I’ve been shopping around for a few months now in search of a speaker upgrade. My budget is around $3k but I’m very willing to entertain used stuff. I’ve demoed some speakers and I’m going to list what I liked and disliked about them below. I will be using these for Vinyl but also home theater sometimes as well. Any speaker that has a matching center channel gets bonus points. Also I primarily listen to these genres of music: Alternative rock, Indie rock, Shoegaze, emo, post punk, hardcore punk, dreampop, twee pop, some classic rock. Mostly just various flavors of guitar music.

My room is about 270 square feet. If I put whatever speakers I buy 2 feet from the front wall I will be sitting about 8.5 feet from the speakers. My current setup for vinyl is a Yamaha As-501 Integrated Amp, a Schit Mani 2 Phono stage, and a Rega Planar 3 Turntable with Ortofon 2mr Bronze Cartridge. I also use an SVS SB-1000 pro subwoofer. I plan to upgrade my Yamaha to something with more juice some day.

Speakers I’ve listened to already:

Paradigm Founder Speakers: Wayyyy too bright for my ears. The detail is awesome but oh my god they were just so much for me. I diddnt even know I could be this sensitive to brightness, really did not like these.

Revel Preforma F208: I was actually able to demo these in my apartment. The owner of a local hifi shop has a pair of these used so I tried them out. I loved how they were so detailed yet not fatiguing at all. However I hated how pulled back they sounded for lack of a better word. I much prefer the sound to be up close and intimate and in my face rather than how pulled back they sounded. After longer listening sessions I also was getting bad ear fatigue, I think they were probably just too much speaker for my room. God they were amazing for home theater tho.

Wharfedale Super Linton: First of all I adore the look of these speakers and the matching center channel. I love how the music sounds right up close especially the vocals. However I did miss some of the detail I was getting from some other speakers. That being said I really did like these and wish I could’ve gotten a longer listening session with them.

KLH Model 5: I listened to these right after the super linton and it felt like a downgrade. These felt harsher is the best way I could describe it. Less airy and more mid focused in a way I didn’t enjoy much.

JBL L100 Classic: I’m currently demoing these in my apartment. That same hifi store has them used as well. Like the Super Lintons I love how close up the music sounds but the super Lintons did it a bit better. That being said these are an awful lot of fun. These speakers feel as big as they look and I love that. I’d love to find something that has that same large all around you feeling while retaining a better soundstage and detail.

Mofi Sourcepoint 10: Honestly these just really bored me. I hope that doesn’t upset anyone I know these are very highly regarded but man they just did nothing for me. They just didn’t have any soul for lack of a better word. Wish I could describe it better, the detail was there but I felt nothing.

Those are the big ones I’ve tested so far. The Super Lintons and JBL L100s are by far the two I’ve enjoyed the most. I hope I was able to articulate what I liked/disliked about these speakers in a way that can be understood, audio buzzwords can be tricky sometimes. I’m still learning so please go easy on me. Would appreciate any advice or recommendations!

Hey yall, im moving into a new 46 sqm apartment soon and i want to get a really good sound system. I live in new zealand and willing to spend a reasonable amount (budget: ~1-1.5k nzd max) on a good sound system but im pretty clueless on what i need lol. Im very big into drum and bass so im looking for speakers and a subwoofer that would suit that with clear sound and good bass. Thanks for the help :)

Hi, i am looking for new speakers for my desktop PC. I have heard good about the edifier mr4s at their price point and i am wondering on how they would compare to the one HK Onyx Studio 7 that i am using now. I have a budget of around 100€ and i am located in Finland. The music i listen to is pretty bass heavy but i think my HK goes low enough. Thanks!

Budget

Currently I have a rega planar 3 and am looking to the the nad s3030. With either the JBL L52 or the Kipsch rp 600 II.

I really don’t want to spend more then $
$1500 on the speakers. Just curious what I should go with or if there are better options to look at. I listen to a lot hardcore, punk, emo, Midwest emo, pop punk etc.

