What would you get if you had about $21-$22K for a nice HT and Stereo system

[Condorsat]

Currently working on partially finishing my basement (big project). Been in planning for years .. some time ago I dreamed of having part of the space for a home theatre system .. like I use to see at local Parade of Homes shows. Just doesn't matter anymore .. getting old, seen most of the movies I really like and am tired of watching repeats. Don't care much for new movies (comic book type shows which seem to be popular with the young).

Point being .. if I were to allocate the cash (like OP) … would go for dedicated listening space (2.1 ch Stereo). Maybe take a trip to Colorado and visit PS Audio for demos.

Not going to happen though .. future audio system purchases (2nd rig in basement) are going to have to share resources (money & otherwise) with downstairs full bathroom, Finnleo Home Sauna, home bar/TV setup and fireplace w/ rocking chairs.

Mose: Don't want no money, Ethan. No money, Marty. Just a roof over ol' Mose's head, and a rockin' chair by the fire. My own rockin' chair by the fire, Marty.

From The Searchers (1956)

 

[Aerobat]

I'd be visiting Papa Pass with that budget.

 

[TomIV]

The OP is not giving enough information for a good recommendation . How large is the room ? what kind of speakers does he plan to use ?

I think in my earlier posts I did mention what speakers I have for my HT, I will say it again (B&W 638 S2 Fronts, HTM61 Center and 4-635 S2 Bookshelf surrounds, the room is dedicated for HT and is about 12' x 25' and 8' ceilings, all soundproofed with double drywall and green glue soundproofing in between, room is still being finished almost a month or so to be done.

My stereo system will be in another room in totally different location. I do listen to music more than watching movies and that's why I want to spend more on the stereo system than the HT.

The cash that I have saved up is to have a nice receiver for the HT to drive at least 7.2.4 or maybe even 9.2.4, that will depend once I finish the room and test what will work the best, and the rest of if on the best stereo equipment I could get including some decent speakers.

What I wanted the most out of everything is to get the new MC462 with a slight discount or a demo MC452 with a better discount and pair it with either C52 or c2600 plus add a CD Transporter now and a turn table at a later stage. That should leave me some cash to burn on a good pair of speakers.

 

[enginedr]

I think in my earlier posts I did mention what speakers I have for my HT, I will say it again (B&W 638 S2 Fronts, HTM61 Center and 4-635 S2 Bookshelf surrounds, the room is dedicated for HT and is about 12' x 25' and 8' ceilings, all soundproofed with double drywall and green glue soundproofing in between, room is still being finished almost a month or so to be done.


My stereo system will be in another room in totally different location. I do listen to music more than watching movies and that's why I want to spend more on the stereo system than the HT.

The cash that I have saved up is to have a nice receiver for the HT to drive at least 7.2.4 or maybe even 9.2.4, that will depend once I finish the room and test what will work the best, and the rest of if on the best stereo equipment I could get including some decent speakers.

What I wanted the most out of everything is to get the new MC462 with a slight discount or a demo MC452 with a better discount and pair it with either C52 or c2600 plus add a CD Transporter now and a turn table at a later stage. That should leave me some cash to burn on a good pair of speakers.

What is the size of the stereo room ? And what do you want in a 2 channel system . Type of music you like

 

[TomIV]

What is the size of the stereo room ? And what do you want in a 2 channel system . Type of music you like

The stereo room is kind in an open space that connects two other rooms, it has laminated floors, but rugs are placed at few different spots. Will work on the stereo room more as time comes, size of the room is around 13' x 22ish.
As to what music I or wife listen is pretty much everything, rock, blues, jazz, I would throw in some heavy metal every once in a while, favorite bands that I grew up with and listen to this day are Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Jimmy Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan, BB King, Eric Clapton, Pearl Jam, Dire Straits, Johnny Cash, Jim Morrison, GNR, Iron Maiden, Deep Purple, Pink Floys Ray Charles and a lot more...

What I want in the stereo is a nice clean warm sound, have good bass, I like it to be loud to shake the house from time to time, be able to listen to low volumes at night and to look really cool which I think Macs look the best out of pretty much everything that's on the market in that price range.

 

[4-2-7]

What I wanted the most out of everything is to get the new MC462 with a slight discount or a demo MC452 with a better discount and pair it with either C52 or c2600 plus add a CD Transporter now and a turn table at a later stage. That should leave me some cash to burn on a good pair of speakers.

With your budget buying all the mac new will not leave you that much for new speakers. $3000-$5000 new speakers are not that great. It's more a consumer box store home theater speaker price point. I would not match new speakers like that with high end powerful mac equipment. However you can find older used high end speakers that will love 450+ watts of mac power. I would also not buy a demo MC452, that just got replaced with a new model and the used market is full of them for less than your going to get at the store.

You have to understand the used mac market, mac owners treat their equipment very good. You can buy a 2-5 year old unit with all the packing saved and looks and functions like new needing nothing. It might of hardly been used, and the owner just want to buy the latest and greatest new unit.

