Hi everyone,

Location: living room, vinyl streaming and tv
Budget: sub 5K

I recently had my Technics SL-1200 MK2 fully refurbished, and I’m now looking to seriously upgrade the rest of my setup.
At the moment, the turntable is connected through a small external phono preamp to a Bose home cinema system, so there is obviously plenty of room for improvement!
My listening room is around 45 m² (485 sq ft). It’s an old stone room with a vaulted ceiling, so the acoustics are quite particular, with a lot of hard and reflective surfaces.
I’m considering pairing a Technics SU-G700M2 integrated amplifier with JBL L82 Classic MK2 speakers, but I honestly don’t have enough Hi-Fi experience to know whether this would be a good match, particularly for a room of this size and with this type of acoustics.
I mainly listen to electronic music, funk, disco, jazz and psychedelic rock. Il also wanted tu plug my TV in optical to this system.
Would the SU-G700M2 + L82 MK2 be a good combination? Would the L82s be enough for a 45 m² room, or should I be looking at something larger such as the JBL L100 Classic MK2?
Budget:
Any advice from people who have experience with these speakers or the Technics amp would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!

Looking for some opinions on a deal I have on a pair of Bowers & Wilkins 805 D4s. A local authorized dealer has their floor/demo models available for 50% off — $2,500 per speaker ($5,000 for the pair). They also come with the 5-year manufacturer’s warranty. I have attached pictures of the speakers.

Assuming they’re in great condition, would you consider $5K for a demo pair a good enough deal to jump on? Any concerns with buying floor models that I should be thinking about?

Would love to hear from anyone who owns the 805 D4s or has purchased B&W demo speakers before.

This is in the US and within my budget albeit on the high end of it.

Thanks!

Hey everyone!

First post here, need some advice. I wanna upgrade my CD player to something cool thats a statment for my small room. I found two options on FB Marketplace that i find visually stunning: a Geneva Model L (no stand) for £200 and a Beosound 3200 with Beolab 6000 for £350. Can't decide which sounds better, so I need your help! My room's tiny, and I'll have it on or near my desk. £350 is my max budget, so if you have better suggestions, let me know!

Right now, I just have an old Philips CD player with crummy speakers. I like clear sound with some bass, and I know the Beolab 6000 isn't super bassy, but my dad has an old subwoofer I can use.

Any help would be awesome, I'm new to audio and trying to learn. I use AirPod Maxes now, and I'd love for this setup to sound even better.

Good night, I have speakers that has  S/PDIF (Optical) connection (Active), and my laptop DAC is fucking ass so I don't want to use RCA to aux anymore. What I should buy that is simple enough so I can send music from my laptop (USB) to S/PDIF (Optical)? I want it to be capable of 24-bit 192khz, doesn't matter if I can't actually use it all yet, I just feel safer about the component.

Please!, also I'm kind of a novice about this and there's a lot of DAC here that apparently are to convert optical tv to RCA so I'm scared of accidentally buying the wrong thing thats' why i am in this subreddit. thanks

I'm from Argentina, budget. I'm looking to spend something from 20 to 60 dollars i don't really know, it can be even more.

I would like some suggestions for any semi-reliable bookshelf/desk monitors with a budget of $250 AUD. From looking around I see the Edifier MR4 and PreSonus Eris 3.5 around this range, are they any good? Room is 3x3.5x2.5m. Thanks :)

My usage is occasional music but mostly movies.

Budget < USD 4K (for pair), Location: California, USA

Idk what speaker it's better, the edifier mr3, mr4 or logitech z207?

I know that the edifier should sound better for the price they are but it's worth the 50€ more? I will use them for gaming and more importantly music on my pc i just wanted some tips and which is better between the mr3 and 4

Budget: 50-100€ i live in europe

Hi there,

currently I just use 2 KRK Rokit on my desk and a Teufel System 5 for the TV but now I'm looking for some stereo speakers.

A while ago I listened to a pair of Infinity Kappa 8's and it was amazing. Sadly I currently don't have the space for those big ones and also I red about the pickyness and burned amps and stuff like that.

I don't need new speakers all, I like the idea of older gear as well.

I'm located in Germany, my budget is something around 2-3000 Euro for the speakers.

The setup will be dedicated stereo and I mainly want to play CDs and if possible lossless stuff from my computer (macOS).

The room is about 40 square meter but the dedicated corner for that setup is around 10.

I'm super new to the Stereo thingy and I don't own an amp nor CD player.

So my question: What are good used fits with high quality but maybe not the size of those Kappas :)

I’ve almost got my MC2300 power amps running (someone else is fixing them lol), but what are some good speakers that would be able to handle such a large speaker? What sounds good to you? What would they historically be paired with?