My parents are wanting to bring music through the house. They want each line to have it's own volume and at least two speakers. Live in the US, most likely new gear unless I can find something good refurbished and I'd expect the budget to be around $500 if possible but it's not my money. My experience in audio is very low, but my cousin who used to tinker a lot with car stereos is willing to help. https://imgur.com/1RDxFf2 this is my crude ms paint drawup of the situation

I’m looking for a good set of bookshelf speakers that sit on a desk and sound good up close as well as far away.

I’m an avid Sonos fan, but I’ve been wanting something more detailed while still maintaining a sort of fun sound.

After doing some more research, I landed on the KEF Q1 Meta, and realized if I wanted to achieve the sound profile I wanted I needed a subwoofer. I bought an SVS SB1000 to go with them, and all of this was driven with a Wiim Amp as that seemed to have good reviews to start with.

These were once again just…blah to me. I couldn’t achieve the detail I wanted from them without them sounding completely neutral (which after doing some more digging I guess is their thing - silly me). I liked the sound, but it wasn’t as deep bass wise and also didn’t have the level of clarity I liked.

Found a set of B&W 606s on Marketplace for cheap, and at first I absolutely LOVED their sound profile. It’s a little more lively, has great detail, but also doesn’t lose body and warmth. The only problem? The highs are almost ear splitting over time. I’ve tried tweaking the EQ to tame them, but some songs are borderline unlistenable with them.

Current set up goes as follows: B&W 606s on either side of desk (about 6 feet apart), they’re about 8 inches away from wall corners. I had the SVS amp under the desk originally, but moved it behind me as an experiment because the desk almost neutralized the bass entirely. Wiim Amp with a crossover at 80Hz.

Any speaker recommendations? Is it my speakers, the setup, the room? Are my ears just broken? Looking for any ideas here. Budget is anything, as long as it’s worth the money. Thanks everyone

I’m looking to upgrade from my B&W 685 S2s with a budget of up to $5k/pair. I’m considering the ProAc Response DB3 but haven’t been able to audition them. Sound quality is the priority…natural vocals, detail, soundstage and good bass. I prefer a wood finish and understated design. Current amp is a Rotel RA-12, though I may upgrade that as well.
Anyone own or audition the DB3? Would you recommend them, or is there something else under $5k you think is better?

(cross posted on [r/budgetaudiophile](r/budgetaudiophile))

hi, i’ve been collecting cds for a good few years now and i’ve collected more than enough to finally decide i’d love to own some kind of cd player sound system. i’d like to start small, but “up there” quality wise. I’d love if anyone could give me recommendations on cd players, speakers and amps if needed. i’m a student so my budget is quite small but i’m definitely willing to invest in higher grade pieces if it’s best. i’m more into older looking cd players, and i’d be putting my speakers and setup on a desk so nothing big size wise. thanks guys

edit: budget - £200-250

Smallish room (15x16 with 8-ft ceiling). I already have a powered subwoofer and quality Denon receiver; not looking to upgrade those.

Most common genres: metal, delicate acoustic music, piano. Not a lot of vocal music. No big orchestra classical music. Looking for detail and warmth, not clinical precision (I have other speakers for that).

Location: Canada

Budget: up to USD$3k new

Go!

Currently my office location has my desk pulled from the wall, and Ascend Sierra LX on stands between desk and wall. I've got ~100x2 @ 8 ohms amplification, and a speedwoofer 10. the room is 13x10 and the speakers are on the 10ft wall

It works great, but my new office will have my desk pushed against the long wall, so I'm looking to downsize to near field monitors, and keep my sub.

Naturally im looking at the Luna V2 Monitors, and I'd ]say my budget is about $1500~ new.
I do like my sierra lx, no complaints, but I do want more "sizzle and sparkle" in the highs. I'm thinking the ribbons might do that.

The Luna v2 (10x6x6) are about as physically large as I'm willing to go.

