New stereo/2.1 setup

prozkater

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So before I start, let me just state that I have a Polk R200 connected to Topping E50 + Topping PA5 and they sound good, just not great. I am thinking of getting a new setup for my bedroom and I have shortlisted a few:

Budget : 1 lakh - 1.4 lakh (can stretch slightly)
Preference: Warm lush intimate vocals / excellent MIDRANGE pls, that is on the warmer side with good detail retrieval and enough excitement and punch but not bright or fatiguing.
Source: PC / Tidal /Spotify / Amazon HD/ Apple music / Youtube . I hardly play offline/flac files. I mostly stream, so a forgiving speaker would be nice if possible.
Room: On the larger side, no acoustic treatment. Will be put on a large desk initially, later on stands.

1. Marantz pm7000n - Wharfedale Diamond 12.2

2. Marantz pm6007 - Wharfedale Diamond 12.2 + Sub (Q Acoustics QB12 or some other sub)

( I will be using iFi ZEN ONE SIGNATURE as DAC and to fulfill my bluetooth needs, so I do not care about how better the inbuilt DAC/wireless connectivity of the integrated amp over the other. Keeping this in mind, am I better off with PM6007 as it is much cheaper? Other than the increase in power, will I miss out on sound quality or other things? Do they have same sound signature? )

3. Q Acoustics M20 HD + Q Acoustics QB12 subwoofer
(How is this combo? My worry is that since it has DSP correction inbuilt, connecting to an external dac (ifi zen one signature) would be useless with minimal or no gain?)

4. Marantz pm7000n - Definitive Technology D9 (They have warm sound but are the mids recessed? Does anyone have any experience on these?)

5. Marantz pm7000n/pm6007 - Dali Oberon 3 ?

6. Marantz pm7000n - Wharfedale Evo 4.1/4.2 ? (From what I have read these are not good for busy music and I listen to mostly modern rock/metal/pop/alternative/indie and metal music that are highly processed. I don't listen to jazz classical etc the kind of songs that most audiophiles listen to. )

6. Any other recommendations as per my requirement pls.

Thanks
 
I would highly vote for option number 2 considering your taste.

I have heard Wharfedale Diamond 11.2 for quite some days on my desktop setup, they where paired with Nad 165Bee Pre amp > O&B power amp > Topping e30 > Laptop / Android box
This are beautiful speakers, warm lush and loving mid range, these where bought for a friend. These handle superb low end and can be heard for long hours, the bottom firing port helps which can be placed closed to wall.
But 12.2 have back firing port now, unclear how it will handle on a desktop setup but other sound signature would be typical Wharf territory.
You might not need a subwoofer, QB12 is a superb piece of kit for music if you feel bass is lacking in your setup.

Is your Polk setup in your main room ?

Side note my Desktop speakers are Kef Q150 and I love the signature of KEF too.
 
I would highly vote for option number 2 considering your taste.

I have heard Wharfedale Diamond 11.2 for quite some days on my desktop setup, they where paired with Nad 165Bee Pre amp > O&B power amp > Topping e30 > Laptop / Android box
This are beautiful speakers, warm lush and loving mid range, these where bought for a friend. These handle superb low end and can be heard for long hours, the bottom firing port helps which can be placed closed to wall.
But 12.2 have back firing port now, unclear how it will handle on a desktop setup but other sound signature would be typical Wharf territory.
You might not need a subwoofer, QB12 is a superb piece of kit for music if you feel bass is lacking in your setup.

Is your Polk setup in your main room ?

Side note my Desktop speakers are Kef Q150 and I love the signature of KEF too.
I have moved the polk setup to my brother's room where his room is quite smaller than mine, and on a stand. In this room, with ifi zendac v2 and topping pa5, they sound great. With the topping e50, they still sound much much better than in my room. Sadly, I have to place them on a desk in my room which messes with the sound quality. They are still very enjoyable especially with the zendac v2 but I don't know since long ago, I have this feeling that the diamond 12.2 and pm6007 are the pair that I am looking for. I have never owned a marantz or wharfedale product before, so I am curious on finding it out. As for KEF, B&W and MA, I am not exactly a fan of the sound of these speakers. I have never heard them in real life so that is there too, but from the many reviews and sound demos I have heard and read I don't think these are for me. Agreed on the QB12, I regret selling off this item a long time ago.

+1 on the diamond 12.2 + pm6007 + sub
Thanks bro
 
For what you describe, you need a single ended tube amp. Talk to Viren at Lyrita about one of his tube amps - pair that with some sensitive speakers (eg, Indiqs) and you will have a system that will make you weep tears of joy when you listen to it.

