infullview
Super Member
<==== Avatar W70E's are my daily drivers. I also have KEF's and Paradigm
Just getting started. speaker size, wattage, room size
- Thread starter vheintz
- Start date
ScottFan355
Super Member
Well there’s vintage and then there’s used. Frankly I’m not a huge fan of vintage speakers. But many speakers from the 90s and early 2000s can compete with today’s speakers and can be had for a fraction of their original price.
ScottFan355
Super Member
And I’d definitely encourage you to listen to speakers first before you buy instead of relying on reviews. Relationships with speakers are just like attraction. Someone might be hot and have a lot of admirers but that doesn’t mean they’re your cup of tea.
ScottFan355
Super Member
Does the OP live near a city with a high-end audio store where they could audition equipment?
Good advice, hard to follow for many speakers, given dearth of brick and mortar audio stores.
vheintz
Member
Bakersfield, ca. about 70 miles north of the L.A. metro
ScottFan355
Super Member
I’m sure there are many audio stores in L.A. i know you said you plan to buy new but gently used equipment from an audio store is a good route to go as the equipment has generally been checked out and comes with a warranty.
vheintz
Member
I know of two stores in L.A. that would serve my purpose. obviously, there are many more, but two is good enough. I know upscale audio in Laverne ca. Shellie's in woodland hills. If anyone has experience with these, I'd like to hear your opinion.
ScottFan355
Super Member
I know Upscale Audio has a great rep for NOS vacuum tubes but I’ve never done business with them.
ScottFan355
Super Member
What kind of budget are you working with?
vheintz
Member
$5000.00
ScottFan355
Super Member
Oh well that certainly opens up a lot of options. Take your time and audition as many amps/speakers as you can. And with that budget I’d certainly audition some tube gear as well if that’s something that interests you.
ScottFan355
Super Member
If you are interested in tube amplification I see Upscale carries Primaluna. Though I’ve never heard them they get much praise on this forum. I’m sure Upscale could point you in the right direction for speakers that would mate well with a Primaluna integrated in your room.
vheintz
Member
never heard tube amplifiers before and have to say I'm quite interested to see how they sound.
ScottFan355
Super Member
I feel they bring a liquidity and holographic presence to the music that ss rarely achieves, though admittedly I haven’t heard much high end modern ss amplification. And with the lights low the tubes definitely bring an ambiance to the room.
ScottFan355
Super Member
I don’t know if you’re familiar with the idea of ‘ear fatigue’ but it basically means that one wants to turn the music off without knowing why. It’s usually the result of overly bright or in your face speakers, or an amp that sounds too clinical. Since I’ve moved to tubes and found speakers that I love it’s now a non-issue for me.
ScottFan355
Super Member
Which is why it’s important when auditioning equipment to ask yourself ‘does this only sound great for 15 minutes or would I want to listen for hours?’
bluesky
Lunatic Member
Do all your homework & make all decisions ahead of time.
$5K is more than enough.
New or used or combo? What's new, what's used?
1. amp - 80W RMS - Synergy with everything else!
2. speakers - Big Box, 12 inch woofer, mid, tweet - Synergy! I'd go BOX for the depth of sound.
(Do you want 'BOX' or smaller spkrs on spkr stands with sub? )
3. music source: CD or TT (or both) - Synergy!
4. speaker cables - Synergy!
5. interconnects - Synergy!
* If you buy ' used ' there is a risk of malfunction / calculated loss.
Do you want a stand-alone tuner, or built-in tuner in the amp, or no tuner? Decide before you get the rack.
TT:
1. belt or direct drive?
2. If you get a 'used' manual TT make sure it's perfect & it's got its 'original' headshell.
3. GET a good quality cart!! ($250.00 minimum)
4. get new gold Litz headshell leads).
TT rack: Do your research. Make sure it's large enough so all your equipment will fit and properly ' breathe '. Also, make sure it's as solid as a rock.
Hope this helps. Be smart! Good Luck!
$5K is more than enough.
New or used or combo? What's new, what's used?
1. amp - 80W RMS - Synergy with everything else!
2. speakers - Big Box, 12 inch woofer, mid, tweet - Synergy! I'd go BOX for the depth of sound.
(Do you want 'BOX' or smaller spkrs on spkr stands with sub? )
3. music source: CD or TT (or both) - Synergy!
4. speaker cables - Synergy!
5. interconnects - Synergy!
* If you buy ' used ' there is a risk of malfunction / calculated loss.
Do you want a stand-alone tuner, or built-in tuner in the amp, or no tuner? Decide before you get the rack.
TT:
1. belt or direct drive?
2. If you get a 'used' manual TT make sure it's perfect & it's got its 'original' headshell.
3. GET a good quality cart!! ($250.00 minimum)
4. get new gold Litz headshell leads).
TT rack: Do your research. Make sure it's large enough so all your equipment will fit and properly ' breathe '. Also, make sure it's as solid as a rock.
Hope this helps. Be smart! Good Luck!
Last edited:
Dr. Ears
Super Member
Do all your homework & make all decisions ahead of time.
$5K is more than enough.
New or used or combo? What's new, what's used?
1. amp - 80W RMS - Synergy with everything else!
2. speakers - Big Box, 12 inch woofer, mid, tweet - Synergy! I'd go BOX for the depth of sound.
(Do you want 'BOX' or smaller spkrs on spkr stands with sub? )
3. music source: CD or TT (or both) - Synergy!
4. speaker cables - Synergy!
5. interconnects - Synergy!
* If you buy ' used ' there is a risk of malfunction / calculated loss.
Do you want a stand-alone tuner, or built-in tuner in the amp, or no tuner? Decide before you get the rack.
TT:
1. belt or direct drive?
2. If you get a 'used' manual TT make sure it's perfect & it's got its 'original' headshell.
3. GET a good quality cart!! ($250.00 minimum)
4. get new gold Litz headshell leads).
TT rack: Do your research. Make sure it's large enough so all your equipment will fit and properly ' breathe '. Also, make sure it's as solid as a rock.
Hope this helps. Be smart! Good Luck!
I just bought a pair of Technics Phase Linear SB-6060 speakers, which are the first under great under $2,000 that I have heard in a long time.
They have a 12 inch woofer, a 4 inch midrange and a 1 inch tweeter.
They are 92 db's efficient, which means you can drive them with 35 wpc.
They are giving my $10,000 towers a run for the money.
JoeESP9
ESL's & tubes since 83
I disagree with this approach. IMO/E, you should buy/choose the speakers first. Then, buy the necessary power to drive them in your room to the levels you want. Choosing an amplifier first means you may have restricted yourself to a smaller pool of potential speakers.
For instance: A 50WPC tube integrated amplifier is not adequate for Magnepan's or most esl's. That same amplifier would be more than adequate for Klipsch or many other speakers.