Another piece of advice I gave to my friend is to buy something that has brand recognition. This is not to suggest that lesser known brands are inferior, but I have a feeling that it will take him a few tries before he settles for something he loves. So if he has to sell in the meantime, I don't want him to take a big hit.
Helping a friend build a new system
A good family friend has recently retired and is looking to build a system for his home office. He used to own a nice sound system some 25 years ago but hasn't been actively pursuing the hobby. He was visiting my home a few weeks ago and I guess listening to my system must have inspired him to finally build a new one. He asked me to help set up a new system (new to him, he's willing to buy used). I asked him a bunch of questions to find out what he wants and how much he is willing to spend. His responses are summarized below:
1. Budget -- since he's retired he wants to keep the total system budget to around $7-8K (including cables)
2. Components Needed -- bookshelf speakers, integrated amp, cables. He already has a CD player which would do for now, but he might get into streaming later on. He owns a few hundred CDs.
3. Room size -- around 10x12 with 10 foot ceilings. Fully carpeted with some furniture.
4. Music genres -- jazz, blues, vocals (he's a big fan of Frank Sinatra, Chet Baker, Billy Holiday, etc.), and R&B
5. Listening preferences -- he is looking for an 'intimate' and cozy experience and wants to try tube amps with high sensitivity bookshelf speakers. He mostly listens at a moderate volume and can be sensitive to high frequencies.
He also mentioned that he has some hearing loss since he's in his early 60s and suffers from a mild case of tinnitus. I'm not sure if this plays a role in the choice of components but I thought it's worth mentioning just in case.
I will really appreciate it if you guys can provide some pointers. Please remember that he is retired so $8k is absolutely the max he can do. System synergy is important. And, please no Tekton or class D recommendations. He really wants to try some affordable tube gear as a starting point.
1. Budget -- since he's retired he wants to keep the total system budget to around $7-8K (including cables)
2. Components Needed -- bookshelf speakers, integrated amp, cables. He already has a CD player which would do for now, but he might get into streaming later on. He owns a few hundred CDs.
3. Room size -- around 10x12 with 10 foot ceilings. Fully carpeted with some furniture.
4. Music genres -- jazz, blues, vocals (he's a big fan of Frank Sinatra, Chet Baker, Billy Holiday, etc.), and R&B
5. Listening preferences -- he is looking for an 'intimate' and cozy experience and wants to try tube amps with high sensitivity bookshelf speakers. He mostly listens at a moderate volume and can be sensitive to high frequencies.
He also mentioned that he has some hearing loss since he's in his early 60s and suffers from a mild case of tinnitus. I'm not sure if this plays a role in the choice of components but I thought it's worth mentioning just in case.
I will really appreciate it if you guys can provide some pointers. Please remember that he is retired so $8k is absolutely the max he can do. System synergy is important. And, please no Tekton or class D recommendations. He really wants to try some affordable tube gear as a starting point.
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- 105 posts total
Hello, I recommend Rogue Sphinx integrated amp. It does have a class D back end but has the tube sound. It has two sets of preouts one variable and one not for maybe a headphone amp and subwoofers if he wants. Plus, a built in phono stage along with three other line inputs. Dali Minuet or Totem rain makers. Both have good bass, they are small, and disappear. BlueSound Node or Vault if he wants to rip his cd collection too. Straightwire cables. Change the power cable to the Black Thunder. Very clean, powerful, neutral sounding cables at various prices. Rel T9x or T9i to save a few bucks or JL Audio sub like the D108. The KEF KC62 is good but I have seen it has placement issues. Last but not least is IsoAcoustics. Not cheap but make the system. ZaZen II or three Bordeaux Orea for the Sphinx and Aperta speaker stands. Also, another platform like the ZAZen to handle the turntable. This is going to be $800 to $1000 for the isolation equipment. This store in the Chicagoland area has all of this except for the Totems, but they do have a used REL T9 subwoofer. https://holmaudio.com/They will let him try before he buys. If he can swing it a Puritan PSM136 power conditioner. I should have put this first. The foundation is the most important unless he can run a dedicated line from the panel. |
That sounds like a nice project for you. Your friend is fortunate to have someone like you helping him. I would keep it simple for now. I like the idea of the integrated amp. The CD player is fine but you might show him the advantages of streaming. I have a hundred CDs also but the streaming is so nice and convenient that I use it most of the time. And, I play Spotify songs with my iphone in my pocket when I go fishing. Good luck. |
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- 105 posts total