the integration is such that I cannot upgrade parts to address, I am building my own.

Unless you are really set on traditional monopoles, would look at what Tekton offers. Hope this helps!

Thanks for the suggestion. I also fell into the ELAC DBR62 thread & it got me "thinking."

Did you build your Hypex amps or buy them? Have you seen the diyclassD (Hypex) stereo amp called the UCD400 (https://www.diyclassd.com/product/ucd400-stereo-kit/177)?

 

[6sigma]

I was in a similar place. I am now happily listening to a pair of JBL708P's (active), and am wondering how much I'd have to spend to get much better.

The 705's are also great, and have them on my desk. (I got both at basically half list price through what seems to be a periodic B-Stock sale.)

You have some good options in that budget for sure.

I think to get past my "active phobia" I'm going to buy a pair & see what results - hiss & all! Thanks for giving me another affirmation for the JBLPro-approach.

 

[RickSanchez]

How do I get to that chart for all Dacs? Thanks.

You can head over to the Audio Electronics Review and Measurements Index dashboard (you can click the link in my signature), then navigate to the Electronics Rankings tab.

1. For Device Type select the 3 DAC types or just "DAC (Dedicated)".
2. For Metric select "SINAD (Max)".
3. For Color Scheme select one of the quartile types (standard or color-blind friendly).
4. Select any other filters that you want.

And you can do more complex evaluations using the the Attr Comparison tab. Hope that helps.

 

[Rick Sykora]

Thanks for the suggestion. I also fell into the ELAC DBR62 thread & it got me "thinking."

Did you build your Hypex amps or buy them? Have you seen the diyclassD (Hypex) stereo amp called the UCD400 (https://www.diyclassd.com/product/ucd400-stereo-kit/177)?

I built my Hypex amps. UcD family amps are ok, Ncore is better. Unfortunately, none of the diyclassd.com amps are a great value. You would be better off with a NC252MP amp from Buckeye or March Audio.

I may have been hasty in offering my speaker opinion. Normally would ask more about your listening preferences. Have not read this thread in detail, so pardon me if it is redundant, but do you plan to listen mainly nearfield or at a distance from your speakers?

 

[6sigma]

You can head over to the Audio Electronics Review and Measurements Index dashboard (you can click the link in my signature), then navigate to the Electronics Rankings tab.

1. For Device Type select the 3 DAC types or just "DAC (Dedicated)".
2. For Metric select "SINAD (Max)".
3. For Color Scheme select one of the quartile types (standard or color-blind friendly).
4. Select any other filters that you want.

And you can do more complex evaluations using the the Attr Comparison tab. Hope that helps.

View attachment 100673

Thanks so much. What a fantastic resource. I appreciate the help.

 

[6sigma]

I built my Hypex amps. UcD family amps are ok, Ncore is better. Unfortunately, none of the diyclassd.com amps are a great value. Yu would be better off with a NC252MP amp from Buckeye or March Audio.

I may have been hasty in offering my speaker opinion. Normally would ask more about your listening preferences. Have not read this thread in detail, so pardon me if it is redundant, but do you plan to listen mainly nearfield or at a distance from your speakers?

My history has always included passive speakers set up with a listening point roughly 8-12 feet back from the speakers. Whether I buy passive or active speakers this time around, I'll be setting them up so that I'm at a distance from the speakers. I don't know the Tekton lineup, but became aware of their popularity in a conversation last week. No suggestion is hasty at this point. I'm going to stop researching & analyzing soon(ish). buy something and get some music going. Again, thanks.

 

[q3cpma]

I've never done any room correction work - other than speaker placement & moving treatments around by ear. I'm really eager to set up a system, start listening to music again and....then, I want to learn REW or Dirac or Audyssey or miniDSP or Umik-1 or some of these other terms I've heard. I think it might be really interesting to set up my system by ear (in a room that is clearly less than optimal), then see what room correction software tells me is wrong.

Then consider them. They're not cheap, but you get top quality built in Europe using the latest computer simulation techniques, and a very easy (albeit proprietary) room correction kit including the software and mic; you don't even need a recording interface.
The KH120A and 8030C compare quite well with the 705p, too, at a fraction of the size (and price if new).

 

[6sigma]

Then consider them. They're not cheap, but you get top quality built in Europe using the latest computer simulation techniques, and a very easy (albeit proprietary) room correction kit including the software and mic; you don't even need a recording interface.
The KH120A and 8030C compare quite well with the 705p, too, at a fraction of the size (and price if new).

I'm clarifying a bit. Neumann, Genelec & JBLPro is your order of preference? Also, what do you listen to in your own system? Because I'm not setting up a nearfield system, does anything change? I really like the idea that the Neumann & Genelec include the room correction technology I'll need. Thanks for hanging in there as I dither over all of this.

 

[escape2]

Keep in mind that with most music streaming apps, the Chromecast audio (CCA) does not offer gapless playback. Meaning there are always gaps between each track and something like Dark Side of the Moon won't sound right.

The only software I know of that enables gapless playback with the CCA is Roon. You may want to consider investing in Roon or a different streamer if you want gapless playback.

FWIW, using Foobar2000 with BubbleUPNP plays gapless on CCA just fine for me. Alas, I'm talking about streaming local content here (FLAC, MP3, etc.).