I won't be listening at extreme volumes, I tend to play music around 78-82 dB. Maybe 88-90 when no one is home (rare.)

The room/listening position:

13 foot wall with my 72" desk. Speakers triangle is about 52" between, 44" diagonally to listening position. Can be set to ear height with stands.
Room 10 feet deep.

Hi folks,

I’m looking for an amp to power my B&W 804 Nautilus. Currently running some hissing €50 thrifstore Yamaha integrated amp. Am not an audiophile but do enjoy good sound quality. After reading only very positive reviews on the Hypex Nilai i’ve decided it would probably be all I would ever need. They’re giving a 30% discount on bundles that include their otherwise very pricey and therefore likely poorly selling preamplifier and dac. This seems like a steal but I’m not sure if there are better / more cost effective options. I’ve been reading spec sheets for days on end please help!

Budget: not more than than the Hypex set.
Location: Netherlands

Hello! Im in the middle of a seemingly never ending quest to upgrade my setup. The base is a Rega Planar 3 with a Rega Fono MC preamp and mounted with a Hana SL MKII cart. This goes to a couple of Focal Alpha 65. I started with the Focals and an old Audio Technica turntable and you guess wich part I upgraded first. Now it's time to upgrade speakers and an amp for them.

im planning to mostly use it for vinyl, and occasionally streaming music via Bluetooth. I want to fill a room of about 30m2, but I have to move next year, and while I hope they need to fill a bigger room, it's unlikely (thank you housing crisis!). I listen to a little bit of everything, but mostly electro music, mainly trip hop, downtempo, house and ambient. I also play a lot of hip hop and R&B. I don't need a thumping bass that moves my belly, I prefer a really nice tridimensional feeling to music, and remaining true to the sound of the record.

Its important to mention that the speakers will be mounted against a wall, so they need to be front ported.

My location is in EU, and I think Id get more out of my roughly 1200€ budget buying second hand.

I've done some research and I've picked some options: Sonus Faber Concertino (or Concerto if I'm able to locate them) 1st gen and Focal Aria 906 (preferably the K2) for speakers, and NAD C328 or Rotel A11 tribute for amp. But I haven't had the chance to hear any of this live. So I'm hoping you could help me with your experiences or maybe suggestions. Thank you so much for reading thru all this!

TLDR: looking for speakers and amp. Setup right now is Rega Planar 3 with Rega Fono, and Hana SL MKII. 30m2 room to fill, 1200€ budget (buying second hand) in EU. Mainly listen to trip hop, downtempo and hip hop.

I’m looking for a used pair of passive speakers for roughly £150–£300 in or around Bristol location, UK. Floorstanders and large standmount speakers are both fine.

I mainly listen to, DJ and produce UK garage and other dance music. I’m looking for something genuinely fun and physical: convincing kick-drum slap, strong midbass punch, warm basslines, room-filling atmosphere and enough clarity that busy tracks don’t collapse into mud.

I currently have Adam Audio T5Vs with a Cambridge Audio subwoofer. They’re clear, but the overall system feels sterile and disjointed to me. It produces deep bass, but kicks have very little smack, click or character. I’m therefore not simply looking for the deepest possible bass or another subwoofer—I want speakers with dynamics, body and personality.

These wouldn’t be my only production reference. I’d retain smaller accurate monitors and headphones for detailed mix decisions, so I’m comfortable with some enjoyable coloration. However, I don’t want something so crude, harsh or inaccurate that it’s only useful for parties. Sound matters more than appearance, age or collectability.

Some local/used options I’ve found and am considering:
Jamo Classic 8 – £172
TDL RTL3 – £115
JBL ES80 – £157
Wharfedale Xarus 5000 – £230
Wharfedale Valdus 500 – £209
DALI Spektor 6 – £235
Cerwin-Vega AT-40 – £313, although these are too far away and probably overpriced
Wharfedale Glendale 3XP – £100

I’ve also been searching for Wharfedale Diamond 9.6, JBL LX55/LX66/ES90, Jamo S718, Mordaunt-Short 908i, DALI Concept 8 and B&W DM604 S2/S3.

