Amp + Speakers for pure music listening. [Budget: 30-40k]

[rohitmusic]

Dear Friends,
Warm Greeting!

I need to setup an Hifi music system and need your expert advice for same.

Requirements:
==========
Musical Tastes: Instrumental, semi-classical, basically soft and light music, occasionally pop. (Artists like Bryan A, Air supply, Hariharan, ARR and the likes just to give an idea.) Love listening to live concerts and enjoy hearing to finer instrumental details. Relaxing music and sometimes active listening.

Location: Pune
Budget: 30-40k Max
Room size: Approx 10x7 feet.

Researched till now:
===============
- Have gone through this useful and active forum & checked out some reviews
- Checking out some review sites. Need your expert advice before I demo any systems.
- I have some names in my mind for Amp and speakers based on reading I have done till now, but would rather like to start from a clean slate and get your expert opinions Am open to any make/brand of equipment as far as it "speaks"(sounds) for itself

As per above details can you please advice:
1) Amplifier?
2) Speakers?

Also as a hint please suggest where I can demo equipment in Pune.
Some shops I know are (based on some threads on this forum): AvXellence, Aquarios, SoundFactor and soundscape.

Please kindly advice!

Thx & Best Regards,
Rohit

 

[rohitmusic]

It would be really nice if you could recommend a speaker + Amp combination that works well.

Sound quality and clarity is of priority. Especially I love to hear the individual instruments being separated out and clearly audible.
(I do hear to Bollywood music and mostly Sufi.)

I have read some reviews on whathifi and the top recommendations there are KEF Q300 and Monitor Bronze BX2.
I have visited soundscape(Pune) and he recommended Marantz 5004 Amp - the only am I have heard till now. He did not have the above speakers though, so could not demo.

Please suggest some Speaker + Amp combination. I plan to do my purchase soon.

Also may consider preowned equipment if it is REALLY worth the sound quality.

Quick replies would help speed up my buying which I am really excited about! :yahoo:

Cheers!

 

[musicbee]

At your budget either...
1. Wharfedale + Norge.
2. Better BS like KEF Q300 or Usher S520 with Norge or Topping TP20 (lots of threads on this forum).
3. Used equipment (check out for sale by owner thread on this forum).

If you can increase the budget then KEF Q300 + Yamaha AS500 should deliver good value.

 

[Flash]

Wharfedale10.1 / 10.2 + Norge would be a good match.
However due to Wharf warm nature. I feel you may miss out on crucial detail considering your top priority is Finer instrument detail. However do audition them.

KEF Q300 would be right up your alley very detailed. However I do forsee a problem 10x7 is a small room and the Q300 would be overkill and may overload your room with bass.

Look at the Q100 the smaller sibling from the KEF Q family. for your smallish room. I think it would be perfect. same sonic signature as the Q300 with the same UniQ tweeter. however smaller driver with less bass than the Q300. but in your room should fit the bill perfectly.

Usher S520 is a brilliant little speaker and very detailed. I have heard them with a Topping T20 amp and the sound blew me away.

Amps.
Look at the Norge 2060, Marantz PM5004, Yamaha AS 300, Cambridge Audio 350A,

So my opinion is Q100 , Usher S520 , B&W 686, Quad 11L2, Wharf 10.1 also look at the Norge Millenium Bookshelves. Norge uses Wavecor drivers which are pretty decent.

you can audition the Quads , Wharf 10.1 and Paradigm at Aquarius,
Mission, B&W, JBL etc at Sound factor
Avxellence has a lot of different brands to audition

 

[Flash]

Since your listening position would be pretty close to the speakers .
Seriously look at Nearfield Active monitors.
You wont need an amp as they are built into it and should provide you with the best possible sound. Very very detailed and true to source
Since you have a decent budget and a small room. Active monitors will sound better than probably most Bookshelf + Amp combos at the same price band.

 

[magma]

why not buy this offered right here on the forum
Quad 11L Active Speakers
i would seriously advice people to consider this with 50k budgets
No headache of amp matching,speaker cables etc
No space required for an external amp
its a good product that sounds good too

one step above this would be Genelec for 70k budgets

 

[hifipal4all]

Check out the Tannoy M4 floor-standers (25-28K) and a pre-owned or a brand new NAD amplifier (C352/C355BEE) depending on your budget.

Speaker cables: Chord Carnival silver screen speaker cables (approx Rs.360/- per metre)
Interconnects: Chord Crimson (Rs.2500/-).

 

[spirovious]

Why not think of Genelec active monitors?They can come for 40k.
http://www.hifivision.com/av-lounge...elec-studio-monitors-demo-mahim-mumbai-7.html
You may need to add SW later though.

 

[avidyarthy]

For your room size of 10' x 7', nothing would be better other than the below:

- Amp: Topping TP 20 (@ 4K)
- Speakers: JBL Control 1 (@ 7.5k)
- Source: CD player (ex. Marantz @ 18k) or DVD player (ex. Pioneer @ 4K)

Go through the Topping thread in the Amp section of the Forum in TOTALITY. No short cuts here. Everything would be crystal clear!

 

[wlg]

DNM spkrs with Pace Amp approx 15K
Good VFM

 

[navin advani]

Norge uses Audax drivers which are pretty decent.

The drivers Norge uses are good but they do not use Audax drivers. They used to use Vifa's TC series but currently use drivers from another manufacturer.

 

[Flash]

The drivers Norge uses are good but they do not use Audax drivers. They used to use Vifa's TC series but currently use drivers from another manufacturer.

