Always informative and entertaining. I will be forwarding this video to a couple of nieces who are just starting their audiophile journeys. They just bought (independently) U-Turn turntables; one I gave my CA Topaz SR20 integrated amp and the other got my old Paradigm Atom speakers. Currently I have ELAC Debut 6.2 speakers and a PowerNode 2i with HDMI. Stripped down system with Qobuz is making me very happy right now.
Steve, I was SUPER lucky. I found a pair of Maggies LRS locally after being told 14 weeks by Magnepan. Thank you so much for your wonderful suggestions! Keep up the great work the world needs more people like you.
Depends on the room. I started with big floor standers that sounded great in a big room but lost something in my listening room. When I sold them and picked up a pair of paradigm 15b bookshelf speakers, I couldn't believe how much better the sounds was. Buy speakers that are appropriate for your room!
Steve, love the vid. Always interesting. Your comment about the quality in that price range is exactly the principle of diminishing returns. The easiest example to grasp is with cars. You want 0 to 60 in 5 seconds? Costs $50K. You want 4 seconds? Costs $100K. You want 3 seconds? Costs $300K.... Each second of improvement increases the price exponentially. The same applies to audio. There's a sweet spot where you max out the Quality/Dollar ratio. From there on, the price will, double, triple, etc for each "minute" improvement. I saw many people upgrading their systems, sometimes doubling the price, and I could NOT see enough of a difference to warrant the extra $$. It's all in the eye of the beholder I guess. If you can afford $100K on an audio set up, more power to you! For the rest of us, there's a lot of fun to be had below $3K. Keep 'Em Coming. Cheers
Loved seeing the Outlaw in the list. I still use an Outlaw 1070 HT receiver in one of my setups. They are a GREAT company. They repaired my receiver well out of warranty and all I had to do was pay for shipping. It works great and sounds great to this day. I’d love to score a 2160.
Don't forget the Iotavx SA3 integrated amp. I decided to order one a few months back and have been extremely pleased. Class a/b design for about 400 US dollars. My unit shipped to the states in less than five days and I have been loving the sound ever since. It was a great upgrade from my Yamaha HTR-5240. And I would not hesitate to purchase the companion PA3 amplifier if I needed the extra juice.
Steve, my budget system started with Klipsch la Scalas I got for $500 and a couple of m-80s controlled by a Yamaha D1S and a boatload of Klipsch for the home theater part, these I acquired during a 20 year travel with the US Air Force. I never thought how much that equipment would cost today. I'm glad I found your channel thank you
Hello Steve your advice is always welcome it’s correct. I follow you every day and I appreciate very much your knowledge and experience. I have been an Audiophile for more than 50 years..I have owned many many brands; however, the way you see and analyze all these stuff is remarkable. In all your videos I find something useful for my life as an audiophile. Your videos are a nice breeze in my every day hobby. Greetings and always best to you good friend !
I haven’t heard your take on the iotavx sa3 and their matching power amp. Steve, you introduced me to the magnepan LRS and I must thank you for that. I finally got mine, and the are stunning!
Just done exactly this as a first proper system for my daughter, rega turntable, ps audio sprout100 amp and Q acoustics 3030i based on your review. Will use existing iphone for Bluetooth streaming.£1400.
I just started last month. I knew the power amp mattered the most so I bought the Cambridge CX81 and made that my highest cost. Bought a pair Elac Debut 6.2's and a Cambridge AX35 cd player. I'm really happy with the results. The turntable will come later when I decide. I'm thinking Rega P1 or higher. I knew I'd be streaming and cd playing more than anything so I'm really happy with this current setup. The CX81 is a beast!
I happen to have the CX80 which is what the 81 graduated from.....nice amps. My humble suggestion for a turntable, depending on budget, would be Project- The Classic. You get alot for your money with that tt.....Fluance makes very nice tables also, but the choices are many! Enjoy the ride.
The Yamaha A-S801 can be had for 700 to 800 bucks and will power through any speaker out there (will walk all over your Cambridge). Coulda shoulda saved some cash there young lad. With that saved cash, you could've got the Elac Unifi (a better speaker) than the Elac Debut.
Eric, you made some excellent choices! Don't listen to the people telling you should have bought this or that equipment. Trust your ears and get what makes you happy! Musical enjoyment is available at all price levels. Audiophile "rules" are made to be broken.
If we define audiophile system and budget by "speakers + amplification", I would suggest to, at some point, discuss the architecture question: what is done where? Passive versus active loudspeakers, pre + power amps versus integrated, DAC-pre, etc. If we assume the source to be a digital stream outside the budget, then the DAC should play a prominent role. I imagine a DAC with active speakers can be very appealing. Within that frame of reference, we could have a DAC-pre that drivers analog active speakers, or a digital streamer, reclocker, etc, signal reshaping feed into digitally active speakers. If we have passive speakers with access to the "ways" of the crossover, we could have bi-amping (for two way speakers). Two $400 stereo amps may do better than one $800 as we double damping and Ampères available to the speakers (compared to 1* $400 and we may not double Ampères compared with the $800 amp but likely double the damping). As we would want the best out of cheap components, I feel we should look at how clean we can get AC coming into our devices. And how we can impact imaging or soundstage with acoustic treatment, especially at points of first reflection. If we understand the basics of getting the most out of our equipment, irrespective of price, then we will have more pride of ownership. Even
Good to know. I have the SA3 and love it. My plan has been to add the additional power of the PA3 and pick up a pair of Tekton Lore Mini or Reference speakers. I feel like this would be a great combo and an improvement over my Infinity P363 set.
Don’t really listen to metal, but some hardcore punk, so in the same sound world. I think they do a great job, nothing lacking, you hear the music and not the speakers, you know? They put in your face music right in your face. Got the M because of price, it was what I could afford. The full size Lore are bigger, so probably give more sound and punch with the 10” versus 8” transducer (woofer). Like I said, I love the sound from these, but the larger size ought to have even more of the same great sound. From there, something like the Double Impact, those can probably knock you over.
