Spotify > KEF Q100's...

[DC1978]

Hi All!

Thanks in advance for the help, I'm new to this world of hifi and even after exhaustive online research think it still helps to reach out to those with actual experience.

I've got a couple KEF Q100's still in packaging that I picked up when they were dirt cheap on Amazon and am looking to start streaming Spotify to them. What I need now is the receiver/amplifier to make that happen. From digging around online I'm leaning towards a Yamaha A-S501 to power the speakers and Chromecast Audio (with optical cable) to stream from Spotify.

For the near(ish) future Spotify is going to be it. Down the road I can see adding a record player, but that should be the extent of my sources. No CD's, no tuner. The room I'm setting up in is 20x30 with a vaulted ceiling and open to the kitchen. Trying to limit the amp budget to $400 (think accessories 4 less) and trying to get the most bang (audio quality-wise) for my buck.

I've looked into network receivers (since I'll primarily be streaming) but it seems the AS range of Yamaha's are a better bet from a purely audio quality standpoint. Maybe I'm wrong and the sound quality difference is negligible, I don't know and that's what I hope to hear more about. I do like the aesthetics of that silver AS501 though....

Any thoughts on my proposed set-up or ideas on a better or alternative set-up would be greatly appreciated. Thanks all!

 

[Condorsat]

I'm using a Yamaha AS 500 since 2012. My living room is 20 x 14 with traditional ceiling. Used to own a home in Colorado Springs CO (late 90's) with vaulted ceiling … open to Kitchen, fireplace, rather large room to me (don't remember the dimensions). Anyway could never get my 2 ch stereo rig to sound all that spectacular in that room. Always blamed it on the vaulted ceilings … but it was defiantly a good looking living room.

Currently I stream Tidal Lossy to the AS 500 that is powering Kef Q100s. Enough power for my 20 x 14 room. 70 db average is my preferred volume level. Really like the sound of the Kef Q100's/AS 500 (along with a Sub) in my system.

Source for streaming (Tidal) HP Laptop .. Schiit Modi 2 Uber .. 2 AQ Jitterbugs .. Wireworld Starlight 7 USB .. Morrow Audio 1.1 RCAs. Sound really good to my ears. I'm also using the optical (DVR source) & digital coax (Blue Ray Universal) with really good results.

The internal phono pre (AS 500) is okay … I prefer external ones (sounds much better to my ears) .. currently using a Lounge Audio MK III. Previously was using a Cambridge Audio Azur 551P MM which I also think sounded good (aside from bass response) with the AS 500 Kef /Q100 /Sub combo.

 

[Lumpy Waters]

In a room your size, you should have a small subwoofer to support the Q100's. If you can extend your budget to $500 and spend it at the Emotiva Audio online store, it will get you a TA-100 receiver and an S8 subwoofer from their BasX line. I have both of those, along with stand mounted Q100's, and everything sounds great together. The TA-100 has a decent sounding phono preamp, which I would compare to an ART DJPRE-II.

 

[Condorsat]

As far as Subs … I'm using a Polk Audio PSW10 10-Inch Powered Subwoofer (less than $100 bought on Amazon) with very good results … once I got it set up correctly. I plan to get a higher quality sub some day but am in no hurry based on the sound I'm getting out of my modest set-up.