Seeking Recommendations for My First Audiophile System within €550 / $600 Budget

[nalagnirut]

Hi everyone,

I'm looking to buy my first audio system and would appreciate some recommendations. Here are my considerations:

• Open to active or passive speakers
• Budget: €550 / $600
• Sources: Desktop pc, and would like wireless listening capability
• Music Style: Mainly electronic music, but I enjoy various genres
• Speaker Size: Preferably 5 to 8 inches
• Future Upgrade: I like the idea of adding a subwoofer later on, which is possible with the M20 HD

I’ve done a lot of research and went down a rabbit hole, learning a lot but also feeling overwhelmed by all the options. I want to make a smart decision.

I’m considering the Q Acoustics M20 HD paired with a Wiim Mini for €550. Are there better alternatives within my budget?

Thanks in advance for your advice!

 

[kemmler3D]

The JBL 308P MKII + any WiiM unit fits your budget and they're generally highly regarded. Also, you can often find them secondhand, which would free up budget for a (probably secondhand) sub. At which point you can use the WiiM to do some integration / room correction and have a pretty solid system on your hands.

Even if you don't want to buy used the 308P is a pretty good option.

The Elac DBR 62 is also a pretty good option in your price range. However, you will need to find an amp for it, which may stretch the budget a bit.

Also, welcome to ASR!

Second suggestion: I managed to get some Genelec 4030s (basically the same as 8030s) secondhand within your budget. You could not go wrong with those if you happened to see some around the $600 mark. I assume you are in Europe so your chances are a bit better. Just a thought.

 

[lowkeyoperations]

You could use your desktop as the source and put all your budget into a pair of active speakers.

 

[ZolaIII]

Kali LP 8 v2 or JBL 308P MK II, whichever you can find cheaper. Then you save up for UMIK-1 and lastly WiiM Pro or Pro Plus. For the first time you can use on board audio and Spotify will pretty much be controllable from the phone on PC. Wouldn't go with smaller speakers especially for electronic music.
M20 HD are too small, I have Q3030i's with two sub's.

 

[VictoryGreen]

You can consider PC Soundbar, I chose the OXS Thunder Pro+ 7.1.2 dolby atmos gaming soundbar.
It's really amazing, especially the bass, which is very suitable for me, strong but not too loud to bother the neighbors.
Equipped with up-firing channels, you can feel the sound reflected from the ceiling. This soundbar is really suitable for PC and small room

 

[EJ3]

You can consider PC Soundbar, I chose the OXS Thunder Pro+ 7.1.2 dolby atmos gaming soundbar.
It's really amazing, especially the bass, which is very suitable for me, strong but not too loud to bother the neighbors.
Equipped with up-firing channels, you can feel the sound reflected from the ceiling. This soundbar is really suitable for PC and small room

The thinking "out of the box" in the BOX solution.
I like it.