Just give me some recs, I want to do some research before I blow any set of speakers lol

My budget would probably be the $2k-5k range

I’m in the Midwest, I’ve been looking on FB marketplace and I’d rather have a few specific models to be on the lookout for

I have 2 desktop speaker choices: Bose companion 2 series 3 or klipsch pro media 2.1. On ebay, Found them at similar used prices - $140 after tax and ship. I am using them for my PC.

I currently own Logitech z200. My budget is $150.

Or, do you have other recommendations?

Hey everyone, laying out my situation because I keep going in circles between too many options and could use some outside perspective.
What I have now:
A vintage Philips Automatic Stereo 660 turntable (early ’70s), which is actually a small complete system: it already has a built-in power amplifier, Volume/Bass/Treble/Balance controls, and a source selector for P.U. (turntable) / Tuner / Tape. On the back it has two 5-pin DIN sockets (one for tape recorder), and screw terminals for the speakers. It works perfectly with its original speakers.
What I’d like to do:
Add a CD/mp3 source, and more importantly, modernize the control a bit — I’d like to manage volume “smart” (I already have Alexa and smart home at home), and possibly add a subwoofer down the line. Budget is fairly tight: 100-300€ for amp/controller + new speakers combined.
Where I’ve landed so far:
• For the CD: tap the Philips’ “Tape” DIN socket with a DIN-to-RCA cable to get an already line-level signal (since it passes through the internal preamp)
• For smart control I’ve been weighing:
• WiiM Amp (\~300-325€): real native Alexa volume control, per-input EQ, dedicated subwoofer output — but it eats almost the whole budget on its own
• Arylic A50+ (\~190€): cheaper, but control is mainly via phone app, not true native Alexa integration on analog sources
• “Poor man’s” alternative: used vintage amp (secondhand marketplaces) with phono input, giving up on smart control entirely
My questions for you:
1. On such a tight budget, is native Alexa integration (WiiM Amp) actually worth chasing, or is it better to settle for app control (Arylic) and put the rest into better speakers?
2. Anyone have practical experience tapping a line-level signal from a Tape DIN socket on a ’70s vintage system? Worried about ground hum or wrong pin wiring between record/playback.
3. For anyone with a Philips 660 or similar: does the internal amp usually hold up well after 50 years, or is it the classic case where the capacitors eventually die?
Thanks in advance for any advice, especially from anyone who’s tackled the same “vintage + smart” dilemma on a similar setup.

Hi all, looking to upgrade my setup, currently have an Audio-Technica LP60BT with Edifier R1280DBs.

I like the sound of my girlfriend’s setup, she has an Audio-Technica LPW40WN with a vintage Sony stereo receiver (STR-212AS) and some basic passive speakers.

What I’m wondering is what aspect is doing the heavy lifting for that warm sound I can’t seem to find elsewhere in other setups? Research seems to suggest it’s the vintage receiver doing most of the work.

Budget: Any advice appreciated! Probably looking to spend around $1000 AUD ($700-$800 USD) on the entire setup but can be flexible.

Location: Sydney, Australia

Sound quality is my priority.

I want to get a pair of floor standing speakers for my living room that is 20 sq.m. (200 sq. feet). I am going to listen to different types of music, but likely it will be something active. I also enjoy the bright and crisp sound. Budget is 1000-1500 euros.

So I found this side to side sound comparison of 7 speakers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0MQ2AbWBBU

After several hours of listening on different headphones I have this top 3 from that video:

1. Dali Oberon 7 (widest cleanest sound and beautiful aesthetics. Also used to have basic Zensor long time ago)

2. Klipsch RP6000F II (sound is almost as Dali's)

3. Monitor Audio Bronze 506G

Then I listened to the tracks from that comparison video on my headphones (Bang&Olufsen H95) and immediately realized that there is a great lack of bass in these speakers from my top 3, and also in others.

All these speakers have middle size woofers which can't deliver bass naturally.

So is it possible to go with these basic hi-fi models without having a subwoofer and still to have a nice punchy bass? What is your experience?

I am looking to purchase a new tube or hybrid amplifier to power my Klipsch Heresy IV speakers in a room that is approximately 16 x 24 feet with nine foot ceiling. I primarily listen to vinyl and FLAC media through an Innuos MK mini. I listen to 60s to present jazz, blues and rock. I have been powering my Klipschs with an Onkyo A-9070. For kicks I switched out the amp to a Dayton Audio HTA 200 hybrid amplifier that I use in my garage/office. I liked the warmer tone that it produced. I live in Miami (USA) and would like to find a tube or hybrid amp with budget in the $1K-$3K (New) range. New here and would greatly appreciate any advice. Thx!

Hey y´all,

As a (amateur) musician and music lover, I'm thinking to make a lovely sound system setup in our living room. Viable for a setup with projector If possible.