I started with the Integrated SA, that is certainly good. The sound when I added the PA isn’t different, but there is a difference, like more immediate, an increase in the goodness. The M Lore are great. I bet the full size Lore are an increase of that, like adding the PA. Maybe they are, but I don’t feel like I miss anything with the M Lore.
Joe Pokro mini lores are wicked. Lots of punch and power. The pro Eminence woofer is a seriously robust unit. The treble is a little rolled off but as a result it’s easy to listen to loud. I haven’t broken one yet and I abuse my speakers like a complete dick head. I often bring my mini lores to partys to play loudly. Give them a try you can’t go wrong. I have UB-5s as well which are definitely more sonically accurate and detailed but would implode if you tried to push them really hard. If you like metal I think the m lore would be a better speaker.
If you don't have a lot of money and want the maximum result with solid state equipment, go second hand equipment that looks like new and is less than 5 years old. Plenty of people with upgraditis have as good as new equipment for sale. Second hand solid state equipment is fairly risk free, however, avoid second hand speakers or mechanical equipment like turntables if you can, unless you're able to service it. As for CD/DVD players: most of the time only the laser gets old and a new laser or laser mechanism can often be easily acquired and installed. I fully agree with you Steve: LOUDNESS CONTROL IS AMAZING!
Steve - I truly appreciate your videos as I am wanting to get back into vinyl and CD music and find your product information to be presented in a fashion that appeals to my excitement for music much more that many engineering focused reviews. You mention the Outlaw Audio RR2160 and even the Yamaha A-S801 on your electronics short list in the $1,000-$2,500 system arena. I have seen a few reviews on the IOTAVX Stack (SA3/PA3) priced around $865.00 US and really wanted to get your opinion on how they compete in that price range for someone wanting reasonably clean power/sound from vinyl and CDs at a very reasonable price. Thanks again for your vids!
Wanted this video for ages. Deserves a thanks . .the Yu6 video helped and this. Budget and your high end know how gives us an insight into the best budget
Thank you for pointing out the made in America gear! I have a Schiit Freya+, Schiit Vidar, Tekton Impact Monitors, Tekton 2-10 sub, VPI Scout, and Tavish Design Adagio phono preamplifier wired with Kimber Kable for my system. It matters to me!
International viewer here. Made in US is nice, as there are many respectable brands there, but so are many in UK, Japan, Germany... Choose things based on how good they work for you and not where they were built. We’re all in this together 👍
I have one also. It is fabulous. I can't recommend it highly enough. The noise floor is so low, the air it gives all the instruments and vocals is astounding. It's resolution surprises me daily as well known recordings have new details revealed. For what it delivers it is a true bargain.
No tube recommendations? This is also a now-attainable medium nowadays with chi fi. Nobsound NS-03D, Klipsch rp-160m’s, audio Technica lp160 turntable (or similar), and the Emotiva pt 100 preamp. Quality sound for under 1200 bucks
Steve I'm at over 100k and still looking for better and I am not wealthy. I'm just a auto mechanic. I have loved music since I was a kid. For me music has to sound good, musical. I'm in my 50s . I have all tube system. Like your vids.
Meh! I bought the Klipsch RP600M with a Yamaha RN 402 amp (with a built-in streamer and optical) for 600€ in a combo pack in France. The setup runs like a dream.
I don't really have a use for the Yamaha integrated, but I'd love it just for the variable loudness control. I wish they made a higher-end, preamp-only version... with a pair of balanced inputs & outputs, for about $1200. I'd love one.
Would love to see this at a little higher price range just to see what Steve thinks would be some good choices between $2500 - $10,000 including some source component recommendations - CD players, turntables, etc.
Lazy bone the web is full of recommendations just a little digging.Audio is a personal thing and what is a great gear for Steve may not be of my liking.To not take any risk go for the gear that is talked about that suits your budget. The best choice is when you can audition in person the gear, If you audion, play the music you are familiar with. Good luck.
If you can find a pair of used Athena audition speakers, they are great sounding at a great price. Pair them with a Carver power amp and Adcom preamp and you have some magic on a budget
I love videos like this that show folks that if they want to be an "audiophile" or feel they need to be for some reason, that it does not require a second mortgage or bankruptcy. One word of advice though: While these products are every bit as audiophile as similar products costing 5 times as much or more. To save your sanity, I would not mention that you have such products in your system in rooms full of audiophiles with big systems or just being snobs. While I am not in need, I have had my eye in the Outlaw giant for a time. It is very interesting to me.
Very informative video post Steve, I'm sure that many just starting out in this hobby will enjoy a lot of these products. I personally haven't heard the PS Audio Sprout 100 but I understand from the reviews it's a very capable integrated amp in a tiny package and would fit into your list. Keep on bringing the videos Mr. Audiophiliac.
I have the Rogue Sphinx V2, I had it upgrades from the v1. I auditioned 9 integrated amps from a price range of $500 to almost $5K. It's the most neutral amp I could find. My speakers are Ascend Acoustics Sierra-2 speakers. I auditioned 8 pairs of bookshelf speakers, up to about $6k. These speakers are very neutral, and they throw a huge sound stage, and they have killer bass. I love reggae and can get satisfying bass from these speakers without a sub.
Gutt The Maggie LRS has to be your speaker of the year for 2020. I spent 1.5 hours yesterday and left amazed. Although at that price point getting a budget friendly amp to match is a challenge. The dealer paired it with a Hegel H160 amp/dac which was amazing and reduced to $1500 or 50% of MSRP but still pricy. I also find with the LRS that a sub combo is a must requirement.
