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Audiophile GAF

Maiden Voyage

Gold™ Member
I don't think Schiit has ever done a sale before. B-Stock only.
zfxXA40.png


 
Yeah, so Yamaha enclosures safely made it into the carpenter workshop. They have professional only stain, so it's not available in retail at all for regular person.

Really good stuff apparently from google. I think it's German pro varnish. Solvent-based linseed oil stain with a very long workable time for an ideal application on large areas.

Fingers crossed. He checked the veneer and its does not react with solvent so it's natural wood veneer for sure, 1mm thickness to 2mm thickness. Not much work to be done on those, besides tarnishing, he said it should get the job done. Only one corner needs filling. Now all I can do is wait for the final result.

Linseed oil should pop the grain quite a bit. From what I've read.

And since it solvent-based it should be quite strong stain for sure.
 
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V1LÆM

Gold Member
i'm not really an audiophile but i do have a question.

i've always used an equalizer when listening to music either through headphones, crappy speakers on a laptop, or speakers plugged into my desktop. i don't have any high end equipment by any means so in a way i can understand using an equalizer to try improve the sound on low quality speakers/earphones. if you have a high end set up do people (audiophiles) still use an equalizer when listening to music? is it a big NO to use one or are they used but just to "clean up" or "fix" some small things in the audio? lol i don't really know what i'm talking about so i hope it makes sense what i'm asking.

it's just that the equalizer on my PC is bugging out so i've stopped using it. in some ways it sounds better. i'd describe it as "cleaner" or "clearer" but i'm disappointed that the bass isn't as strong as i'm used to. the bass i get now isn't bad it still has a bit of punch to it but not as booming. maybe that's where i've went wrong? that not all bass is meant to be over the top?

just curious. i suppose it's a divisive question because again i can understand why someone would want to use an EQ but at the same time i can imagine some people would not want to interfere with the audio that the artist intended listeners to hear.
 

Maiden Voyage

Gold™ Member
Yeah, so Yamaha enclosures safely made it into the carpenter workshop. They have professional only stain, so it's not available in retail at all for regular person.

Really good stuff apparently from google. I think it's German pro varnish. Solvent-based linseed oil stain with a very long workable time for an ideal application on large areas.

Fingers crossed. He checked the veneer and its does not react with solvent so it's natural wood veneer for sure, 1mm thickness to 2mm thickness. Not much work to be done on those, besides tarnishing, he said it should get the job done. Only one corner needs filling. Now all I can do is wait for the final result.

Linseed oil should pop the grain quite a bit. From what I've read.

And since it solvent-based it should be quite strong stain for sure.
Post pics when it's done please!

i'm not really an audiophile but i do have a question.

i've always used an equalizer when listening to music either through headphones, crappy speakers on a laptop, or speakers plugged into my desktop. i don't have any high end equipment by any means so in a way i can understand using an equalizer to try improve the sound on low quality speakers/earphones. if you have a high end set up do people (audiophiles) still use an equalizer when listening to music? is it a big NO to use one or are they used but just to "clean up" or "fix" some small things in the audio? lol i don't really know what i'm talking about so i hope it makes sense what i'm asking.

Hey man, your question makes perfect sense. I can't speak to the high-end crowd (though I would guess they probably avoid EQ altogether but who really knows?). I use a hardware-based EQ for work because I can't install software. I rarely EQ music, as I like to hear the default sound on the equipment. I would absolutely have no issue EQ'ing in general and honestly would absolutely do it to make the sound signature more enjoyable on any gear I found lacking. I've read a few posts about the DT 1990 Pro headphones having too high of a response rate in the higher frequencies. This doesn't bother me personally, but if it did, I would use EQ to modify.

You can get into a whole debate about hardware vs software EQ I imagine. I don't have a preference either way.

it's just that the equalizer on my PC is bugging out so i've stopped using it. in some ways it sounds better. i'd describe it as "cleaner" or "clearer" but i'm disappointed that the bass isn't as strong as i'm used to. the bass i get now isn't bad it still has a bit of punch to it but not as booming. maybe that's where i've went wrong? that not all bass is meant to be over the top?
Bass response preferences will wildly vary from person to person, genre-to-genre. I prefer clear bass over muddy bass. I feel like most general consumer-oriented gear winds up with far too muddy bass for me.

