Best system under$20,000

Gregadd

WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
10,517
1,774
1,850
Metro DC
After evaluating the Magnepan 1.7 I thought it might be fun to try to put a system together for a budget. It must be new. It must include:
a) speakers(headphones allowed)
b) Amplifier (integrated allowed) and preamp
c) CD player, phono,tape, or other digital device
d) Cables-power cords are optional but will be counted toward your total.
Equipment rack Speakers stands are not counted towards your total unless supplied bythe manufacture.

Take your time and give it some thought. Originality counts.
 
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soundofvoid

WBF Founding Member
Apr 22, 2010
173
11
365
Athens/Greece
Sorry Gregadd...The second hand market is so tempting that building a system with the same amount of money would produce a result that you KILL any new system!
I haven't bought anything new (bar my cartridge) the last ten years...A waste of money!
 

Gregadd

WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
10,517
1,774
1,850
Metro DC
Good point

I have three used components in my system. Two have been discontinued making a used purchase mandatory. I also buy demos.

I just felt that would gave an unfair advantage. besides someone has to buy new. Or there will not be any used equipment.

I have a system in mind but I'm already over the price limit.

Hint: Soundab Dynastat II
 
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Gregadd

WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
10,517
1,774
1,850
Metro DC
Ok forget about the budget

SoundLab Dynastat II 4.7k
Aesthetix Rhea $6k used 2.6
Aestheix Atlas $4.9k used
Ayre 5Cemp 6k used 3.6 This is my last choice. There is a used Rhea and Ayre on the 'gon. There is also an Atlas for sale.
We'll have to find some Synergistic cable and PC used on one the used cable sites. .

That should be true to elctrostats and tubes.
 
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Jay_S

WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
309
5
16
San Francisco - East Bay
Here is my digital-only system submission. Everything is brand new at MSRP and I snuck in just under the dollar limit. This assumes that the buyer already has a computer and appropriate cables:

Benchmark DAC HDR Preamp / DAC------------- $1,895
Odyssey Khartago Stereo Extreme SE Amp------$1,200
Vandersteen 5A Speakers (base finish)----------$16,900
Total--------------------------------------------$19,995
 

soundofvoid

WBF Founding Member
Apr 22, 2010
173
11
365
Athens/Greece
Quadral Titan MKV speakers from Germany (used for about 6000$).Substitute Infinity Epsilons for around 8000$ but you need more power...(see Aragons)
Sony SCD-1 player (used for about 3000$ with mods).Substitute Sony SCD777ES for 500$ less with equal mods.
Sonic frontiers Power-3SE tube monos (250W ,used for about 4000$).Substitute Aragon Palladium 1K SS monos (500W for 3000$).
Sonic frontiers P-3 tube dac (4000$ used with 24/192 upgrade).There is no substitute for this...hmmm, maybe the Sonic Frontiers SFD 2 MK II (used for 2000$).
Sonic frontiers Line-3SE preamp (3500$ used).Substitute Sonic Frontiers Line-2SE (2500$ used) or Golden tube SEP-3SE (around 2000$ used) if you find it.
Total 20000$ for the first options-significantly less for the rest...
I doubt that you can't beat this with 100000$ in today's new gear...
P.S.I left out the cables...you can't have everything for 20000$ but you can get a superb VDHull set (ICs and speaker ones for 3000$).
 

FrantzM

Member Sponsor & WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
6,455
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405
Hi

I truly believe this to be an excellent exercise. 20 K should be the threshold for an excellent High End System. I am somewhat surprised that the response has been so tepid... The exercise was for MSRP, used one can definitely assemble better. New would afford one the protection of a warranty and maybe dealer/distributor support.

I like the system Jack proposed. Simple but I have no knowledge of the amp although the preamp would hold its own against several high price ones ... So I would modify his this way:

The Aforementioned Benchmark DAC HDR Preamp / DAC----------------------------------- $1,895
The Excellent/Superlative/Mega Amp Hurricane monoblocks Tube amplifiers 200/ch -----$6,500/pair
Vandersteen Quattro, I know it is not as good as the 5A but superlative, it is ------------$7,500/pair
Mark Seaton Submersive Subwoofer* ---------------------------------------------------------$1995
Complement of Belden or Canare Cables for the whole system -----------------------------$500

I am a very strong proponent of several LF sources in a system by it 2-ch or HT... and * No eye-rolls. This sub is more than formidable. At ease with music or HT. When properly installed will seamless integrate with any speaker you can think of, no one-note "slow" bass here, lighting quick sub and response down there where he whales converse... I know the system is for 2-ch and this one should rock on all kind of music. I like the pairing of the luscious sound of the Hurricanes with the Benchmark..
There is money left for software (Music) or a Mac Pro..

I will come with more combination all at or below the MSRP threshold ...We have been led for too long into thinking that it needs to be expensive to be excellent .. Not true.. Not a all .. This interesting would show what can be accomplished for a (relatively) modest sum ... If I understood well, that was one of the stated goal of this forum ...

Frantz
 
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Johnny Vinyl

Member Sponsor & WBF Founding Member
May 16, 2010
8,570
51
38
Calgary, AB
Hi

I truly believe this to be an excellent exercise. 20 K should be the threshold for an excellent High End System. I am somewhat surprised that the response has been so tepid... The exercise was for MSRP, used one can definitely assemble better. New would afford one the protection of a warranty and maybe dealer/distributor support.

