TerrestrialCephalopod
Member
- Joined
- Mar 11, 2020
- Messages
- 18
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- 10
Hello!
I just recently found this forum and I want to start by saying what a relief it is to find somewhere that doesn’t believe in ‘magic cables’. I’m still in the process of digging through all the information stored here, but it’s a lot to absorb and I’m hoping someone can help give me a little guidance with the conundrum I’m facing.
So here it is, I‘m finally moving out of apartments and it’s time to build my first real stereo. I’m going for a bit of a moonshot, trying to do it ‘right’ straight outta the gate. However, as you might expect I’m running into the limits of my budget and need guidance on where to make cuts.
About a decade ago I heard some Magneplanar speakers for the first time. I think they were 3.6 or maybe 20.6 models. In either case I was so impressed that here I am today, almost 10 years later, still thinking about how it. My budget will only allow for the 1.7i but I’m trying to make a system around those that ticks all the boxes for me.
After visiting some local hi-fi shops last weekend I picked up the lofty idea of streamlining the experience of playing music. Both shops I visited just handed me an iPad with some app hooked into Tidal et. al. and everything was just a seamless search away. I really want guests to feel comfortable putting music on and most of my friends and family are not the technical type, so this is a fairly high priority. Another lesson from the weekend‘s audio tour is the importance of room treatment, one room was vastly superior to the other and it was immediately clear. From reading here I’ve seen a lot of love for DSP room correction so I’m trying to fit that in too.
The (not so) shortlist of goals is therefore:
1. Simple day-to-day usability/UX. Must include streaming integration.
2. Take the room out of the equation, via physical treatments and digital correction.
3. Must have an optical input to serve as TV speakers.
4. Make it work with 1.7i s.
5. Stay on budget.
The budget is 6k USD, local sales tax is ~10%, so sticker price limit is ~5500.
So far the system is looking like:
Power amps: Emotive PA-1 x2
Speakers: MG 1.7i
Sub: SVS SB-2000
Acoustic Treatments: GIK Impressions corner panels x4 (front wall corners) + A panel or 2 for the rear wall.
That puts me right around $4400. Leaving just about 1000 left to solve digital room correction, and user experience all with a spare optical in.
So far I can’t find a source setup that fits the bill. I‘m not afraid of a project, EQ and initial setup doesn’t have to be simple for me. But I really want daily use to be as non-intimidating as possible.
This is going to be in the living room so a lot of this is subject to, and has passed, spousal approval. I’m considering 6’ tall speakers and decorative acoustic treatments a major win.
The big questions now are:
1. What is/are the main source device(s)?
2. Do I need to care about XLR? Or is RCA fine for interconnects?
3. Do I really need the sub? Or is 800 better spent elsewhere?
Thank you,
T_C
I just recently found this forum and I want to start by saying what a relief it is to find somewhere that doesn’t believe in ‘magic cables’. I’m still in the process of digging through all the information stored here, but it’s a lot to absorb and I’m hoping someone can help give me a little guidance with the conundrum I’m facing.
So here it is, I‘m finally moving out of apartments and it’s time to build my first real stereo. I’m going for a bit of a moonshot, trying to do it ‘right’ straight outta the gate. However, as you might expect I’m running into the limits of my budget and need guidance on where to make cuts.
About a decade ago I heard some Magneplanar speakers for the first time. I think they were 3.6 or maybe 20.6 models. In either case I was so impressed that here I am today, almost 10 years later, still thinking about how it. My budget will only allow for the 1.7i but I’m trying to make a system around those that ticks all the boxes for me.
After visiting some local hi-fi shops last weekend I picked up the lofty idea of streamlining the experience of playing music. Both shops I visited just handed me an iPad with some app hooked into Tidal et. al. and everything was just a seamless search away. I really want guests to feel comfortable putting music on and most of my friends and family are not the technical type, so this is a fairly high priority. Another lesson from the weekend‘s audio tour is the importance of room treatment, one room was vastly superior to the other and it was immediately clear. From reading here I’ve seen a lot of love for DSP room correction so I’m trying to fit that in too.
The (not so) shortlist of goals is therefore:
1. Simple day-to-day usability/UX. Must include streaming integration.
2. Take the room out of the equation, via physical treatments and digital correction.
3. Must have an optical input to serve as TV speakers.
4. Make it work with 1.7i s.
5. Stay on budget.
The budget is 6k USD, local sales tax is ~10%, so sticker price limit is ~5500.
So far the system is looking like:
Power amps: Emotive PA-1 x2
Speakers: MG 1.7i
Sub: SVS SB-2000
Acoustic Treatments: GIK Impressions corner panels x4 (front wall corners) + A panel or 2 for the rear wall.
That puts me right around $4400. Leaving just about 1000 left to solve digital room correction, and user experience all with a spare optical in.
So far I can’t find a source setup that fits the bill. I‘m not afraid of a project, EQ and initial setup doesn’t have to be simple for me. But I really want daily use to be as non-intimidating as possible.
This is going to be in the living room so a lot of this is subject to, and has passed, spousal approval. I’m considering 6’ tall speakers and decorative acoustic treatments a major win.
The big questions now are:
1. What is/are the main source device(s)?
2. Do I need to care about XLR? Or is RCA fine for interconnects?
3. Do I really need the sub? Or is 800 better spent elsewhere?
Thank you,
T_C
Never bothered worrying about acoustic treatments as the brick behind the speakers was seen as excellent in handling the bipolar nature of the system. Guests have been complimenting the sound as long as I've had them.
