Believe it: $1,250 (or less) can buy a complete audiophile system
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 21 ก.ย. 2024
- Check out the The best $500 or a lot less complete audio systems vid, • The best $500 or a lot...
JBL Stage A170 www.cnet.com/n...
Tekton Mini Lore www.tektondesi...
Klipsch RP 600M www.cnet.com/n...
ELAC Uni-Fi UB5 www.elac.com/p...
Emotiva T1+ emotiva.com/pr...
www.cnet.com/r...
ELAC Debut F6.2 www.elac.com/p...
ELAC Debut F5.2 www.elac.com/p...
KEF Q350 www.cnet.com/r...
Magnepan LRS • First review: Magnepan...
Klipsch RP 5000F www.cnet.com/n...
Onkyo TX 8270 www.cnet.com/n...
Yamaha A-S801 www.cnet.com/n...
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Vista Spark Made www.vista-audio...
NAD C316BEEv2 nadelectronics...
Cambridge AXA35 • Review: Cambridge Audi...
Outlaw Audio RR2160 www.cnet.com/n...
$129 Schiit Mani phono pre, www.schiit.com...
$99 Schiit Modi digital converter, www.schiit.com...
$170 Fluance RT80, www.fluance.co....
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I've owned the Outlaw rr2160 since Feb, driving Monitor Audio Silver 300's.. I can confirm everything Steve has said about it.. It is a beast.. you can feel the build quality, i often tell people its a "throw back" to a time when equipment was just built to last when asked to describe it
Same here.
I've had my Outlaw for about the same amount of time.
Love it.
It does just about everything I want a receiver or amplifier to do.
You could get better, but you would have to pay much, much more to get it.
Very happy with this purchase.
Also have a pair of the RP600M's and his review is spot on. Having owned many Klipsch speakers in the past, I kind of knew what to expect with these and was not disappointed. Concur on the weak bottom end, but these are bookshelf speakers and that is to be expected. The magic is in the mid/highs. That horn is amazing.
I have a subwoofer to fill in the rest.
And thanks Steve for these terrific videos.
Too bad it doesn't come with room correction such as Dirac Live or Audessey MultEQ XT32, High Res streaming system, and a wifi control app...
MiniDSP SHD (with Dirac Live 2.0) hooked up to a Crown XLS 1502 Drivecore. :)
Steve Guttenberg Audiophiliac - killer Combo for under $1200 ?
.
Crown XLS1502 Drivecore Amplifier
Shiit Saga-S Preamp
Shiit Modi DAC
Elac Debut 2.0 6.2 Speakers
Love to see Audiophiliac test that against other systems for under $1200 !
@Syb 62 Does the Outlaw run 4 ohm speakers well? Does anyone know if the power of the Outlaw is cleaner or as clean as the Yamaha A-S801?
I use to work for Klipsch, was fortunate to know Paul Klipsch personally. When I worked there I thought they were outstanding. I’m proud to say my name is on the back of thousands of them, as I was a speaker tester. It’s good to see them on this list.
That's cool !
It's good to know that
It's nice to meet you .I have a pair of heresies . I bought them in 1977 .and they are still kickin ass . All of my saround sound and subwoofers are klipsch. Wow, it must have been great to work with Paul W. Klipsch 👍
Your shirt is perfect for a bank robbery... Its un-describable
''The shirt looked like modern art. Something like one of Picasso's paintings'' -> Busted
Never Mind if wore that shirt for a bank robbery that would be two crimes !
Hahahaha you must be a fellow brit to have thought that one up. Lovely humour. Have yourself a covid free day, Pal 😊
It's his Jazz shirt.
ahahaha
I miss your CNET reviews, Steve. But this video is brilliant work. Perhaps the best rundown of inexpensive audio in existence. Good luck in this new venture and thank you for your many excellent contributions to home audio over the years.
I once went to an audiophiles house. He had an empty room with an armchair at one end and his system at the other, he put a record on and it sounded like the artist was in the room with us. Amazing.
Much of that is in the quality of the recording.
And the psychological effect of entering into a room layed out in that manner and dedicated just to listening.
if not acoustically treated, such empty room must be a acoustic nightmare.
It's all in the armchair....
I had that experience a few years ago. I could draw a diagram and tell you exactly where every artist was standing in the recording. I was blown away.
I have the same music recording at home. Doesn't get me the same result. This is what they mean by detail and soundstage, I guess.
Great show and choices, Steve. Keep this 'systems series' coming! Now, may I add a suggestion for one? 'The best headphone systems' for...$500? $300? $600?
This would be :
1. amp (include jds atom, liquid spark, something portable? )
2. Wired headphones (open back, closed back - $100, $200, $300..), planar (H400i), and vc based (be sure to include shp9500 besides the Grados)
3. separate DAC, perhaps with bt 5.0, aptx, aptx HD (or stand-alone bt..)
4. Phono preamp..
This type of system show would really be appreciated by many of us stuck in apartments or with family/wife who give us nothing but grief when we listen to speaker-based systems. Thanks!
