There are to many brands...
VR3
Posts: 28,650
Just that - I am looking at building a secondary two channel system... my budget is fairly low and I look on Audiogon and think through my list of manufactures I like and I keep coming back to Tyler and Odyssey...
I would like to incorporate tube amps in my secondary 2 ch but the brands I want are way to much (Mcintosh) or the models available are far to vast and freakin confusing.
The brands I know Shanling and Jolida, which is now split between the "real" and "imposter" ---
As far as solid state gear... Pass Labs, BAT, Odyssey and others, I dig them but again - the product offerings from the "big names" are just to expensive for the performance I am paying for when I know Odyssey has similar performance for fractions of the price.
Oh yeah and what the heck is going on with the influx of chinese gear? I mean seriously -- talk about adding to the over abundance of brands. Especially in tube gear, alot of cheap, crappy looking gear in large quantities
What am I missing guys? What is out there that when you look at it you just go ...DUH! I need some guidance here before I basically build a scaled down system of what I already have.
And not to sound like a snob... Rotel, Adcom, NAD, Parasound, etc just do not interest me. I could see liking the Parasound Halo series - but thats as much as I would want to dive into that.
I would like to incorporate tube amps in my secondary 2 ch but the brands I want are way to much (Mcintosh) or the models available are far to vast and freakin confusing.
The brands I know Shanling and Jolida, which is now split between the "real" and "imposter" ---
As far as solid state gear... Pass Labs, BAT, Odyssey and others, I dig them but again - the product offerings from the "big names" are just to expensive for the performance I am paying for when I know Odyssey has similar performance for fractions of the price.
Oh yeah and what the heck is going on with the influx of chinese gear? I mean seriously -- talk about adding to the over abundance of brands. Especially in tube gear, alot of cheap, crappy looking gear in large quantities
What am I missing guys? What is out there that when you look at it you just go ...DUH! I need some guidance here before I basically build a scaled down system of what I already have.
And not to sound like a snob... Rotel, Adcom, NAD, Parasound, etc just do not interest me. I could see liking the Parasound Halo series - but thats as much as I would want to dive into that.
- Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
Post edited by VR3 on
Comments
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I pretty much have decided I am going to use a Wadia Ipod dock as my source for this system- Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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"He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
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If you are happy with the electronics you have, there's no need for another whole system, just speakers, some wire, and a remote repeater. Whole house audio works great with a dock, or any type of music server.
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Check out Eastern Electric's MiniMax Series components. They are very nice, and budget-friendly in the audiophile world (components are 600-900/ea). I have extensive listening and compairing on this system here only with different speakers and a MiniMax DAC and Phono stage. They're very highly regarded and quite responsive to tube rolling if you so choose. Plus they look great :biggrin:design is where science and art break even.
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I wouldn't put that much effort/cost into a bedroom system, JMHO. I like having music/HT in the bedroom, but don't need anywhere near that level of performance. Now in the home office where I do spend time "awake" (don't ask my team at work to confirm that!) I like to have a good system. I would also skip the Wadia and get a Squeezebox.DKG999
HT System: LSi9, LSiCx2, LSiFX, LSi7, SVS 20-39 PC+, B&K 507.s2 AVR, B&K Ref 125.2, Tripplite LCR-2400, Cambridge 650BD, Signal Cable PC/SC, BJC IC, Samsung 55" LED
Music System: Magnepan 1.6QR, SVS SB12+, ARC pre, Parasound HCA1500 vertically bi-amped, Jolida CDP, Pro-Ject RM5.1SE TT, Pro-Ject TubeBox SE phono pre, SBT, PS Audio DLIII DAC -
If you would like to try the W4S..I have the STI-500 that you could give a listen to in your system anytime......
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Vr3MxStyler2k3 wrote: »I pretty much have decided I am going to use a Wadia Ipod dock as my source for this system
If you do use the Wadia be sure to get the new 171 model. The upgrades are sonically apparent, and upgrading the cheapo power supply will also bring an improvement.
