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Recommendations for HiFi Listening Room

Newbie here.  Wife and I are looking to turn our Great Room into a listening room.  It’s roughly 21’X’19 and has a cathedral ceiling that is 11’ tall at the wall and 20’ tall at the apex.  Spoke to a good hifi dealer in the area who made the following recommendations/proposal and I’m curious if this group may have any input for getting maximum bang for my buck.  Basically, with a budget around 35k (or thereabouts) would you buy something similar or are there any components you’d add or swap out?

Paradigm Persona 3F

McIntosh MA8950

Pro-Ject Xtension 9 w/ Ortofon Black Cartridge 

Sony ES DSD Music Server (this one concerns me a touch in that it appears to be an 8 yr old product line).

Thanks so much in advance for your collective expertise.  My wife isn’t going to let me drop money into this for another 15 years so I need to get it right the first time. 

If it matters, our musical taste is quite varied: classical, jazz, classic rock, alternative, hip hop.  My mother complained in my youth that if i had 10 bucks I would just buy a CD with it.  She is still right. 

128x128brewerslaw

Showing 1 response by gdnrbob

gdnrbob
4,419 posts
 

+2 for Vandersteen Quatro's.

+1 for Magnepan

Don't forget Sound Lab, if you like planar speakers.

 

I would like to add my 2 cents/piece of advice-

When I started out in the 80's, there were lots of dealers in the NY area and I could listen to lots of speakers/systems. I had to put all this on hold, as I was trying to make a career (yup, in Gardening/Horticulture- not the most lucrative of fields).

When I finally got some discretionary income, I remembered the Vandersteen's and how great they sounded (Mind you, this was the Model 2). I was pleased that he was still in business, and even came out with newer models.

I got a pair of 3a sigs, which were great, but lucked into a pair of Treo's. The difference was significant-more refined would be the best descriptor. If I had the more physical space to house them, I would get the Quatro's in a heart beat. But, I make do with the Treo's and Sub 3's.

 

So, long story short, I hope you can find time to audition as many speakers as possible so that you encounter a speaker that engages you-much like the Vandersteen's do for me. Once you get the speaker down, the remaining equipment (and, if necessary room correction) will be a breeze.

Bob

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