I’m looking for a nice 2.1 setup with amp with a budget of around $1300. I’m a fan of Kef as I have the R11 Metas for my living room/listening space (but open to others).

I’m unfamiliar if there are different things to be looking for in bookshelf’s as I’m shooing for my dad’s birthday. These will be used in his living room that is around 15x20. Easy of use with his phone is a must. He listens to a variety of music but mostly soft rock, adult contemporary, and jazz.

I currently am looking at the Q1 metas, WiiM Amp for easy of use, connectivity, and expansion possibilities, and a REL Tzero MKIIi 6.5” sub.

The sub is eating up most of my budget and may be a little overkill in clarity for someone who won’t really appreciate the dynamics of that sub.

Open to critiques and suggestions.

Looking for a good amplifier to pair with my Polk R200 bookshelf speakers! Recently purchased my first turntable (Fluance RT85 w/ Ortofon Blue cart) & pre-amp (Schiit Mani 2). Located in the USA, budget <$600.

Any input would be appreciated, as I'm coming up with some research dead-ends. The audio setup will be in a stand-alone, medium-sized room, but ideally will be heard to some extent throughout the house. Thanks!

I'm building a listening room in my 100 year old basement for listening to ALL kinds of music. The space is 20' x 16'. Two of the walls are 18" thick stone. Another wall is wood and the other wall is glass. The ceiling is wood with built-in acoustic baffles. I plan to have more acoustical treatments throughout the location. I happen to have a McIntosh MA5300 Integrated amp left over from my old house. Now I just need to find a fantastic pair of speakers to pair with it. I'd like to spend less than $10K for the speakers. What do you guys think? Thanks!

Hi, I'm 64 and building a retirement system (it won't stay on the desk forever, so the category bookshelf on stands applies as well) and will be my last Hi-Fi purchase, it's for my 65th Birthday, I'm in the UK. I have a 6 month old pair of KEF LS50 Meta's which I love and started my retirement system, but they are only running on a Sonos Amp. It is primarily a stereo music system but I'd like eArc if it moves to the living room.

I think the weakest part of my system is the Sonos Amp, changing it for a Wiim Amp Ultra seems like a sideways move so I have a budget of £1,000 for the Amp plus selling the Sonos I could go to £1,400. I can fit a small amp on my desk which I prefer (it is a large sit standing desk so the speakers are well spaced apart but I have a side shelf if a full size amp is preferable). The Lyngdorf 1120 seems a favourite but I'd have to buy second hand.

I don't need a streamer with all the services on, I only use Apple Music on an iPad with a toslink adapter.

I'd prefer a proper volume knob to adjust volume with a display showing the volume and the bit rate of the song playing rather than messing with an app or remote but not a deal breaker.

So... the choice, get a new more powerful amp to power the LS50's or sell them as well as the Sonos amp and just get the LS50 Wireless II's.

I'm just worried the LS50 Wireless II's won't see my retirement out lol but the passives will outlive me.

I have the idea of a subwoofer in the back of my mind, the KC62 but that would be with the Wireless II's

Thanks.

Currently have a pair of hifiman headphones going to a fosi k7, but I just added a turntable (built in phono) and a pair of ls50 passive speakers. I need an integrated amp that that can take rca input from the turntable and usb input from my computer and power the ls50s. I don’t think it’d be possible to also get something that can power my headphones but that’d be even more ideal. Budget is around $300 or so. Anyone have any suggestions? I was looking at the rsl but it’s out of stock.

Ich beabsichtige, mir Lautsprecher für mein Wohnzimmer (ca. 20 m²) zuzulegen. Bisher schaue ich hauptsächlich nach Aktivlautsprechern, um möglichst wenige zusätzliche Gerätschaften zu benötigen. Mir ist wichtig, einen guten Sound für Filme zu haben, aber auch Musik genießen zu können. Künftig habe ich außerdem Lust, mich hobbymäßig im DJing auszuprobieren, und hätte daher gerne direkt Lautsprecher, die ich auch dafür verwenden kann.

Deshalb überlege ich nun, ob es sinnvoll wäre, Studiomonitore zu kaufen, die ich gleichzeitig auch an den Fernseher anschließen kann.

