MLESSIN@CMS.CC.WAYNE.EDU (Matt Lessins) (11/14/90)
Hi. I'm a novice audiophile, about to purchase a semi high end system. It doesn't look like I've got the cash to go with tube technolgy. I've got approx $4k to spend and this a preliminary rought draft of what I'm thinking about: Carver TFM-25 Amp Carver CT-17 Preamp/tuner KEF 104.2 Speakers Denon DCD-2560 CD player What I'd like is some opinions on the components and some alternatives...I know quite a bit has got to do with personal preference but I'd value some expert preferences. It's not that I'm looking to save money, I'm trying to get the most of what I've allotted to spend..... Thanks much..... mlessin@cms.cc.wayne.edu
donald@mps.ohio-state.edu (Donald Maffly) (11/15/90)
I was in a similar situation to you about a year ago. I'd suggest that before you go out and blow the 4K, do some reading up, and alot of auditioning. If you can find the components you want on the used market you can probably get away with spending less than 2K. On a 4K budget, I'd go with B&K or Adcom separates (i.e amp and pre-amp). You could expect to spend just 1K in that department, and have 3K left over. I like the Denon CD players, although I've never heard of the 2560. Don't you mean the 1560? It's very detailed compared to the others I've heard. They do, however, have a cold analytical typically Japanese sound. The Sony ES series players supposedly sound a bit warmer, and they are just as detailed. The new Sony ES (is it the 55??) is a one-bit player (the latest DA technolog) but I don't think it has a digital out (which is important if you want to upgrade later with an outboard DA converter). The Harman Kardon one-bit players are good, too. They are detailed, AND warm. A true budget audiophile player player would be the new Mod Squad, or the Adcom. So say another 750-1000 on a CD player. This leaves you with about 2K on speakers. There are such big differences in the sound of Speakers that you should really go out there and spend a few weeks, if not months auditioning different models. Don't just go on hearsay. KEF has a good reputation as a speaker maker, but I believe they are a British make -- meaning that you will be paying more for them than you would at for an American make at the same quality level. American makes that I'd suggest you listen to are: Vandersteens 2ci -- at $1100 dollars is known for making good deep bass. Theil 1, -- $1200 -- very articulate in the highs Spica Angelus -- $1300 great imaging, but not alot of deep bass The Audio Anarchist column in Stereophile did a comarison of these three models within the last year. Also the Theil 2.5 -- $2400 -- proabably like the Theil 1 but with more bass. So we are talking 3K, which gives you 1K left over to buy some good source material, or for a turntable or various tweaking items. -- Donald Maffly
perkins@uunet.UU.NET (Bill Perkins) (11/16/90)
In article <7665@uwm.edu> uwm!decwrl!cae780!donald@mps.ohio-state.edu (Donald Maffly) writes: [stuff deleted] >This leaves you with about 2K on speakers. > >American makes that I'd suggest you listen to are: > >Vandersteens 2ci -- at $1100 dollars is known for making good deep bass. >Theil 1, -- $1200 -- very articulate in the highs ^^ Thiel 1.2 >Spica Angelus -- $1300 great imaging, but not alot of deep bass ^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ all definitely true > >The Audio Anarchist column in Stereophile did a comarison of these >three models within the last year. > >Also the >Theil 2.5 -- $2400 -- proabably like the Theil 1 but with more bass. Thiel CS 3.5, not 2.5. Not like the 1.2 at all, except more bass. I bought Thiel CS 2's; $1600. I have a whole review of my speaker-hunting experience posted a couple of days ago in Rec.audio. You can go find it over there, or I'll mail it to you if you want. I think you'd like it ;-). > >-- Donald Maffly Bill -- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Bill Perkins | "The sheriff didn't mean anything." IEX Corporation, Plano, Texas | "He hit me!" ...!iex!perkins (or) perkins@iex.com | "Well, I'm sure he meant to do *that*."
kucharsk@number6.Solbourne.COM (William Kucharski) (11/16/90)
In article <7633@uwm.edu> MLESSIN@CMS.CC.WAYNE.EDU (Matt Lessins) writes: > >Hi. I'm a novice audiophile, about to purchase a semi high end system. >It doesn't look like I've got the cash to go with tube technolgy. >I've got approx $4k to spend and this a preliminary rought draft >of what I'm thinking about: > >Carver TFM-25 Amp >Carver CT-17 Preamp/tuner As one who sometimes, after a few drinks, actually admits to having once owned Carver equipment, I'd say a much better route would be: Adcom GFA-555 Amp Adcom GTP-400 Preamp/Tuner >Denon DCD-2560 CD player Very nice player; I'll get around to writing the review one of these days... -- ===================>> Quote: "It's Night 9 With D2 Dave!" <<=================== | Internet: kucharsk@Solbourne.COM | William Kucharski | | uucp: ...!{boulder,sun,uunet}!stan!kucharsk | Solbourne Computer, Inc. | ===>> Opinions expressed above are MINE, not those of Solbourne Computer. <<===
mikec@wam.umd.edu (Michael D. Callaghan) (11/19/90)
I think you can do much better than Carver equipment. The Kefs have a great deal of midrange, and can be a little fat in the bass. What you need, then is an amplifier with the kind of bass control that the Carver's aren't really capable of. Conrad-Johnson has an entry-level solid state division called Sonographe. The amp and preamp sound much cleaner than most in their price range ($1000 amp; $700 preamp). The amp offers tremendous bass control, and a very open-sounding top end. The preamp helps there, too. Also, the Kefs are plenty efficient. The Sonographe's 120wpc would be perfect. In our store, that's what we run our 104s with. However, my Denon 2560 is on the Kef 105s with the Adcom GFA-565s. I use a 1560 with the 104s. sorry if I babble. MikeC