Englishbob
Well-Known Member
I received the DVD drive today. Plugged it into the laptop which runs into the Schitt and voila!, a cd player. Works like a charm and sounds fine. Not bad for under $10. 
Equipment Recommendations - The Home For New System and Upgrade Advice
- Thread starter Joe Mac
- Start date
MMJ
Member
Anyone have any input on a good second setup? We have a beach house I want to be able to play my vinyl in, but since we are not here full time I’m not looking to go all out. My main set up is a pro-ject carbon, Rega amp, and I honestly forget the speakers (not there right now). Looking to spend about $500-$750 so I’m thinking powered speakers and preamp. Any ideas?
I found Edifier's R1280T on Amazon but seem way too cheap to be good. Anyone have any experience with those?
What about the Fluance turntable and speakers?
I found Edifier's R1280T on Amazon but seem way too cheap to be good. Anyone have any experience with those?
What about the Fluance turntable and speakers?
Amazon.com: Fluance Signature Series HiFi Two-Way Bookshelf Surround Sound Speakers for Home Theater and Music Systems (HFSW): Home Audio & Theater
Amazon.com: Fluance Signature Series HiFi Two-Way Bookshelf Surround Sound Speakers for Home Theater and Music Systems (HFSW): Home Audio & Theater
www.amazon.com
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AnthonyI
Well-Known Member
MMJ
Member
I would also look at an Orbit with the built in Pluto running to a pair of powered speakers. If it's just a "vacation temp system" this will probably run you under $600 depending on the Orbit options and which speakers you pick up, I think either option will do the job
Thanks! Do you think the orbit basic plus the Pluto preamp is better than an audiotechnica 120?
AnthonyI
Well-Known Member
Going with your budget, I would upgrade the Orbit a bit, go with a Grado Black cart, the cue lever and built in pre.........that puts you at $344, add your Fluance speakers and your just under $550...............that I would take over the 120.
Had one, and I loved it, I did go with the acrylic platter.
AnthonyI
Well-Known Member
Actually the Fluance speakers you linked aren't powered. You could go with any of the Audioengine speakers UTurn offers, the Klipsch R-15PM, which I had are nice, but a little more pricey, or take a look at these Edifier R1700BT, they're inexpensive, but sound great. A friend picked them up a week or so ago with a simple set up like what your looking for and I was surprised at how good they sounded, plus they have Bluetooth so you can sink to the speakers with your other devices if your not feeling like spinning
MMJ
Member
Missed that on the Fluance. Thanks, I’ll check out the couple things recommended!Actually the Fluance speakers you linked aren't powered. You could go with any of the Audioengine speakers UTurn offers, the Klipsch R-15PM, which I had are nice, but a little more pricey, or take a look at these Edifier R1700BT, they're inexpensive, but sound great. A friend picked them up a week or so ago with a simple set up like what your looking for and I was surprised at how good they sounded, plus they have Bluetooth so you can sink to the speakers with your other devices if your not feeling like spinning
displayname
Well-Known Member
After a decent amount of hype, the PS Stellar phonostage has arrived. I'll be interested to see what people think of these as they get into the market. At $2500, it has some major conception out there.
I will say, the idea of a Stellar stack including a Powerplant, phonostage and upcoming AN 2 or AN 3 speakers certainly will appeal to a lot of people.
I will say, the idea of a Stellar stack including a Powerplant, phonostage and upcoming AN 2 or AN 3 speakers certainly will appeal to a lot of people.
displayname
Well-Known Member
But will it beat out the Sutherland, that's the burning questions we all want to know, haha.
AnthonyI
Well-Known Member
Given time, there will always be a new "Giant Killer", I've always hated that marketing term, lol. Non the less, it should be interesting to see how this compares to the 20/20.