Chris
This is the installment that I have been waiting for! I love these, they are so useful!
Sounds like an honest review to me. I haven’t bought audio gear in years because I built a system that I’m quite happy with after years of suffering from constant upgraditis. This video should help those getting into the hobby at a nice price point.
Steve it would be extremely helpful to know the types of music you enjoy and which components and combinations thereof work best with which type of music. I’m sure your subscribers have wide ranging tastes, so this would cap your recommendations off nicely!
Good review as always on those speakers. I still love my Elac debut 6.2 that I bought at limit time 1/2 off their regular price. They are still at $299.00 pair at Best Buy at the moment. They just are so nice sounding and easy on the ear for hours of listening. They perform well with any genre of music I listen to. A hand clap to Andrew Jones for his amazing work.
What receiver are you using?
I bought the Cambridge AXA35 and a pair of Dali Oberon 5 (€800 a pair). Later a little DacMagic 100 joined in the party to play FLAC from the PC and CD from the BluRay player. I couldn't be happier for the money spent. I'm also still using a sweet old Denon DCD-685 CD player and a ProJect Debut with Sumiko Pearl cartridge.
This AXA35 + Oberon 5 combination really gets the soul of the music out of the recordings with plenty of detail, punch and very satisfying bass.
Cambridge makes some beautiful amps ..I had the CXA81 for a month ; almost decided on DALIs too before opting for Kef instead. Didn't keep the amp though, too many features I didn't need -- So I went with a $150 Fosi ZA3 that sounded just as good to me. Though maybe my ears aren't sophisticated enough yet to appreciate the subtleties of premium A/B amplification.
Wow, you bring me back to when I was 15, and salivating over a Fischer/Scott/Pioneer/Sansui amplifier, Garrard turn table, JBL speakers, 15" subwoofer, ... those were the days !
I was thinking the same thing. In 1972 I logged aver 100 hours in various stereo stores to find my best sound for a budget of $400 dollars. Same cost as a semester's worth of tuition back then. I bought small Advent speakers,Marantz 1060 amp and an AR single speed turntable. It was awesome.
1966, $300 got you a little Fischer 25 watt tube amp, a Dual 1019 changer/turntable and 2 AR 4a sealed speakers. It lasted into the 80's when the speaker cones wore out, probably could've been reconed! $300 was 3 semesters of tuition at my university.
Your comments about the Magnepans are so relatable. My favourite speaker of all time, and still the ones in my main system are the old babies, the MG1C. Have had several large Magneplanars driven by serious amplifiers but the little ones are just sooooo sweet. Have a spare set that I think I paid $300 for, 10 years ago. Such delight.
Living in Australia, it absolutely kills me to think of how far your dollar goes towards hifi audio compared with ours. That said, I enjoyed this video very much.
I live in Australia also (assuming Tasmania qualifies ;-). My system is perhaps twice what Steve is recommending here, but then (most of) it's nearly 20 years old. It has cost me less than the price of a cup of coffee per week. When I was first bitten by the bug in the early 1970s my system cost me the best part of three months' pay as a base grade clerk. As Steve says in the intro today, we never had it so good.
Depending on where you live, there's good deals to be had second hand. Especially given how everything seems to have a markup for shipping here if it's new. Or you may have to save up and try some of the local speaker brands if that's something that interests you. I think I'm lucky though that the city I live in is the perfect size for Gumtree etc.
@@RennieAsh I have a pair of Phil Vafiadis's DC-Xs and only rarely do they come up for sale second-hand even though VAF sold tens of thousands. Mine too have my cold, dead fingers award ;-) Much patience called for to acquire the really good stuff. Frustrating when it's pick-up only and the item's in QLD, NSW, or VIC and you live in TAS.
Shipping from overseas has become much cheaper and easier of late. Check out shipporter.com. I expect to save ~$5,000 importing my new cooking range from the UK where they cost ~$5,000. They are well north of $10,000 here in Oz. Living in Tasmania you get used to the "cost of shipping" bullshit and I have saved heaps importing from the mainland. Even Huon Pine is cheaper imported from VIC than it is here in the Huon where it grew!
It depends. Some brands like Rega, Naim, Kef, Focal, Musical fidelity, Exposure, Vincent, B&W, Primaluna cost very similar. Also AU wages are higher. + local brands with usually high quality.
I had a tube pre-amp and 2x 25 watt and 2x 40 watt tube power amps built by Elson Silva in Sydney and they were very reasonably priced. And I had large Timberwolf speakers built by Adelaide Speakers at a very good price.
I'm a first-time visitor, and I immediately subscribed! Thank you for all the info. For what it's worth, I'm still in love with my Definitive Technology BP6 's. I've had them 20 + years.
I have the same set. Plus bp 30 and bp 10 The bp 30 are the best sounding speaker I've still ever heard. Glad to see a older def tec lover. The line up we have are the best they ever made. Sandy Cros def tec inventor built those him self before he sold the company. He also started Polk Audio and now he's doing Golden Ear speakers I believe. Cheers
Well done Steve. This kind of info is priceless. Keep these types of vlogs coming. What would $2k, 3k, even 5k get you?