Oops. I made a mistake ...... I meant Wavecor drivers.
I was probably thinking about Audax when i wrote the post.
My Bad...
Thanks for pointing it out

 

[rohitmusic]

Dear Friends,
It gives me a great warm community feeling to get help from all of you! Thank you so much for the same!
:clapping:

Thanks Musicbee, Flash, Magma, hifipal4all, spirovious, avidyarthy and wgl!
Each of your inputs educates me and is very valuable.

Musicbee,

Wharf + Norge:
I plan to check out the Wharfdale + Norge combination coming weekend at Aquarios. I have already taked with him yesterday for demoing same So your inputs help support this demo.

Kef Q300/Usher S520 with Norge or Topping TP20:
I have heard lot of rave veriews of KEF Q300 and the Usher. I will be demoing the KEFQ300 at soundscape. They are pairing it with Marantz 5004.
Is this a good amp combination considering you have recommended Norge or Topping?
Also since marantz is on discount on HifiMart will that be a good pair with these speakers especially Kef Q300?
I have been quoted Kef Q300 at 31K. Can I get it at a better price?

Not sure where I can demo a Usher S520 and what would be its pricing?
Again, I would not want to compromise on sound Q just for saving few bucks I am looking it as a long term investment in my musical journey.

Flash:
Thanks for your insightful inputs.
I will try to find and demo these speakers: Q100 , Usher S520 , B&W 686, Quad 11L2, Wharf 10.1, Norge Millenium Bookshelves.

I am seeing that my room size (10x7) is a constraint. So now I have decided to setup the system in my living room size (10'x16'). I will be sitting towards the 16 feet end. So it is a longer room. Room layout below:

Thanks hifipal4all, I will check out the Tanoy MF FS. But as they are FS will they be ok for my room size? (10'x16'). I will keep the interconnects and speaker cables in my notes, will help while buying

Regarding Active speakers, will the be good for the 10x16 room?
All that matters to me is SQ. period. so if they sound better I may as well go for them

avidyarthy, I will check the Topping amp.

wgl, I will check out the DNM speakers.

Thanks to All again, for your are educating me for good! May the music Gods bless you! :thumbsup:

Hoperfully it will help me get closer to music & help understand and enjoy it more! :yahoo:

:signthankspin:
Warm regards,
Rohit

 

[longshanks]

why not buy this offered right here on the forum
Quad 11L Active Speakers
i would seriously advice people to consider this with 50k budgets
No headache of amp matching,speaker cables etc
No space required for an external amp
its a good product that sounds good too

+1 , exactly what i wanted to say.

 

[magma]

+1 , exactly what i wanted to say.

thansk longshanks

actaully i have been wanting to advice this combo for sometime now
i belive it easily surpasses a budget combo like a NAD warfedale or a norge+ whatever

the amp used in the Quads are 100rms per speaker
this gives the speaker serious headroom and will really make use of the drivers to the fullest

 

[spirovious]

DNM spkrs with Pace Amp approx 15K
Good VFM

DNM amp 15k + speakers 9K= 24K.

 

[musicbee]

why not buy this offered right here on the forum
Quad 11L Active Speakers
i would seriously advice people to consider this with 50k budgets
No headache of amp matching,speaker cables etc
No space required for an external amp
its a good product that sounds good too

one step above this would be Genelec for 70k budgets

Have you heard it? Would like to know how it compares to say

KEF Q300, Usher S-520, Usher V-601, MA BX, etc. paired with Norge or even Topping T20. Most combo's (on this forum) with the Topping T20 amp have stellar reviews.

Edit - Also, not sure the Genelec's are available for 70K... more like each speaker is 70K. At least that's what I've been quoted when auditioning Genelecs (BTW they sound great).

 

[magma]

Have you heard it? Would like to know how it compares to say

youve asked me this question before too
please understand i dont advice without hearing things myslef
i rather not advice at all

Edit - Also, not sure the Genelec's are available for 70K... more like each speaker is 70K. At least that's what I've been quoted when auditioning Genelecs (BTW they sound great).

speak to the supermod
i think hes got a deal on the genelecs for members
when we were talking he indicated hes got an active pair from genelec for 70k/pair , he said it sounded as good as his Dyna Audios

 

[musicbee]

youve asked me this question before too
please understand i dont advice without hearing things myslef
i rather not advice at all

Meant no disrespect!

Since you have heard the Quad 11L Active Speakers mind sharing how they sound in comparison to some mainstream 40K systems like Wharfedale, KEF, Usher, etc.

I can consider the Quad 11L Active Speakers for my work den PC (nearfield listening) so would appreciate your thoughts on them.

 

[magma]

for nearfield (Den) listening the Quads would make a nice choice plainly becuase you wont need an extrnal amplifier ( thus you wont need a rack - hence minimising furniture)
there wont be speaker cables running around

what description would you like
the lovely mids,crisp highs blah blah blah is just ...... umm blah blah blah...
Nowadays I refrain from giving descritions like these purely becuase music is subjective

all can say is that for 40-45k it makes terrific sense it many screnarios
i ve not heard the usher so i cant compare

youre not gonna get a decent KEF with a stereo amp within 45 k
so thats out of the window too
in any case even if you do, well a 5inch KEF Iq series with a Denon amp do sound good, the vocals might be better but the Quad will trump it in all other depts

warfedale,norge topping etc
well its gonna walk over a warfedale NAD combo anytime ( purely in my books)