$1130 system for a musician, please :


What integrated amplifier and what speakers should I look for?
I won't need more than 60-65W (I mean for how big is my room)
I WILL need imaging, clarity, natural sound and as analytical as posible, BUT NOT fatiguing. I would like to be aerial.

It will be used for auditioning classical: especially piano, drums, vocals and large orchestras.

My priorities: 1. mids to be very well reproduced
and 2. Equally highs and lows (I won't like to be overexposed the lows over highs - as is the current mode)

I would prefer to be new products as long as I am parelel with electronics, but I am open to suggestions for used products too.

Thank you very very much

A timid musician
radumf717
I would look at Underwoodhifi.com at Soliloquy speakers and an integrated Jolida integrated - you will have a very musical midrange and most likely an even treble and bass response with that speaker matchup... should be able to be within your budget with even a new integrated perhaps...
Also, if you give Walter you budget you are working with at Underwoodhifi.com he will give you an honest opinion within you range whether he sells it or not. IF you have doubts, read his feedback...

Good luck on your search.
Ascend Acoustics CBM-170 are $328 shipped. Very clear, dynamic and analytical. These speakers would cost $1,000+ if they had wood veneer and were sold by a brick and mortar dealer. Less harsh than pro studio monitors IMHO but they are still very precise.
I would suggest a used Arcam integrated to sofetn them up a bit. That will go for about $500-600 used. I used a $189 [www.harmanaudio]Harmon Kardon HK 3470[/url] 110 wpc receiver with excellent sound considering the cost. With the HK 3470, highs had some "artificial sheen" violins get a bit rough / bass could use the sub outs and get a powered subwoofer if that is important.
Thank you very much everyone.

Unfortunatelly I don't like NAD neither Panasonic.

Also I don't like NHT, PSB or Athena.

Anu other opinions?

Thank you
It's never easy to make recommendations without knowing exactly what the person who has paid the compliment of asking has actually heard.

NHT has been making speakers for some time, and PSB has too, so there are a lot of models on the market from these two makers alone, if you consider buying second-hand. They are not all bad. Perhaps you have heard some models in unsuccessful combinations.

IMHO there are some very interesting recommendations here. They strike me as coming from the horse's mouth : that is, the posters have heard what they are talking about. In turn, that gives you a lot to explore.

A wise audiophile once told me that the pleasure of audio was not in having wonderful music through great equipment. It is having wonderful music through great equipment *at bargain prices*.

It takes a long time and a lot of experience to build up the knowledge required to make the right decisions. I'm happy to share the little I know, and more important, I'm very lucky to have access to so much hard-won experience from others who know more than I do.

Perhaps you have not yet heard the kind of sound you would one day like to have. I think this is an essential part of the process. After you have this experience, you can listen to cheaper equipment and decide which of its weaknesses you can accept, and which you cannot live with. You are also able to state more clearly just what you are looking for.

No matter whether the suggestions here are gold or dross to you, in the last analysis you will have to make up your mind with your ears.
radum -- give some thought to Audiokinesis suggestions. If you use acoustic instruments, you'll like either system. You'll also like the Reynauds Metralla mentioned above.