Please talk some sense into me

[Oddball]

Dirac sounds really interesting, however it only supports a limited range of audio equipment.
Nothing I own.

Is there anything similar that's more universal?

Nothing that I know that would not be even more exotic. But compared to the cost of a pair of KEF's, ART gear does not seem so expensive. If you are looking into processors, HTP-1 just got ART and is $4K. Marantz is scheduled to release 11ch AV30 processor, but might be a bit over $4K. If looking to spend less, plenty of lower priced D&M AVRs that could run ART. Not sure if Storm has some offering for lower channel count - worth checking.

I'd rather go with 328s that you can likely get for lower price than KEFs (new) and get some ART gear on the side.

 

[Mr. Reeee]

Nothing that I know that would not be even more exotic. But compared to the cost of a pair of KEF's, ART gear does not seem so expensive. If you are looking into processors, HTP-1 just got ART and is $4K. Marantz is scheduled to release 11ch AV30 processor, but might be a bit over $4K. If looking to spend less, plenty of lower priced D&M AVRs that could run ART. Not sure if Storm has some offering for lower channel count - worth checking.

I'd rather go with 328s that you can likely get for lower price than KEFs (new) and get some ART gear on the side.

I just retired my trusty bi-amped/bi-wired hi-fi system and moved to KEFs.
LINN LK280 amps, NAIM preamp, CD3.5 and FlatCap 2, Paradigm floor standing speakers (forget model) along with 14 interconnect cables.

The KEF LSX were my entry drug to KEF and streaming.
Simplicity and streaming to them from my iPhone or Mac and using them for video streaming were revelations.
Got a cheap Belkin streaming box for the wired system. It was great.
I could stream to BOTH systems! Like magic.

BUT I hated my speakers, which were an old girlfriend’s (don’t ask ) and wanted desperately to replace.
I really didn’t want to go down the rabbit hole of hunting for and auditioning speakers, new amps or whatever.
That’s one thing I really hate about audiophila the endless possibilities. And endless dissatisfaction.

I once told an obnoxious hi-fi dealer at Lyric Hi-Fi in NYC who scoffed at the equipment I was there to replace,
“No matter how much money you spend on audio gear, it will NEVER sound like Carnegie Hall! And by the way, you just lost a $5000 sale.”

Anyway, KEF sent an email announcing the LS60s, so I jumped. No regrets. Love them!
Are they perfect? No, but I get a thrill every time I listen. To me, that’s the point.

 

[tiagosv]

Maybe KEF LS60 would fit your budget? Depending on room, it doesn’t need a sub. If you want room correction, you can pair it with a WiiM streamer.

Also note that the Lyngdorf TDAI-1120 does not have E-ARC, and does no decoding of Dolby or Atmos formats. And a similar amp wasn’t tested very well at ASR. A full AVR may be more future proof, and probably performs better. Denon x3800h seems like a safe bet. Can run Audyssey or Dirac Live (maybe ART at some point), is about half price of the Lyngdorf.

Why do you say the 1120 doesn't have HDMI e-ARC? It does

 

[voodooless]

Why do you say the 1120 doesn't have HDMI e-ARC? It does

Yes, it has some of the features, like support for higher sample rate stereo PCM and DSD and CEC, but other than that it’s pretty limited. If you want any decoding of surrounding formats, you’re out of luck.

 

[Mr. Reeee]

Maybe KEF LS60 would fit your budget? Depending on room, it doesn’t need a sub. If you want room correction, you can pair it with a WiiM streamer.

Also note that the Lyngdorf TDAI-1120 does not have E-ARC, and does no decoding of Dolby or Atmos formats. And a similar amp wasn’t tested very well at ASR. A full AVR may be more future proof, and probably performs better. Denon x3800h seems like a safe bet. Can run Audyssey or Dirac Live (maybe ART at some point), is about half price of the Lyngdorf.

We have LS60s and dual KC62 subs.
Sound is amazing for everything from mediaeval music to opera, complex orchestral music, organ music (!!!), jazz, you name it.

My wife loves the way they look, too!
Way more than the Paradigm towers they replaced.