The $2500 System Challenge-

Andre Marc · Dec 13, 2012

Taking a poll on what you would recommend for a system cost NO MORE than $2500 ALL inclusive.

One catch..it has to be products you have heard.

Here are my picks:

Amplifier:
Marantz PM5004: $450

Source:
Assuming you have your CDs ripped to hard drive-
Squeezebox Touch: $275
Musical Fidelity V-DAC II: $350

Or

CD Player:
Marantz CD5004: $350

Speakers:
Boston Acoustics M25: $800
Stands: $50

Cables:
Interconnect:
DH Labs White Lightening: $60
Speaker:
DH Labs T-14: $150
Power Cord for Amplifier:
Element Cable Element Cord: $60
Power Cord for CD Player:
Element Cable Red Storm: $75

Digital: (if file based system)
DH Labs/Audioquest/Kimber: $50

Total with DAC option:
$2300

Total with CD player option:
$2000

jap · Dec 13, 2012

FYI- the Squeezebox Touch has been discontinued.

Andre Marc · Dec 13, 2012

jap said:
FYI- the Squeezebox Touch has been discontinued.

Yep. But there is plenty of stock available...

HedgeHog · Dec 13, 2012

Andre Marc said:
Yep. But there is plenty of stock available...

Where? All the ones I see are $400+.

WLVCA · Dec 14, 2012

My 2 channel system is close - some items purchased used.

Emotiva UPA-1 Monoblocks - $600

Emotiva USP-1 Preamp - $300

Yulong Sabre D18 Dac - $575 (used)

Emotiva X-Ref 10 Subwoofer - $450

Tyler Acoustics Reference Monitors - $800 (used)

Total - $2,725

...and I think it sounds pretty darn good!

Hope I am not asked to leave the What's Best forum.

Andre Marc · Dec 14, 2012

WLVCA said:
My 2 channel system is close - some items purchased used.

Emotiva UPA-1 Monoblocks - $600

Emotiva USP-1 Preamp - $300

Yulong Sabre D18 Dac - $575 (used)

Emotiva X-Ref 10 Subwoofer - $450

Tyler Acoustics Reference Monitors - $800 (used)

Total - $2,725

...and I think it sounds pretty darn good!

Hope I am not asked to leave the What's Best forum.

Very nice. No, you won't be asked to leave..it is much harder to put together a $2500 system that sounds good than a $25,000 system IMO.

NorthStar · Dec 14, 2012

Source: Oppo BDP-103 ($499)

Integrated amp: Lots of good ones for $999. ...But lets go for: Exposure 2010S ($1,495)

Loudspeakers: Lots of good ones for $999/pair. ...But lets go for: DALI Zensor 1 ($475/pair)

* Speaker wires and interconnects come with the deal (free). ...And speaker stands; you can build your own (free).

> Total: $2,469 (below budget) :b

_____________________

OR:

Source: Same as above.

Loudspeakers: Audioengine 5+ ($399/pair) and inside the left speaker there is a 50Wpc dual class-AB monolithic amplifier +++.

> Total cost: $898 ...And same deal as above for wires and stands. ...Way below budget. :b

_____________________

OR:

Source: Same as above.

Speakers: Monitor Audio Silver RX6 ($1,250/pair)

Integrated amp: TEAC CR-H500NT ($599)

> Total cost: $2,348 (below budget) :b

______________

EDIT: I just caught the catch! Oh well.

treitz3 · Dec 14, 2012

WLVCA said:
My 2 channel system is close - some items purchased used.

Emotiva UPA-1 Monoblocks - $600

Emotiva USP-1 Preamp - $300

Yulong Sabre D18 Dac - $575 (used)

Emotiva X-Ref 10 Subwoofer - $450

Tyler Acoustics Reference Monitors - $800 (used)

Total - $2,725

...and I think it sounds pretty darn good!

Hope I am not asked to leave the What's Best forum.

No, we aren't going to ask you to leave the WBF.

You got a pair of TA Reference monitors for 800 bones? That's a pretty smokin' deal if I say so myself. I'm very familiar with those speakers and I can tell you with complete certainty that the imaging is very coherent and palpable with those speakers. Many folks voted them the "best of show" at an audio event a couple of years back. BTW, if you ever meet or talk to Ty you will be surprised at how down to Earth and nice he is.