If you want more bass without needing to buy new gear, I would try different EQ software to start. After that, you can either replace parts of your gear or introduce a hardware EQ, like the Schiit Loki Mini+ (current on sale on the b-stock page). It only has 4 bands, but for me it's enough to do the job.

If you're listening on a 2-channel set-up instead of headphones, I would add in a subwoofer to increase bass frequency response. If it's headphones, I'd either swap for new cans or throw in an EQ that works.

just curious. i suppose it's a divisive question because again i can understand why someone would want to use an EQ but at the same time i can imagine some people would not want to interfere with the audio that the artist intended listeners to hear.
It's only divisive to a small crowd IMO and I wouldn't worry too much about it particularly.

My only other point with EQ, is that I listen to far too many genres and sounds to have 1 fiat EQ setting for each scenario. If I was more anal retentive I would probably create a specific EQ by album, which I think is possible with Apple Music but not sure about other streamers or media players. I'm just not that picky to actually do it, though I recall doing just that back in the day with Winamp.
 

Con_Z_ǝdʇ

Live from NeoGAF, it's Friday Night!
i'm not really an audiophile but i do have a question.

i've always used an equalizer when listening to music either through headphones, crappy speakers on a laptop, or speakers plugged into my desktop. i don't have any high end equipment by any means so in a way i can understand using an equalizer to try improve the sound on low quality speakers/earphones. if you have a high end set up do people (audiophiles) still use an equalizer when listening to music? is it a big NO to use one or are they used but just to "clean up" or "fix" some small things in the audio? lol i don't really know what i'm talking about so i hope it makes sense what i'm asking.

it's just that the equalizer on my PC is bugging out so i've stopped using it. in some ways it sounds better. i'd describe it as "cleaner" or "clearer" but i'm disappointed that the bass isn't as strong as i'm used to. the bass i get now isn't bad it still has a bit of punch to it but not as booming. maybe that's where i've went wrong? that not all bass is meant to be over the top?

just curious. i suppose it's a divisive question because again i can understand why someone would want to use an EQ but at the same time i can imagine some people would not want to interfere with the audio that the artist intended listeners to hear.
I mean the better the equipment you use and the better the sound gets the more unlike it is that you will have to use an equalizer for enhancing the sound.

But there are still many reasons to use one, even with high end equipment.

There isn't the perfect headphone for example and all have their pros and cons. Once i reached a certain point in clarity through the equipment i used some favorite songs of mine became unbearable through a bad mixdown or recording. Although i prefare a perfectly mixed song and usualy leave it like that, sometimes you feel for more bass or mids. Depends on the mood.

There sure are many reasons to tune the frequency response.
 
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Maiden Voyage

Gold™ Member
Although i prefare a perfectly mixed song and usualy leave it like that, sometimes you feel for more bass or mids. Depends on the mood.
Great point here too. What you want to hear will vary depending on your mood. Hell, a head cold can make anything sound like a layer of petroleum jelly is applied.

With anything audio related, keep your ears open and go with what you believe to sound better.
 

V1LÆM

Gold Member
thanks for the answers :)

i forgot to add that my speakers have a bass + treble dial. so i guess i'm not listening to completely flat audio. i have my bass up to about 90-95% and i actually think it sounds better if i turn down my treble from to 40%. before my bass was about the same maybe lower and my treble was probably around 55-60%. even with my bass up that high i still wish it went a bit higher.

i've tried looking for different software equalizers but can't seem to find them. i'm on linux so yeah... and it's PulseEffects that's broken for me which seems to be the go to solution. i might look into hardware equalizers though even if it's something cheap just to build ontop of what my speakers have.
 
i'm not really an audiophile but i do have a question.