I have 2 of the speakers and 1 of the amps and I agree, the Klipsch RP-600 are the best bang for the buck out there and you don't need much power to get them going. The Zu DW are amazing as well again they don't need much power. I have a Yamaha A-S801 and I really like it, I think it looks good and the loudness knob is very useful, you can also bypass the tone controls if you want. There are a couple features that, if you dont need you can step down to the A-s701 to save a little money.
Hi Steve! I know of a certain integrated amplifier that is definitely lacking reviews on TH-cam but is feature-packed, very powerful and versatile. The Yamaha R-N803. It's a 2 Channel and not an AVR. If you do review it, maybe you could also recommend it's little brother to R-N303. These are a few steps above the 202 that you sometimes mention. Thanks! -Chris, Florida
I totally agree with Vandersteen. I meet the man at the high end in Munich. His carbon speakers were the best sounding out of any gear there. Z reviews raved about the Ohms, and my Yamaha AS301 was so sweet, I went out and bought the AS2100 and SACD player. Never heard magnapans nor Zu speakers, but generally any speaker made in the USA is no doubt good. The ELAC debut, I have and they are the best bang for the buck; thank you Andrew Jones.
One combo to add: the Decware SE84UFO paired with Caintuck Audio's Betsy open baffle. The only "upgrades" I would add are upgraded caps and the capacitor bypass mod on the SE84UFO and upgrade the Betsy Open baffle to Alnico drivers.
Hi Steve...great video as always! I'd love to hear your views on the new Parasound Classic 2125 v.2 amplifier...It's available for $599...and it's great (IMO)
Great list Steve. I would add XTZ EDGE A2-300 (495 €) amp and XTZ Spirit 11 speakers (455 €) ...I do not know any power amp or speakers ... (sorry for the somewhat flat-looking, but true statement) that delivers so much for so little money !!! Thanks for the great vid, Steve!
Hi Musical Fadelity Audiolab Rega All sell really affordable amplifiers all British and would be interesting to see how stack up against amps you've mentioned.
Steve, recently discovered your channel and my wife and I get lots of pleasure listening to your views. As an englishman who's lived my whole life in the uk I'd love to hear your recommendations for 3 systems costing up to 2500 pounds sterling made up from British made products. One system would cover vinyl, one cd and the other streaming.
Kef speakers deserve a mention in this price range, as do Cyrus One amps. Both British, both very high quality Kef q350s - big bookshelf speakers, beautifully made and sound rich and detailed. Cyrus have been making very classy amps for a long time and their latest efforts are very refined. Around 1500 dollars will buy you this set-up.
Tom Roberts you are correct, lower impedance easier to drive, but you have to keep in mind it puts more demand on the amplifier doing that, it’s sucks all the power right out of it, cause they’re easier to drive, thus, making your amplifier work harder and possibly go into thermal protection mode or shut down from heat to protect itself.
@@tomroberts5805 Lower impedance generally requires more current. However, you need to take into account the phase angle of the impedance at given frequencies as well to determine if a load is difficult to drive not just impedance alone. To get some idea of how well an amp will deal with different speaker loads the damping factor [How well the amp controls the cone of the speaker moving] of the amp usually tells the story.
I know this item is not a budget one but I would like to hear your opinion on the Yamaha integrated amp A-S1200 or A-S2200 and see how they compare against the Outlaw RR-2160. Or the Rogue Sphinx 3. Other option using the previous Yamaha integrated A-S1100 or A-S2100.
Steve you did a great job with this video I think this is my second time a couple months later watching it the video. I really enjoy the information of the equipment stereos that you have your videos for. Do you ever mention about SVS Tower speakers subwoofers and all the other speakers thank you have a great day God bless,
the audiolab 8300a is amazing and it can be bought for around $800. It's designed like amplifiers that are very expensive and sounds absolutely amazing imo
I just got down to my short list and now I have to re-analyze after watching this. Quite a few new things to consider since the 500\1200\2500 vids from a while back. I was looking at the Jamo S809, Elac Debut F6.2 or Emotiva T1+ paired with the Denon 600 or 800.
I have a Schiit Ragnarok II and love it. I feel it is a really good buy at $1500. I also have an Akitika GT 101 matched with a Schiit Saga in my bedroom system. I purchased both slightly used for a total of $450.
Would you do a TH-cam tutorial on what "class" A, B,C D means in amplifier terminology. I'm just getting back into the audio scene from my youth and I have gaps in my knowledge
Hi Steve, Can you clarify these terminologies you use while describing speakers. Transparent, Dynamic, Forward Sounding, Bright, Punchy...etc. These are all adjectives and the person listening has to guess what it means. I would only know about sounding Live, Bass heavy, Clear Treble, Good Mids, surround effect, large sound stage, clarity, muddiness, tight bass and so on.
Steve, I have the Emotiva TA-100 and used it to push Klipsch KG4.2 before I sold the KG. It sounded great without the help of a sub. When I demo it to the buyer, apart from knocking the ball out the park I also told him that I was intending to use the proceed as seed money for the Maggie LRS. TA-100 is rated 90 wpc at 4 ohm, do you think that’s sufficient to bring out the best from LRS? That was the only reserve I have on getting the LRS.
Steve. All you TH-cam audio reviewers tend to cover the same lines of audio equipment, I would love to hear reviews of the Tannoy Revolution XT6 and XT 8 bookshelf and floor standing speakers. Have Kevin Deal from a Upscale Audio send you a pair. Great sounding speakers at great price.
I am a guitar player and I do know alot about that gear, also I know when I hear a good sound, but I have no clue about good HiFi equipment. So thank you, this makes it much easier, although I wish it was cheaper :)
Thank you for looking out for people who live in a real world of other expenses!! With young kids running around, how about a on/in wall setup recommandation???
