2. tech-talk
  3. 1049914742

newbie seeks direction

Hey all....
i'm building a hi-fi system, and would love some input on what directions I should be heading. Not looking for info on what to buy, just what to look for.

My goal:
stereo setup that can be expanded to 5.1 if need be.

my target$$: $5k and under

my likes: I like a big sound stage with pin-point accuracy in the stereo image. I do a lot of ambient recordings with a Soundfield microphone, so dimensional detail is of upmost importance to me.

my use:
I play either normal audio CD's, or 24bit 96kHz recordings off of my PC. This means I'll need an outboard DAC for those high-res recordings. I would love to find a single box that would do it all (a combo pre/amp/DAC). If there is something like this in the 2-3k range, please recomend brands/models so I can do the research.

So far, i've demoed a pair of Martin Logan Ascent speakers and they blew me away.
My buddy has a nice system consisting of a philips DVD 1000 (or something like that) > conrad johnoson pre > mccmormick DNA amp > vanderstein 2ce signiture series speakers. I like what I hear at his house, but I liked the Logans better. Those were coming off of B&K gear.

Next up is a pair of Sonus Faber Concherto home monitors w/a Rel sub. The retailer told me "I think you'll like this", but it's got a lot to go up against. I fell in love with that ML's right away. I'm told that monitors are better for imaging than towers...but i'm still buzzing from those Logans!

Any way, any insight or help would be appreciated. I know that within this price range things become much more of a prefference in sound. Some like chocolate vs. vanilla..etc.
128x128nickspicks

Showing 1 response by fefer77

fefer77
37 posts
 
I really like Martin Logans too. Planar speakers have a particular presentation that, I think, makes them very interesting. The Ascents (at retail) would consume most of your budget. Like most better speakers the Logans are very revealing of upsteam components, so getting them to sound their best usually means more expense. The other issue is speaker matching for a 5.1 system down the road. It's difficult to blend electrostatics with a dynamic center and surrounds. ML center and surrounds with the electronics to support them could be costly.

You might want to listen to Maggies. They sound different than the Logans but are planar. They have a center and surrounds that are pretty cool - the surrounds fold flat to the wall when not in use. Maggies are less costly but usually need a high power amp to sound best. Check their website. Loren.
More to discover