Passive Speakers + Amp combo for ~$2000?

[desti]

Doing a 2.0 sound system with a Fluance RT85 and Schiit Mani 2, and looking at options for preferably floorstanding speakers and integrated amp combos. I've mainly looked at the Elac Debut 3.0 DF63 and Wharfedale Evo 4.2 with Yamaha A-S801, and I'm wondering what else is out there.

 

[SlowJim]

do you have a subwoofer or plan to include one?

 

[DVDdoug]

When it comes to sound quality, "speakers are everything".

I'm not familiar with those speakers but I generally like "big floorstanders" with plenty of bass.

Although the trend is toward smaller main speakers (and smaller surround speakers with home theater) plus a subwoofer. To integrate a subwoofer properly & easily you need something with an active crossover which usually means an AVR.

...A different topic, but to get the "point one" LFE channel in moves you need a subwoofer and surround decoder (again usually an AVR). The LFE is not included in the stereo downmix.

and integrated amp

You generally get a lot more for your money with a receiver/AVR. They are mass-manufactured and sold into a competitive market.

But quickly looking at the Yamaha there are couple of features that I like... The bass and treble controls are more "handy" than what you find on most "modern" receivers.

And the loudness control is an unusual feature these days. ...If you don't know what it does, when you lower the volume it sounds like you've turned-down the bass even more. The loudness control compensates for that by boosting the bass (relatively) as you turn-down the volume, making it sound more natural.

 

[desti]

do you have a subwoofer or plan to include one?

nope, not a big fan of them when listening to music, the base extension from most floorstanding speakers is plenty

 

[desti]

Although the trend is toward smaller main speakers (and smaller surround speakers with home theater) plus a subwoofer. To integrate a subwoofer properly & easily you need something with an active crossover which usually means an AVR.

Thank you, though I don't plan to add a subwoofer to this setup. This would be just for records I own with the Fluance turntable, and I'm not a big fan of the base extension that subs produce if it isn't for movie watching or something similar. I still like relatively deep base though which is why I want a set of floorstanding speakers

 

[SlowJim]

If it were me - Wiim Ultra $329
KEF q7 meta refurb https://www.accessories4less.com/ma....5-3-way-floor-standing-speakers-white/1.html
Or, if you would rather buy new - Polk Reserve R600

 

[Ropeburn]

Have you considered buying 2nd hand? Instead of those Evo 4.2 that I keep seeing offered for 400€ here, you could get the 4.3 or 4.4 for 800-1000 the pair instead for example. Or any other pair of nice, big speakers of the last two decades. 1000 second hand can get you a whole bunch of different older killer models for every taste imaginable, that used to be 2000-2500 new.

Leaves another 1000 for amp and/or DAC/preamp-poweramp combo. That's more than plenty these days and gets you state of the art performance and more power than you'll ever need. Perhaps something like a Wiim Ultra plus a Hypex 2x250W poweramp. Together with some terrific speakers,

 

[kyuu]

If it were me - Wiim Ultra $329
KEF q7 meta refurb https://www.accessories4less.com/ma....5-3-way-floor-standing-speakers-white/1.html
Or, if you would rather buy new - Polk Reserve R600

I presume you meant to say Wiim Amp Pro? But yes, that plus those refurb Q7s would be a terrific system for under $2k.

Edit: Another option worth considering is a pair of Revel F36. Getting hard to find, but there's some stock available in white here.

 

[vsch]

In my (limited) experience, room correction makes a tremendous difference, at least in an untreated or accidentally treated room. Hence, I'd probably opt for a Wiim Amp Pro (which has 10-band PEQ, if I'm not mistaken) + a measurement mic like the UMIK-1 or for an AVR with an integrated room correction system. I guess that combined with the KEF q7 Meta, as suggested by @SlowJim , would make a fantastic system for ~2k bucks.

 

[Jim Creek]

If it were me with $2K to spend on a system I would put MOST of the money into speakers. With that in mind I’d buy Wharfedale Linton Heritage speakers ($1500 without stands) and drive them with something like a Yamaha A-S301 ($350).

 

[Fontie]

Lintons and https://www.audiophonics.fr/en/powe...tereo-ncore-nc122mp-2x125w-4-ohm-p-12756.html

 

[WillBrink]

Get the best actives you can, use phone as the source, done.

 

[kyuu]

Get the best actives you can, use phone as the source, done.

What are the best actives one can get with suitable output for far-field listening for under $2k?

Everything at these lower price points seem to be relatively small, 2-way bookshelves with a single woofer that simply can't do much output and will be limited especially in bass output. A passive floorstander or MTM with even a relatively modest amp like the Wiim will be able to beat them for far-field listening easy. Actives have a lot to recommend them, but getting a decent amount of output for far-field listening at a modest price is not one of their virtues.

Going up to $4k one could perhaps consider a pair of refurb KEF LS60s, but even those have been criticized for a lack of bass output in living room setups in several threads here.

 

[Mort]

Wiim Amp and Philharmonic Audio BMR monitor is nearly full range. $2100 plus tax.

I'm not a fan of the under $2k floor stander.

 

[kyuu]

I'm not a fan of the under $2k floor stander.

Because...?

 

[VMAT4]

Wiim Amp and Philharmonic Audio BMR monitor is nearly full range. $2100 plus tax.

I'm not a fan of the under $2k floor stander.

Unfortunately, the BMR Monitor is currently sold out. The next shipment may be a bit higher priced than $1,800 per pair.

 

[Mort]

Unfortunately, the BMR Monitor is currently sold out. The next shipment may be a bit higher priced than $1,800 per pair.

Yeah that's true. Forgot about that

 

[Talisman]

Many here are not big fans of Klipsch, but in Europe, on homecinesolution you can find the Klipsch RP280F for around 800 euros a pair, they are extremely dynamic speakers with dual 8' woofers and a full and satisfying response, for me paired with a simple 360 euro wiim amp you have a really satisfying system for just over 1000 euros.
https://www.homecinesolutions.fr/p/28720-klipsch-rp-280f-noir

 

[kyuu]

Many here are not big fans of Klipsch, but in Europe, on homecinesolution you can find the Klipsch RP280F for around 800 euros a pair, they are extremely dynamic speakers with dual 8' woofers and a full and satisfying response, for me paired with a simple 360 euro wiim amp you have a really satisfying system for just over 1000 euros.
https://www.homecinesolutions.fr/p/28720-klipsch-rp-280f-noir

Appears to be the RP-8000F by another name. Looking at the current version (8000F II) that's actually on sale:

Recessed bass and tilted up treble? Yeah, can't imagine why people around here aren't fans of Klipsch. Sensitivity is wildly overstated as well, it's more like 90dB than the claimed 98dB, particularly in the bass where it matters most. Nothing about them is "extremely dynamic" relative to your average floorstander, as far as I can see.

 

[Ropeburn]

Many here are not big fans of Klipsch, but in Europe, on homecinesolution you can find the Klipsch RP280F for around 800 euros a pair, they are extremely dynamic speakers with dual 8' woofers and a full and satisfying response, for me paired with a simple 360 euro wiim amp you have a really satisfying system for just over 1000 euros.
https://www.homecinesolutions.fr/p/28720-klipsch-rp-280f-noir

I'm one of those really not Klipsch fans (lol), but if I was, these would look really tempting. Substract the usual 8dB "Klipsch tax" on the sensitivity, and 90dB still doesn't look bad at all. If halfway accurate, F3 of 32Hz sounds very good too, especially for the price.

Edit: on second thought and looking at the measurement above... nah, pass. F3 is more like 40Hz as well, nothing special for the size and concept.