i've always used an equalizer when listening to music either through headphones, crappy speakers on a laptop, or speakers plugged into my desktop. i don't have any high end equipment by any means so in a way i can understand using an equalizer to try improve the sound on low quality speakers/earphones. if you have a high end set up do people (audiophiles) still use an equalizer when listening to music? is it a big NO to use one or are they used but just to "clean up" or "fix" some small things in the audio? lol i don't really know what i'm talking about so i hope it makes sense what i'm asking.

it's just that the equalizer on my PC is bugging out so i've stopped using it. in some ways it sounds better. i'd describe it as "cleaner" or "clearer" but i'm disappointed that the bass isn't as strong as i'm used to. the bass i get now isn't bad it still has a bit of punch to it but not as booming. maybe that's where i've went wrong? that not all bass is meant to be over the top?

just curious. i suppose it's a divisive question because again i can understand why someone would want to use an EQ but at the same time i can imagine some people would not want to interfere with the audio that the artist intended listeners to hear.
For me, I use the EQ on my integrated amplifier that is the bass and treble knobs, they can add up up to 10dB of bass and trebles in the audio signal- obviously it depends, some amps have smaller or even larger boost.

The loudness feature can add up another 10dB in bass and trebles it's a feature for low listening volumes. Basically when it really late but you want to hear the bass at low levels it's used for it. It was never intended to be used at higher volumes but its not like it has automatic shutdown or anything. It just makes a nice V shaped characteristics. So depends on a person, I guess.

Although I use my amp without it.

I have never used software EQ or even hardware EQ. While listening on my amplifier. The system is that good. Vintage stereo is really awesome 👌.

I use one on my phone an headphones since its built in Apple Music app, but if I hear the sound is a bit off I turn it off and usually I'm right that it sometimes does more harm than good.

Generally it depends on a system and preferences.

There was I think 10-15 years ago a special plugin for Winamp and Foobar2000, generally a large software digital sound processor. Izotope Ozone it was called, I think. But I don't really feel the need to buy it or use it. It wasn't free. Besides I mostly stream music now on PC and phone from Apple Music and Tidal. I haven't used any music player in a long time.

Anyways, its that simple my amp drives my headphones really well. My phone not so much so I don't see why not use it here and there- but not everything sounds good while using it.

No real objections here why not to use it on lower spec hardware. There are too many factors, everything has pros and cons, I guess.
 
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OZ9000

Banned
I need to buy speaker cables which I'll be setting up in my office and living room - where I'll put 5.1 speakers and an AV receiver.

Is there any difference in sound quality between 1.5mm and 2.5mm speaker cable? The longest run will be about 5-6m (rear speakers).
 
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Barneyco

Member
I need to buy speaker cables which I'll be setting up in my office and living room - where I'll put 5.1 speakers and an AV receiver.

Is there any difference in sound quality between 1.5mm and 2.5mm speaker cable? The longest run will be about 5-6m (rear speakers).
I usually use 14 gauge wire for the speakers. I don't know what size that is in mm. You can find 100 ft. rolls for around $20. Good luck and enjoy. Edit- 14 gauge is equal to 1.6mm.
 
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dorkimoe

Member
I got some Audioengine a2+ earlier this year and I’ve just had small issues ever since. Little rattling or cracking in my left speaker. I’m looking to get a DAC and headphones. I have no idea where to start, just want something good for gaming. I do not care or believe in lossless mp3 lol so don’t need sold on that.
what’s a good dac and gaming headset with mic?
 
I need to buy speaker cables which I'll be setting up in my office and living room - where I'll put 5.1 speakers and an AV receiver.

Is there any difference in sound quality between 1.5mm and 2.5mm speaker cable? The longest run will be about 5-6m (rear speakers).
I think you wont notice the difference between 1.5 or 2.5mm cable. Just make sure you buy ofc wire. Not audiophile brands, just regular ofc wire from some cable maker company. Can't get more pure copper than that. Other than that, I think it's purely placebo.

The audiophile brands are mostly overpriced because of the external isolations/jackets, its crazy.

Good luck!
 

Maiden Voyage

Gold™ Member
I got some Audioengine a2+ earlier this year and I’ve just had small issues ever since. Little rattling or cracking in my left speaker. I’m looking to get a DAC and headphones. I have no idea where to start, just want something good for gaming. I do not care or believe in lossless mp3 lol so don’t need sold on that.
what’s a good dac and gaming headset with mic?