 

[enginedr]

The stereo room is kind in an open space that connects two other rooms, it has laminated floors, but rugs are placed at few different spots. Will work on the stereo room more as time comes, size of the room is around 13' x 22ish.
As to what music I or wife listen is pretty much everything, rock, blues, jazz, I would throw in some heavy metal every once in a while, favorite bands that I grew up with and

The first thing you need to understand is the speaker to room relationship . If you can make a drawing of the place you want the speakers that would help . I would by the Jim Smith Get Better Sound Book . You want to do this right and not spend good money after bad

 

[4-2-7]

For instance, this system can rock the house, and fine low listening for any music. IMHO it's a good all around system.

C100 Preamp $3000- $3500
MC501 Power amps $$6500-$7000
JBL L250 or 250Ti $2000- $4000

As to what music I or wife listen is pretty much everything, rock, blues, jazz, I would throw in some heavy metal every once in a while, favorite bands that I grew up with and listen to this day are Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Jimmy Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan, BB King, Eric Clapton, Pearl Jam, Dire Straits, Johnny Cash, Jim Morrison, and a lot more...

What I want in the stereo is a nice clean warm sound, have good bass, I like it to be loud to shake the house from time to time, be able to listen to low volumes at night and to look really cool which I think Macs look the best out of pretty much everything that's on the market in that price range.

This vid is
MC 501 mono block, 500+ watts driving JBL L250s
MC 402 stereo 400+ watts driving JBL 250Ti
No Sub

And shit was falling to the floor across the room

That said, I sold my MC402 and the 250 Ti, because The MC 501s and L250s work good together and really all I need for blasting the house apart.

But the MC501s and L250s are also my main go to for everything when I don't want to fire up my tubes.

 

[enginedr]

You can get good speakers for less then you think . I just built these for less then $ 3000.00 Madisound Klang & Ton NADA Lee Taylor Cabinets

Add This http://www.audiokinesis.com/the-swarm-subwoofer-system-1.html And a Pass XA25 Amp . You can get big dollar performance for mid dollar money

 

[TomIV]

@4-2-7

That is some serious equipment you got in there, WOW, I am really impressed!!! Love it.

 

[SkyRanger]

If I had that budget I’d start with an Anthem MRX 1120 (their top AVR) and pair it with the best Paradigm speakers I could afford. Paradigm and Anthem are sister companies, and Anthem’s room correction system is highly regarded.


GG

 

[donprice]

Try to find a speaker builder (or cabinet maker?) to build some JBL M2 clones ($4k/pair?)...power with Mac amps if desired...good luck deciding if they are HT mains or your 2-channel rig. JBL LSR 708p (or 708i) for surrounds if the budget can take it.

 

[GP Hill]

Not any ht stuff but from personal experience a Macintosh MC 452, a C47 and Aerial 7t speakers can be had for your budget and sound amazing.

 

[E-Stat]

So if you had about $21-$22K to spend on a nice Home Theater and a stero system whay would you get, excluding speakers.

Since you really need to choose amplification suitable for the speakers, what speakers do you have in mind - or what is the total budget?

 

[musichal]

Since you really need to choose amplification suitable for the speakers, what speakers do you have in mind - or what is the total budget?

I totally agree that choosing speakers first is the best way to proceed, since that can determine the kind of amp needed. But it is not what I did. My approach was to choose an amp with pretty hefty output, and that would tend to sound good with a lot of speakers, then choose a speaker not likely to tax my amp's abilities. Since I ruled out flat panel type speakers and very large models, I figured I would not find this limiting, though some here would.

 

[sqlsavior]

I followed an "amp first" strategy when I upgraded from my re-entry system (the system I assembled when I returned to the hobby) of Hafler/MMGs. The Luxman L-505u 100W integrated that I chose cost about $1K more than the entire re-entry system. It was rated Stereophile class A, and I appreciated having a reference standard for the line stage, the power amp, and the phono preamp in one package of high build quality. When it looked like my first pair of Quads would need some work, I bought Magneplanar 1.7s to use for my main speakers. When I got my second pair of Quads home from California, I set about trying to beat each stage of the Luxman, one at a time, with separates, but that's another story...

 

[TomIV]

So, this is what I have purchased:

Mc452 amp demo with warranty
C52 preamp brand new
Mc8207 7-channel amp brand new
AV8805 av proccessor brand new

And so far I have spent about $18000 and have another $3-4k to spend or upgrade my main floorstanding speakers.

I already have the B&W 600 series speakers 683s2 fronts, htm61 center and four 685s2 bookshelfs, these speakers will be used for my HT

 

[WaynerN]

Hollywood certainly isn't worth spending much money on in my house. If my current system goes down (20 years old), I'd get a nice 5 channel Marantz receiver and call it good. Hopefully, the Marantz would have a phantom center channel so I don't have to spend money on that. I'm more then happy with 4.1.

What makes me puke is the rage for 11.2 or 13.2 junk. Why not 23 channels?