Need first set up advice

[CrimsonZaku]

Hi everyone!

I'm looking to join the Hifi community with my first turntable set up. I recently got gifted an old Pro-ject 2xperience with an ortofon 2M bronze. I also purchased a set of Kef Q150s on sale. I need advice on which Preamp and amp to use for this set up.

I have my eye on the mani 2 and the aiyima A07 pro. Would these two be good for the set up? I'll be mainly listening to house music.

Any advice would be appreciated! Thanks!

 

[Sokel]

Your music definitely needs a sub,Q150s won't give you what you need by their own and you will need to hipass them.
So you have to put that on your equation too.

 

[antcollinet]

While a sub will give you more bass, I'd hold fire on that for the time being, you can always add it later if you feel you need it.

Till then, the mani 2 was reccomended by Amir, and will be fine. For amp, the Aiyima will also be fine, but I'd also be looking at the Fosi V3 with 48V PSU as a more up to date and slightly better performing amp.

 

[Sokel]

While a sub will give you more bass, I'd hold fire on that for the time being, you can always add it later if you feel you need it.

Till then, the mani 2 was reccomended by Amir, and will be fine. For amp, the Aiyima will also be fine, but I'd also be looking at the Fosi V3 with 48V PSU as a more up to date and slightly better performing amp.

I had to search a little but look:

How To Make House Music: An Easy Guide (2023)

House music is the basis of electronic dance music, but it has evolved over the years. So here's our over-arching guide to making house.

www.edmprod.com

Any bookself would suffer,not only the KEF.

 

[antcollinet]

I had to search a little but look:

View attachment 335414

How To Make House Music: An Easy Guide (2023)

House music is the basis of electronic dance music, but it has evolved over the years. So here's our over-arching guide to making house.

www.edmprod.com

Any bookself would suffer,not only the KEF.

Well of course (thought it also depends on the music listened to, and house tends to be bass heavy). On the other hand very many people are happy with bookshelf speakers without subs. Personally I've only added a sub to my stereo system about 12 months ago - In the decades before that, I never used one.

People new to the hobby often just want something better than the bluetooth speakers they've been using for years. Decent separate bookshelf speakers will blow those out of the water even without a sub.

My desktop system in the spare room has no sub, and smaller less performant speakers than the KEF's. It sounds great for the needs I have from it: Casual listening on the rare occasions I am using the computer up there.

We shouldn't be projecting our own wants/needs onto others.

 

[Sokel]

Well of course (thought it also depends on the music listened to, and house tends to be bass heavy). On the other hand very many people are happy with bookshelf speakers without subs. Personally I've only added a sub to my stereo system about 12 months ago - In the decades before that, I never used one.

People new to the hobby often just want something better than the bluetooth speakers they've been using for years. Decent separate bookshelf speakers will blow those out of the water even without a sub.

My desktop system in the spare room has no sub, and smaller less performant speakers than the KEF's. It sounds great for the needs I have from it: Casual listening on the rare occasions I am using the computer up there.

We shouldn't be projecting our own wants/needs onto others.

My fear is about the exact same reasons.
First set up,bass-heavy music and probably wrong references (car/club/etc setups) and young age.
Of course it will be miles away from the everyday stuff but it must also be informed that a setup like this will not be used in a party or as loud as this music is usually played.

Or he can easily end up like this:

Kef LS60 wireless review by ErinsAudioCorner

Anecdotally, and from personal experience, a company selling as widely as KEF does is scarred by past customer service experiences and doesn't believe their customers will do anything but cause problems if they provide PEQ. When you consider the unenlightened masses of audiophiles who think DSP...

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[antcollinet]

My fear is about the exact same reasons.
First set up,bass-heavy music and probably wrong references (car/club/etc setups) and young age.
Of course it will be miles away from the everyday stuff but it must also be informed that a setup like this will not be used in a party or as loud as this music is usually played.

Or he can easily end up like this:

Kef LS60 wireless review by ErinsAudioCorner

Anecdotally, and from personal experience, a company selling as widely as KEF does is scarred by past customer service experiences and doesn't believe their customers will do anything but cause problems if they provide PEQ. When you consider the unenlightened masses of audiophiles who think DSP...

www.audiosciencereview.com

Well, like I say - a sub can always be added later.

 

[CrimsonZaku]

Well, like I say - a sub can always be added later.

I took a look online and found an old Klipsch synergy sub-12 for $80. Is that a good deal?

 

[JeremyFife]

To get started: your turntable and speakers are good, no worries. The Mani 2 is a great choice. The A07 would do well - there are other options but I doubt that they are really better.
Good start.

Play music, enjoy

If you want to, start thinking about the next step... If you miss bass then a sub is a good idea. However, you need to integrate it: sending only the low frequencies to the sub and only the higher frequencies to your Kefs (hi and low passing). Not a major issue but read up on it first.

Personally, I'd add a streamer first instead (WiiM mini is £90 GBP, access to more music plus basic but effective EQ)

 

[antcollinet]

I took a look online and found an old Klipsch synergy sub-12 for $80. Is that a good deal?

Yes if in good working condition.

You'd not have any way to highpass** to your main speakers, but you could integrate the sub by crossing over at the natural roll off of the mains and get a pretty good result.



**normally you want to filter frequencies that the sub uses out of the signal to your mains, so those frequencies aren't generated by both sub and main.