I've been amazed at what kind of speakers you can find at yard sales. Especially high quality vintage speakers. JBL studio monitors, ADS, Bose 901s, Altec Lansing studio monitors.
Children liquidating their parents stereos. There was this pathologist in town and I picked up a pair of speakers for $75.
Beautiful ADS, high quality wood cabinets, with spiked stands.
I bet the roughest kind of dinner music that had ever been played through them was Gershwin.
For sure! I found a marantz sr7500 and a pair of matching mach 1's for next to nothing. Not the best but definitely rocks!!
Steve you didn’t give a budget price CD player
Recommendation , Another great video thanks Steve
cambridge and emotiva
Steve, I am still out there pulling vintage speakers from yard sales and craigslist.
One of my favorites is a pair of Electro-Voice full-range 12 speakers. No tweeters or midrange and the sound is beautiful.
My most unique speaker is a pair of flyable church speakers made by OAB audio. The horns are incredible and the 15" coaxial speaker delivers a crisp mid base. They do however lack a deep base.
Damn, I just sold my old audio system for $500 and when I bought it in the 90's it cost me over $5000. Things sure have improved price wise.
Prices improved
Quality dropped
Martin Logan's ElectroMotion ESL are about $2500/pr - awesome for the money.
Great recommendations Thanks. I know it's been said before, but the law of diminishing returns really applies to audio equipment.
How would you know if you're not testing Expensive equipment yourself?
Steve! I've posted this to my FB page. Recently, you helped me pull the trigger on the KEF R3 after what seemed like a year of research. This is a great teaching. And I'd wager the audience for this is huge. Nice!
I love your recommendations! I've been NAD/ Klipsch fan for years!
Great well needed video fills a void in audiophile world where some audiophile snobs think high price defines audiophile, thank you. I trust your real world reviews.
the outlaw and lrs imo are the most exciting on the list.
Love all your interesting recommendations! I actually didn't realize how great a $1200 system could be until I recently got my current hifi setup together. Fosi ZA3 amp, Kef q150 and SVS Micro 3000 sub. Phenomenal sound that'll knocked my socks off and never ceases to put a goofy smile on my face.
Steve, how much can you squeeze in one video. Amazing! You have covered in one video what a magazine tries to cover in one issue! Brilliantly informative and useful.
What a fantastic rundown. I'd love to see this sort of list become an annual thing here. It's so helpful. Seriously, awesome stuff. I look forward to the day I start to rebuild my system from scratch. Mine is currently based on a Raspberry Pi running a Boss ALLO DAC into an old pair of Genelec 1029a studio monitors - they're small but mighty.
Thanks for recommending amps that pair well with speakers. Invaluable info for guys like me who are ordering blind off the internet. A sincere thanks for giving me the details I want to know.
Check my post all I do is review specifications online I brought the klipsh r820f a bit pricey no on hand display specifications only.... . Wow they blew me away and I've been into audio since the eight track...but...I will day get an equalizer if you want to hear the best of the best and you can tune it to your environment..... superb and sick everyone who visits I cant wsi9to give a demo and.....I cant turn it up halfway that loud and gets clearer with more volume..
Yamaha aventage 880 and denon x3500h have good room correction software. I got the Yamaha for slightly under $600 on Amazon and the denon for $533 on eBay.
I think you could pair them with just about anything decent out (Polk, elac, Klipsch, etc) and then use the room correction. I have the Klipsch 280f bi-amped and they have plenty of power.
KEF Q350 + Onkyo a-9010 (with DAC) user here. Perfect combo !
Love this the 2nd time, Steve! ❤️. What about a 2nd video with a $4,000 limit? Then we can get into some high end integrated amps, and some even better speakers!
I could watch this over and over, and probably will, thanks for the audio advice.
you should keep a small pic of the speakers up on the screen as you are talking about them...
Thanks Steve, I got the Mytek Liberty DAC today after your video on it. I will try it out tomorrow when I find the 1/4" adapter. Oh I ordered it one week ago and it arrived 7 days later from the U.S.A. It arrived as fast or faster that local deliveries in Thailand!
I have bought at least 3 items that Steve has recommended and have never been disappointed.
@@lynnpoole7830 I watch him daily because I trust his opinions. I am not certain I am an audiophile I just love music.
Now, that’s what I call a great informative video. Thank you 👍
Steve Guttenberg Audiophiliac: I'm putting together an audio system to replace the one I lost in Hurrican Katrina. I had a pair of TDL 0.5 Studio Monitors driven by a 125 watt per channel Denon reciever that had (believe it or not) a class A amp in it, and a Nad CD deck (I don't remember the model number but it was great).
I've never heard any other system that sounded as good; base was precise and accurate-beyond-belief, midrage was clear and perfectly detailed, and high frequencies were crystal, shimmering, and profoundly realistic - not overpowering (a clash of symbols sounded exactly like a cash of real symbols).