If you want to avoid the tube amp route: focus on the speakers. For all that people talk about one solid state amp being warmer than another - that difference is miniscule, if it exists at all. The bulk of the difference is going to be in the speakers.

I have a very similar sound preference to you, and have Sonus Faber Lumina IIs and a small subwoofer (PSB S10 in my case) to fill in the sound down to 30-35Hz, and it sounds fantastic with vocals. The PSB S10 isnt a HT sub by any means - it wont shake the room but it fills in the bottom octave and a half really well.

Given your use case - desktop positioning - consider the smaller Lumina I and a sub (the PSB S10 is on sale at Revolver Club and they can also source you the Lumina I at a good price). That, and the Marantz PM6007will make a fantastic combination (I own a 6007 as well, and cant really tell much of a difference between it and the NAD).
 
For what you describe, you need a single ended tube amp. Talk to Viren at Lyrita about one of his tube amps - pair that with some sensitive speakers (eg, Indiqs) and you will have a system that will make you weep tears of joy when you listen to it.

If you want to avoid the tube amp route: focus on the speakers. For all that people talk about one solid state amp being warmer than another - that difference is miniscule, if it exists at all. The bulk of the difference is going to be in the speakers.

I have a very similar sound preference to you, and have Sonus Faber Lumina IIs and a small subwoofer (PSB S10 in my case) to fill in the sound down to 30-35Hz, and it sounds fantastic with vocals. The PSB S10 isnt a HT sub by any means - it wont shake the room but it fills in the bottom octave and a half really well.

Given your use case - desktop positioning - consider the smaller Lumina I and a sub (the PSB S10 is on sale at Revolver Club and they can also source you the Lumina I at a good price). That, and the Marantz PM6007will make a fantastic combination (I own a 6007 as well, and cant really tell much of a difference between it and the NAD).
I own the psb alpha s10 myself, indeed the bass is agile and fills my whole room, but I felt the qb12 is an upgrade from memory. As for the speakers, i will definitely check them out, Thanks for the input.
Btw the pm6007 does not have variable crossover option whereas the pm7000n does. Is this feature worth spending extra money for the pm7000n? I am not experienced with subwoofers so?
 
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I own the psb alpha s10 myself, indeed the bass is agile and fills my whole room, I thought that the qb12 would be an upgrade. As for the speakers, i will definitely check them out, Thanks for the input.
Btw the pm6007 does not have variable crossover option whereas the pm7000n does. Is this feature worth spending extra money for the pm7000n? I am not experienced with subwoofers so?

I use the low-pass crossover on the subwoofer to match to the speakers - works well enough: timpani, organs, etc have a very satisfying slam and presence that lingers, piano and larger wood instruments have a nice heft to them as well.

The PM7000N has built-in HEOS streaming as well, which makes it a very convenient one-box solution. If budget allows, i would certainly get the 7000N instead of the 6007 - but not at the cost of compromising on speakers. 1L speakers and a 40k amp will do a lot better than a 75k amp and 65k speakers, IMO.
 
I use the low-pass crossover on the subwoofer to match to the speakers - works well enough: timpani, organs, etc have a very satisfying slam and presence that lingers, piano and larger wood instruments have a nice heft to them as well.

The PM7000N has built-in HEOS streaming as well, which makes it a very convenient one-box solution. If budget allows, i would certainly get the 7000N instead of the 6007 - but not at the cost of compromising on speakers. 1L speakers and a 40k amp will do a lot better than a 75k amp and 65k speakers, IMO.
Point noted, also like I have mentioned the streaming service, phono etc are of little use to me since I will be using zen one signature only, and I am very much happy with the bluetooth SQ from this DAC as it is. My psb s10 could sound a bit boomy when connected to quad vena, maybe this is because of my room or I have set the crossover wrong. I did experiment but end result was not as satisfactory. Also because there is only one place where I can place the sub due to my room arrangement. I had considered the revel m16 as well but was not confident enough on whether i would like it or not. I will definitely consider the lumina i. Thanks
 
Point noted, also like I have mentioned the streaming service, phono etc are of little use to me since I will be using zen one signature only, and I am very much happy with the bluetooth SQ from this DAC as it is. My psb s10 could sound a bit boomy when connected to quad vena, maybe this is because of my room or I have set the crossover wrong. I did experiment but end result was not as satisfactory. Also because there is only one place where I can place the sub due to my room arrangement. I had considered the revel m16 as well but was not confident enough on whether i would like it or not. I will definitely consider the lumina i. Thanks
 
Point noted, also like I have mentioned the streaming service, phono etc are of little use to me since I will be using zen one signature only, and I am very much happy with the bluetooth SQ from this DAC as it is. My psb s10 could sound a bit boomy when connected to quad vena, maybe this is because of my room or I have set the crossover wrong. I did experiment but end result was not as satisfactory. Also because there is only one place where I can place the sub due to my room arrangement. I had considered the revel m16 as well but was not confident enough on whether i would like it or not. I will definitely consider the lumina i. Thanks

Ah yes, i forgot that you had the Zen already. Then yes, I'd get the 6007 in your shoes.