Tom

Andre Marc · Dec 14, 2012

NorthStar said:
Source: Oppo BDP-103 ($499)

Integrated amp: Lots of good ones for $999. ...But lets go for: Exposure 2010S ($1,495)

Loudspeakers: Lots of good ones for $999/pair. ...But lets go for: DALI Zensor 1 ($475/pair)

* Speaker wires and interconnects come with the deal (free). ...And speaker stands; you can build your own (free).

> Total: $2,469 (below budget) :b

_____________________

OR:

Source: Same as above.

Loudspeakers: Audioengine 5+ ($399/pair) and inside the left speaker there is a 50Wpc dual class-AB monolithic amplifier +++.

> Total cost: $898 ...And same deal as above for wires and stands. ...Way below budget. :b

_____________________

OR:

Source: Same as above.

Speakers: Monitor Audio Silver RX6 ($1,250/pair)

Integrated amp: TEAC CR-H500NT ($599)

> Total cost: $2,348 (below budget) :b

______________

EDIT: I just caught the catch! Oh well.

Dali and Exposure...nice! The Oppo is a great choice for source too.

Andre Marc · Dec 14, 2012

HedgeHog said:
Where? All the ones I see are $400+.

I own two...if their is price gouging then I would sub a Sonos for the SBT.

WLVCA · Dec 14, 2012

treitz3 said:
No, we aren't going to ask you to leave the WBF. You got a pair of TA Reference monitors for 800 bones? That's a pretty smokin' deal if I say so myself. I'm very familiar with those speakers and I can tell you with complete certainty that the imaging is very coherent and palpable with those speakers. Many folks voted them the "best of show" at an audio event a couple of years back. BTW, if you ever meet or talk to Ty you will be surprised at how down to Earth and nice he is.

Tom

You are right about Ty.

When I bought the Reference Monitors (from a private seller) I spoke to him and he was very helpful even though he didn't benefit from the sale. He even sent me a pair of jumper cables gratis.

I was so impressed with the speakers and with Ty that I just bought a pair of his Decade D4M's and a Decade center for my family room home theater system. The Decades are very nice speakers, too.

mojave · Dec 14, 2012

I have these items, but don't listen to it like this. It comes in at around the required price and plays flat to 20 Hz in my room at levels exceeding any I need.

Laptop - $300
JRiver Media Center - $50
Tascam US122MKII - $50 (black Friday sale at Musician's Friend)
Sampson SX-1200 amplifier - $200 used
GR-Research LS-6 Line Source Speakers - $2000
Kimble Kable 4TC speaker cables - $80 (used)
Total = $2680

If I was to help someone with a new system for a small two channel room I might get the following system (but I haven't listened to the speakers or DAC). It is completely balanced and uses active monitors. It can playback CD or DVD directly from the disc or ripped to the hard drive. It is also capable of DSD playback. It can be controlled with the Gizmo (Android tablet/phone) or JRemote (ipad/iphone) apps with JRiver.

If you purchase Blu-ray software or AnyDVD HD ($120), then you can also playback Blu-ray concerts. If only used with stored media, then I would substitute C.A.P.S v3 Topanga for $645 in place of the ASRock. Yes, the speakers are third in regards to cost.

ASRock Vision HT mini computer- $680
JRiver Media Center - $50
Mytek Digital Stereo192-DSD - $1595
Emotiva Pro airmotiv6 speakers - $579
Blue Jeans Cables pair of 10' XLR cables - $72
Total=$2976

Phelonious Ponk · Dec 14, 2012

OK...I spent every dime, but I got digital room calibration, so I think that's fair. Could drop below budget without it, but with just one sub, it'll be nice to have.

JBL LSR 4326P $1100 pr
JBL LSR4312SP $1000 (sub)
TC Electronics BMC2 480
$2580

Plug your computer full of lossless files into the DAC/Monitor controller and scare the beejezus out of your high end friends.

Tim

Andre Marc · Dec 14, 2012

mojave said:
I have these items, but don't listen to it like this. It comes in at around the required price and plays flat to 20 Hz in my room at levels exceeding any I need.