It was one of those systems which, when you play a CD on it, you hear parts of the music that you hadn't heard before.
The components I'm putting together now include a pair of used TDL RTL (Reference Transmission Line?) 1 speakers (I've yet to try them out and, if they don't sound good enough, I will return them and replace them with a pair of Bowers & Wilkins 607 S2 Anniversary speakers), a Yamaha A-S501 integrate amplifier, and a Yamaha CD-C600 CD changer.
Please let me know what you think of my choices; any suggestions and changes would be very much appreciated.
Wasn't the 'rock' music of the 60's and early 70's remarkable?
The music of the different groups was so unique, creative, and inmaginative; you could never mistake the sound/music of one group for that of another.
Some of the songs even had a message; in one of Jethro Tull's songs Ian Anderson sang, "......and everyday - has the same old way - of giving me too much to do...".
And then there wa that line from one of The Moody Blues' s songs: "Live hand in hand - and together we'll stand - on the threshold of a dream".
I like jazz and classical too.
Have you ever heard Ralph Vaughan Williams' The Lark Ascending?
Or Weather Report's Nubian Sundance?
Or Miles Davis's album Kind of Blue?
Loud shirt, but does not require a lot of power.
lol
I'd say it's an 80s classic.
It's called sensitivity, which you don't seem to have :)
who cares about his shirt. trolls will be trolls.
Its an "im a musician" shirt, so maybe this guy os one of those rare audiophiles who actually cares about music
You’re
The
Greatest, Steve!
I just enjoy watching fully functioning systems go about their chores, delivering fantastic transparent, and illuminating insights of some of the world’s greatest performances.
Thank you 🙏 Steve.
You really out did yourself with this video. It was great, thank you.
The Klipsch floorstanders, mentioned later on-Go Back, GarageWorker! ;-)
@@9147358909 You like them?
As the proud new owner of a pair of LRS’s just picked up after a nearly four month wait I can verify the wait was well worth it! I can also verify that these speakers need and deserve all the clean power you can provide. Most stereo receivers just do not have the grunt to bring these to their potential. I would recommend an amp that can output 200 watts or better into four ohms. I’ve only had them for two days so still experimenting but as Steve mentioned they need to be away from the back walls 3-4 ft minimum. As always, the sweet spot yields the best soundstage and so far, for me, performance drops noticeably to either side and not the ear opening experience that the sweet spot is. If you have only heard dipoles in a showroom you haven’t heard them at their best and that is in your own home!
U can tell based on he's sence of fashion that were dealing here with an 100 precent expert geek audiophile
Pimpin ain't easy.
lol kid u gotta get past the nike shirt and cap backwards. thats the meaning of a true dork. a lot of people WITH fashion sense would rock this shirt.
@@dvtc8u the difference is that you can tell a girl once told him it looked good on him (in the late 70's) and hes been rocking it ever since....
That's funny
and maybe "he's sence" of fashion is better than "he's sence" of spelling and writing.
Some excellent choices! I have a budget system I put together about a decade ago consisting of "refurb" equipment (they were New In Box with full warranties and free shipping) from Harman's eBay store. It consists of an HK3490 stereo receiver for $99, an HK DVD48 DVD/CD for $37, a pair of Infinity Primus 362 floorstanders for $200, and a wonky Infinity Primus PS210 subwoofer for $103 (I only used it for occasional movies). In my living room/listening room, in my Brooklyn apartment, it's a super system for under $500 all in. I recently added a Etekcity Unify bluetooth receiver for about $25 to bring it up to date.
Funny you mentioned the HK3490. I saved up the summer before my senior year of college and purchased a refurbished 3390. Served me well through a lot of music and movies for seven years before I sold it to upgrade to a more modern Yamaha. I had my 3390 paired with Sony SS-B3000s that I still use, but am upgrading this week to RP-280Fs and a 440C center, along with a JBL sub that I’ve had for two years. Feels a little sad moving completely away from my “first” sound system.
@@brandonlesco8738 Those HK stereo receivers were beasts, but have one of the very worst remotes ever designed! Lol. I'm in my 50s, so my first system (a terrible Marantz "Gold Series" setup circa 1983?) is long gone. Congratulations on the new gear! Enjoy it!
@@MrChristopherMolloy Uggh, the remote! Horrible. But the 3390 still served me well for over seven years, and is now being enjoyed by someone else. Honestly, I would have never upgraded except I was having such a difficult time hearing dialogue that I needed the center channel option, hence the Yamaha upgrade. I added a Polk center channel I got on sale, but it sounded noticeably different my Sony speakers. Excited to have a matching 3.1 channel system for movies and television. Not really a surround guy! Putting my Sony SS-B3000s in a spare room for music :)
Glad to see you mention the mini lore with its 8 inch woofer. That and the iota amp should be sweet.