Steve, I love your channel and the way you deliver your expansive knowledge. I recently had to part from my Rotel RA985BX and went in to buy a Rotel A14, which I found at a very good price. I decided to stay loyal to the company that served me well for way over 20 years, and it had all the features I was looking for. My speakers are B&W 601 S3. Sometimes I wonder if I made the right choice, since I don’t see many reviews of those products here. I did read your pretty favorable review of the A12 though. What do you think about my choice of amp, I’m intrigued to find out. Thank you for all these awesome reviews.
You got my hopes up with all the speakers looking for high current amps, with not much left over in the budget... feeling a little let down by the “I’m pretty sure it could handle 4 ohms” amplifier recommendations. They didn’t look to me like they could drive those large $1,400 Magnepans, and keep them happy.
@@scottyo64 agreed. After I got the LRS's, I had to upgrade to monoblock amps and a balanced preamp. I already had a functional subwoofer but it's clear I need to upgrade that as well. Together, all these make the LRS experience exceptional and it's worth the investment. But anyone pairing an LRS with an ordinary amp and neglecting a good subwoofer will probably be a disappointed.
The Elac UniFi UF5s go on sale every once in a while for around $700. I was patient and waited and it was worth it. I also picked up a Cambridge CX80 for $700 a couple months ago when they were clearing out the last of their inventory and it makes the UF5s sing. Add on a Pro-Ject Carbon turntable and you're ears are happy for all your LPs. Lastly, if you happen to have a Chromecast Audio laying around the house, hook that little baby up to a decent DAC via TOSLINK (or just straight into the amp) to stream some Qobuz or Tidal from your phone and basically all of your music needs are taken care of. I'm in for less then 2 grand and I am very happy with the results. Unless of course if you have a large CD collection. I'm still working on finding a "best bang for the buck" CD transport / player, any ideas?
In my family room I have a Yamaha A-S801 ($900) paired with some Paradigm Studio 100 v2’s ($500 used) and an Onkyo 6 disc CD changer with Wolfson DAC ($100 open box). I’m getting killer sounds for $1500. In the bedroom I have a Rotel A11 Tribute ($650 on sale) paired with Energy RC-10’s($100 used) that sound amazing with a Velodyne sub($100 used) another Onkyo CD player with Wolfson DAC($125 open box) and a Audio Technica lp120 turntable ($150 used) and an IFI Zen air phono preamp($100). $1,225 for that one. Both fairly cheap but they don’t sound like it
My system is incredible value for money, not just because the componants are but the way it worked out, the source and the amp were very close to being discontinued so I got fantastic prices. I would have bought those anyway. I got the Marantz SA8005 new for £500 and the Tannoy XT8F new for £750. The amp works very well with those and it cost £234 Yamaha AS500. The system is very neutral sounding. I also have a tube buffer which makes a difference but not including that or cables, it would come to less than £1500.
Keep up the budget videos, making the hobby accessible is critical to its growth
This is by far one of my favorite channels. It’s Informative, entertaining, useful, and has amazing shirts.
Steve does pull off the shirts very well (figuratively not literally).
Yes sexy shirts
Milamode.
@@twhalen Why? Aloha shirts are washable
We’re all here for the shirts everything else is a bonus
Always informative and entertaining. I will be forwarding this video to a couple of nieces who are just starting their audiophile journeys. They just bought (independently) U-Turn turntables; one I gave my CA Topaz SR20 integrated amp and the other got my old Paradigm Atom speakers.
Currently I have ELAC Debut 6.2 speakers and a PowerNode 2i with HDMI. Stripped down system with Qobuz is making me very happy right now.
Steve, I was SUPER lucky. I found a pair of Maggies LRS locally after being told 14 weeks by Magnepan. Thank you so much for your wonderful suggestions! Keep up the great work the world needs more people like you.
I am looking to build a great reasonable system for my 90 year old dad who loves music and I appreciate this video.
Thank you ❤
I wished to have done the same for my dad but the heaven was in hurry.
Two great shirts in one video? You are spoiling us, Steve!
i thought i was just imagining that
Depends on the room. I started with big floor standers that sounded great in a big room but lost something in my listening room. When I sold them and picked up a pair of paradigm 15b bookshelf speakers, I couldn't believe how much better the sounds was. Buy speakers that are appropriate for your room!
Room acoustics (treatment) are as much important as the speakers.
How big is your room?
Steve, love the vid. Always interesting. Your comment about the quality in that price range is exactly the principle of diminishing returns.
The easiest example to grasp is with cars. You want 0 to 60 in 5 seconds? Costs $50K. You want 4 seconds? Costs $100K. You want 3 seconds? Costs $300K....
Each second of improvement increases the price exponentially. The same applies to audio. There's a sweet spot where you max out the Quality/Dollar ratio.
From there on, the price will, double, triple, etc for each "minute" improvement. I saw many people upgrading their systems, sometimes doubling the price, and I could NOT see enough of a difference to warrant the extra $$. It's all in the eye of the beholder I guess. If you can afford $100K on an audio set up, more power to you!
For the rest of us, there's a lot of fun to be had below $3K. Keep 'Em Coming. Cheers
Loved seeing the Outlaw in the list. I still use an Outlaw 1070 HT receiver in one of my setups. They are a GREAT company. They repaired my receiver well out of warranty and all I had to do was pay for shipping. It works great and sounds great to this day. I’d love to score a 2160.
Don't forget the Iotavx SA3 integrated amp. I decided to order one a few months back and have been extremely pleased. Class a/b design for about 400 US dollars. My unit shipped to the states in less than five days and I have been loving the sound ever since. It was a great upgrade from my Yamaha HTR-5240. And I would not hesitate to purchase the companion PA3 amplifier if I needed the extra juice.
Steve, my budget system started with Klipsch la Scalas I got for $500 and a couple of m-80s controlled by a Yamaha D1S and a boatload of Klipsch for the home theater part, these I acquired during a 20 year travel with the US Air Force. I never thought how much that equipment would cost today. I'm glad I found your channel thank you
Hello Steve your advice is always welcome it’s correct.