Re the PSB10 sounding boomy - that would be a placement issue. Solution - either find a better location or use DSP room correction. I am not sure whether having the low pass crossover done by the amp vs the sub will really make a difference (a sophisticated crossover which lets you adjust crossover slopes, etc is a different beast and may help fix boominess if it is at the crossover point).

If you cannot fix the sub, then your other option is going with bookshelves that have enough bass to satisfy your choice of music. For my tastes, i need extension down into the mid-30s or lower for instruments to sound real - for more midrange centric music, perhaps get the Lumina II and call it quits (they go down to high 40s/low 50s in-room at -3dB)
 
So before I start, let me just state that I have a Polk R200 connected to Topping E50 + Topping PA5 and they sound good, just not great. I am thinking of getting a new setup for my bedroom and I have shortlisted a few:

Budget : 1 lakh - 1.4 lakh (can stretch slightly)
Preference: Warm lush intimate vocals / excellent MIDRANGE pls, that is on the warmer side with good detail retrieval and enough excitement and punch but not bright or fatiguing.
Source: PC / Tidal /Spotify / Amazon HD/ Apple music / Youtube . I hardly play offline/flac files. I mostly stream, so a forgiving speaker would be nice if possible.
Room: On the larger side, no acoustic treatment. Will be put on a large desk initially, later on stands.

1. Marantz pm7000n - Wharfedale Diamond 12.2

2. Marantz pm6007 - Wharfedale Diamond 12.2 + Sub (Q Acoustics QB12 or some other sub)

( I will be using iFi ZEN ONE SIGNATURE as DAC and to fulfill my bluetooth needs, so I do not care about how better the inbuilt DAC/wireless connectivity of the integrated amp over the other. Keeping this in mind, am I better off with PM6007 as it is much cheaper? Other than the increase in power, will I miss out on sound quality or other things? Do they have same sound signature? )

3. Q Acoustics M20 HD + Q Acoustics QB12 subwoofer
(How is this combo? My worry is that since it has DSP correction inbuilt, connecting to an external dac (ifi zen one signature) would be useless with minimal or no gain?)

4. Marantz pm7000n - Definitive Technology D9 (They have warm sound but are the mids recessed? Does anyone have any experience on these?)

5. Marantz pm7000n/pm6007 - Dali Oberon 3 ?

6. Marantz pm7000n - Wharfedale Evo 4.1/4.2 ? (From what I have read these are not good for busy music and I listen to mostly modern rock/metal/pop/alternative/indie and metal music that are highly processed. I don't listen to jazz classical etc the kind of songs that most audiophiles listen to. )

6. Any other recommendations as per my requirement pls.

Thanks
I have owned/ auditioned different Marantz, high to low, with different Wharfedales, QA and Dali.
Unlike the oft repeated myth, Marantz and WD doesn't pair well. At the price point you are looking at, both lack resolution and have significant top end roll off. It sounds lush, but inaccurate. Very soon you will realize that you are missing several instruments and female vocals are truncated.
I found Dali to be the best combination with Marantz. QA also does excellent job for the money.
Please listen for yourself with somewhat longish audition to specifically look for these issues and then decide.
 
I have owned/ auditioned different Marantz, high to low, with different Wharfedales, QA and Dali.
Unlike the oft repeated myth, Marantz and WD doesn't pair well. At the price point you are looking at, both lack resolution and have significant top end roll off. It sounds lush, but inaccurate. Very soon you will realize that you are missing several instruments and female vocals are truncated.
I found Dali to be the best combination with Marantz. QA also does excellent job for the money.
Please listen for yourself with somewhat longish audition to specifically look for these issues and then decide.
Now I am really confused.
So you are saying I might be better off with dali oberon 3 + pm6007/pm7000n? I have owned dali spektor 2 in the past, they are okay speakers. Will the oberon 3 be a significant upgrade over them?
 