Laptop - $300
JRiver Media Center - $50
Tascam US122MKII - $50 (black Friday sale at Musician's Friend)
Sampson SX-1200 amplifier - $200 used
GR-Research LS-6 Line Source Speakers - $2000
Kimble Kable 4TC speaker cables - $80 (used)
Total = $2680

If I was to help someone with a new system for a small two channel room I might get the following system (but I haven't listened to the speakers or DAC). It is completely balanced and uses active monitors. It can playback CD or DVD directly from the disc or ripped to the hard drive. It is also capable of DSD playback. It can be controlled with the Gizmo (Android tablet/phone) or JRemote (ipad/iphone) apps with JRiver.

If you purchase Blu-ray software or AnyDVD HD ($120), then you can also playback Blu-ray concerts. If only used with stored media, then I would substitute C.A.P.S v3 Topanga for $645 in place of the ASRock. Yes, the speakers are third in regards to cost.

ASRock Vision HT mini computer- $680
JRiver Media Center - $50
Mytek Digital Stereo192-DSD - $1595
Emotiva Pro airmotiv6 speakers - $579
Blue Jeans Cables pair of 10' XLR cables - $72
Total=$2976

Very nice and interesting picks.

Andre Marc · Dec 14, 2012

Phelonious Ponk said:
OK...I spent every dime, but I got digital room calibration, so I think that's fair. Could drop below budget without it, but with just one sub, it'll be nice to have.

JBL LSR 4326P $1100 pr
JBL LSR4312SP $1000 (sub)
TC Electronics BMC2 480
$2580

Plug your computer full of lossless files into the DAC/Monitor controller and scare the beejezus out of your high end friends.

Tim

I am rethinking my picks. I just about convinced that a preamp/DAC and active speakers are the way to go.

Old Listener · Dec 14, 2012

I have some of the things in suggested systems: TC Electronics BMC-2 (used to be $ 300), Audioengine A5 and JRiver software. I'm happy with all of them.

Phelonious Ponk said:
JBL LSR 4326P $1100 pr
JBL LSR4312SP $1000 (sub)
TC Electronics BMC2 480

You're being wasteful, Tim.

The JBL monitors and sub have digital inputs (and remote volume control) so you can skip the BMC-2 DAC.

Spend $ 50 on JRiver MC and $ 30 on 2 digital cables from monoprice.com and use the rest on buying music. Or buy a cheap laptop if you need one.

Bill

Andre Marc · Dec 14, 2012

Old Listener said:
I have some of the things in suggested systems: TC Electronics BMC-2 (used to be $ 300), Audioengine A5 and JRiver software. I'm happy with all of them.

You're being wasteful, Tim.

The JBL monitors and sub have digital inputs (and remote volume control) so you can skip the BMC-2 DAC.

Spend $ 50 on JRiver MC and $ 30 on 2 digital cables from monoprice.com and use the rest on buying music. Or buy a cheap laptop if you need one.

Bill

Can the BMC-2 handle up to 192 Khz on all inputs? The JBL's?

Andre Marc · Dec 14, 2012

Old Listener said:
I have some of the things in suggested systems: TC Electronics BMC-2 (used to be $ 300), Audioengine A5 and JRiver software. I'm happy with all of them.

You're being wasteful, Tim.

The JBL monitors and sub have digital inputs (and remote volume control) so you can skip the BMC-2 DAC.

Spend $ 50 on JRiver MC and $ 30 on 2 digital cables from monoprice.com and use the rest on buying music. Or buy a cheap laptop if you need one.

Bill

Also, is there remote control on the BMC-2?

LL21 · Dec 14, 2012

2nd hand

Celestion SL6si ($300)
CJ PFR ($750)
Forte 4 ($750)
Oppo 83SE ($500)
AQ Cables ($250)

Break the budget for 'full range' sound: Velodyne HGS10: $800

NorthStar · Dec 14, 2012

-- Andre, you mentioned 'active speakers'; I totally agree with that.
You have the matching amp with your speakers, all integrated in one.

You just need your favorite source(s) now.

That is why you can assemble a nice stereo sound system for under a thou. ...And be very happy.
{My first post in this thread mentioned one of them such systems; Audioengine 5+ ...}

The $2500 System Challenge-

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