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New to Audiophile u-verse

Is this a good beginning set-up?

  • Total voters
    20
You've definitely got the bug ... run, don't walk to the nearest exit! ;-}

I think those old circle speakers are way cool. They can do some interesting thing with stereo that conventional speakers can't, with very flexible placement options. If your only real problem is bass, and you decide to stick with the current available power, I'd seriously consider adding a powered sub to the mix. That gives you the bottom end AND doesn't put any additional load on the amp. Bass is pretty much non directional, so you could stuff one in most anywhere it would fit with decent results.

I'd also add a couple small throw rugs under the speakers to isolate them from the hardwood floors and minimize reflections there.

Have fun with it!
 
As mentioned before use your current speakers as speaker stands and try the Advents if the price is right, they’ve been refoamed. Hell if you where close to me I have some redone KLH23’s I would let you try out.
 
The advents don't have the prettiest refoam job with all that extra glue spread all over the edges. The surround should go inward not be raised and it half appears that way. It is one of the few drivers with the inverted surround. Most curve outward. If the speakers work and are at a price you like they won't sound tinny. I would check them for any loose sections of the surround with all that glue that seems to have missed the mark but if sealed the speaker should be fine.

Pioneer, Marantz and Sansui have a special popularity Tax associated with their brand names. Their gear is generally just the same as all the other brands but you get to pay a few extra dollars to hundreds of dollars for that name brand to be on a unit. Enough people are very OK with this as the prices for these have remained higher than almost all other brands, item for item...you know 60 watt per channel receivers for example. Pioneer has great service manuals, Sansui sounds pretty good and folks like the blue light specials from Marantz. I prefer other brands and silver Onkyos are very nice. Your HK might sound better than all of them up to its volume limits. There are so many choices, so many tradeoffs, just save some coin and go big!!!
 
I found a Marantz 2235, Marantz 2225, and Pioneer SX-780 in my area.

I do like my little HK but at 25 wpc, I'm concerned the HK just won't have the sound output I want...
 
Those are both good units. Remember, to get an 3db increase in SPL out your speakers, you need to double your power. Also, it is the first 10 watts that really matters....
Example: Speaker 89db 1w/1m, at 2 watts you have 92db, 4 watts 95db....
 
OnTheBlitz said:
Those are both good units. Remember, to get an 3db increase in SPL out your speakers, you need to double your power. Also, it is the first 10 watts that really matters....
Example: Speaker 89db 1w/1m, at 2 watts you have 92db, 4 watts 95db....
Click to expand...

Note gonna lie... that went over my head...
 
bdeihc said:
Note gonna lie... that went over my head...
Click to expand...
That's okay...You're in the right place. Lots of great, knowledgeable and helpful folks here.

I just wanted to clarify that it is the first few watts of the amplifier (meaning, quality over just BIG watts) that matters. If you have a smartphone, download an SPL application for it. You will find that, most likely a comfortable "loud" SPL is around 98db.

So, if you have speakers that have an SPL specification of exp: 89db @ 1w/1m ; this is the efficiency of the speaker and means if you place your SPL meter (smartphone) 1 meter away and drive 1 watt of pink noise into it you will get 89 db SPL out of it.

So, if you have a 25W amplifier, for moderate SPL levels, it will be loud....
Remember loud is 98db:
Speaker with 89 db 1 watt / 1 meter efficiency:
1w = 89db SPL
2w = 92db SPL
4w = 95db SPL
8w = 98db SPL
16w = 101db SPL
.......
Enjoy the quest of building your system. Music is everything.
 
bdeihc said:
OK, I found out the issue with my Fuse... I wired a speaker in wrong. Which explains why the one speaker wasn't performing correctly. So when I turned the balance to that speaker, it fried the fuse. ROOKIE MISTAKE #1. But I must confess I'm pretty obsessed with this little set-up. The speakers are real "tinny" sounding but I dig their design. With that said I am real interested in the Advent speakers.
Click to expand...

Very rare, not cheap if you can find any, very sensitive, surprisingly good bass actually.

Screenshot_20180723-230300.png
 
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In English. If you want it twice as loud you need ten (10) times the power. Yes that is the way it is. Most listening is done below 85 dB that is why the first dozen watts are the important ones.
 
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So what your take on Integrated AMP vs Receiver? Can you have both in one system? For instance, a Marantz 2235 and a Kenwood KA-7300? Overkill?
 
Both are good, Kenwood looks a bit "beefier" (comparing the internal build). Depends on if you listen to FM. You could always add a separate Tuner later...., if desired, for the Kenwood.
 
bdeihc said:
Thanks all! ...yeah I kinda have the bug... because I'm into the vintage aspect I kinda wanna check out various options from the 60's and 70's...
Click to expand...

If you decide to upgrade anything I would start with the speakers. I think the speakers and the source (cartridge/stylus) would give you the most benefit. Some of the brands recommended here are hard to drive with 25 watts, especially if your room is medium to large. Pick speakers that your receiver can drive. Look for efficient (90dB or more) nice quality bookshelf speakers in the used market. That will make a big first impact.

Of course small speakers lead to stands, and subs and .....

Enjoy!
 
OK, I would try changing the speakers first. The problem with hunting for vintage speakers is they are not young. A friend may say to hunt for a set of fern dock MK4’s. You search around and find a pair of fern dock MK4 speakers, around 20 years old , on an auction site which look OK. Now you have to know if those speakers are in spec or not.

Frankly I would prefer to buy new with warranty coverage. Polk, Parts Express are places where some very decent inexpensive speakers can be found
Good luck!
 
johnda said:
OK, I would try changing the speakers first. The problem with hunting for vintage speakers is they are not young. A friend may say to hunt for a set of fern dock MK4’s. You search around and find a pair of fern dock MK4 speakers, around 20 years old , on an auction site which look OK. Now you have to know if those speakers are in spec or not.

Frankly I would prefer to buy new with warranty coverage. Polk, Parts Express are places where some very decent inexpensive speakers can be found
Good luck!
Click to expand...

That is so true. I have a pair of vintage Polk Monitor 7s which I bought from Ebay. Yet, after the new cross-overs and tweeters, for the cost I could have gotten a very nice pair of new speakers with a long warranty. It is just what you want. Polk and Klipsch make excellent bookshelf speakers, as do several other companies. I would stay far away from Bose, but that is just my personal preference. :eek::biggrin:
 
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