I follow you every day and I appreciate very much your knowledge and experience. I have been an Audiophile for more than 50 years..I have owned many many brands; however, the way you see and analyze all these stuff is remarkable. In all your videos I find something useful for my life as an audiophile. Your videos are a nice breeze in my every day hobby. Greetings and always best to you good friend !
I haven’t heard your take on the iotavx sa3 and their matching power amp. Steve, you introduced me to the magnepan LRS and I must thank you for that. I finally got mine, and the are stunning!
Just done exactly this as a first proper system for my daughter, rega turntable, ps audio sprout100 amp and Q acoustics 3030i based on your review. Will use existing iphone for Bluetooth streaming.£1400.
I just started last month. I knew the power amp mattered the most so I bought the Cambridge CX81 and made that my highest cost. Bought a pair Elac Debut 6.2's and a Cambridge AX35 cd player. I'm really happy with the results. The turntable will come later when I decide. I'm thinking Rega P1 or higher. I knew I'd be streaming and cd playing more than anything so I'm really happy with this current setup. The CX81 is a beast!
I happen to have the CX80 which is what the 81 graduated from.....nice amps. My humble suggestion for a turntable, depending on budget, would be Project- The Classic. You get alot for your money with that tt.....Fluance makes very nice tables also, but the choices are many! Enjoy the ride.
The Yamaha A-S801 can be had for 700 to 800 bucks and will power through any speaker out there (will walk all over your Cambridge). Coulda shoulda saved some cash there young lad. With that saved cash, you could've got the Elac Unifi (a better speaker) than the Elac Debut.
Wow, now that is a bold statement....."walk all over". At best a comparable amp with similar characteristics.
In my humble pow the speakers matter twice the amp., so if the speakers cost 2G the amp shouLd be 1 G
Eric, you made some excellent choices! Don't listen to the people telling you should have bought this or that equipment. Trust your ears and get what makes you happy! Musical enjoyment is available at all price levels. Audiophile "rules" are made to be broken.
Just bought NAD C316BEE, NAD C538, ELAC UNI B5, REGA P1 TT. Best sound for under 2000.00
If we define audiophile system and budget by "speakers + amplification", I would suggest to, at some point, discuss the architecture question: what is done where? Passive versus active loudspeakers, pre + power amps versus integrated, DAC-pre, etc.
If we assume the source to be a digital stream outside the budget, then the DAC should play a prominent role. I imagine a DAC with active speakers can be very appealing. Within that frame of reference, we could have a DAC-pre that drivers analog active speakers, or a digital streamer, reclocker, etc, signal reshaping feed into digitally active speakers.
If we have passive speakers with access to the "ways" of the crossover, we could have bi-amping (for two way speakers). Two $400 stereo amps may do better than one $800 as we double damping and Ampères available to the speakers (compared to 1* $400 and we may not double Ampères compared with the $800 amp but likely double the damping).
As we would want the best out of cheap components, I feel we should look at how clean we can get AC coming into our devices. And how we can impact imaging or soundstage with acoustic treatment, especially at points of first reflection.
If we understand the basics of getting the most out of our equipment, irrespective of price, then we will have more pride of ownership. Even
Hey Steve does that shirt have a loudness knob?
Another great list and video Steve! Thumbs up. You are doing your audience a great service.
i want the Vandersteen 1Ci's with a little tube love in the system. thanks for mentioning these speakers.
I’m enjoying my RR2160 and looking forward to adding KEF LS50’s
Another RR2160 owner here. Fantastic all around. Highly recommend it.
I agree its such an impressive and beautifully sounding amp and Mr. Tribeman legit knows how to design good audio.
Iotavx SA & PA amp combo, Tekton M Lore. That is what I have and it keeps me happy.
Looking at this combo. Or the bigger lores. Please tell me What is your opinion on how it sounds for rock/metal?
Good to know. I have the SA3 and love it. My plan has been to add the additional power of the PA3 and pick up a pair of Tekton Lore Mini or Reference speakers. I feel like this would be a great combo and an improvement over my Infinity P363 set.
Don’t really listen to metal, but some hardcore punk, so in the same sound world. I think they do a great job, nothing lacking, you hear the music and not the speakers, you know? They put in your face music right in your face.
Got the M because of price, it was what I could afford. The full size Lore are bigger, so probably give more sound and punch with the 10” versus 8” transducer (woofer). Like I said, I love the sound from these, but the larger size ought to have even more of the same great sound. From there, something like the Double Impact, those can probably knock you over.
I started with the Integrated SA, that is certainly good. The sound when I added the PA isn’t different, but there is a difference, like more immediate, an increase in the goodness.
The M Lore are great. I bet the full size Lore are an increase of that, like adding the PA. Maybe they are, but I don’t feel like I miss anything with the M Lore.
Joe Pokro mini lores are wicked. Lots of punch and power. The pro Eminence woofer is a seriously robust unit. The treble is a little rolled off but as a result it’s easy to listen to loud. I haven’t broken one yet and I abuse my speakers like a complete dick head. I often bring my mini lores to partys to play loudly. Give them a try you can’t go wrong. I have UB-5s as well which are definitely more sonically accurate and detailed but would implode if you tried to push them really hard. If you like metal I think the m lore would be a better speaker.
If you don't have a lot of money and want the maximum result with solid state equipment, go second hand equipment that looks like new and is less than 5 years old.
Plenty of people with upgraditis have as good as new equipment for sale.
Second hand solid state equipment is fairly risk free, however, avoid second hand speakers or mechanical equipment like turntables if you can, unless you're able to service it.
As for CD/DVD players: most of the time only the laser gets old and a new laser or laser mechanism can often be easily acquired and installed.
