What audio system do you have, or plan on getting?

[Shrunk]

If you care about good (i.e. "accurate") sound, then you're into audiophile stuff.  You should be able to assemble a musically satisfying system with a stand-alone CD player, an integrated amplifier, and a pair of "bookshelf" speakers on stands for $1000 or less--especially if you're willing to buy used.  What is your budget, and where do you live?  (US, EU, Asia?)

Absolutely second the suggestion to buy used.  Make the neuroticism of the typical audiophile, who is always changing components, work to your favour!

[M forever]

If you care about good (i.e. "accurate") sound, then you're into audiophile stuff.

And if you really care about and actually understand good sound, you don't bother with all the audiophile marketing hype and just evaluate sound equipment based on solid, well understood technical criteria, and set it up using the right measurement methods to get the best performance from the equipment. It is, after all, playback equipment, not musical instruments.

[rickardg]

@rickardg

Concerning the equipment to get once you've fixed the worst "room acoustics blunders" - there are infinite possibilities, depending on how much you're going to spend.

I'll definitely look into curtains, I'll have to think of some temporary solution to try out different arrangements, annoyingly it's all glass or reinforced concrete. I basically want the room as unresonant as possible?

An inexpensive but clever solution is to get a set-up consisting of the better-quality compact stereo system with sufficient power to drive the speakers (like the Yamaha Pianocraft 320) [...]

Clever, perhaps I should even dig out an old portable CD player I have lying around somewhere and get a proper amp?

If you care about good (i.e. "accurate") sound, then you're into audiophile stuff. 

To me an audiophile is interested in the audio technology per se and/or willing to spend 90% of the money to get the last 10% of performance (a perfectly valid approach). At this point I'm mostly interested in the music and happy to get the first 90% of performance, of course, you are probably right I might need audiophile stuff to get into the ninth decile... :-)

You should be able to assemble a musically satisfying system with a stand-alone CD player, an integrated amplifier, and a pair of "bookshelf" speakers on stands for $1000 or less--especially if you're willing to buy used.  What is your budget, and where do you live?  (US, EU, Asia?)

The short term budget is close to zero, we are renovating the entire flat, but stuff like carpets and curtains can go on the redecorating account. The mid term budget is around $1000 but hopefully less and the long term (years) a quite bit more. I'm certainly willing to buy used, it'll only be used to playing music, not as a home movie theatre.

I live in the EU (Sweden).

[sound67]

Clever, perhaps I should even dig out an old portable CD player I have lying around somewhere and get a proper amp?

That might not work. Most portable CD players only have an analogue output for the headphones, which you would trhen have to connect to the amp's RCA inputs. The sound signal put out by the portable player may be too weak, or of insufficient quality (like when you'd try to hook up an ordinary PC soundcard to the amp the same way). Either you have one that has a digital output (and an amp with digital input and D/A converter), or you buy an integrated system, or, as David suggested, some dedicated CDP and amp of decent quality.

Denon make a very good CD-AMP combination at a reasonable price, the DCD-700 and PMA-700 respectively. Together they cost something like USD 600 (?!), and the CDP even plays MP3 files and supports folders and ID-3 tags.



Since several posters suggested used components: no problem with amps or speakers (if they aren't 10+ years old), though I'd be careful with CD or DVD players. Had some bad experiences myself with some, bought over eBay. Better to buy that stuff from a dealer.

Thomas

[Tapio Dimitriyevich Shostakovich]

Since several posters suggested used components: no problem with amps or speakers (if they aren't 10+ years old), though I'd be careful with CD or DVD players. Had some bad experiences myself with some, bought over eBay. Better to buy that stuff from a dealer.

Haha, you just remind me I still have a Philips CD820 here (must be from 1988), works, does it's job does not want to die.

[drogulus]

     My dream system would be a dedicated HTPC (of that general type, that is) with only programs for audio/video functions installed feeding a pre/pro connected to a full array of omni-directional speakers (Walsh drivers) through a bank of high powered pro amps (~350 wpc or greater) and a pair of subs, each located to compensate for room-related deficiencies in bass response. None of these components would be outrageously expensive individually, though the total cost of the system would certainly be high. I'd start with a 2.1 system with one sub and build out from there.

[mahler10th]

     My dream system would be a dedicated HTPC (of that general type, that is) with only programs for audio/video functions installed feeding a pre/pro connected to a full array of omni-directional speakers (Walsh drivers) through a bank of high powered pro amps (~350 wpc or greater) and a pair of subs, each located to compensate for room-related deficiencies in bass response. None of these components would be outrageously expensive individually, though the total cost of the system would certainly be high. I'd start with a 2.1 system with one sub and build out from there.

Oh well drogulus, this is out of the question then?

[drogulus]

Oh well drogulus, this is out of the question then?

      No, it's not. I would have to reorient my current more modest upgrade plan to incorporate 86 dB speakers instead of +90 dB, which would call for more power. The receiver in the current plan would serve in the high end version, too, and in fact replacing it may not be necessary at all, depending on future choices about video connections.

      This is how the Walsh driver works:

     

     They stole my picture, so here's a different one.

