Need advice on floor speakers, budget around 1,500 $

[mglobe]

I haven’t bought it yet.
Do you have any particular AVR in mind?

How much money do you have left after the Lintons to spend on electronics?

 

[Power Pop 23]

Consider looking at the Denon AVR-X3800H. It has Audyssey room correction software. The Denon AVR-X3800H is also compatible with paid software from Audyssey (MultEQ Editor app and MultEQ-X) and (paid) Dirac Live

 

[kaffe]

How much money do you have left after the Lintons to spend on electronics?

$ 1200 if I squeeze it. So if a product sells for that price in the US it’s probably not feasible for me here.

HDMI isn’t a must for me by the way.

 

[mglobe]

$ 1200 if I squeeze it. So if a product sells for that price in the US it’s probably not feasible for me here.

HDMI isn’t a must for me by the way.

You might be able to get to that price point with a MiniDSP Flex (without Dirac Live), a Umik1 microphone, and a Audiophonics or Topping amp that pushes 250 watts per channel. This would allow you to do equaliztion, and give you a path to Dirac (another $200). I’m of the opinion that room correction is a game changer and worth at a minimum planning for.

 

[kaffe]

This is an alternative around the same price ($ 1,270):

NAD C368
NAD MDC HDM-2 MDMI module
NAD MDC BluOS 2i

 

[DanielT]

This is an alternative around the same price ($ 1,270):

NAD C368
NAD MDC HDM-2 MDMI module
NAD MDC BluOS 2i

If you only need an input, you can check with daniboun if he still has his 3e audio TPA3255 260-2-29A Amplifier for sale. A fully functional amplifier that he put together with that amp module. You can probably buy it for the build cost. He can send it to you from France.

https://audiosciencereview.com/foru...dio-tpa3255-260-2-29a-amplifier-review.50208/

 

[Roland68]

This is an alternative around the same price ($ 1,270):

NAD C368
NAD MDC HDM-2 MDMI module
NAD MDC BluOS 2i

You can extract the HDMI signal with a small box and convert it to SPDIF/Toslink. Of course, you then have to adjust the volume on the amplifier and are otherwise independent.

The structure of the leak looks very well thought out and neat. The arrangement of the individual areas, structure and cabling are certainly not a coincidence.
Try to get a device for a hearing test, the distributor/manufacturer may be able to help.
An AVR for comparison might be easier to organize.
In addition to the NADs, there are also some interesting Purifi and NCore from Audiophonics that have received good tests for ASR and are within your budget.

If it's going to be an AVR and you don't need Dolby Atmos, then take a look at the used devices. The devices without Atmos from the former 3K, 4K and also 5K classes are often below your budget.

 

[Count Arthur]

It's no Yamaha quality as it looks (inside).

For that kind of money I would have bought an AVR with room correction and have gotten much improved sound. I think 1200 usd for that Leak seems much too high.
But it looks nice on the outside..

Leak, along with Wharfdale, and a number of other brands are now part of IAG: https://iaggroup.com/about-us-2/

 

[Deleted member 48726]

Leak, along with Wharfdale, and a number of other brands are now part of IAG: https://iaggroup.com/about-us-2/

Hmm. Yeah of course. That's a large group.

 

[Astoneroad]

Revel F206 used... great bang for the buck.

 

[DanielT]

There are many amp suggestions.

Here's a tip, if you need an amp here and now while you're thinking. It is for sale in Copenhagen, if I understood it all correctly. NAD C 320BEE, for $75. If it works as it should, it's a good buy/good price.

You can always sell that NAD amp at a later date for roughly the same price ( +/- $15). Or you will be satisfied with that amplifier and instead starts fiddling with a measuring microphone and EQ.

A DAC with volume control is good to have, so you can plug it directly into the NAD's power amp. Then 67 nice watts with SINAD (distortion plus noise) 95. It's yummy good for a vintage amp (20 years is maybe vintage?).