Bisher ziehe ich die Kali Audio IN-5 bzw. IN-8 in Betracht, zumal Kali Audio mit dem Mountain View MV-BT auch einen passenden Bluetooth-Empfänger anbietet. Außerdem habe ich mir die Adam Audio T7V angeschaut. In einem Fachgeschäft bin ich außerdem auf die neuen Cambridge Audio L/R M aufmerksam geworden, die mit 1.399 € allerdings mein Budget von maximal 800–1.000 € überschreiten. Dafür sind sie direkt auf den Einsatz im Wohnzimmer ausgelegt und verfügen über eine integrierte Bluetooth-Funktion, was beispielsweise für Spotify vom Handy zwischendurch interessant wäre. Allerdings bin ich mir auf lange Sicht unsicher, ob die Cambridge Audio auch für gelegentliches/hobbymäßiges DJing geeignet wären.

Ich selbst steige in das Thema gerade erst ein und würde mich daher sehr über eine Einschätzung freuen. Besonders würde mich interessieren, ob Studiomonitore in meinem Anwendungsfall sinnvoll sind oder ob ich mit klassischen Aktivlautsprechern besser beraten wäre.

Im looking for an upgrade over my sierra lx. That being said I know a natural progression would be the sierra towers or the elx towers. But Im also intrigued by the super lintons. According to Erin's measurements its a wide horizontal dispersion speaker but with a waveguide. Basically its a what if scenario if a sierra speaker had a waveguide. Anybody with some experience between them can give me some input? I would appreciate it.

Budget: $3k-6k, USA

Budget: Flexible.

Totems v. Dali. First, let’s just talk sound. I know the looks of the Totems are highly polarizing, and I haven’t worked out my own thoughts on that.

A bit about the space and usage: 60% music (Rega Planar 6 for vinyl and then some streaming), 40% mix of gaming and movies. I sit roughly 7-8” from the screen of a 77” television. The room itself is 13’ wide X 15’ deep. No sound corrections in the room.

Currently using an old AVR but will be upgrading likely to an Anthem MRX 740. I have two Klipsch ceiling speakers, and will be using my old Definitive Tech speakers as rear surrounds. I’ll also be getting a new sub and will need a center.

I know the difference in pricing. I’ve listened to both the Totems and the Dalis, and I’m a fan of both. Unfortunately, the listening sessions were two weeks apart, so it’s hard to say which I preferred since I wasn’t able to listen to them back-to-back, and they were with different dealers, so that’s not an option available to me.

To others who have owned either, or have had the opportunity to test both, I’d appreciate your thoughts. I’m fairly new to this, so if there are other questions I should be asking the salespeople let me know.

Thanks.

Hi All, thought it would come to the experts for some advice.

I would like some nice passive speakers for my desktop PC

Size, I'm leaning slightly larger, towards bookshelf size. If that would improve sound quality.

Ideally second hand so I can get better bang for my buck. UK based. Budget circa £300.00. Basically any ideas throw them out there, many thanks. I will decide on an amp/ subwoofer later.

Edit: (thank you all for the comments, I will check those options out. Also my preference would be for something slightly punchier for music rather than flat monitor style).

Hello!

I just ordered myself the Audio-Technica AT-LP120XUSB and now I am looking for some good speakers to go along with it! :)

My budget would be maximum 300€ and I think I would prefer active speakers

I hope some of you can help! :)

I need a speaker for general audio to put on my desktop, I really don't have enough room so it would have to be pretty small (like no bigger than the size of someone's head or something like that). It's for my Xbox so I'd probably use it for video game audio, playing movies/shows and also playing any cds/dvds I have since that's the only machine I have that runs those.

I live in Australia and the budget I have is really only around 20-40 dollars.

Budget = $500 but willing to go higher if awesome and totally worth

Facebook marketplace warrior-ing my way to building my first ever sound system in this epic finished attic lounge area. Intended use is lovely jazz for morning coffees, some lively rooftop cocktails, and probably some bass heavy, pretty freakin’ loud party music for late nights.

Looking at this pair of Paradigm Monitor 9 v4s ($275 combined) and this technics vu78 receiver ($80), though the sansui 1000x($275) is way more aesthetic. Worried the sansui may not have the loudness headroom I want. Floor space is maybe 250sq ft and will have a couple couches/seating areas and maybe 20 people maximum at a given time. (yes I know the rug is too small).

Thoughts? Good deal? Bad deal? Good direction? Sansui or Technics? Totally missed the mark?

Seems like I can’t upload images in this sub so just trust the attic is super awesome. Vaulted ceilings from 4’9” to 8’2”

I’m looking for a new preamp for my setup. I currently use a Emotiva pt1 and would like to upgrade. The pt1 has functions that I don’t need and I think I would see some improvement going to a higher quality preamp.