My thoughts exactly. -a happy IOTAVX SA3 owner
Which would you recommend, I'd like to buy the pro-ject s2 for a full MQA decoding and a 300 amplifier and a 600 usd speaker to listen rock, jazz and classical, whick you recommend me?
@@carloschamba4996 Only you can make the determination depending on what you value in your sound. My shortlist includes the Lore Reference, the Wharfdale Denton 85, and the new Reference B6 coming out from ELAC. One thing for certain, I won't buy anything I can't return with no questions asked.
I love my Iotavx sa3. Great little amp.
Thank you for your videos. Having an audiophile setup is a dream of mine and all the info you provide is just great for newbs like me. Someday I will use the info in this video and get there!
great, highly specific and informative list!
You're a man after my own heart Steve! Thanks for the heads up on the pre-amp. Just bought 2 Schiit from Amazon. Will compare to Dyna PAS, 1970s Nakamichi, McIntosh C26, Carver, and so on. Hard to know. I go for beauty, a beautiful experience. Like you. That's why you had me with this video at "magic". Magic is what I want from my machines! And I GET it. Just setup a 5.1 all 1960s surround system with Sansui SP-3500 front, 2500 center, 1500 rear and dual subwoofers front corners. First time I ever even liked Sansui loudspeakers. But I just had this feeling it would work magic-wise. Listened to Allman's Eat A Peach, Woodstock, Solti Tannhauser, Alien Resurrection, Gabor Szabo Mizrab, Peter Ivers Knight of the Blue Communion . . . Wow! SO that's what these speakers are good for. Also, in last week rebuilt Criterion 2005 (ear blasters, but great brass), Infinity Qa (polite, too polite, no authority), Dynaco A25s (smooth boom), Mirage SM-3s (Wow!), Design Acoustics D-12s (damn fine staging, actually uncanny, actually I got up to answer the door with Ry Cooder's Bop Till You Drop and Everest 35mm Flamenco, fooled me completely twice), Polk Studio 7s (bachelor pad magic snap, mid-nirvana, weird lovely bass), big Sony APMs (eek! So controlled . . . ), Jensen 25s with Technical Pro Z-15s (BIG BIG BIG), and too many other old retired amps, turntables (Technics 1200MK2, JC Penny special (fantastic table!!!), Denon L72 and, well, almost the entire history of hifi has passed through my hands and ears since this damn pandemic began, even an old acoustic Victrola (the big one, first folded horn!) which actually sounds quite good with a cactus needle (no kidding) and the doors ajar just right . . . Anyway, thanks a million for the heads up on Schiit Audio. They look like the Dyna of 2021 minus owning your own soldering iron. Live long and prosper.
I have a Denon PMA 2000 and now I added the Schiit Mani, it transferred my system to another level, this little cheap beast is the best piece ever, for the price it is a steal.
Thanks for this. I've put off getting a system for years but I'm thinking it's now time.
If you're good at vintage shopping on Ebay, try this setup:
* KEF C30 bookshelf speakers with a JBL or Canton 12" passive subwoofer
* 30W per channel or higher Technics "New Class A" or JVC "Super A" integrated amp or receiver
* Technics linear tracking turntable with a good Audio Technica cartridge
I was putting these systems together for around $500 complete a few years ago.
Will the Kef c25 be an option at €80?
My mom, in 1984, bought a whole new rig for about $500!
-Pair EPI TE-100 speakers
-JVC cassette deck
-Technics dual spindle automatic platter(you could swap out the short manual spindle for an equipped changer spindle).
All tied to a Sony STR-AVX 350 receiver, one of the first in its class to provide A/V hookups, albeit stereo only, no surround processing
Pretty good sounding back then, even with my Dad's stingy 22AWG speaker wire! lol
Nice list Steve. With some of those speakers you could be in the next level Cambridge amps. You left off the Yamaha 801 from the beginning.
First I love these Schiit Mani preamps, but they have what seems to be a common issue that is very easy to fix. I bought 6 of these a while back after trying one on Steve's advice. My helpful hint: 3 of the 6 sounded terrible when I unboxed them. One even had a dead channel with lots of crackling. All this was fixed by moving the switches on the bottom back and forth a few times. The problem was that the switches were not thrown all the way; they were in the middle in a dead or distortion area. And the contact was bad. But once I clicked them back and forth a few times and made sure they were fully clicked into position all 6 sounded fantastic! Hey, this is a $130 dollar phono preamp. And I am used to clean Dyna tube preamps and lots of others that are generally around $500 to $1500. But at $130 this Schiit is simply unbeatable. Used with Shure V15 III/V15II Improved/V15V with a Shibata. AT-2214 with hyper elliptical. Grados, Empires, Denon 103 moving coil, AT95 with Shibata, and lots of others including Natural Linear Contact styli on AT 1200 Mk2, Denon L72, Philips 777, Lenco L75, and a dozen others. Love analogue. It's like fine wine and no headaches the next morning! Rock, jazz, classical, lots of direct-to-disc-- OK. This preamp compares well to Macs and Nakamichi preamps that sell for $1000+. And, frankly, I heard things in the Jam on the Allman Bros Eat a Peach that I just did not think were there to be heard. I was wrong. Best damn budget preamp I ever enjoyed. If you are like me and need lots of preamps for a whole room full of turntables, this will fill the room at less than the cost of one regular audiophile phono preamp. It is not consistently magical, but it has moments! And for $130, wow!