[Shrunk]

On the topic of audio, here's a guy with a nice, modest little system:

http://www.soundsolutionsaudio.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=10834

[DavidRoss]

I'll definitely look into curtains, I'll have to think of some temporary solution to try out different arrangements, annoyingly it's all glass or reinforced concrete. I basically want the room as unresonant as possible?  See this introduction to room acoustics

Clever, perhaps I should even dig out an old portable CD player I have lying around somewhere and get a proper amp? If money is so tight I wouldn't advise spending anything on stopgap solutions that offer little improvement and only waste your limited resources.

To me an audiophile is interested in the audio technology per se and/or willing to spend 90% of the money to get the last 10% of performance (a perfectly valid approach). At this point I'm mostly interested in the music and happy to get the first 90% of performance, of course, you are probably right I might need audiophile stuff to get into the ninth decile... :-)  Sounds to me like a very strange definition of "audiophile"--though one consistent with using the term as a perjorative stereotype as practiced by a number of particularly narrow-minded and self-impressed posters on this site--a class to which you do not belong.  I think an audiophile is one who cares about sound quality and seeks recordings & playback equipment that provide a close approximation to the actual sound of the live performance.  The ones you describe certainly exist (and they have their parallels among consumers of virtually every commodity known to man) but they are only a small subset of the general class.  Most audiophiles I've known have limited funds, like you, and want to spend their money wisely to get the most satisfying return for their investment.  There are several companies geared to the audiophile market that specialize in very high value at the opposite end of the marginal utility spectrum you describe--getting 90% of the performance for 10% of the price.

The short term budget is close to zero, we are renovating the entire flat, but stuff like carpets and curtains can go on the redecorating account. The mid term budget is around $1000 but hopefully less and the long term (years) a quite bit more. I'm certainly willing to buy used, it'll only be used to playing music, not as a home movie theatre.

I live in the EU (Sweden).  My great-grandparents left Sweden more than a century ago so I haven't kept up with current prices.    My recommendations for people in North America seeking good sound quality at a low price is to start with electronics by NAD (or similar outfits like Arcam, Adcom, Rotel, Cambridge Audio) and speakers by one of the Canadian companies whose subsidized R&D keeps prices low: Paradigm Atoms and PSB Alpha B1s are both under $300US.  For a little bit more money (though less if used, if you can find them), you might look into Mike Creek's offerings.  I still use my 20 year old Creek 4040 amp in a second system, and if I were buying compact speakers today, his EPOS ELS3 minimonitors would be high on my audition list.  But maybe the best approach would be to visit your nearest retailer and hear what he recommends--and if you do, and like what you hear, then buy from him rather than screwing him over to save a few bucks on the internet.

[DavidRoss]

On the topic of audio, here's a guy with a nice, modest little system:

http://www.soundsolutionsaudio.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=10834

I guess that's what you do if you're spiritually retarded but have several millions in stock options from working for computer or software companies in the '80s and early '90s.

[drogulus]

     If all being an audiophile amounted to was violating the law of diminishing returns no one could object. The problem is that much of what they do is stupid and pointless. It's a titanic waste of resources to buy a $10,000 CD player if you don't intend to put it on a pedestal in a museum. Even if such a player was .05 % better than a $1,000 model the imbalance in the system is preposterous considering what you can do with that budget. So even ignoring diminishing returns this  makes  no  sense  at  all.

[DavidRoss]

     If all being an audiophile amounted to was violating the law of diminishing returns no one could object. The problem is that much of what they do is stupid and pointless. It's a titanic waste of resources to buy a $10,000 CD player if you don't intend to put it on a pedestal in a museum. Even if such a player was .05 % better than a $1,000 model the imbalance in the system is preposterous considering what you can do with that budget. So even ignoring diminishing returns this  makes  no  sense  at  all.
Obviously it does make sense to the person who makes such a purchase.  As usual, Ernie here confuses the beliefs he wants to impose on others with fact. 

[M forever]

Yes, but it only makes as much sense as jerking off with golden gloves. It doesn't make technical or musical sense.

[drogulus]

On the topic of audio, here's a guy with a nice, modest little system:

http://www.soundsolutionsaudio.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=10834

     Who designed those? Luc Besson?

[Joe_Campbell]

On the topic of audio, here's a guy with a nice, modest little system:

http://www.soundsolutionsaudio.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=10834

I can't figure out what he's driving through those massive black holes in his wall. What do you think?

[Lethevich]

I can't figure out what he's driving through those massive black holes in his wall. What do you think?

One thing I did realise was how easily they might allow his home to be broken into.

[M forever]

Those are probably horn-loaded subwoofers (with exponential CD horns which are the openings you see). I don't understand though why that makes his house easier to break into?

[Tapio Dimitriyevich Shostakovich]

Impressive. This setup makes sense.
If a) you're deaf and need to feel the music b) you don't know how else to waste your money, c) no wife, no grandchildren, no life, no hope.  Honestly. It's the same like the people with monster lawnmowers on their 10m² lawn.

[Lethevich]

Those are probably horn-loaded subwoofers (with exponential CD horns which are the openings you see). I don't understand though why that makes his house easier to break into?

A house designed to repell intruders (safely locked windows, doors) will require some breaking to get into - smashed glass, etc, all creating sounds that could alert nearby people. I was thinking about how easy it may (or may not) be to simply remove a panel of those huge horn things, given how flimsy they look. The whole bit where they connect to the wall also shouts "point of access"... Still, it is not something I could test, however much it interests me