There’s a lot of options. Like too many to list. These below I would consider good enough for 80% of people. The headphones can be swapped with anything. The DAC/AMP combo too. Schiit has a better one for $100 more. Lots of other quality manufacturers as well.

$109 DAC / AMP

$79 Headset
 

dorkimoe

Member
There’s a lot of options. Like too many to list. These below I would consider good enough for 80% of people. The headphones can be swapped with anything. The DAC/AMP combo too. Schiit has a better one for $100 more. Lots of other quality manufacturers as well.

$109 DAC / AMP

$79 Headset
Perfect all I need to know!
 

dorkimoe

Member
There’s a lot of options. Like too many to list. These below I would consider good enough for 80% of people. The headphones can be swapped with anything. The DAC/AMP combo too. Schiit has a better one for $100 more. Lots of other quality manufacturers as well.

$109 DAC / AMP

$79 Headset
Actually. I may go with the next tier up for 199, And would my Audioengines hook to this and sound better? If not any recommendation for replacement speakers that’ll work with the dac?
 
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Maiden Voyage

Gold™ Member
Actually. I may go with the next tier up for 199, And would my Audioengines hook to this and sound better? If not any recommendation for replacement speakers that’ll work with the dac?
This nor the upgrade would power your speakers. I assume the speakers have their own power cord right now? If so, you’re fine. If not, you’ll need to amplify them if they are not already. These devices would then not be relevant.

Most likely you won’t get an audible difference just from a DAC. Some claim to be able to hear the difference. I’ve never just swapped out a DAC before so I have no opinion on it.
 

chigstoke

Member
Decided to take advantage on Black Friday with Drops price drop to $179 on the 6XX’s. Couldn’t resist at that price, now awaiting delivery to the UK.

It was a choice between them or the Hifiman Sundara’s, and it was a tough one. But I currently use the 400i 2020 with Oratory EQ, so I wanted to finally give Sennheiser a crack of the whip and see why the 650 is so widely revered. It’ll be used with the Zen V2 for now. Side note, that 400i EQ bought some of my albums to life (I recommend Liminal Rite - Kardashev, sounds fantastic).

Meanwhile the turntable (SL-QD33) is hooked to a Pro-Ject phono box and Pre Sonus E4.5. It’s not hugely high end setup by any stretch of the imagination, but I enjoy it.

The fidelio x2 got relegated to being used with my PS5, but it’s gaming performance is not to be understated. I’ll then use XM3’s when I’m downstairs or in a busier environment while I want to listen to music.
 

OZ9000

Banned
I usually use 14 gauge wire for the speakers. I don't know what size that is in mm. You can find 100 ft. rolls for around $20. Good luck and enjoy. Edit- 14 gauge is equal to 1.6mm.

I think you wont notice the difference between 1.5 or 2.5mm cable. Just make sure you buy ofc wire. Not audiophile brands, just regular ofc wire from some cable maker company. Can't get more pure copper than that. Other than that, I think it's purely placebo.

The audiophile brands are mostly overpriced because of the external isolations/jackets, its crazy.

Good luck!
I decided to buy this - was informed better to buy CL2 rated if I'm planning to run cables through the floorboard and walls.

Monoprice 2 Conductor Speaker Wire/Cable - 76.2M (250ft) 14 Gauge AWG, CL2 Rated, Fire Safety In Wall Rated, Jacketed In White PVC Material 99.9% Oxygen-Free Pure Bare Copper - Access Series https://amzn.eu/d/h1jNufJ

I presume this should be good enough?
 

Maiden Voyage

Gold™ Member
I decided to buy this - was informed better to buy CL2 rated if I'm planning to run cables through the floorboard and walls.

Monoprice 2 Conductor Speaker Wire/Cable - 76.2M (250ft) 14 Gauge AWG, CL2 Rated, Fire Safety In Wall Rated, Jacketed In White PVC Material 99.9% Oxygen-Free Pure Bare Copper - Access Series https://amzn.eu/d/h1jNufJ

I presume this should be good enough?
Looks good here.
 

