I want to upgrade/replace one of the following items I have this year: Speakers: KEF Q150 Amp: Onkyo A-7040 Turntable: Technics SL-5200 with AT540ML cart I like all three of these! But I can’t quite put my finger on what it is I’m looking for. Just want to slowly start moving up to better gear. The thing I most enjoy hearing as I upgrade or listen to higher quality sources is more detail. Things I’d never heard before in my favorite music. I think want a new amp, but am thinking new speakers will make the biggest difference to my system. I’m worried that a new amp might not be as noticeable of a difference and might not inspire me as much to keep upgrading my system. Budget: ~$1500
I would be looking at speakers too, but I’d look used to get your greatest bang for buck. If you can go floorstanders too vs bookshelves, you’ll open up lower frequencies by quite a bit. If you do amp or TT, you’ll likely still be gated by your speakers, which you’re going to want to do eventually in any case, so might as well do it now. My current speakers sold for $4K new and I got them for $900. They were probably 12-15yrs old when I got them, but my personal opinion is speaker technology has matured to the point where anything in the 2000’s isn’t likely going to be old technology vs today’s models. I’d do amp next and depending on budget, you can consider separates too. TT last, and you could sink a lot of $ there, but don’t necessarily have to either.
There are two different sets of Ascend Acoustic speakers on CL in your area. One set sierra 2 and one set of towers. The bookshelf sierra 2's are a good price and the towers are lightly used it says and decent asking price compared to new. Just an option. Yes, I do own Ascend sierra 1 and 2 speakers to be transparent in my recommendation. Maybe an external phono preamp ? Not sure how good the Onkyo is. Turntable and cartridge would be last on that list for me.
the kef q150 can sound awesome with the right amplifier. i heard them recently in a coffee shop and they sounded excellent. definitely your system is held back by the 50 watts of the vintage onkyo. try this one- https://www.accessories4less.com/ma...atts-integrated-amplifier-w/dac-silver/1.html
For better or worse, I'm drawn to aesthetics. The Lintons and Dentons look wonderful to me. KLH 3 or 5 too.
This one does seem good. I wonder how it compares to the Arcam SA20. There's a good deal on one at a shop nearby me: Arcam SA20 Integrated Amp USED
I think the suggestion to upgrade the amp is a valid one as well, since the KEFs are fairly new and esp if he’s limited on space and prefers to stay with bookshelf speakers. But if the OP’s source is primarily vinyl, the advantages of the A-S801 vs say the A-S501 is 15w of power and a better DAC (ESS Sabre vs unnamed). From what I’ve read, the phono stage in the Yamaha is just ok on both models (dull is what I read as a common criticism). May be worth considering getting something like the A-S501 (as you said, refurb may save you even more $) and a ballpark $300 external phono preamp for the same total money. For your application (assuming vinyl is primary source), that may get you better overall sound. If you can and will use the better DAC, then maybe you spring for the A-S801, but I wouldn’t do it for the extra 15W. But whether it’s the Yamaha or another brand, the point is that the phono stage quality is worth considering as well and whether an external one makes more sense, which if it does, also opens up models that have no built in phono stage at all.
Check out Equipment - Amplification - Integrated Amp - Page 1 - Music Direct They have some great deals, Open Boxes and such. Also they give you a 60 day no question return. Ive bought lots from them and Ive returned stuff I didn't like for full refunds. Yamaha - A-S701 Integrated Amplifier (Black) **CONSUMER RETURN** Yamaha - A-S801 Integrated Amp Marantz - PM8006 Integrated Amplifier **FACTORY REFURBISHED**
If you don't have a subwoofer, that may be where you start. It will let you hear things that were always missing with your current speaker or any future speaker you may get. Rythmik L12 - sealed HT sub
Good call. I recently added a used, lower end Polk sub. It's definitely helped. Would like to upgrade the sub one of these days.
That Onkyo is definitely vintage. If it's in good working order, I don't know if a Yamaha 801 is going to sound much better, if at all. Yamaha prob more powerful. With a budget of $1,500 you could consider going separates. Especially from Emotiva. BasX A2 Stereo Amplifier BasX PT1 Stereo Preamplifier/DAC/Tuner A lot more power than you'll get from an integrated amp and all in one solution for DAC/Phono section on the preamp.
The Arcam is a very nice sounding unit, better than the Yamaha A-S801 and more on par with the Elex-R. The Arcam is quieter than the Elex-R though.
I meant the Arcam has a lower noise floor. Less hiss/buzz that can mask low level details. Yes, I heard the Arcam paired with some Sonus Faber Olympica Nova IIs and Sonetto Vs.
Agreed the Onkyo is the weak link....the q150 can scale very very well....actually 1 of the best budget speakers at scaling up...
You are correct the speakers make far more difference than anything else, because as transducers they are far less accurate than the other parts of the chain. You're also typical in that people usually seem to want to upgrade their amplifiers instead...somehow it is more intriguing or sexy or I don't know what. - Your amp is an oldie but goody. Nothing wrong with that piece! Except, you cannot properly accommodate subwoofers* with that, and if you want really flat bass it's nigh impossible without room correction. - This suggests that upgrading to larger speakers might be a good step at this point. - Do you like the basic sound of the KEFs? If so upgrade to 3-way models. The point-source Uni-Q has many good points, but the Achilles' heel is that the motion of the woofer cone modulates the response of the tweeter. If the woofer cone is just doing the midrange, that is vastly reduced. Maybe that will get the "detail" you are looking for (as well as presumably more sophisticated drivers and crossovers as you move up the KEF ladder). - Later on upgrade to an amp with bass management and room correction (AVRs usually are best for this, even if you just use two channels. Stereo units unfortunately rarely have bass management-even if they have a "subwoofer" output they lack the highpass filter to cut bass out of the main speakers-and room correction neither). *Put on your favorite bass-heavy musics. Crank up as loud as you ever do. Do the speakers sound clean? If not, you need a subwoofer AND a highpass for the mains, not just adding a subwoofer. That will add bass but the mains will still be distorting underneath that boom.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++ Hi @robusa , The biggest impact-maker for the sound could be the amp, and depending on how old your amp is, is a question. The speaker also is a big impact to your sound enjoyment.
Hey @robusa, I suggested this in another post; I think it'd apply to your circumstance as well: RR2160MkII Stereo Receiver (outlawaudio.com) The first generation RR2160 was well reviewed and recommended. The flexibility! The power! The unconventional looks! And, it won't break your budget at $999 USD!
Are you only listening to vinyl? If so, I'd try a better cartridge first and see what this does to the sound. In case you are also listening to digital formats I'd try to lend or audition another amp and speakers to find out what the weakest link is. These older amps can sound great so in this case I'm not completely sure replacing the Onkyo is the way to go.
