$5000 to spend

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jonicont
jonicont Posts: 277
in 2 Channel Audio
My buddy just bought a vintage home in rural Vermont. Moving from a small apartment. Wants to get an amp/dac and speakers--new or pre owned. Room is 13x27, 10 foot ceilings. Will go on short wall. Fireplace bump out is 9-10' from back wall. Cables will come later
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SDA 2BTL, VPI Prime, Soundsmith Zephyr MKIII, Rogue Ares Magnum, McCormack DNA 0.5 Gold, ARC LS-17se, Cambridge cxn v2, MIT AVT MA ic’s and speaker cables, ps audio stellar power plant 3

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  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,092
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    Room treatments should be addressed as well in that space.
    The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD

    “When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,027
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    Whereabouts in rural VT? If he's not too far off the beaten path (i.e., I-89 or I-91), we could ID some (vintage) stuff from the 'lending library' to try if he would like :)

    Srsly, PM me if that's of even potential interest.


    Yeah, that's a very bright (acoustically) space as it sits.

    Nice lookin' room.

    PS He'll need cables right away, or he'll need to crank the volume up really loud.

    ;)
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,027
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    VT's a small state, and at this time of the year, most of the roads are actually passable without 4WD ;)
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  • rooftop59
    rooftop59 Posts: 7,971
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    I just got the PSB Imagine Minis for my rather large living room (WAF considerations) powered by a Parasound HCA-1000a, and I know that @steveinaz just got the PSB Imagine T2 powered by an HCA-1500, and we both really like the sound. I wouldn't recommend the minis for 2 channel listening, but I love their sound signature and Steve has also spoken highly of them. So I would get my ears on the bookshelf or one of the towers and see whatcha think.

    As for more inexpensive DACs, I love my arcam r-dac.
    Living Room 2.2: Usher BE-718 "tiny dancers"; Dual DIY Dayton audio RSS210HF-4 Subs with Dayton SPA-250 amps; Arcam SA30; Musical Fidelity A308; Sony UBP-x1000es; Squeezebox Touch with Bolder Power Supply
    Game Room 5.1.4:     Denon AVR-X4200w; Sony UBP-x700; Definitive Technology Power Monitor 900 mains, CLR-3000 center, StudioMonitor 350 surrounds, ProMonitor 800 atmos x4; Sub - Monoprice Monolith 15in THX Ultra
    Bedroom 2.1    Cambridge Azur 551r; Polk RT25i; ACI Titan Subwoofer
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  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 10,716
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    I'd get some cinder blocks, milk crates and a rug.
    Next spend the rest on audio.
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,027
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    rednedtugent wrote: »
    I'd get some cinder blocks, milk crates and a rug.
    Next spend the rest on audio.

    He'll need a ficus plant and a coupla Breuer chairs, too ;)
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  • PSOVLSK
    PSOVLSK Posts: 5,053
    edited September 2017
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    DSkip wrote: »
    Polk LSiM 703 - $1,500, can be had for $500 through Adorama during a sale.
    Dayens Menuetto -$700
    North Star Design Intenso - $1,000
    Cheap Streamer of your choice - Chromecast etc. -FREE
    Spend remainder on cables/room treatments

    Disclaimer - I am a dealer for Dayens and North Star so I might be biased, but I know these products work together extremely well.

    Another option is the Polk LSiM 705 that can be found for roughly $1,000 used.


    The 703 and Menuetto are gold together. Would love to pass my Menuetto on to a budding audiophile.
    http://forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/177719/dayens-menuetto#latest
    I'll throw in a chromecast for free. It was Karma'd to me, but I never found a place for it.
    Oh, and here's this: http://forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/178209/polk-lsim-speaker-sale-707-705-703#latest

    I just saved your buddy a few hundred bucks :D
    Things work out best for those who make the best of the way things work out.-John Wooden
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  • brianle
    brianle Posts: 572
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    New or used, I'd spend $2500 on speakers
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  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 10,716
    edited September 2017
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    Polk LSiM 703 - $750.00 ?
    @Upstatemax Parasound P5 $850.00 if it is not sold
    @Kurt300 Parasound A21 $1450 if it is not sold
    Oh and
    Two Hsu ULS-15 mk2 $1500.00
    $500.00 on a stands ect (which isn't much)

    This would be a solid start.

    "Cables will come later" Cables will come sooner after purchase.
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  • jonicont
    jonicont Posts: 277
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    mhardy6647 wrote: »
    Whereabouts in rural VT? If he's not too far off the beaten path (i.e., I-89 or I-91), we could ID some (vintage) stuff from the 'lending library' to try if he would like :)

    Thanks. Don't think that vintage is the way he wants to go. He's in Sandgate just next to the NY border and adjacent to the Green Mountain National Forest

    SDA 2BTL, VPI Prime, Soundsmith Zephyr MKIII, Rogue Ares Magnum, McCormack DNA 0.5 Gold, ARC LS-17se, Cambridge cxn v2, MIT AVT MA ic’s and speaker cables, ps audio stellar power plant 3

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  • jonicont
    jonicont Posts: 277
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    Thanks for the leads. Have sent out some PM's
    SDA 2BTL, VPI Prime, Soundsmith Zephyr MKIII, Rogue Ares Magnum, McCormack DNA 0.5 Gold, ARC LS-17se, Cambridge cxn v2, MIT AVT MA ic’s and speaker cables, ps audio stellar power plant 3

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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,027
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    jonicont wrote: »
    mhardy6647 wrote: »
    Whereabouts in rural VT? If he's not too far off the beaten path (i.e., I-89 or I-91), we could ID some (vintage) stuff from the 'lending library' to try if he would like :)

    Thanks. Don't think that vintage is the way he wants to go. He's in Sandgate just next to the NY border and adjacent to the Green Mountain National Forest

    Indeed. Any new pieces here aren't very interesting -- with very few exceptions.

    About as far away as he could be from us and not be speakin' French :)

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  • Viking64
    Viking64 Posts: 6,678
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    I think Sandgate is one of three towns in Vermont of which I have never heard. :#
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  • kharp1
    kharp1 Posts: 3,453
    edited September 2017
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    I have a Parasound A21 FS to polkies for $1380, and, have a Cambridge Audio Azure preamp (I think it's the 840 but will have to check when I get home) for $520. Could get the pair together for $1825. Both were purchased within the last 8 months here on the forum.

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