Barneyco

Member
I decided to buy this - was informed better to buy CL2 rated if I'm planning to run cables through the floorboard and walls.

Monoprice 2 Conductor Speaker Wire/Cable - 76.2M (250ft) 14 Gauge AWG, CL2 Rated, Fire Safety In Wall Rated, Jacketed In White PVC Material 99.9% Oxygen-Free Pure Bare Copper - Access Series https://amzn.eu/d/h1jNufJ

I presume this should be good enough?
That wire looks great. Now I'm going to have to upgrade to that. Thanks for the link. I buy hdmi cables from Monoprice.
Happy Pumped Up GIF by Universal Pictures Home Entertainment
 

dorkimoe

Member
This nor the upgrade would power your speakers. I assume the speakers have their own power cord right now? If so, you’re fine. If not, you’ll need to amplify them if they are not already. These devices would then not be relevant.

Most likely you won’t get an audible difference just from a DAC. Some claim to be able to hear the difference. I’ve never just swapped out a DAC before so I have no opinion on it.
Yeah own power cord. Ok I’ll just use the Dac for the headphones then. Just saw the dac requires it’s own power booo.

Assume it’s just usbc to usb pc?
Then 3.5 into the dac?
Thanks for your help
 
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Maiden Voyage

Gold™ Member
Yeah own power cord. Ok I’ll just use the Dac for the headphones then. Just saw the dac requires it’s own power booo.

Assume it’s just usbc to usb pc?
Then 3.5 into the dac?
Thanks for your help
Depends on the DAC itself. I power mine over the same usb connection. You can power independently or with usb as well. Only major down side with Schiit is the connection type is micro usb. But you plug it in and never touch it again so who cares.

I assume you’ve already got RCA cables to go from the DAC to the speakers?
 

dorkimoe

Member
Depends on the DAC itself. I power mine over the same usb connection. You can power independently or with usb as well. Only major down side with Schiit is the connection type is micro usb. But you plug it in and never touch it again so who cares.

I assume you’ve already got RCA cables to go from the DAC to the speakers?
I was watching a YouTube video it said you had to use an ac power adapter And couldn’t power from pc. It said the new model is usb c.
i don’t have any cables yet for the speakers they are hooked usb to pc now


i can build my own pc and network server but audio has always confused me lol
 
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Maiden Voyage

Gold™ Member
I was watching a YouTube video it said you had to use an ac power adapter And couldn’t power from pc. It said the new model is usb c.
i don’t have any cables yet for the speakers they are hooked usb to pc now


i can build my own pc and network server but audio has always confused me lol
I should have read your original post more clearly. The headphone question gets a bit more complicated now that I've actually looked at those speakers. There is no headphone amplification or even port there. You can buy headphones that don't require an amplifier and just plug those into your computer directly, which bypasses the need for anything external.

What are you hoping to achieve with the external DAC? Most likely the one in the A2+ is enough and I doubt you'd hear any difference.

The Hel needs wall socket power to get amplification to your headphones. The DAC itself can be powered by the computer via usb but the amp cannot.

edit: Are you in the US?
 
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dorkimoe

Member
I should have read your original post more clearly. The headphone question gets a bit more complicated now that I've actually looked at those speakers. There is no headphone amplification or even port there. You can buy headphones that don't require an amplifier and just plug those into your computer directly, which bypasses the need for anything external.

What are you hoping to achieve with the external DAC? Most likely the one in the A2+ is enough and I doubt you'd hear any difference.

The Hel needs wall socket power to get amplification to your headphones. The DAC itself can be powered by the computer via usb but the amp cannot.

edit: Are you in the US?
Yeah in the US. Was just trying to get some better sound ingame etc. But if the DAC is overkill and I just need the gaming headphones and my speakers are fine then ok.

I do like that headset that you linked though.
 
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Maiden Voyage

Gold™ Member
Yeah in the US. Was just trying to get some better sound ingame etc. But if the DAC is overkill and I just need the gaming headphones and my speakers are fine then ok.