I’m still rockin the Fisher 400 with Dynaco A25s and a Dual1229 turntable
What a great sound! Still use A25s sometimes. Perfect mids for jazz.
I love Steve for making me love my KEF LS50 speakers even more. It's definitely nice to have one of your choices validated by him. They are, without question, fine speakers.
Thanks for watching
@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac pleasure
Lepai 2020a , pioneer andrew jones, polk or similar small sub, use your phone or pc as the source. Excellent if not exceptional sound , around 225 dollars new.
The is for the great info Steve! This helps the budget minded listeners who still want quality . Thank you!
Steve! This is my new favorite. Great video! Folks you can’t go wrong with anything on this list, but listen to every word. When he says the ELAC UB5s need power, he is not kidding and the Maggie’s need to be way out in the room to do what they do.
I recently got pair of Elacs DBR 62 and NAD D3020 v2, about 430 dollars (350 Euro) for speakers, and 600 dollars (499 euro) for amp. This channel partially helped me to decide for the speakers.
I know its unusual but its for PC. Main reason is for watching newer bluray formats which do have lossless audio, CDs, FLACs and also playing games which actually have really good orchestral score.
I haven’t tested myself the rest of the recommended gear, however I do have the Shiit mani phono preamp and it is absolutely amazing for the price. Very highly recommended
Love your admiration for Maggies. They may not be EVERYONE's top choice but they ARE yours (and mine) !
This is the best free sermon on value for money quality audio. Thank you 🙏
I don't know who you are and I've never seen one of your videos before but I really enjoyed it. I was stuck by your authenticity and passion for the hobby. Keep up the good work although I doubt anything could stop you anyway.
What I can't believe is that there's actually a company called "Shiit Audio." I want to buy something from them just so I can tell others it's the shit.
"Turn them Shiits up!"
Dont buy that shiit. Every single item they sell is a total piece of shiit.
Seriously, good company, though.
If you can't spell it, don't mock it.
@@bobechs7234 You are correct sir. My mistake.
I have a Schiit DAC and it is the shit
Got myself a pair of Klipsch . They sound wonderful . I don't need lots of bass and these deliver
Never see him and Bill Nye in same room at same time.
You should've mentioned Monitor Audio bronze 2 Speakers!! Which you can pick up for £270, Don't know how much over in America!! And these Bad Boys have won so many Awards!!
Anyways, I love the rest of equipment you've chosen!! Very Good value for the money!! Another interesting video again. Keep them coming Steve! 👍✌
Steve I can attest that the Rp-600m + vista spark is one hell of a pairing. My experience with this system’s bass has been of great, great satisfaction. I have tested that it goes down to 40 hz. Sometimes I find myself trying to tame the bass rather that boost it (And I am a campfire vega user) but probably it’s because my listening space is small ,I guess.
@Larry Warner This system images pretty good and it is remarkable in the depth department, especially when the speakers are properly placed (at least 1 meter from the wall). Soundstage is good with sound coming sometimes half a meter beyond the speaker’s sides. Of course, the dac / phono preamp is also playing a role here. (I use chord mojo and schiit mani)
I listen to a lot of jazz too. The system is so good with piano trios (I have been obsessively listening to phronesis lately) It can be a little bit harsh with some trumpet recordings. In the end I think of it as neutral and non-forgiving. It won’t put any false warmth when there is none. It won’t make bright tracks sound good, but it would make beautiful records shine and sound pretty human.
yeah, if you shop around, you can get there for $200 or so, Kenwood KD-3055 $25, Yamaha A-760 $50, JBL 4800 speakers $25 - Repairs $45 - Total $145 :) sounds amazing. I had to deoxit the amp, repair the TT, and replace the JBL tweeter. Everything works amazingly now. The kenwood TT has blown me away.
Best bang for the buck is on the used market. You can have something really nice for about $1200 if buying used components.
Get your soldering iron and go looking :)
Often components for a few bucks will make that old defective system sound like new.
Fully agree... eBay and Audiogon are treasure troves, and the keen eye can find good deals on local estate sales and Craigslist
True about used. I own a Denon PMA700 and Klipsch Rf35. Bought them for 500 bucks. Better sound than anything new you can buy for that money
@@secularnevrosis CASE AND POINT YAMAHA C 4 PREAMP !!!
Steve, great review! I’m in the market now for replacement gear. I’m sold on RR2160 but you have given me additional ideas to think about. Thank You!
The RR2160 is on the way!
Anyone else reminded of geddy lee? He even kinda sounds like him.
Nah, it’s Steve Vai just back from his trip to 2065.