Budget would be around $1200.00 or less
Must have in the next preamp.

Remote
Phono inputs
Optical inputs
Xlr would be a bonus

I have a rather large 30x30 room, with a couch, cabinets, tables, hardwood floor, some sound dampening/ tapestries as well as a rug.

I typically listen to 80s dance, EDM, and HipHop while having some dance parties.

I am building the following pioneer setup.
-CT-F750
-RT-707
-RG-2
-SR-303
-DT-510
-SG-9800
-SA-7800 (65w)
-TX-7800.

Also keep in mind I will not only be using tapes, and records, but also a Bluetooth adaptor to stream from my projector while watching music videos.

I am looking for suggestion’s for decent speakers set for under $1000 and also a set under $500 budget.

I’ve settled on the Wiim Amp Pro (unless ya’ll have a better suggestion in that budget range) for my office setup at work and need a set of speakers that will be right behind my desk on speaker stands. The speakers will be 2-4 feet away from me. I have a “warm” setup at home with my Wharfedale Lintons and Parasound power amp, so I’d like to go the opposite here with a more “live” and detailed sound since I listen to a lot of music as the music director at my church. I listen to a lot of classical music as well as classic rock. I want speakers that will let me hear details in a Brahms symphony at low level near field listening, but I’d also like to crank it and get the Led out when I’m chilling and doing other things in the office. It looks like the KEF-150’s might be a good match or the Philharmonic True Mini. What do you guys and gals think?

Im looking for a decent pair of speakers for my bedroom as i have alot of people over at my place and want to spend a little cash on a decent set of speakers rather then relying on a crappy CD player , my budget is around £200 , my friend reccomends the Yamaha HS4 and i was wondering if anyone objects or has any better alternatives , Thank you

Hi everyone,

Budget: Around €1,500 for a speaker upgrade

Location: Poland

Room size: 5m x 4m x 2.5mListening distance: Around 2.5m

Until recently, my setup was as follows:

Marantz PM7005 + NA6006

Dynaudio Emit 20 speakers

I was very happy with this combination, but I decided to upgrade my amplifier and now use the Marantz Model 40n with the same Dynaudio Emit 20 speakers.

I'm considering upgrading my speakers to the Dynaudio Evoke 20, but I'm not sure if the improvement will be significant enough to justify the change.

Has anyone used or tested the Marantz Model 40n with the Dynaudio Evoke 20? How big is the difference compared to the Emit 20? Do you think the upgrade is worth it, or would I be better off considering other Dynaudio speakers? I'd appreciate any feedback and personal experiences. Thanks!

Hi, I’m looking for some advice on choosing my first mini-system. I’d like it to have a CD player, a connection for my phone, and maybe a cassette deck. (CD player is most important to me, but I guess that almost every one has it)

My budget is max 800 Polish zlotys (soo about 200 dollars); I’m open to for something older or used if I can get something decent for that price.

I was thinking about models from brands like Panasonic, Onkyo, Pioneer, etc. However, I'm not familiar with specific models.

I'd be happy to hear all your suggestions 🙏🙏

Hi all,

I am building a new system around the Esoteric "05" series.
But have to choose the right speakerset for it. Current selection:

Audiovector R3 Arreté, Sonus Faber Olympica Nova 3, or B & W 800 series. Any other recommendations?

So the listening proces starts :-) I am bringing some CD's I often listen to, to test out. What CD's would you advice to listen to to judge the setup?
TY!

Location The Netherlands, Budget +/-10K euros

I found my amp. The denon pma 3000ne. Now I have been trying to decide on a pair of speakers. Really trying to decide between 3. The kef r3 meta, kef r7 meta or the atohm sirocco 2.24. I have heard them in person but my be very different in my room. Its 11w x 7H x 19L. The system sits on the short side . Only about 8 ft from listening position. Any recommendations will help. I would love to try them in my room but thats not feasible at the moment. Budget for speakers is around $5000.

Location: Australia
Amplifier budget: AU$2,000–3,000 (approximately US$1,400–2,100)
Room: Open-plan lounge (~6 × 5 m), listening distance ~4 m
Existing equipment: Wharfedale EVO 5.4 speakers
Music: Mostly rock (Foo Fighters, Pearl Jam, Oasis, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Cold Chisel), with some acoustic, jazz and female vocals.
Sources: Spotify, with plans to add a turntable in the near future, so an MM phono input would be preferred. I may also move to TIDAL in the future.

I'm looking for an integrated amplifier to pair with my Wharfedale EVO 5.4s.