I do like that headset that you linked though.
Yeah, I’d start with headphones. You’ll probably need a headphone amplifier if you get non-gaming oriented ones. Those Senns I linked shouldn’t need an amp.
 

Rentahamster

Rodent Whores
I finally figured out that the source of the humming to my new speakers was because I was sending an electrical signal to them straight from my PC which was causing some kind of interference. I changed it to optical out and the noise is gone. Yay me.
 

murmulis

Member
Back in the day I would have to buy:
1. Receiver
2. Amplifier (And maybe a separate amplifier for subwoofer)
3. A bunch of speakers and a subwoofer.
And then connect it all with a bunch of cables. (Running cables to rear speakers would be a pain).

But now - just buy a soundbar and a subwoofer. That's it. The only cables that you need now are power cables.
 

Maiden Voyage

Gold™ Member
Back in the day I would have to buy:
1. Receiver
2. Amplifier (And maybe a separate amplifier for subwoofer)
3. A bunch of speakers and a subwoofer.
And then connect it all with a bunch of cables. (Running cables to rear speakers would be a pain).

But now - just buy a soundbar and a subwoofer. That's it. The only cables that you need now are power cables.

Soundbar?
No Way Beer GIF by Busch



If I was going to get an all-in-one, I would go for this and get a sub:
 
I decided to buy this - was informed better to buy CL2 rated if I'm planning to run cables through the floorboard and walls.

Monoprice 2 Conductor Speaker Wire/Cable - 76.2M (250ft) 14 Gauge AWG, CL2 Rated, Fire Safety In Wall Rated, Jacketed In White PVC Material 99.9% Oxygen-Free Pure Bare Copper - Access Series https://amzn.eu/d/h1jNufJ

I presume this should be good enough?
More than enough. Just check if its really ofc with a knife. Scratch it a bit. See if they arent any changes in the colour of the copper or god forbid if its just alu covered with copper. Some sellers can scam you unfortunately. But this simple test will reveal everything 👌.

I use Polish cables made by TechnoKabel company, they do not slap any audiophile prices on wires so they are quite nice. There is also a spec sheet available on their site for OFC loudspeaker cable and from what I've seen, the specs are the same as much more expensive for audio brands. The only difference are external jackets.

Melodica/Melodika, Polish audiophile cable brand gets real crazy with those for example.

dBbsQUF.jpg

Apparently the solid copper wire is for improved bass response. I call this an absolute bull.

BRs89OV.png

Another Melodika cable each strand of copper has their own jacket.

Specs are always the same. So you're just paying more for more jackets 🤔. I would want to use my money elsewhere tbh. Because it will not make a difference, that's not how it works. But to each their own. I have a friend who is listening to cables. I do not.

True OFC wires from TechnoKabel, they passed the scratch test.

emuSl4z.jpg

1.5mm I resoldered directly on my crossovers. Because I thought about it and it didn't make sense to just slap OFC wires as signal cables, what about what's inside too.

tUixmoN.jpg
07HPDr7.jpg
RXYLvu2.jpg


2.5mm signal cable from amplifier directly to loudspeakers terminal

fHOIhCB.jpg
8mwf0kN.jpg


Right now I'm deep into repairing my Saba front panels on original closed enclosures. Just some quick and cheap repairs.

ACjb1EB.jpg

The foil veneer decided to crap out and it started to piss me off to the highest motivation levels of do it your self.




0WUObrA.jpg

Tarnishing.
frOv5Xm.jpg

First layer of paint.

r6lj3wk.jpg

Second layer. Will try to finnish it today. This is a quick repair only, they will get new enclosures after the Yammies.

I already spoke with graphic designer in my work to redo the original stickers too. With the logo and stuff. Will order 8 sets, 4 on original black background and I was wondering about 4 on clear background if the new enclosures will be made with natural veneer and stained, even the fronts, the stickers would look cool on clear backgrounds. But that's a topic for another day, I guess.
 
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Time for a coffee and then second layer on second loudspeaker.

