Equipment Recommendations - The Home For New System and Upgrade Advice

[AnthonyI]

I’d like to stay in the $200-400 range

If you want to stay at the lower end I would go with the recommended Onkyo, if you want to take it to the top of your budget I would recommend the NAD - C 316BEE v2. I'm pretty sure a few members picked up this NAD and have been very happy with it, maybe they can chime in

 

[HiFi Guy]

I’d like to stay in the $200-400 range

I'd stretch the extra $11 and get this. I would not be concerned that it's refurbished. I once bought a refurbished CD player on a deal that gave years of service. You need an outboard phono stage though.

NAD C326BEE

 

[folsom_lives]

I'd stretch the extra $11 and get this. I would not be concerned that it's refurbished. I once bought a refurbished CD player on a deal that gave years of service. You need an outboard phono stage though.

NAD C326BEE

This is where I got my NAD. Still sounding great. The jump from the Onkyo to the NAD was worth it and then some.

 

[Thackeraye]

A friend is looking to get a cheap active system. They are thinking about the Audio Technica Lp-60 plus a set of speakers - Amazon UK has ones by a brand called Edifer, which have the benefit of having Bluetooth as well. This isn’t an area I know much about, but can they get better alternatives? Budget is probably £150 per item?

 

[HiFi Guy]

A friend is looking to get a cheap active system. They are thinking about the Audio Technica Lp-60 plus a set of speakers - Amazon UK has ones by a brand called Edifer, which have the benefit of having Bluetooth as well. This isn’t an area I know much about, but can they get better alternatives? Budget is probably £150 per item?

How about a Fluance RT-80 and some powered speakers? Yes, the LP60 is less expensive but I really hate that thing.

 

[displayname]

the LP60 is less expensive but I really hate that thing.

I'll second that. It was my first record player, and it went back within the return period and I upgraded.

 

[Kris]

I second that the NAD 326BEE was a big step up from the Onkyo. I’d have no qualms getting a refurbished one.

 

[Dylanfan253]

Thanks for the additional input I meant simply plugging in the cables when using, not having both amps and cables all connected at the same time

 

[HiFi Guy]

Thanks for the additional input I meant simply plugging in the cables when using, not having both amps and cables all connected at the same time

This works then.

 

[bdm105]

I think for the time being my system is officially in a good place. Fluance rt-85, VPI 16.5 ordered. A grado black if I ever feel like changing things up. Maybe in 6 months to a year I'll start thinking about changing the speakers or receiver but I have 0 complaints at the moment. Feels weird buying a cleaning machine that costs more than the turn table though

 

[debianlinux]

Feels weird buying a cleaning machine that costs more than the turn table though

if you are doing it right you have far more in the vinyl itself. My cartridge cost more than my table too.

 

[trickyseven]

I'd stretch the extra $11 and get this. I would not be concerned that it's refurbished. I once bought a refurbished CD player on a deal that gave years of service. You need an outboard phono stage though.

NAD C326BEE

Is this still the best move if I have a bad phono stage? I don't even know the name of it, it was a $20 amazon purchase when I started (I'm not at home so I can't check).

Long story short we're moving and I'm going to have a dedicated listening space in our new place (yay), which means I need a new amp to get my audio out of my home theater system. I was originally planning to get the Nad 316 and use the phono stage on that. At the same time I was going to upgrade my cart to a grado gold. Table is an orbit and speakers are Elac B6 2.0 with blue Jean cables.

Not sure if having the phono be the weak link is ideal given how important it is. Not sure I can do phono, amp, and cart together, probably just two of the three for now.

 

[HiFi Guy]

Is this still the best move if I have a bad phono stage? I don't even know the name of it, it was a $20 amazon purchase when I started (I'm not at home so I can't check).

Long story short we're moving and I'm going to have a dedicated listening space in our new place (yay), which means I need a new amp to get my audio out of my home theater system. I was originally planning to get the Nad 316 and use the phono stage on that. At the same time I was going to upgrade my cart to a grado gold. Table is an orbit and speakers are Elac B6 2.0 with blue Jean cables.

Not sure if having the phono be the weak link is ideal given how important it is. Not sure I can do phono, amp, and cart together, probably just two of the three for now.

Either NAD is a good choice. The phono stage does make a big difference though. Even something like a Schitt Mani ($129) is a good choice now that they've addressed the RFI issue.

And while I love my Grado Gold2, keep in mind that Audio Technica has introduced a new value series of cartridges. You can get the VM95EN with a nude mounted elliptical stylus for $119 or the VM95ML with a nude MicroLine stylus for $169. Either are real bargains.

 

[bdm105]

if you are doing it right you have far more in the vinyl itself. My cartridge cost more than my table too.

Oh yeah the amount of records is the reason it took so long to buy the VPI

 

[trickyseven]

Either NAD is a good choice. The phono stage does make a big difference though. Even something like a Schitt Mani ($129) is a good choice now that they've addressed the RFI issue.

And while I love my Grado Gold2, keep in mind that Audio Technica has introduced a new value series of cartridges. You can get the VM95EN with a nude mounted elliptical stylus for $119 or the VM95ML with a nude MicroLine stylus for $169. Either are real bargains.

I've got some homework to do! Schiit fixed the rfi problem finally? That was always a concern, even though I don't live in a big city.

 

[HiFi Guy]

I've got some homework to do! Schiit fixed the rfi problem finally? That was always a concern, even though I don't live in a big city.

Also keep in mind if you want the Grado sound, you can get a Blue2 for $110 from Galen Carol.

Galen Carol Audio

 

[Thackeraye]

How about a Fluance RT-80 and some powered speakers? Yes, the LP60 is less expensive but I really hate that thing.

Thanks! Will pass that over to them.

 

[ChristoBee]

Very very impressed by the visual quality and finition level of those 2 x 3m speakers cables from Dynavox (Germany, Dynavox 207298 Perfect Sound) for 40€ shipped from Amazon.

If they sound as good as they look, I'm looking forward to received my new speakers & amp.

 

[HiFi Guy]

I've got some homework to do! Schiit fixed the rfi problem finally? That was always a concern, even though I don't live in a big city.

Yes they finally fixed it. You could reduce your cartridge budget to nearly allow for the Schiit.

Also, the A/T bodies are all the same in that series- you can upgrade the cartridge just with a stylus change. With the Grado, you could upgrade to the 8MZ stylus down the road.

 

[Vinyl&Kicks86]

@HiFi Guy what do you think about this receiver?i have one in storage fully functional and in nice condition just needs a little cleaning.
https://classicreceivers.com/jvc-jr-s600-mark-ii