Hello there, Joining on here and reposting this message from stereophile, as I didn’t realize that it is so slow over there. I recently started listening to more music and have been researching a “reasonable” hifi system on a budget. My intention is to start simple, but with well-informed decisions and to build on the system from there. Specifically, to start with a pair of standmount speakers and an amp, then later add a dedicated DAC, streamer and subwoofer. The budget for speakers and amp while not fixed is ideally on the order of 1000 EUR. Less is great, much more takes extra consideration. My approach I've been living for decades with consumer-level sound, and recently “stepped in it” with better quality headphones and a dedicated DAC/amp. Now I'd like to build an introductory system that I will be happy with for many years. I've tried to do my research, but haven't heard any of the equipment below, and while the idea of listening to different speakers at dealers is appealing—despite the risks of amped-up enthusiasm and the associated budget creep—I've no idea where to do it. (Actually, I now have at least some idea.) I'll start with good enough and see if the endless pursuit of different sounds and systems follows. Music genres and listening levels I find myself getting into anything that sounds interesting, so I could claim “diverse” tastes, but of special importance are: Acoustic music with strings and vocals Indie rock and folk Electronica Enjoy exploring genres like K-pop with kids My preference is to listen at moderate levels, between 60 and 70 dB. I understand that a subwoofer will help with enjoying listening at low levels. Environment and speakers Our family will move next year, and expect to set up in a living room although the house/apartment won't be chosen yet for months, so I can guess but don't know what the room dimensions or surfaces will be. I expect a relatively small space, hence the desire for standmount speakers with their flexibility of placement. Despite the potential savings of active and powered speakers, I prefer passives for system flexibility down the road. I keep coming back to the Klipsch RP-600M and RP-600M II. What stays with me after reading/watching many, many reviews and opinions are their efficiency, dynamics and presence. Reviewers and users describe them as forward sounding and engaging. The mark II are meant to tone it down somwhat, closing the hole in the mids of the originals. I do value tone, which other speakers in this price range may do better. Some others I've considered include: ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2 or B5.2 (opposite of the Klipsch) Dali Spektor 2 Mission LX-2 MKII, QX-2 MKII Acoustic Energy AE100 Mk II Q Acoustics 3020i Wharfdale Diamond series KEF LS50 and Magnepan — out of price range Amplifier While it seems there are some easy recommendations to be had, I think this is the most complicated element and I am thinking about my potential needs down the road. As far as I understand it, beyond the ability of the amp to properly drive the speakers, due to the small-room environment and my typical listening level I should mostly be concerned about how the amp pairs with the speakers, and for an integrated amp what features it offers. If I do go with the Klipsch, which are lively on top, it may do to pair them with an amp that is more laid back with less emphasis on the highs. Some suggestions I've seen that should pair well with the Klipsch: Schiit Aegir. Really tempting. Only 20 Wpc power, but the Klipsch are efficient and this could be a nice pairing as high listening levels are not needed. Darko metions this in his Klipschiit video. This kind of blows my budget though, and I'd have to add the cost of a preamp. Cambridge Audio AXA35. Many interesting reviews. It surprised A British Audiophile (Tarun Sharma), who speaks well of its clarity and refinement, scale and dynamics, and describes as warm with strong bass, authority, in the mids "real body acoustic mass," and slightly recessed highs. NAD C 316BEE V2. Apparently warm, but not as warm as the AXA35. Some say it pairs well with the Klipsch, for example Steve Guttenberg, but I'm concerned about the combo resulting in "too much harshness" with the Klipsch. Others: The Sony DH190, Marantz PM6007 and especially the Yamaha R-N602 seem interesting, but haven't seen anything about how they'd sound with the Klipsch. Mission has come out recently with the very attractive 778X, which has a lot of features and might be available in a bundle with their speakers, but its sound has not been reviewed so far. The Marantz 40n, Audiolab 6000A and Rotel A11 Tribute have all interested me, but are outside my budget. One option I find at least interesting is the Bluesound Powernode. This would conveniently cover all bases as a “just add speaker and cables” solution. BluOS presents a useable and slick interface, but I'm not convinced the Powernode would deliver sound comparable to the above amps. Even with its integrated streaming, not sure it cost competitive, so I’d be paying for the convenience and BluOS. Of these my preference so far is the Cambridge AXA35, or rather its bigger cousin AXR85, which should have similar sound (maybe punchier) but more power and added features like subwoofer output and Bluetooth (nice for the kiddos). Or more likely the AXR100 with yet more power and the addition of a competent DAC and Toslink; I could add a Schiit Modi+, but for about the same price increase. As far as power requirements go, I do think the 85 W could be more useful than 35 W at 8 Ohms, as the Klipsch have a big impedance dip in the mids. Cables I will tackle this next, as I am researching to inform my ideas of what is needed. Stand mounts I realize that it's easy to underestimate these, as they are said to make quite a difference to sound. The way they are connected to the floor and speaker, the weight (with filler) and center of gravity, etc. I still haven't done enough research. Acoustics Hugely important, but I will have to address it once in the new location. I anticipate laminate flooring, solid walls and windows. I have a book on the topic and will definitely experiment with speaker and subwoofer placement and have a look into room treatment. Sources Tidal, Spotify and CDs. I am likely to go with Tidal Connect and Spotify Connect, a lot of affordable streamers are becoming available. I'm not overly concerned about anything above CD quality. Until I decide on a solution I will probably feed from a laptop or phone through one of the portable DACs I already have. Subwoofer To be added later for improved satisfaction at lower listening levels. This obviously affects the choice of amplifier. Unfortunately, the subwoofer crossover of the Cambridge Audio AXR 85 and 100 models is 200 Hz, way too high for the Klipsch. I hope that I can find a subwoofer where the crossover can be tuned (no idea if this is possible). I welcome your thoughts and guidance. What would you choose? Where would you recommend I think differently?
