2. speakers
  3. 1324922174

Want to enhance my Audio system, need suggestions

I am a budget audio guy and currently have following two systems. My room size is 17ft x 14 ft x 8ft and I sit roughly ten feet from speakers.

System1: Harbeth P3ESR + Exposure 2010S2 + Oppo dvd player (this system is used for good quality recorded material)

System2: Tekton 4.5single driver monitors + Dayens Ampino/Miniwatt N3 + DacMagic + Oppo dvd player (mostly used for poorly recorded material and movies)

And I am planning to change the above to either of the following combinations.

Combination1:
System1: Harbeth P3ESR/Usher Be-718 monitors + Exposure 2010S2 + Oppo dvd player (placing the speakers on TV table, roughly 4 ft apart. If this sounds too bad then I don’t mind leaving them on stands)
System2: Omega Super6 XRS/Hoyt-Bedford Type2 floor standers + Dayens Ampino/Miniwatt N3 + DacMagic + Oppo dvd player

Combination2:
System1: Omega Super6/Hoyt-Bedford Type1 monitors + Dayens Ampino/Miniwatt N3 + DacMagic + Oppo (placing the speakers on to TV table, roughly 4 ft apart)
System2: Usher Dancer Mini 1/V 602/ProAc D-18 floor standers + Exposure 2010S2 + Oppo player

Which of the above combinations you guys would recommend. Ideally I want to have one of my systems with good midrange and other system with big and punchy sound.

I mostly listen to Rock, blues, East Asian (Indian) instrumental and East Asian (Indian) songs from 50s, 60s and 70s. All the East Asian material is very poorly recorded and I can’t change that fact nor I can change my music tastes just because of the recording quality!

I know that I should audition myself to see which one suits my requirements. But for above combinations, there is little scope for auditioning where I live.
Any suggestions and comments are highly welcome!
rktxyz

Showing 15 responses by rktxyz

rktxyz OP
23 posts
 
@Inna: I agree i do need to change my CD player. I am in the process of getting a better one. Thought about buying Vinyl. But me sitting in US cant do much about getting old Vinyl Indian recordings.
rktxyz OP
23 posts
 
@Kbarkamian and Kevvwill: Thanks for the excellent inputs. I will try to go thru the sources provided to optmize my speaker placement and extract more out of my system. I live in a rented apt. So room treatments i would consider as last option.

I love the sound from my Harbeths. Exposure amp and Harbeth combo is overall doing good. But i feel like i need a second system for big, and punchy sound. I listen to music at very moderate levels. But I never heard big speakers in my apt setup. So i am thingking of trying floor standers like Proac D-18 or Usher Mini Dancer One.
rktxyz OP
23 posts
 
This is what i will do. First i will get a decent CD player and then try to optmize my Harbeth based system to possible extent. After that also if i crave for a big and punchy sound then i will consider getting floor standers.
rktxyz OP
23 posts
 
@Inna: Currently i have wooden stands. Not the greatest ones. But as my Harbeht monitors are very light, i didnt bother to change them.
rktxyz OP
23 posts
 
@Alfa100: I can see what you are saying. In fact for almost 5 hrs i had one system only. Then i assembled second cheap single driver based system for bedroom. Realized i am not using it there and moved it into hall.

As i am an apt dweller and with all the ambient noise etc i never bothered to optimize my system to audiophile standards! But now a days i am speding more time listening to it and thought i should improve it. That's the reason for posting.

While we are at this: would you guys recommend me getting rid of both of my systems completely and starting from scratch and building a simple but very musical system?
rktxyz OP
23 posts
 
@Kbarkamian: Dont get me wrong! I do like my Harbeth + Exposure combination. Particualry for my Bob Dylan and Neil Young Collection i love this combo.

Before Harbeth's, at various times, i did use Yamaha, Usher S-520 and Spendor S3/5R speakers. Harbeths are the most i liked. But some times i do little bit miss lively sound of Yamaha's and Usher's (if this makes any sense). But no way i am a bass fanatic.

But looking at all the comments and suggestions, it seems everyone is suggesting to keep my Harbeth + Exposure combo. If i want to add a nice CD player, which one you would recommend (please remember i am a budget audio guy!)
rktxyz OP
23 posts
 
@Inna: I agree with you. Considering the fact that i live in 3rd floor apt, people living below my apt won't appreaiciate loud and thumping music ;-)

My first hifi speakes were Yamaha speakers with a nice Yamaha stereo reciever. That time i bought wooden stands from best buy (the best they have got!). They are okay, but not solidly built.

Currently i use small isolation pads between my speakers and stands. In terms of source and stands i certainly need to imrove the things.

Any suggestions on CD players?
rktxyz OP
23 posts
 
A new year revealation!
Just for fun, today evening i have connected following components together and it pleasantly surpised me!

HarbethP3ESR + Dayens Ampino + Dac Magic + Oppo 981 HD

I thought Ampino wont be able to drive Harbeths. It drove Harbeths without any difficultty and the sound was magical! First time i have holographic sound effect in my system. Tomorrow i will experiment little bit more to find is it due to Ampino+DacMagic or something else.
rktxyz OP
23 posts
 
@Ebm and @Tabl10s: Not sure what you guys are trying to tell me!
rktxyz OP
23 posts
 
@Alfa100 and others: my budget for CD player is around 500 bucks
rktxyz OP
23 posts
 
@Kbarkamian, Steady339, Roscoeiii and Inna: I am ruling out Sub option as i dont want to get into trying to match sub with the speakers etc.

But i am definitely open to getting a decent DAC. Earlier i did buy CambrdigeAudio DacMagic, but results are less than what i expected (minor improvement only). So guys please suggest me some nice DACs as well as CD players.
rktxyz OP
23 posts
 
@Steady339: Thanks a lot for the info on EE MiniMax. I will check that Dac. Currently i dont have any FLAC files. All my audio collection is only in CD format. Also i need to do a little bit more reasearch on DACs to understand sonic virtues of different DACs and technical features.
rktxyz OP
23 posts
 
@Extravaganza: I have started looking at CD players and DACs. I am little bit worried buying used CD players. But if a slighly older model comes up a decent price then i couild consider it.
rktxyz OP
23 posts
 
@Kbarkamian and @Inna: Rega Apollo at my price is definitely attractive proposition. I will check that out.
If needed i may sell my DacMagic and get a decent CD player or DAC.

What about buying a Oppo 83SE or Oppo 95. How does it compare against proffesional CD players from Rega etc?
rktxyz OP
23 posts
 
guys...thanks a lot for suggesting to improve my CD player. I have yet to buy a decent CD player or DAC. But by making minor changes to existing system, i can see what you guys are saying.

For time being i kept aside my exposure amp and currently using my Harbeths with Ampino (or Miniwatt) + Dacmagic. When used with Ampino treble extension is too good and sound is holographic. When used with Miniwatt voices are magical and my Indian music is sounding really good! Seems afterall Dacmagic is not that bad!
More to discover