Joe Mac
Well-Known Member
I also don’t think something costing $2500 from a well know and pretty well respected high end company can be a “giant killer”. Tbh it’s pretty much just another giant joining the party. I will be interested to hear how it sounds, I’ve been very impressed with my ps audio preamp/dac.
displayname
Well-Known Member
That's a fair point.
The whole Stellar line seems be going very well for PS Audio, so I'm glad they used it for their comeback to the vinyl world. I do also enjoy how much they are highlighting their relatively young engineer that designed this piece.
AnthonyI
Well-Known Member
The pre is going to be the one piece that gets me in trouble in the coming year. Not so much that I want to replace my Insight, but what to pick up for the "work in progress" second system, lol. That gives me that "upgrade" loophole, but I really kind of want to keep system 2 in the "Budget" category, although that still leaves room for definition, lol. I have the TT nailed down, so it's just the pre now.
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displayname
Well-Known Member
Go to any dedicated hifi store and ask them to show you a "budget" rig. It'll probably be in the $15-20K range. I think you can do it
AnthonyI
Well-Known Member
There's the problem with that word.....even when it's my "budget" it seems to fluctuate, lolGo to any dedicated hifi store and ask them to show you a "budget" rig. It'll probably be in the $15-20K range. I think you can do it
buchaneb
New Member
Yo - what's up y'all?! Hoping for an amp or amp + DAC recommendation for a vinyl + streaming (Spotify) set-up. Stereo only. I already have a good Phono pre-amp (U-Turn Pluto). Something like a NAD D3020? Budget probably somewhere in the $500 range. I am a bit confused on how DAC's work and what all is required to stream music using your phone. I don't plan on using any stored digital files - pretty much just vinyl and streaming Spotify (via iOS) only. Maybe add a CD player down the line?
Joe Mac
Well-Known Member
I’d leave out the DAC and just get a stereo amplifier. You can get an airport express off eBay, connect it to your amplifier with an RCA cable and send Spotify from iphone to it with airplay.
Apple Airport Express 2nd Generation for sale | eBay
Get the best deals for Apple Airport Express 2nd Generation at eBay.com. We have a great online selection at the lowest prices with Fast & Free shipping on many items!
www.ebay.com
I’ll let other people talk definitively but I know that this NAD gets good press on here and is preferred on here to the 3020
NAD 326
buchaneb
New Member
I’d leave out the DAC and just get a stereo amplifier. You can get an airport express off eBay, connect it to your amplifier with an RCA cable and send Spotify from iphone to it with airplay.
Apple Airport Express 2nd Generation for sale | eBay
Get the best deals for Apple Airport Express 2nd Generation at eBay.com. We have a great online selection at the lowest prices with Fast & Free shipping on many items!www.ebay.com
I’ll let other people talk definitively but I know that this NAD gets good press on here and is preferred on here to the 3020
NAD 326
Cool - thanks! Is the Airport Express known for being a great bargain streamer?
displayname
Well-Known Member
A dedicated streamer really isn't in your budget just yet, and that's ok. BT, airplay, or plugging in via an RCA input will work just fine.
This isn't a technically correct analogy, but it's easy to understand. A DAC is as important as a preamp in the digital chain. It changes the music from data into analogue sound. It's really only in the hifi world that we have them as seperates, but you actually have them built in all over the pace without realizing it. Your phone has one, your computer has one, CD players have them. Anywhere you access a file via disk, usb, streaming, etc, there is a DAC somewhere in the chain. In the audio world we just like to max everything out, and getting a separate DAC can allow for that.
If you ever want to get into dedicated streaming, you can budget a few hundred dollars and build a Rasberry Pi streamer. Beyond that you're looking at about $500 for the entry level Bluesound Node 2i, and on up from there. We've actually got a whole thread dedicated to this stuff: The Dark Side; Digital audio equipment recommendations and setup.
Edit: You can also do a BT dongle, that can later be replaced by a dedicated streamer. The new Aptx is supposed to be a big improvement. Just search "aptx bluetooth adapter"
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