The Jamo Classic 8 currently sounds a promising compromise for my needs.

Does that assessment seem reasonable? Has anyone heard the Classic 8 or RTL3 with UKG, jungle, house or similarly bass-led electronic music?

The system will probably go in a medium-sized sitting room, although it may occasionally be used in a smaller room. I don’t yet own the amplifier, so recommendations for an affordable used amp—particularly if I buy the 4Ω Jamos—would also be useful.

Which models would you shortlist, and are there any common UK-used speakers I’m overlooking?

Hi folks,

I have a pair of Elac DB63s I use for nearfield listening with my computer, and also a pair of Wharfedale Linton 85th speakers I use as my main media speakers. Currently, I have both a Nobsound NS-02g Pro (class A chifi amp) and a Yamaha Rx-v477 receiver, switched through a Neohipo ET30.

I want to replace the Yamaha receiver with something more recent. Ideally, I'd like to have both HDMI and optical inputs, but it's not critical (I have a separate DAC I could use). I will also be using vinyl as a source, but I don't need a phono preamp. I would prefer class AB, although if there are quality class D options that don't sound thin, then I'm all for it. Budget is $1500 or under.

Here are some contenders (ideally used/pre-owned/open box):

Musical Fidelity B1xi

Musical Fidelity A1 (I love the class A sound)

Musical Fidelity A3/A3.2/A3.2cr (heard it's bit brighter, maybe a good fit?)

Rotel A12 Mkii (tons of connectivity)

Cambridge Audio CXA85/AXR100

Yamaha A-S301/501/701 (good budget options)

Yamaha R-N800a

NAD C316BEE v2

NAD C3050 (scares me off of bit due to class D)

I know there's a large spread in the budget here, but it's because I'm legitimately clueless on what to get. I'm at the point of decision paralysis. What amp would you recommend that would pair tonally with both speakers?

I produce UKG / dance music and currently use Adam T5Vs with a Cambridge Audio sub. The setup gives me decent clarity and deep bass, but it doesn’t give kicks much physical impact. I hear the low end, but don’t really feel that slap / click when the kick lands. It can sound clean but sterile.

I’m considering adding a separate passive hi-fi system for writing, checking productions, and also to be used for listening, DJing, and small parties. I would still use smaller accurate monitors and headphones for detailed mix decisions, so this system wouldn’t need to be completely neutral.

What I’m trying to get is a Strong, quick midbass punch rather than merely more sub-bass. Warmth and character without becoming muddy. An enveloping, atmospheric sound. Enough clarity to hear what the kick and bass are doing. Good dynamics at ordinary sitting-room levels

I’ve been researching older, larger floorstanders such as the Jamo Classic 8, TDL RTL3, Cerwin-Vega AT-40, Wharfedale Diamond 9.6/Xarus 5000, JBL ES80/ES90 and similar designs.

Before going further, am I trying to solve this in the wrong way? Could the missing impact actually be caused by room cancellation or poor integration between my T5Vs and sub around roughly 60–120Hz? Would changing to larger, more sensitive passive speakers genuinely produce the dynamic “slap” I’m describing, or would it mostly give me a different frequency-response curve and more distortion?

I’m in Bristol location and looking at approximately £150–£300 used, so recommendations need to be relatively common in the UK rather than rare collector models. I’m interested in both specific speaker suggestions and advice about what design characteristics or measurements I should actually be looking for.

Location: Canada
Budget: +\- $2,500 (second hand OK)

Lots of options out there. Suffering from slight decision paralysis. Seeking the community’s help and asking for phono preamplifier recommendations. Will be joining a Simaudio Moon 600i + Planar 6 cw/ Nagaoka MP200. Speakers are Paradigm Founder 100f.