Now I am really confused.
So you are saying I might be better off with dali oberon 3 + pm6007/pm7000n? I have owned dali spektor 2 in the past, they are okay speakers. Will the oberon 3 be a significant upgrade over them?
@argho owns Oberon+7000n combo. He can guide you.
After quite a bit of audition I settled with 8006+Rubicons and I have no reasons to upgrade in many years.
I suggest you hear it yourself as tastes vary. You may like something else.
 
So before I start, let me just state that I have a Polk R200 connected to Topping E50 + Topping PA5 and they sound good, just not great.
Room: On the larger side
You haven't specified exactly what your current setup is lacking. Given that you stated that your room is "on the larger side" (dimensions unknown), I'm assuming that your speakers are not energising your room adequately.

I have moved the polk setup to my brother's room where his room is quite smaller than mine, and on a stand. In this room, with ifi zendac v2 and topping pa5, they sound great.
Exactly! The biggest factor is the room's size; the speakers themselves are not the problem. There are no assurances that the speakers you've chosen will in any way enhance the sound in your room. In smaller spaces, smaller speakers sound great! Of course, there are exceptions, but this is a good place to start.

Unless you're able to find a place in your room for a pair of floor standers or stand mounts like the Wharfedale LINTON Heritage, you'll not be able to improve much with the speakers you've shortlisted.


Preference: Warm lush intimate vocals / excellent MIDRANGE pls, that is on the warmer side with good detail retrieval and enough excitement and punch but not
All of the aforementioned advantages are yours when you have a good quality subwoofer, especially in a bigger room. It's a common misperception that subwoofers produce inflated bass, "BOOM," and "SLAM. Although true, especially in poorly tuned/calibrated subs, a well-tuned sub will make the midrange richer, and provide a solid foundation for the higher frequencies to stand on.

My suggestion to you will be to get a Floor stander or a Stand mount like the Lintons, and add a subwoofer later on when the budget permits. A good subwoofer will be a worthy investment and a substantial upgrade to sound quality!

As for KEF, B&W and MA, I am not exactly a fan of the sound of these speakers. I have never heard them in real life so that is there too, but from the many reviews and sound demos I have heard and read I don't think these are for me.
Please! promise me you'll never make such a statement again!
 
@prozkater my 2 cents having owned several wharfes & recently auditioned the Diamond 12.2, evo 4.1 & 4.2.
- Diamonds will not be a major upgrade from your polks
- I'd reconsider selling the topping stack. Keep them for now
- The evo are a meaningful upgrade among your list. Either get 4.1 & a sub or just the 4.2
- Spend some time with your new speakers to see if you really need to change electronics. I've heard the Evos with AL6000 and that should be fairly neutral similar to your topping stack

Invest in a umik & try peq as per room resonances. Just my 2 cents. All the best, let us know how it goes.
 
@prozkater my 2 cents having owned several wharfes & recently auditioned the Diamond 12.2, evo 4.1 & 4.2.
- Diamonds will not be a major upgrade from your polks
- I'd reconsider selling the topping stack. Keep them for now
- The evo are a meaningful upgrade among your list. Either get 4.1 & a sub or just the 4.2
- Spend some time with your new speakers to see if you really need to change electronics. I've heard the Evos with AL6000 and that should be fairly neutral similar to your topping stack

Invest in a umik & try peq as per room resonances. Just my 2 cents. All the best, let us know how it goes.
Thanks for the suggestion, actually I am not looking for an upgrade, I just want something midrangy and that sounds different from my other setups. I have placed an order for the diamond 12.2. There is one used audiolab 6000a too which i am considering but haven't made up my mind yet. As advised above, for upgrade, I will consider the luminas ii or linton heritage in the near future. As for the 12.2 if I don't like them after breaking in, I could just replace them with my other speakers or I could even see myself putting up a FS thread at dirt cheap price which is going to be a pain in the ass 🤣🤣
 
@argho owns Oberon+7000n combo. He can guide you.
After quite a bit of audition I settled with 8006+Rubicons and I have no reasons to upgrade in many years.
I suggest you hear it yourself as tastes vary. You may like something else.

I echo the recco.

Marantz + Dalis go really well together.

I have 2 combos.

Marantz CR610 + Dali Oberon 1s - in my study.
Marantz PM7000N + Dali Oberon 5s - in my living room.

I am very happy with both.

I thoroughly reccomend the Marantz PM7000N + Dali Oberon 5 combo for your requirement.

I tried adding a QB12 sub, but the sub was too powerful.
I have now replaced it with a Dali C-8D sub.
It blends nicely together and fills out the bottom end without making itself visible.

Do give this combo a try. See if you can audition somewhere.
 
Wharfedale Linton Heritage Speakers in Walnut finish at a Special Offer Price. BUY now before the price increase.
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