Good stuff! Most of my gear I bought used, but I am using the Schiit Mani phono stage connected to a Technics SL 1100a w/Nagaoka MP 150 cart. Sounds superb. Thanks for all your info with these videos.
I feel like you have a heart. A love for music. Cool video dude!
First of all, I would like to say how much I enjoy your videos. I am 65, so you and I go back to the glory days of Hi-F. I have a set of Klipsch RP-600M bookshelf speakers, a Klipsch SPL-100 Sub and a Onkyo TX-8140 stereo receiver that has 80watts/channel. It sounds great with music and movies. Retail was around 1500.00, but I was able to buy the whole system for 900.00. I wonder if you would answer a question for me? I talked to Onkyo about maybe adding another set of bookshelf speakers to the B inputs and then running on A+B to get a little more sound. Onkyo told me that their TX-8140 receiver with 80watts/channel was already under powered for the RP-600M's and that I would eventually burn their amplifier out and damage the speakers because of clipping. I must admit, that seems very strange to me. I can only turn the volume up about half way at the loudest I can stand as it is. Is 80watts/channel really under powered for these speakers? Thanks
Looks like I'm an audiophile again.
For not alot of money I managed to get for myself
Nad C320 (amp)
Schiit Mani (preamp)
Rega Planar 1 (turntable)
Usher S520 II (speakers)
Absolutely one of the most useful videos in the entire library of the audiophiliac!
Now, I am powering Emotiva T1s with a parasound new classic And a Modi 3 linking to Tidal.
Here’s the rub. Too much speaker for the room I think. Not as clean and crisp at civilized volume, but cranked to 90%? Awesome!
Also, and oddly, when used as two channels for movies? Quite nice!
Love all things audio, but get the most fun from bang for the buck reviews like this one. Of course , for $1,250 I would probably scour Audiogon for hours. Make that days. Weeks.
First new system, circa 1974:
Hartley Zodiacs. $205 each. Ten inch 2-way bass reflex towers. Sherwood 8900 FM only receiver. 60 watts/ch. $360. Phillip's GA 212 semiautomatic turntable with ADC XLM or Shure Type III cartridge. Less than $ 200.
Sound? Amazing. Warm, alive, and killer bass in my dorm room. About $ 800 total.
2nd system about 17 years later: NAD 3025 receiver. $ 360.
Sounded like 80-90 watts, rated at about 1/3 of that. Vandersteen 1B speakers.$ 650/pr. 2-way, easy to drive, and very transparent. Imaged well. Linn LP12 with new Linn K9 cartridge, Akito arm. $ 1,700 gently used.
Silver speaker cable, $ 5.50 / foot. Total cost: $ 2,760. Other than the bass and dynamics, better in every other way from my college setup.
My current stereo system consists of a pair of Optimus STS 100 speakers,a Optimus Pro SW 12 subwoofer,a Sony STRDH 130 AM/FM receiver, and a Sony DVP SR510H player. Total cost was less than $400. You don't have to break the bank when building a home stereo system. Mine is built totally for my music cd collection. I've ordered a dozen isolation feet for my Optimus STS 100 speakers and Sony DVP SR510H player. They cost a shade over $10. I'm totally happy with my music system. 💿
You should put links to the products on Amazon so that you can get paid when people buy based on your recommendations.
This was a great video & I'd love to see the Steve do this at several other price points - say, $2500 and $5000. A multi-channel post like this would be great too!
I would definetively recommend Heco speakers, they're just amazing for their price. For instance, you can try Heco Victa Prime 702. They sound so musical and produce absolutely no fatique, over hours of listening. Also have a very good sensitivity and don't need a very strong amp to make them "sing". Of course, a potent amplifier is always desirable in order to get the most out of any speakers. I currently run the Heco Celan Gt 902 and Wow. For 1000 euros a pair (with a substantial discount, new price 3600 euros) is really a bargain. Of course, a minimum of 2x200w is necessary to have a good sound, these speakers are quite big. ✌️
That is a good price. Did you blackmail the guy to get that price or something?
I built a 5.1.2 Dolby Atmos for $1200 including Yamaha reciever. Costco tsr-7810 $349 , jbl refurbished studio 290 for $179, studio 260p $179, studio 225c $69, and 4 sp8c II for $159 total. Incredible value for jbl. My family is amazed with the sound and quality.
I have always enjoyed Steve's recommendations even if I disagree with some of them.
Steve and the late Julian Hirsch are really the only two audio experts that I felt didn't talk down to you and usually make a good case for their opinions.
👍
I have watched many of your videos, liked a lot, never followed you, but this one ended with great reasons to follow you. Playlists for speakers, and other items, interviews it all sounds good. You got me!
I miss the old days when good speakers had 12" or even 15" woofers. Incorporating subwoofers is a PITA in my opinion. Small speakers just don't produce enough bass at low listening levels.