Once you get it you will love it so much you will end up getting another one for the main system.
CIAudio power supply
http://www.musicdirect.com/product/83276Lumin X1 file player, Westminster Labs interconnect cable
Sony XA-5400ES SACD; Pass XP-22 pre; X600.5 amps
Magico S5 MKII Mcast Rose speakers; SPOD spikes
Shunyata Triton v3/Typhon QR on source, Denali 2000 (2) on amps
Shunyata Sigma XLR analog ICs, Sigma speaker cables
Shunyata Sigma HC (2), Sigma Analog, Sigma Digital, Z Anaconda (3) power cables
Mapleshade Samson V.3 four shelf solid maple rack, Micropoint brass footers
Three 20 amp circuits. -
If you do use the Wadia be sure to get the new 171 model. The upgrades are sonically apparent, and upgrading the cheapo power supply will also bring an improvement.
Once you get it you will love it so much you will end up getting another one for the main system.
CIAudio power supply
http://www.musicdirect.com/product/83276
I read where the 170 model has a cheapo wall wart power supply so the CIAudio supply helps but it is being touted that the 171 model has a very nice built in supply so I kinda doubt you would want the CIAudio, not even sure that it could be used. I've been looking at the 171 here lately.
On the China offerings, I recently tried two of them and both are pieces of art. Massive structure in the build, big and beautiful, quality construction and great sound. Both were under $1K. Keep used Manley in mind for the amp. Last week I just picked up an older $4K set of mono blocks for under 2K. The older VTL's can be had for even less. 200 or so tube watts per channel at that price blow away anything with a competitive price.Vinyl, the final frontier...
Avantgarde horns, 300b tubes, thats the kinda crap I want...
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it gets worse if you start thinking about... vintage.
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I read where the 170 model has a cheapo wall wart power supply so the CIAudio supply helps but it is being touted that the 171 model has a very nice built in supply so I kinda doubt you would want the CIAudio, not even sure that it could be used. I've been looking at the 171 here lately.
Unfortunately, the 171 still uses a wall wart, but it does look different than the 170 model. I did not try it since I already owned the CIAudio. So, maybe it is better than the model that came with the 170.
http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?t=112423Lumin X1 file player, Westminster Labs interconnect cable
Sony XA-5400ES SACD; Pass XP-22 pre; X600.5 amps
Magico S5 MKII Mcast Rose speakers; SPOD spikes
Shunyata Triton v3/Typhon QR on source, Denali 2000 (2) on amps
Shunyata Sigma XLR analog ICs, Sigma speaker cables
Shunyata Sigma HC (2), Sigma Analog, Sigma Digital, Z Anaconda (3) power cables
Mapleshade Samson V.3 four shelf solid maple rack, Micropoint brass footers
Three 20 amp circuits. -
Good gear recs here, the bedroom system is called that because of it's location not it's purpose. It could easily be considered a regular 2 channel...
I can probably work it out where I will not need a source like suggested and incorporate it with my ht
Thanks- Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit. -
Unfortunately, the 171 still uses a wall wart, but it does look different than the 170 model. I did not try it since I already owned the CIAudio. So, maybe it is better than the model that came with the 170.
http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?t=112423
"There is one thing I was disappointed in though. When I ordered this from Music Direct their ad said the new 171 has an improved internal power supply. This is not true. It still is an external cheapo power supply, but it does look different from the other power supply. However, I did not try it. I upgraded the original power supply over a year ago with a much better power supply from CIAudio, and that works quite well with the new iTransport."
You know better, I was speculating on what I read at Music Direct. I ordered the 171i model a little earlier this evening! I was wondering why there were more than 2 pins on the power connector if it had a built in supply, now I know.
Vinyl, the final frontier...
Avantgarde horns, 300b tubes, thats the kinda crap I want... -
If you would like to try the W4S..I have the STI-500 that you could give a listen to in your system anytime......
Truly, A Gentleman and a Scholar...