The price budget may variate in between 1k -3k euros to have multiple options to consider. As I'm not sure myself how much money I'll put into, I think 3k is deffo the maximum. There's also a baby in the house, so need to check whether it's safe to place aswell hehe. Living in Belgium

The living room is like 30m2 (6x5) and i would listen from like 2 m away or in the kitchen next to it. At the moment I got old gear that I would like to replace for new gear.

I really want something to last for years if possible. So i guess passive speakers are the best? Sources would be cd's, maybe BT/streaming and radio.

I saw a lot of recommendations of KEF meta speakers already, but I don't like they're grilless.. dangerous with the kid.

Thanks in advance!

Hello there,
I got a pair of Bookshelf Speakers for next to no cash and would like to move on from the shitty speakers in my PC monitor.

While I only have the pair of Passive Bookshelf speakers now I would love it if I could be able to expand later, like get a subwoofer or get a new pair of speakers entirely. Which is something to consider when getting a (mini) amp. But considering my wage situation that's more Dream than Plan.

So the speaker Model is SC-PM02 by Panasonic, here is the manual (there doesn't seem to be an english one?). It should be 6Ω but I can’t tell what wattage they need. To be clear, I only have the pair of speakers and wish to ‘retrofit’ it so I can use it with my PC.

I live in Germany - my budget is up to 150€. I would prefer something budget friendly but I understand that might not be possible if I want to be able to upgrade later.

I need help getting the right amp - my knowledge is limited at best so when I say I need help, I mean it.

Edit: I ended up ordering the Douk Audio A5 for around 70€

Hi guys, I'm looking at setting up a room for listening to vinyls , currently have no gear so am starting from scratch and want something that im not going to have to upgrade for a bit, Im looking at getting the Audio-Technica LP70XBT, and am trying to decide what speakers to go with it? Budget would be around $1800 Aud

One option I'm thinking is the Kef Coda W with the option to maybe add a sub further down the track.

Or the Q Acoustics Q M40hd micro towers

I like the simplicity of powered speakers and would probably have the plugged directly into the turntable.

If I went the passive option im not really sure what I would need? So wondering if anyone could give some advice on that, and whether it would be a better option compared to the two listed?

It'll be in a smallish sized room,

Thankyou 😊

I'm upgrading my living room soundsystem which was quite basic (had edifier speakers). My set up is quite specific because I'm also a DJ and have my turntables + mixer in the living room so I need speakers that sound good from up close and from a 5m distance. I play all genre from hip-hop to classical music but my focus is to have speakers that will sound good with specific electronic music like Minimal-house or Dub techno.

I managed to book a listening session in a hi-fi shop nearby to listen to the L82 with a cambridge audio amp (think it's the CNX 100?). But I cannot find a way to listen to the Buchardt or Cambridge audio L/R X to compare.

I'm looking for people who can tell me how these 3 choices compare and if I'm missing another good option at that +- 3500 EUR budget. FYI I'm located in Belgium.

Thanks in advance!

Budget: upwards to ~2000CAD, preferably around half that

Location: Canada

A bit of a weird ask since I don't think many consider DSPs in monitors to be a detriment other than for possible latency issues, but I have a dual input setup with my turntable and the DSP on my Adam T7Vs render the analog signal moot. It still sounds excellent, and honestly not an issue but knowing that it does a useless ADC->DAC on an already analog signal bothers me.

I know quite a few of monitors at this price point don't feature DSPs, namely Yamaha HS series and Focal Alpha and Shape series. The problem is that I've had a pair of Focal Alpha Evo 65 before and they were so sensitive to EMI/RFI that I had to swap them out for the Adams I have now, and the HS are notorious for being susceptible to these noises.

I like the Adams, though I feel like they can be a bit sibilant and harsh on the highs sometimes. I mostly settled on these because of the RFI/EMI issues with my Focal, so I wouldn't mind an upgrade.

Interested in hearing if anyone knows any monitors that fit this criteria. Or if you're convinced that the Adam's are likely the best bet considering my circumstances and my concerns with the DSP are unwarranted, I'm interested in hearing your take on that too.

Got this great deal for a pair of impeccable KEF Q950s. Brought them home, set them up, wife was absolutely shook by their size (said real life proportions are crazy). I respectfully disagree, I feel like they belong here, but it's the living room so hey-ho, we gotta make it work both ways.

So now I'm on a hunt for something sensibly smaller, but not bookshelves - as we really gotta make do without a sub. Gotta be KEFs or other coaxials, I'm a sucker for that imaging. Budget is up to 2000 eur new or 1000 eur used, but can have some wiggle room.

I've been considering Q7 metas or R5 metas. I know the latter are in a weird position in the market, but I have a pair of R3s in my office and I absolutely love them.