Peter Jackson I own speakers with 12 and 15s and the issue is, they still don’t hit as low and well as a dedicated sub. It’s just part of being in a cabinet for 3 drivers. The 12s are in my surround sound system right now and even a 10” sub filled in the bass. Now have a 12” sub and it’s even better.
The amps recommended here are 20 & 35 watts per channel, besides of course the outlaw. That's just not enough for big speakers with 12" or 15" woofers. IMO that's not enough for little speakers either, unless they're 90db + efficient at least. So even a budget sub or diy sub can add a lot of depth to any system.
Steve, this is one of your best videos. You have covered a ton of stuff and have given the viewer plenty of options. For anyone with this kind of budget this is the video that I recommend they watch. Nicely done!
As always excellent talking points succinctly presented with options, suggestions, and enough details to lead a viewer towards to more detailed research if you are getting the itch for a modest upgrade or just getting started without mortgaging the farm. Thanks Steve, always entertaining and stylish in the cool shirts presented. 😉😂
My audiophile system:
Onkyo TX- 8270 receiver $599
Onkyo DX-C390 CDP. $349
Teac TN- 350 turntable $229
JBL Studio 280 speakers. $700
Maybe a bit above budget but sounds nice
Hi Steve, really enjoy your videos! In your list of speakers you didn’t mention Ohm. They have one called the Micro Walsh for $700.00. Does it belong in that list? Tx
Enjoying your enthusiasm and sincere reviews Steve. On your recommendation and after extensive reading I have made a UK deal on the purchase of a pair of Magnepan LRS speakers. I have the wonderful IMO Yammy 803D as source and driver and vintage Rotel 965BX CD player plus Yammy CT 1010 tuner alongside so expecting great things.My Clearaudio Emotion with Goldring 1042 MM completes the burgeoning picture.Excited.Can’t wait!. Hoping the report back a magical experience.
Came here for the shirt. Love it!
I just LOVE my simple system, OUTLAW RR2160 with my paired KLIPSCH RP-600M 's.
Using a MARANTZ CD 6006.
It sounds great! Bass is perfect for my needs in a small room. The Outlaw RR2160 does it all for my needs, PLUS, I can listen to a couple of HD stations that play my genres of music virtually commercial free.
Great content Steve, however lacking a bit in the source options. For this kind of money you're better off looking for quality second hand gear. You could easily pick up a system worth double your budget.
James Wright I think this could be a topic for Steve to do a follow up Presentation on. Good idea 💡
The thing with 2nd hand gear is it varies so much in price and availability based on your location. I’ve got some awesome 2nd hand gear. Not quite in the same league as what Steve is going through, but more than enough clarity and bass for my listening environment, doesn’t annoy the neighbours too much, it’s cost a fraction of these setups and gives me a huge amount of enjoyment. It has though taken me around 2 years to find the right bits for the right price.
T_Dogg Patience has its rewards in searching for quality pre-owned audio gear. In my experience it always seems that just when I close a deal on an item, soon after a better deal comes up and I start to regret my impatience and wished I could have just waited another week or so. Story of my life. Hahaha
@@Aswaguespack haha. I agree totally. This just happened to me with a rare Aaron preamp that I picked up for less than half it's original price only to see another for even less a week later. I guess you've Just got to be happy with what you have. It's all part of the audiophile journey.
@@tomholton235 it helps if you have a good audiophile knowledge and maintain an eye on new products every now and then. Of course with some brands you can't go wrong regardless of the age as long as they've been well loved.
Nice wrap up of options, thanks for the video. I was listening in on my Magni/Modi 2 combo and Sennheiser 650s. With young twins sleeping, I can't drive any big speakers these days :)
The lack of bass in "What a Fool Believes" by the Doobie Brothers makes it "what were they thinking?" worthy! ugh
Edifier S3000 Pro. Lesser than that number and will blow the minds of people who listen to medium high end Monitor Audio or KEF. Gorgeous clarity and bass, and sublime mids.
I have theses, i went from a house to a town home i couldn't use my nad and definitives any more. I was sad. I picked these up open box if you will. Man was i surprised. Very good speakers.
I would find a bargain in any speaker if it were HALF as loud as that shirt. 😂😆🤣
thank you for your recommendation. the price range is really really awesome. It really goes out to most people. Thank you Steve! This episode got me!
Get the Yamaha RN303 (has DAC, streamer and internet radio), Sony SS CS5 (it’s decent) and that’s all you need. Less than $500 in total. Hehehe ...
Oh of course a streaming app account 😬
I have the Yamaha R-N402 internet capable receiver with Bluetooth and the R-N303 is a sister unit. Great sound, but the multi page manual scares the crap out of me! In my study I am using the entry level R-S 201 receiver hooked to a Audiomachine B2 Bluetooth adaptor. I use an Apple iPad to feed it. The new R-S202 entry level receiver with Bluetooth built- in is a nice way to get into streaming. They all are only about 13 inches deep and fit nicely on shelves. This is not to take anything away from that Outlaw receiver, I would love that baby.
Great video Steve , you know your audiophile gear . I too have great love for the world of stereo. ❤