I fully agree with you Steve: LOUDNESS CONTROL IS AMAZING!
Yes. Those KSS Sony CD mechs are in pretty much everything.
I'm liking your show very much. I'm amazed at how enthusiastic you are in high fidelity. Keep it up Steve.!!!
Steve - I truly appreciate your videos as I am wanting to get back into vinyl and CD music and find your product information to be presented in a fashion that appeals to my excitement for music much more that many engineering focused reviews. You mention the Outlaw Audio RR2160 and even the Yamaha A-S801 on your electronics short list in the $1,000-$2,500 system arena. I have seen a few reviews on the IOTAVX Stack (SA3/PA3) priced around $865.00 US and really wanted to get your opinion on how they compete in that price range for someone wanting reasonably clean power/sound from vinyl and CDs at a very reasonable price. Thanks again for your vids!
Interesting list. You added a couple of new items with the Vandersteen and the Golden Ear speakers that I don’t recall you mentioning in the past.
Wanted this video for ages. Deserves a thanks . .the Yu6 video helped and this. Budget and your high end know how gives us an insight into the best budget
Thank you for pointing out the made in America gear! I have a Schiit Freya+, Schiit Vidar, Tekton Impact Monitors, Tekton 2-10 sub, VPI Scout, and Tavish Design Adagio phono preamplifier wired with Kimber Kable for my system. It matters to me!
Nice setup !
Of course, the KEF LS50 loudspeakers pair. Great sound!
International viewer here. Made in US is nice, as there are many respectable brands there, but so are many in UK, Japan, Germany... Choose things based on how good they work for you and not where they were built. We’re all in this together 👍
From the US myself, I agree with you. To many, it's become less about made in (US, Europe, Japan) and more about *not* made in _______
@@jesuguru2394 I'll say it for you....CHINA!!!
I have the Outlaw RR2160 it's fantastic
I have one also. It is fabulous. I can't recommend it highly enough. The noise floor is so low, the air it gives all the instruments and vocals is astounding. It's resolution surprises me daily as well known recordings have new details revealed. For what it delivers it is a true bargain.
I have LG SL10Y + SPK8S Meridian Tidal and Chrome cast built in. Paired with an LG V50 ThinQ it's the perfect combo.
No tube recommendations? This is also a now-attainable medium nowadays with chi fi. Nobsound NS-03D, Klipsch rp-160m’s, audio Technica lp160 turntable (or similar), and the Emotiva pt 100 preamp. Quality sound for under 1200 bucks
Tubes ain't cheap.
Steve I'm at over 100k and still looking for better and I am not wealthy. I'm just a auto mechanic. I have loved music since I was a kid. For me music has to sound good, musical. I'm in my 50s . I have all tube system. Like your vids.
Meh! I bought the Klipsch RP600M with a Yamaha RN 402 amp (with a built-in streamer and optical) for 600€ in a combo pack in France. The setup runs like a dream.
000 001 that’s cool. Not tubes though. My point is that tube setups are affordable now
000 001 that’s cool. Not tubes though. My point is that tube setups are affordable now
Steve, can you review the Buchardt Audio S400. I would like to see your thoughts on them.
I don't really have a use for the Yamaha integrated, but I'd love it just for the variable loudness control. I wish they made a higher-end, preamp-only version... with a pair of balanced inputs & outputs, for about $1200. I'd love one.
Would love to see this at a little higher price range just to see what Steve thinks would be some good choices between $2500 - $10,000 including some source component recommendations - CD players, turntables, etc.
Smoke 'em if ya got 'em.
Lazy bone the web is full of recommendations just a little digging.Audio is a personal thing and what is a great gear for Steve may not be of my liking.To not take any risk go for the gear that is talked about that suits your budget. The best choice is when you can audition in person the gear, If you audion, play the music you are familiar with. Good luck.
He did a quick summary on spendor A7s. Bought a pair myself and they are fantastic. great speaker from small to medium sized rooms.
If you can find a pair of used Athena audition speakers, they are great sounding at a great price. Pair them with a Carver power amp and Adcom preamp and you have some magic on a budget
I love videos like this that show folks that if they want to be an "audiophile" or feel they need to be for some reason, that it does not require a second mortgage or bankruptcy. One word of advice though: While these products are every bit as audiophile as similar products costing 5 times as much or more. To save your sanity, I would not mention that you have such products in your system in rooms full of audiophiles with big systems or just being snobs.
While I am not in need, I have had my eye in the Outlaw giant for a time. It is very interesting to me.
Very informative video post Steve, I'm sure that many just starting out in this hobby will enjoy a lot of these products. I personally haven't heard the PS Audio Sprout 100 but I understand from the reviews it's a very capable integrated amp in a tiny package and would fit into your list. Keep on bringing the videos Mr. Audiophiliac.
The Yamaha would be a better sounding option
@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac cool
@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac respectfully disagree Steve.
I have the Rogue Sphinx V2, I had it upgrades from the v1. I auditioned 9 integrated amps from a price range of $500 to almost $5K. It's the most neutral amp I could find.
My speakers are Ascend Acoustics Sierra-2 speakers. I auditioned 8 pairs of bookshelf speakers, up to about $6k. These speakers are very neutral, and they throw a huge sound stage, and they have killer bass. I love reggae and can get satisfying bass from these speakers without a sub.
Gutt The Maggie LRS has to be your speaker of the year for 2020. I spent 1.5 hours yesterday and left amazed. Although at that price point getting a budget friendly amp to match is a challenge. The dealer paired it with a Hegel H160 amp/dac which was amazing and reduced to $1500 or 50% of MSRP but still pricy. I also find with the LRS that a sub combo is a must requirement.