I like the system Jack proposed. Simple but I have no knowledge of the amp although the preamp would hold its own against several high price ones ... So I would modify his this way:

The Aforementioned Benchmark DAC HDR Preamp / DAC----------------------------------- $1,895
The Excellent/Superlative/Mega Amp Hurricane monoblocks Tube amplifiers 200/ch -----$6,500/pair
Vandersteen Quattro, I know it is not as good as the 5A but superlative, it is ------------$7,500/pair
Mark Seaton Submersive Subwoofer* ---------------------------------------------------------$1995
Complement of Belden or Canare Cables for the whole system -----------------------------$500

I am a very strong proponent of several LF sources in a system by it 2-ch or HT... and * No eye-rolls. This sub is more than formidable. At ease with music or HT. When properly installed will seamless integrate with any speaker you can think of, no one-note "slow" bass here, lighting quick sub and response down there where he whales converse... I know the system is for 2-ch and this one should rock on all kind of music. I like the pairing of the luscious sound of the Hurricanes with the Benchmark..
There is money left for software (Music) or a Mac Pro..

I will come with more combination all at or below the MSRP threshold ...We have been led for too long into thinking that it needs to be expensive to be excellent .. Not true.. Not a all .. This interesting would show what can be accomplished for a (relatively) modest sum ... If I understood well, that was one of the stated goal of this forum ...

Frantz

Frantz,

I like your way of thinking!
 

FrantzM

Member Sponsor & WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
6,455
29
405
Hi

This one came to mind. I suppose that for the budget one could haggle some and get some discount so I am supposing a modest 10% discount here to shoehorn a very small good and aesthetically pleasing sub.

Von Shweikert VR-4a ------------------------------------------ $14,000
TacT Audio 2150 SDM -----------------------------------------$4250
Cables (Belden or Canare)-------------------------------------$500
JL Audio JL 113 Subwoofer --------------------------------------$2800

With the 10% discount you remain under the budget. I cheated some but I had to shoehorn, the JL Audio here, not as capable as the Seaton's submersible but very much smaller and prettier .. Later buy a second one and even a third.. Yes, even for 2-ch more subs provide BETTER not only, more, bass .. Again BETTER , like in smoother, more accurate, room filling and realistic bass.. not the bombast of explosions, simply better low (100 Hz and below to give a number) but also upper bass ( 100 Hz to 300Hz) ... This system is full range , like the first from 18 Hz to 20 KHz .. clean accurate and precise ...

Frantz
 

Jay_S

WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
309
5
16
San Francisco - East Bay
I like the system Jack proposed. Simple but I have no knowledge of the amp although the preamp would hold its own against several high price ones ... So I would modify his this way:

The Aforementioned Benchmark DAC HDR Preamp / DAC----------------------------------- $1,895
The Excellent/Superlative/Mega Amp Hurricane monoblocks Tube amplifiers 200/ch -----$6,500/pair
Vandersteen Quattro, I know it is not as good as the 5A but superlative, it is ------------$7,500/pair
Mark Seaton Submersive Subwoofer* ---------------------------------------------------------$1995
Complement of Belden or Canare Cables for the whole system -----------------------------$500

I am a very strong proponent of several LF sources in a system by it 2-ch or HT... and * No eye-rolls. This sub is more than formidable. At ease with music or HT. When properly installed will seamless integrate with any speaker you can think of, no one-note "slow" bass here, lighting quick sub and response down there where he whales converse...
Hi Frantz. It's Jay, not Jack. (No problem, Jack is around here somewhere). Properly installed is the key indeed and may be the rub. I am wary of mixing and matching the subwoofers. First, the Vandys require a low-pass filter between the preamp and power amp. You would need to insert a splitter cable before the low-pass filter. Second, the Vandys have an 11-band subwoofer equalizer that requires painstaking setup. Small variations in the setting for one band affect the nearby ranges. Introduction of a second subwoofer system makes the equalizer setup problematic. I'm not saying it can't be done, but other than the Stygian bass I am skeptical about the net benefit.
 

es347

VIP/Donor & WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
1,577
35
970
Midwest fly over state..
Hi

This one came to mind. I suppose that for the budget one could haggle some and get some discount so I am supposing a modest 10% discount here to shoehorn a very small good and aesthetically pleasing sub.

Von Shweikert VR-4a ------------------------------------------ $14,000
TacT Audio 2150 SDM -----------------------------------------$4250
Cables (Belden or Canare)-------------------------------------$500
JL Audio JL 113 Subwoofer --------------------------------------$2800

With the 10% discount you remain under the budget. I cheated some but I had to shoehorn, the JL Audio here, not as capable as the Seaton's submersible but very much smaller and prettier .. Later buy a second one and even a third.. Yes, even for 2-ch more subs provide BETTER not only, more, bass .. Again BETTER , like in smoother, more accurate, room filling and realistic bass.. not the bombast of explosions, simply better low (100 Hz and below to give a number) but also upper bass ( 100 Hz to 300Hz) ... This system is full range , like the first from 18 Hz to 20 KHz .. clean accurate and precise ...

Frantz


Frantz,

Not to pick nits but Von Shweikert VR-4a is actually VR4 SR MkIIIs. May perhaps be the best speaker in that price range...good choice.
 

FrantzM

Member Sponsor & WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
6,455
29
405
Jay_S

This needs to be discussed in another thread. There has been very interesting theoretical works on the value of more subs , even in a Full range speakers. It is easier than it sounds but requires measurements. Simply accomplished with a PC and a microphone or with the lowly , calibrated Radio Shack SPL meter after correction.. the results are rather surprising... Maybe I should open a thread on the subject .. later ..

Frantz
 

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