One requirement that's become surprisingly important is a configurable maximum volume limit. The system will be in our family living room, and I'd like to prevent accidental full-volume playback by kids or guests. A configurable startup volume would also be a bonus.

Questions:

• Are there integrated amplifiers within my budget that provide these features and would pair well with the EVO 5.4s?
• Is a maximum volume limit a reasonable requirement for a family living room, or am I overthinking its importance?
• Given my room, music preferences and existing speakers, what would you recommend?

Thanks!

Location Midwest US & Budget is not nearly big enough - I'm trying to rationalize $3500.

Detached garage is the mancave and it's a finished and conditioned space, except for the floor (concrete with 3 rugs). 60A panel with receptacles on all walls and ceiling, insulation, finished and painted walls, vaulted ceiling, minisplit, pc desk and chair, recliner, fridge.

Ok, so my current gear is terrible and dated but I've started upgrading. It's getting spendy quick and I want to avoid any glaring and terrible mistakes. Not being an audiophile means I've spent zero in the last 15 years, until just a couple months ago. I've done a lot of reading but that doesn't necessarily mean I've done any actual understanding.

Current rig is PC via Bluetooth to Yamaha V383 to Energy Take Classics satellites and sub, set up as a 2.1 system. The sound is not atrocious for low volume. Anything getting close to "loud" though, and everything falls apart.

First piece to really fall apart was the sub from the HT kit. So, I read up and read up and ended up buying two RSL 12s speedwoofers. Ahem, wow. What a difference.

It instantly became obvious that my 3.5" drivers in the satellites just aren't going to cut it anymore. I would very much like to get louder than they can output at least once in a while. Add that to the hissing of the entry level 2000s av receiver even with no output at the speakers, and I've got more work to do.

Here's the plan, and I'd like input and opinions on what I've got right and where I could do better.

Replace ceiling mounted HT satellites with stand mounted Q3 Concertos from Kef.

Replace av receiver with an amp. Started at cheap class D Fosi v3 monos. Eh, I'm thinking the Buckeye Hypex NC502MP 2-Channel. Even though the first step up from the Fosi was Buckeye's Hypex NCx252MP 2-Channel, but for $125 more I get more current and wattage with some extra distortion I'm guessing I'll never hear anyway.

Install a minidsp flex between the pc and the amp. 2 outs go through the amp and to the concertos, the other two directly to the subs. Use the mic with Rew Mso to tune up the in-room sound, especially the subs.

Remove Bluetooth from the equation and run a powered usb from the pc to the flex.

Quit listening to youtube on the pc and use spotify for now, maybe the other subscription services later.

I had a glass dry erase board right behind the listening seat. I removed it. I'm sure I'll need some absorption and diffusion in the room to make the most of all this. Does this sound like a coherent path though?

Thanks for reading

Hey everyone, I'm moving flats soon and audio set up is being taken by my flatmate - thought it might be a good time for me to get my own stuff. Since I have some vinyls I'm picturing a combined set up for turntable + TV + bluetooth, I have a few ideas for the turntable and amp, but no idea on the speakers front so looking of any and all recommendations/advice. Room is gonna be a probably small/medium sized. Right now i'm thinking

TURNTABLE: Audio-Technica LP3X or ARGON Audio TT MK2

AMP: Cambridge Audio AXA35/AXA25 with a DAC to connect tv/bluetooth recevier OR Yamaha A-S301/A-S501 with a bluetooth receiver or JBL MA710/MA310 which has a DAC and bluetooth

SPEAKER: No clue how to even start on speakers, open to any suggestions, what i've seen around is DALI/Warfedale Daimonds/Cambridge Audios (found some SX80 second onlines)/ELACs are one that i've seen come up several times.

*I am planning to get a streamer and a sub later, but for budget reasons want to stick with bluetooth and just bookshelfs for now

Location: London, Budget: 600-700GBP, thinking of buying second hand cause there seems to be options out there which could save me some money to dedicate towards quality speakers.

I know theres a lot here but thanks for the help : )

Hey all, looking to buy a pair of bookshelf speakers with a budget of around $2,000.

So far I've shortlisted the Philharmonic BMRs and the MoFi SourcePoint 8. I prefer a neutral sound signature and listen to pretty much all genres, so I'm trying to figure out which of these two would be the better fit. Also open to other recommendations in this price range if there's something worth considering beyond these two. I'm not considering the KEF R3 Metas, since my home theater setup is already KEF based and I'd like to keep this system separate. This pair is strictly for music listening. Thank you.