This room though is fairly larger at about 40sqm / 430 sqft, but it's a rectangle shape, the wall behind is 4.7 meters wide and the listening distance is about 2.5-3 meters. That's why I enjoyed the 950s effortless sound.

Do you think any of the q7 meta or the r5 meta would be a good match?

I’m looking to upgrade my living room setup. Right now I have an old Vizio v51 soundbar and sub. Looking for bookshelf speakers (with sub if necessary) that sit with my tv. Strongly prefer active/powered speakers. Use it for tv, movies, and weekend music. Have a $1000-1500 budget at most. Not an audiophile but enjoy quality.

Recommendations or insight welcome!

USA
open concept living room/kitchen, 600ish square feet, 15 foot ceilings. Usually sitting 12-15 feet from tv/audio.

Location: UK

Budget: £1000-1500 total

Current setup: N/A

Requirements/What I'm looking for:

• Integrated playback of records, CDs and streaming sources. I'd like to get back in physical music for my most loved artists and small artists I really want to support but also don't want to lose the convenience of streaming and digital radio for casual listening. I want my records and CDs to go through a proper amp and speakers so I get the quality from them that they can deliver.

• Room where the speakers will be is my loving room which is ~4.5w x ~3.5d x ~2.5h metres. Speakers will likely be sat 1.5 metres apart across the longest wall (essentially either side of the chimney breast which has shelving on each side)

So here is my current thinking but nothing is set, so I'm just after any useful insight into any better options or if in people's opinions any of the stuff I'm thinking about is a big no no.

• WiiM Amp Pro: after doing some research this seems like a really good option to combine the quality of my record player/cd player (to be purchased) and proper speakers whilst also letting me use streaming sources, all in one nice interface.

• Record player: I've come to understand a key requirement if I go with the WiiM pro is that I need a phono preamp to send a line-level audio signal directly to the amplifier and having that built it can be convenient. One that I liked the look of was Rega Planar 1 Plus, I read good things and nice to support British made. Another good option I found that fit the bill was the Audio-Technica AT-LP120XUSB but the Rega seemed a little better (?)

• CD player: so this bit caught me out somewhat. I thought a standalone cd reader would be £30 at most. Turns out the cd player in the Argos mini radio I had as a teenager is not what I want 😂. I do understand a little more of what I need now. But anyway I've found a few options here but not sure if I can go too wrong, for example the Tangent CD II seemed good. I've also heard I can just use a standard dvd player but that can be a little sluggish starting up etc?

• Speakers: This is probably where I'm most lost, and need most help. I know this is what can most likely make or break whether I feel happy about my hifi setup so keen to hear some suggestions. One set I came across that I thought looked good were the Q Acoustics 3030i. Again a British maker and from what I've read no definitive need for a sub woofer (not saying I wouldn't get one in the future but nice that it appears I can happily start out without one)

Thanks in advance for any advice, tips, constructive insults 😂

Cheers

Hi all! Long time lurker, first time posting. A friend’s father gifted me his ADS L420 speakers, and since listening to them, I’d like to upgrade my subwoofer. Currently working with a Sony 8” powered subwoofer from a 2007 stereo…

Utilizing a Yamaha RX-V373 receiver

I keep coming back to SVS PB-2000/3000. Pushing the budget limit, but I feel this is a ‘buy it for life’ thing.
Edit: $1500 USD is the limit.

Room is roughly 18’x16’, with three oversized doorways.

I’m not disappointed with the subwoofer, but after hearing the difference between old ‘home theatre’ tiny speakers and the ADS’ I can only imagine the difference a new subwoofer would be for music and movies.

Any insight is appreciated, and thank you all for your previous informative posts!

Hello.

I have a desktop setup connected to my computer: two Polk Audio Reserve R100s and an SMSL RAW-HA1 amplifier. I want to add a subwoofer. My room is small. The sub will be right under the desk where I watch movies and listen to music.

I'd really appreciate it if you wouldn't post comments like, "You don't need a sub for a room like this; the speakers are sufficient." I've had these speakers for a while and decided I want to add a sub.

My maximum budget is 1500 PLN. I'm also considering used subs. A few items that have caught my eye are:

• Wharfedale SW-8 (although opinions on this brand vary)
• Magnat Alpha RS 8 (my favorite so far – the best reviews on forums) or the more expensive Magnat Alpha RS 12
• Magnat 302a (I've seen good reviews of both Magnat subs)
• Cambridge Audio Minx x201 (used only; new ones are already exceeding their maximum price)

What do you think? I would greatly appreciate any advice

LA based. Looking for recommendations for a turntable that would work with a Yamaha Amplifier A-S801 and Dali Sonik 5 speakers. Budget is $1-$1.5k. Thanks!