DAC tip:

Topping E30 II DAC Review

This is review and detailed measurements of the Topping E30 II DAC. It was sent to me by the company and costs US $149. The single "SEL" button powers on the unit (touch sensitive) and selects input. Some combination of power cycling and that button lets you change menu settings but bets to...

audiosciencereview.com

Review and Measurements of NAD C 320BEE PWR Amplifier

This is a review and detailed measurements of the NAD C 320BEE power (speaker) amplifier. It is on kind loan. The C 320BEE is a vintage product, dating back to 2003 I think. The BEE designation is apparently a reference to Bjorn Erik Edvardsen who was one of their designers. Can't tell if he...

audiosciencereview.com

EDIT
Of course no guarantees with a 20 year old amp as to its durability, but then again $75.

NAD's own specifications:
Power Amp Section
Continuous output power 50W (17dBW)
Rated distortion (THD 20Hz-20kHz) 0.03%
Clipping power 68W (18dBW)
IHF dynamic headroom at 8 ohms +3.4dB
IHF dynamic power at 8 ohms 110W (20.41dBW)
IHF dynamic power at 4 ohms 160W (22.04dBW)

 

[Power Pop 23]

Amir recommends Audyssey's 'XT32' tier of room correction software when it is combined with Audyssey's $19.99 'MultEQ Editor App'

Audyssey Room EQ Review

This is a review and detailed measurements of the Audyssey Room Equalization. Audyssey is standard technology in a number of Audio/Video Receivers such as the Denon AVR-X3600H I recently reviewed. The standard version in the AVR is mostly all or nothing so I downloaded the Marantz/Denon...

www.audiosciencereview.com

A new or used Denon/Marantz AVR that has Audyssey 'XT32' and is compatible with the paid app is an option.

 

[dzerig]

I suggest Focal 926 at $2000 on Amazon for a pair (world wide stereo) plus a 15% coupon from Amazon if it's still available.

 

[kaffe]

It's no Yamaha quality as it looks (inside).

For that kind of money I would have bought an AVR with room correction and have gotten much improved sound. I think 1200 usd for that Leak seems much too high.
But it looks nice on the outside..

What's wrong with the inside compared to a Yamaha?

 

[Roland68]

What's wrong with the inside compared to a Yamaha?

I couldn't understand that either.
In this and higher price ranges, Yamaha still uses the old circuit boards that are only coated on one side.
Nothing against Yamaha, I'm a satisfied owner of a Yamaha AVR myself.
The leak looks very clean and planned. Modern board material, short cable routes, dedicated digital board with high-quality components and not just a simple PCM5102 DAC chip.
It would be very interesting to see a test on ASR, also from the DAC board.

 

[Deleted member 48726]

What's wrong with the inside compared to a Yamaha?

A lot more heat sink area (double). Which means better at keeping temperature low and longevity high.

 

[kaffe]

I couldn't understand that either.
In this and higher price ranges, Yamaha still uses the old circuit boards that are only coated on one side.
Nothing against Yamaha, I'm a satisfied owner of a Yamaha AVR myself.
The leak looks very clean and planned. Modern board material, short cable routes, dedicated digital board with high-quality components and not just a simple PCM5102 DAC chip.
It would be very interesting to see a test on ASR, also from the DAC board.

Have you seen the measurements from Stereophile? https://www.stereophile.com/content/leak-stereo-230-integrated-amplifier-measurements

 

[Roland68]

A lot more heat sink area (double). Which means better at keeping temperature low and longevity high.

But you're wrong.
The two heatsinks in the Yamaha A-S701, which are in the same performance class, are together 1/3 smaller than the heatsink in the leak Stereo 230. The heatsink in the leak is of higher quality and significantly more expensive, but also oversized, so it's on the safe side .

 

[Deleted member 48726]

But you're wrong.
The two heatsinks in the Yamaha A-S701, which are in the same performance class, are together 1/3 smaller than the heatsink in the leak Stereo 230. The heatsink in the leak is of higher quality and significantly more expensive, but also oversized, so it's on the safe side .

I don't think it looks like that's the case.

 

[Roland68]

I don't think it looks like that's the case.

Yamaha rib width 14cm, height 7cm, depth 4cm
Leak rib width 20cm, height 10cm, depth 7.5cm
Even without the deep ribs in the leak, the cooling surface would be slightly larger, but only 2%. With the deep ribs there is significantly more cooling surface.