I changed a roller because it was getting stuck- I thought I was doing something wrong with applying too much pressure or smth- just my luck, I guess. Then semi matte varnish and I will see how well that turns out.

RlyqsBY.jpg
 

Maiden Voyage

Gold™ Member
What would you buy if you only had $500 to spend?
Starting from nothing or do have existing gear?

This costs 3 times more than my soundbar.
I’m willing to put money into my system. I don’t care about movies or tv, just music. My use case is probably not the same as yours. But I would still never get a sound at even if it’s for casual use. You can find active speakers that are pretty solid in the $500 or less category.
 

Maiden Voyage

Gold™ Member
From nothing. Living room setup. Was asked by a friend but I dunno what to tell him. Everything I have are hand-me-downs from other people. Casual use for mostly TV and vidya gaems.
Ahh okay. I’m in office today but I’ll do some digging. I’d aim for $300-400 on speakers and the rest on a receiver. The receiver side is probably more tricky if he has specific needs.
 

Rentahamster

Rodent Whores
Ahh okay. I’m in office today but I’ll do some digging. I’d aim for $300-400 on speakers and the rest on a receiver. The receiver side is probably more tricky if he has specific needs.
I don't think a receiver is needed much, given the use case. If anything, it would confuse him more than help lol. Don't feel like you need to do a bunch of research. I might as well just send him some wirecutter articles and call it good lol.
 
What would you buy if you only had $500 to spend?
My friend uses KODA HARMONY K-2000B mk 1 + Yamaha A-S501 and its a nice set up. Maybe second hand setup like this would close up in $500. Dunno how cheap it is abroad.

K-2000B MKII is being selled in Poland new for like $160

Q1wrX95.jpg
kgDl0oU.jpg

They have BR at the back. It could play fairly nice at this price point 👌.

Please note that I know MK1 only from sound signature, and MK2 is a different loudspeaker. But MK1 do wonders for such a small size. Heard them and I was impressed.
 
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KODA HARMONY K-2000B mk 1 similar price point when they were new as new mk2, they are 10 years old model. My friend has those, if anyones wondering about build

Cbxp8Nn.jpg
svrCejM.jpg
8qGtlcx.jpg
JklXc7l.jpg
165ro4r.jpg
aoPE7Ql.jpg
knPODBW.jpg

Edit: Polipropylen (mk2 has kevlar) cone on bass unit, foil mpt capacitors on crossovers so all are within 5% tolerance of capacitance and will not dry out over the years, so it will always be within specs. EDIT: correction Taga Harmony is Polish distributor. Guangzhou KODA Electronics Co.,Ltd is full name of the maker or those loudspeakers.

Apparently price to quality ratio is insane. Dunno if they are making any serious money on those units. It's fairly low priced tbh.

And this is the one I always heard. And its a nice unit.

Yamaha A-S501 is also a nice unit, 9-10 years old so fairly new. Comparable to my vintage Yamaha A-960II. All Yamaha amplifiers have adjustable loudness feature. From what I googled you can buy used one for like $380-385. Your friend could squeeze it into $500 budget, I think.
 
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hollams

Gold Member
I treated myself and bought an Anthem AVM90 and it's awesome. I've only owned Denon receivers for the last 15 years and this is a major step up which it should be since its 3 to 4 times the cost. Music is amazing, it's like the band is actually in my room, especially acoustic guitars. Last night I sat and listened to music for 3 hours and had a smile on my face the whole time.

It also made my Atmos setup come alive like never before as the separation between the channels is so much better which makes every sound cleaner and distinct. The bass is also tighter so I'm really impressed with their Arc Genesis calibration software which is much better than Audyssey.
 

OZ9000

Banned
5.1.2 and discrete seems incompatible to me. I'm not a surround guy though.

What's the size of your room and what's your budget? Are you in the US or another country? Primary use? Music, movies, games, etc.?
My office is approx 2.3M x 3.4M
From the UK
For games and music.

In the living room I have these speakers:

They sound great for movies and games. Crap for music though - the sound from the speakers just sounds tinny. However when I purchased them I had absolutely no idea about speakers etc. Got them because they reviewed well and looked nice.
 
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