I have 2 of the speakers and 1 of the amps and I agree, the Klipsch RP-600 are the best bang for the buck out there and you don't need much power to get them going. The Zu DW are amazing as well again they don't need much power. I have a Yamaha A-S801 and I really like it, I think it looks good and the loudness knob is very useful, you can also bypass the tone controls if you want. There are a couple features that, if you dont need you can step down to the A-s701 to save a little money.
I like your reviews . I just don't understand why is not a listening review. I would love to listen to the music. What they sound like. Thank you
Hi Steve! I know of a certain integrated amplifier that is definitely lacking reviews on TH-cam but is feature-packed, very powerful and versatile. The Yamaha R-N803. It's a 2 Channel and not an AVR. If you do review it, maybe you could also recommend it's little brother to R-N303. These are a few steps above the 202 that you sometimes mention. Thanks! -Chris, Florida
I totally agree with Vandersteen. I meet the man at the high end in Munich. His carbon speakers were the best sounding out of any gear there. Z reviews raved about the Ohms, and my Yamaha AS301 was so sweet, I went out and bought the AS2100 and SACD player. Never heard magnapans nor Zu speakers, but generally any speaker made in the USA is no doubt good. The ELAC debut, I have and they are the best bang for the buck; thank you Andrew Jones.
RV's a cool guy. If you go out for a smoke with him at a show he'll talk your ear off.
PSB speakers for sure, used gear in general. What about NAD integrateds?
I wish someone would do a video that really clairifies ohms.
Well you just taught me something yet again, I had no idea you could get planar speakers
Excellent video! Full informative! Thank you Steve! We need your advice and your experience in audio! Greetings from Greece!
Finally we're talking
How about the Tekton Lore Reference, Kef Q550, or Q Acoustics 3050i?
One combo to add: the Decware SE84UFO paired with Caintuck Audio's Betsy open baffle. The only "upgrades" I would add are upgraded caps and the capacitor bypass mod on the SE84UFO and upgrade the Betsy Open baffle to Alnico drivers.
Hi Steve...great video as always! I'd love to hear your views on the new Parasound Classic 2125 v.2 amplifier...It's available for $599...and it's great (IMO)
How about the Tekton Reference?
Martin Logan 35XT's with their gorgeous large AMT ribbon tweeters should definitely be checked out. The smaller ML motion 15 too.
Great list Steve. I would add XTZ EDGE A2-300 (495 €) amp and XTZ Spirit 11 speakers (455 €) ...I do not know any power amp or speakers ... (sorry for the somewhat flat-looking, but true statement) that delivers so much for so little money !!!
Thanks for the great vid, Steve!
Hi
Musical Fadelity
Audiolab
Rega
All sell really affordable amplifiers all British and would be interesting to see how stack up against amps you've mentioned.
Steve, recently discovered your channel and my wife and I get lots of pleasure listening to your views. As an englishman who's lived my whole life in the uk I'd love to hear your recommendations for 3 systems costing up to 2500 pounds sterling made up from British made products. One system would cover vinyl, one cd and the other streaming.
You can input vinyl, cd, and streaming through the same system.
Thank you for your advices Steve. Very precious.
Any comments on the Audiolab 6000a integrated amp? Goes for $900.
Kef speakers deserve a mention in this price range, as do Cyrus One amps. Both British, both very high quality Kef q350s - big bookshelf speakers, beautifully made and sound rich and detailed. Cyrus have been making very classy amps for a long time and their latest efforts are very refined. Around 1500 dollars will buy you this set-up.
Thank you, Steve! That was truly enlightening!!
I’ve got the Yamaha A-S801, yes it’ll drive 4 ohm load just fine.
Would you mind explaining why it would be difficult? I thought the lower the ohm the easier to drive?
Tom Roberts you are correct, lower impedance easier to drive, but you have to keep in mind it puts more demand on the amplifier doing that, it’s sucks all the power right out of it, cause they’re easier to drive, thus, making your amplifier work harder and possibly go into thermal protection mode or shut down from heat to protect itself.
@@tomroberts5805 Lower impedance generally requires more current.
However, you need to take into account the phase angle of the impedance at given frequencies as well to determine if a load is difficult to drive not just impedance alone.
To get some idea of how well an amp will deal with different speaker loads the damping factor [How well the amp controls the cone of the speaker moving] of the amp usually tells the story.
Hell yeah Loudness knob!
I know this item is not a budget one but I would like to hear your opinion on the Yamaha integrated amp A-S1200 or A-S2200 and see how they compare against the Outlaw RR-2160. Or the Rogue Sphinx 3. Other option using the previous Yamaha integrated A-S1100 or A-S2100.
Steve you did a great job with this video I think this is my second time a couple months later watching it the video. I really enjoy the information of the equipment stereos that you have your videos for. Do you ever mention about SVS Tower speakers subwoofers and all the other speakers thank you have a great day God bless,
Can you do a video on professional monitor if they can be used in home theatre set up
2 of my favorite speakers that I own are The Epos Epic 2s, and Triangle BRO3. Both very good for the money!
the audiolab 8300a is amazing and it can be bought for around $800. It's designed like amplifiers that are very expensive and sounds absolutely amazing imo
Hi Steve, nice fun video. I thought you would have mentioned the schiit ragnarok . Just ordered the aegir based on all the reviews.
I just got down to my short list and now I have to re-analyze after watching this. Quite a few new things to consider since the 500\1200\2500 vids from a while back. I was looking at the Jamo S809, Elac Debut F6.2 or Emotiva T1+ paired with the Denon 600 or 800.
Wonder how KEF LS 50 Wireless II stacks up here?
I have an old tandberg unit That I still love , also the dq 10 is my favorite speaker, except they are power hungry
More videos for the "budget" options!
They’ve already been done
Nice job! I've been waiting for this specific video 👍
I have a Schiit Ragnarok II and love it. I feel it is a really good buy at $1500. I also have an Akitika GT 101 matched with a Schiit Saga in my bedroom system. I purchased both slightly used for a total of $450.
what about LS50 self powered speakers?
