Apartment Dweller's Paradise - The Ideal 2 ch. system?

I've been thinking about this issue in part for my desktop system. I built my own 2-way monitors, but the little digital amp I bought is seriously underpowered, plus it's really inconvenient to switch cables for headphones vs. speakers.

So I'm bidding on e-bay for a Parasound Zpre and Zamp. With luck I'll spend around $200 for both, and end up with a 45w/ch rig. The Zpre may be overkill, but I have a logitech touch that is gathering dust. Would be nice to have music here that didn't require the PC to be on.

Also noted, the latest Zpre has a dedicated sub-woofer output. Pretty sweet for a high-end mini sat/sub system.

Best,

E

I've really enjoyed desktop with Quad 12L2, Yamaha a-s500 integrated. Halide HD DAC. Onkyo a-9555 too

I agree that unit size is an important factor for most apartment dwellers. As is combining functions into an integrated plus sources or an all-in-one unit to save space and wiring. Perhaps half size units from Cyrus, Bel Canto, or TEAC would work. Of these, the British-made Cyrus is my clear favorite. Unfortunately, distribution is spotty in the U.S. 

April Music offers the Aura Note 2, an unusual desktop all-in-one unit with a Class D 125-watt integrated amp, top-loading CD player, FM tuner, and a host of digital inputs. Was a Stereophile Class A product just a couple of years ago. Saves hassle and cost of cables. Just need speaker cables and a USB cable for digital input. and an optical digital cable. 

And a longtime audiophile favorite just got a major upgrade: the Rega Brio R integrated with phono preamp. But no digital inputs. Mates beautifully with the Rega Apollo R top-loading CD player. Both half-size units.

ClairAudient makes two bookshelf/desktop speakers using single drivers that sound extraordinarily well in small or nearfield. environments. The ONE and the slightly larger V2 1+1.

For floorstanders, I would audition the Totem Arros and the OHM Microwalsh speakers.

I am not a fan of wireless speakers, so I am not the person to recommend. 

@erik_squires said:  "I'm waiting on someone to bring up small, horn loaded speakers."

I have a reasonable, 3- or 4-way "hybrid" (or partial) horn system in a small apartment in Brooklyn with a 12' x 12' (with 9' ceiling) living room:

Altec 3000G (with integrated horn) tweeter

Altec 804A 1" compression driver on Edgarhorn 650Hz Tractrix horn

Altec 414Z 12" woofer in modern Altec 614 cabinet

Cain & Cain Bailey subwoofer

At the moment, I amplify all three Altec drivers (including mid-bass unit) with a Type 45-based single-ended power amplifier.  And with this, I use a homebrew passive crossover.  (The subwoofer has an integral plate amp and its own crossover network.)  This is pretty far from ideal, though, for someone like me with so little crossover understanding.  So, I'm in the process of converting to a more sophisticated configuration with an active digital crossover with a separate power amp on each driver pair or "frequency unit."  This will allow for lots of crossover experimentation; improved bass quality (by using a more powerful, perhaps solid state, amp on mid-bass); and time alignment, equalization, and room correction.

Of course, with these speakers and two racks full of tube gear and a large turntable, the system (at least visually) dominates the room -- which may not be to everyone's taste.  That said, it all fits neatly on one 12' wall, and (happily/strangely) appeals to my fiancee.  (She's a designer and completely unpredictable when it comes to aesthetics.  I got lucky on this one!)

I used to use (and still have) a pair of Cain & Cain Abbys, which might work for a similar apartment-dweller.  Although almost 6' tall, they have a tiny footprint.  And they were made (by a simple driver swap) in two versions, including "nearfield," which allows for a very close listening position.  As Voigt Pipes, these are in the horn family, I guess -- or at least not too far removed -- so I figured I'd mention.

Anyway!  Lots of ways to do this, as all of the excellent posts above prove...

There is always a pr of Sennheiser HD headphones and an Woo or Pangea headphone amp .
In my bedroom I have a pr of HD 650’s driven by a Pangea HD 201
which uses one 12AX7, using an Amprex Holland on mine ,
NAD 565BEE as source
All bought used except the Pagea , I have less than a grand in it and truth be told, it sounds so good it would be my only system were I a young man just starting out in Audio .
I would use the money I spent on my other system(s) to either buy a new
Mercedes 550 or make a nice donation To "Save the Children Fund " .

I never really liked " phones but I was surprised how quickly I adjusted to them when I actually spent time required to adjust !