I would keep Dual 709, NAD 3020, add some speakers from late 1970s, and use that system only for music recorded then. Assuming the cartridge is Shure and same vintage. |
OK @mid-fi-crisis , you've answered the questions, so I'll offer my opinion. I have not heard all of the equipment you have to choose from, so take it with a grain of salt. This is just how I would proceed if I had all of that equipment at my disposal.....
Keep the Prima Luna Integrated and build around it. It is a well regarded piece, it's new, so it should be reliable over the near future and it has remote control (a necessity in my opinion).
Add whatever source components you choose. If you like playing vinyl, and your TT is in good working order, add the TT and your phone stage. Use the Node 2i if you want to stream and connect the Music Hall CD player/DAC if you want to play CDs.
For speakers, I would start with the Magnepans and insure they are set-up in the best position possible. I would listen to them for a while, then I would replace them with the IMFs and insure they are set up properly. I would listen for a while, then choose between those 2 speakers. Of course, you could also try the same with the Magnats and the Infinitys, but I don't think they will be as good as the other 2. I own and use Infinity RS1.5s in my main system and I love them. But they are significantly better than your RSe's.
If neither speaker is "doing it" for you, I would consider demo-ing or buying another pair of speakers and doing some due diligence.
With the remaining equipment, I would either sell some of it to free up funds for upgrades to the main system, or I would set up one vintage system in another room. The winner from your list of vintage equipment is, of course, the Pioneer SX1250. Refurbished SX1250s are selling for $2K-$3K or more, so it would be a nice unit to have, or a valuable item to sell to free up funds. The NAD3020 is a nice unit too, if refurbished, but is not worth much, so I would probably keep it as a backup. I would probably just use the Chromcast Audio as the source for the vintage system, or you could swap in the Music Hall CD, or the Dual TT if you desired.
My system is somewhat similar. I use a modern, powerful integrated amp, with vintage speakers. I have a relatively budget TT setup and I have a modern CD/DAC.
Lastly, I would not want to have that much equipment at my disposal. It's overwhelming (to me). Spend a bit of time, choose your favorites and get rid of the rest. If you sell it, you'll have some extra funds for upgrades (if desired).
BTW, I need to take my own advice and sell off a few pieces I have sitting around.....
Good Luck and Enjoy.........
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Dont upgrade embed all of them rightfully in their working dimensions...mechanical, electrical and acoustical....
All other advice is blind consumerism....What you own is already high end audio if you learn how to embed it...
It is NOT necessary to buy the BEST there is....It is necessary to learn how to embed it....
My 500 bucks system make me smile at any upgrade.... why? not because it is the best gear in the world... Because i learned how to install it rightfully in my room...
Only the acoustical working dimension settings for example is more powerful than most upgrading gear, imagine the 3 dimensions together....
But most people wanted the easy way, even if it cost them tons of money, they chose an upgrade and plug it to the wall and call that hi-fi experience... For sure 100,000 bucks speakers and amplifiers could be high fi experience for sure but in the right room...
I live well with my 500 bucks system.... And trust me it does not sound cheap....
I cannot advise you for the best combo but anyway, nevermind the combo, anything that is not very bad design or not synegetically badly married, can produce high fi in the right room....
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Sell it all. Troll in chief.
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thank you Russ. Sorry for my comment.
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"...The only advice that I find worthless is the "sell it all" trolls. I just want some friendly advice..."
They are not trolls, they are suggesting to sell what you have and move up the ladder in one big step. It’s good advice. If it was me, I’d say get a pair of Magnepan 1.7s and a Musical Fidelity integrated to run them. Set up right, you would move up the ladder quite a bit.
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Think you have a very nice combo
Node 2i -> PL Evo 400 (KT 150) -> Maggies .7
And you may want to try an external DAC.
Enjoy it :) |
Ruebent , no phono in PL. Using a project tube box S2 |
@mid-fi-crisis - does your Prima Luna integrated amp have the built-in phono stage? |
When you decide you don’t want the pioneer six-1250, let me know:) |
Ruebent, one best system. The others I don’t mind if synergy is mid-fi. Thanks. It's PL integrated. |
I haven't heard all your stuff but the pioneer and IMF monitors look good. |
@mid-fi-crisis - Are you trying to put together one "best" system? Or are you trying to build multiple different systems for different rooms/locations? What are you going to do with the leftover equipment?
Also, is your Prima Luna the Integrated Amp or a power amp? |
Yes Ruebent all work well. I guess I started along the vintage lines finding pieces here and there. I'm just now at a point where almost no piece was specifically chosen to match any other and I was wondering where to go next. I probably don't aim for hand-in-pants elitism, but am trying to ascertain best combo from what I've got or I could buy one other item if necessary . Yes I can listen, and of course have, but there's a lot of experience out there to consider and that's what forums are for.
The only advice that I find worthless is the "sell it all" trolls. I just want some friendly advice. |
You've got some cool vintage equipment. Is it all working properly? |
I run my Magnepan .7s with a Prima Luna integrated and I can tell you it’s not the very best marriage. I like listening to it but it’s a big notch down from other pairings. Stereophile magazine agrees with me. |
I am not familiar with all the equipment you've listed, but the IMF paired with the Pioneer are vintage gold.
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Why is it that I suspect you really do not want advice, but are testing the community, as though there is some prize for selecting the combo that you think is best. I'm not interested in playing that game; it's a waste of my time. Imo, if you were sincere in seeking guidance, you wouldn't make it a guessing game. :(
What should be obvious to seasoned audiophiles, but is not because they pretend they can tell what outcomes will be, even when they have not set up systems, is that no one can tell you what the ultimately preferred combo will be with all that gear. The fact is, that IF you really wanted to find the ultimate set, you would need to set up all permutations of the gear. That is not practical for most, so people guess at it.
My advice? Even if you did try a majority of permutations, you will not achieve upper end sound with the majority of that gear. You do have enough that you could sell a lot of it and conduct due diligence, trying to hear products, and go for an upper end result, perhaps with two speakers to add variety.
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Keep the Dual and the PL. Sell the rest to buy Koetsu, Herron VTPH2A, Tekton Moabs, Townshend Pods and Podiums, a dozen Schumann generators, and with whatever's left get as much HFT, ECT, PHT and especially TDF as you can.
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Perhaps you could tell us? |