Would you do a TH-cam tutorial on what "class" A, B,C D means in amplifier terminology. I'm just getting back into the audio scene from my youth and I have gaps in my knowledge
You need to google and tons of answers will show
I’ve had that outlaw for 5 or 6 years now....longest running piece of equipment I own - Everything else seems to come and go
Hi Steve,
Can you clarify these terminologies you use while describing speakers. Transparent, Dynamic, Forward Sounding, Bright, Punchy...etc. These are all adjectives and the person listening has to guess what it means.
I would only know about sounding Live, Bass heavy, Clear Treble, Good Mids, surround effect, large sound stage, clarity, muddiness, tight bass and so on.
The 600 series from bowers and Wilkins should of been on your list I think.
Steve, I have the Emotiva TA-100 and used it to push Klipsch KG4.2 before I sold the KG. It sounded great without the help of a sub. When I demo it to the buyer, apart from knocking the ball out the park I also told him that I was intending to use the proceed as seed money for the Maggie LRS. TA-100 is rated 90 wpc at 4 ohm, do you think that’s sufficient to bring out the best from LRS? That was the only reserve I have on getting the LRS.
Wharfdale LIntons would be my first choice of speaker in this price range.
Hear really great things about the Lintons.
That would be my ONLY choice in this price range. :-)
Steve. All you TH-cam audio reviewers tend to cover the same lines of audio equipment, I would love to hear reviews of the Tannoy Revolution XT6 and XT 8 bookshelf and floor standing speakers. Have Kevin Deal from a Upscale Audio send you a pair. Great sounding speakers at great price.
They are a nice entry into a Dual Concentric speaker. Very easy to drive as well.
Would love to see your picks on systems around the 5K level
I am a guitar player and I do know alot about that gear, also I know when I hear a good sound, but I have no clue about good HiFi equipment. So thank you, this makes it much easier, although I wish it was cheaper :)
Thank you for looking out for people who live in a real world of other expenses!!
With young kids running around, how about a on/in wall setup recommandation???
Steve, I love your channel and the way you deliver your expansive knowledge.
I recently had to part from my Rotel RA985BX and went in to buy a Rotel A14, which I found at a very good price. I decided to stay loyal to the company that served me well for way over 20 years, and it had all the features I was looking for. My speakers are B&W 601 S3. Sometimes I wonder if I made the right choice, since I don’t see many reviews of those products here.
I did read your pretty favorable review of the A12 though. What do you think about my choice of amp, I’m intrigued to find out. Thank you for all these awesome reviews.
I recently bought a pair of KLH Kendall’s for $1k that I really, really like.
You got my hopes up with all the speakers looking for high current amps, with not much left over in the budget... feeling a little let down by the “I’m pretty sure it could handle 4 ohms” amplifier recommendations. They didn’t look to me like they could drive those large $1,400 Magnepans, and keep them happy.
Is it 84 watts at 4 ohms high enough? usa.denon.com/en-us/shop/amplifiers/pma800ne_d?varId=883795004534
No mention of SCHIIT?!? I am surprised.
Good morning, Steve!
My next speaker venture will most likely be the Magnepan LRS. (Will my old NAD 2600 amp drive them nicely?)
@@arte2arquiteto come on, you already know they will . .
@@arte2arquiteto Yup, it willbe a good match.
@@arte2arquiteto
Absolutely love my LRSs but I did have to match them up with REL subs. To me they are no longer a cheap speaker at that point.
@@scottyo64 agreed. After I got the LRS's, I had to upgrade to monoblock amps and a balanced preamp. I already had a functional subwoofer but it's clear I need to upgrade that as well. Together, all these make the LRS experience exceptional and it's worth the investment. But anyone pairing an LRS with an ordinary amp and neglecting a good subwoofer will probably be a disappointed.
Made in the USA is vital for any purchase
Surprised you didn't mention the Emotiva T-0's for $399 a pair, which you recently reviewed. Hard to beat at that price.
The Elac UniFi UF5s go on sale every once in a while for around $700. I was patient and waited and it was worth it. I also picked up a Cambridge CX80 for $700 a couple months ago when they were clearing out the last of their inventory and it makes the UF5s sing. Add on a Pro-Ject Carbon turntable and you're ears are happy for all your LPs. Lastly, if you happen to have a Chromecast Audio laying around the house, hook that little baby up to a decent DAC via TOSLINK (or just straight into the amp) to stream some Qobuz or Tidal from your phone and basically all of your music needs are taken care of. I'm in for less then 2 grand and I am very happy with the results.
Unless of course if you have a large CD collection. I'm still working on finding a "best bang for the buck" CD transport / player, any ideas?
Are those voice of the theater speakers in the background?
In my family room I have a Yamaha A-S801 ($900) paired with some Paradigm Studio 100 v2’s ($500 used) and an Onkyo 6 disc CD changer with Wolfson DAC ($100 open box). I’m getting killer sounds for $1500. In the bedroom I have a Rotel A11 Tribute ($650 on sale) paired with Energy RC-10’s($100 used) that sound amazing with a Velodyne sub($100 used) another Onkyo CD player with Wolfson DAC($125 open box) and a Audio Technica lp120 turntable ($150 used) and an IFI Zen air phono preamp($100). $1,225 for that one. Both fairly cheap but they don’t sound like it
another good one stevo- thanks!
My system is incredible value for money, not just because the componants are but the way it worked out, the source and the amp were very close to being discontinued so I got fantastic prices. I would have bought those anyway. I got the Marantz SA8005 new for £500 and the Tannoy XT8F new for £750. The amp works very well with those and it cost £234 Yamaha AS500. The system is very neutral sounding. I also have a tube buffer which makes a difference but not including that or cables, it would come to less than £1500.
What about benchmark amplifiers
you liked so much?