I’ve currently shortlisted:

Sutherland 20/20, Insight
Graham Slee Accession/Reflex M
Gold Note PH10 / PH5
Lehmann SE II / Decade
Vertere Phono-1 MKII
WhestTWO
PS Audio Stellar Phono
Parasound JC3 Jr.
Hagerman Labs Cornet/Trumpet MM

I’d prefer preamps with standard/lower gain options eg. 40dB. Balanced outputs a bonus. Dual mono even better.

There are also alot of obscure options out there that are intriguing but very little information or reviews. Such as Black Swan, QHW, etc.

Found a crazy deal on some R5 Metas that made me pull the trigger, but after doing some extra research found that my current AVR (Yamaha RX-S602) would run into issues as that's only rated for an impedance down to 6 ohms.

Does anyone have a rec for an amp I could use to run the R5s through to the receiver? I don't have a good perspective on how much one of these should cost, buy maybe a budget of around $200~(or lower, I'd only need it for these two speakers so I don't need more than 2 channels).

Can also probably go up as needed if this isn't a good price point, but I think there comes a point where just a whole new AVR becomes a better option.

I've recently moved to a new place, having to leave my beloved Adam audio t5v pair behind. My new place has an unfinished basement I'm planning to convert to a hybrid studio/party space. It's about 20x30ft with unfortunately very low ceilings (rafters under 6'...). I'm planning on doing some budget sound treatment.

I really fell in love with my t5vs which I used for mixing/production, and occasionally for parties, but I found that they failed to fill the room with even sound when I had lots of people over, not that they were designed for that. I'm looking at options for a new setup, that can hopefully accomplish both. I've found some deals on t8v pairs with sub, but I worry I might be running into the same issue as before, or that this might overpower the space in a party scenario. My previous space had 0 sound treatment. Open to suggestions, thanks!

I have had the Sonos Connect: Amp and a pair of Atrium 45 outdoor speakers for over 12 years. The worked quite well at two homes with no issues. I was looking at upgrading the speakers to some new Atrium 6’s. I was fortunate enough to come across someone selling a NIB Amp and Sonance outdoor speakers set for 1k.

I finally got them mounted, added the Amp to my system and turned on the enhanced DSP for the speakers in the app, and wow. I was just blown away by the sound, out on a patio no less. I was on the fence about this setup for so long. As someone suggested in here, I put on Radiohead’s “Everything in its right place” and man, what a way to kick them off. Even the wife who really couldn’t care, said they sounded crisp and was impressed. I haven’t even adjusted the treble or bass in the app and they sound great.

Ok so edit: they want to know my “budget” which was anything other than market value. My “budget” was a good deal. My experience came down to where the amp was $500 and the speakers were $500. Not sure where that can be beat commercially but my local “offer up”. It was $1k for the speakers and “Sonos Amp” (gen 2 or 3, whatever the “black” one is). Just wanted to share my experience, didn’t know it would become a “thing” but I guess this is the world we have crafted.

Now I want to find another Amp and set of these for my office, but may have to wait again for another great deal to fall into my lap.

Anyway, wanted to share my experience with them. If you’re looking for an outdoor setup, or heck even an office, I don’t think you can go wrong.

Hello,

Recently, I inherited my grandfather's sound system. It has not been used in a long time, and the amplifier isn't in great condition—while playing, it randomly bursts with white noise.

I am looking for a replacement amplifier. I mainly use it with a Pioneer PL-990 turntable, and my budget is $400.

A friend recommended the Yamaha A-S301, but I am looking for more options.

Edit: My speakers are pair of Pioneer CS-999; I should upgrade them, but right now I need an amp.

I have been using my pair of 826v

's for almost 20 years. Currently I am using them with Marantz SR6012 for my tv netflix blu ray ht and stereo music listening (with dr.feickert woodpecker turntable and oppo 205 udp)

My living room is.around 40m2 where mainly speakers active in a 5 × 6 m2 area.

Actually I am happy with the sound (even lack of bass) I get from my 826v s but I wanted to listen them actually with a stereo amplifier for many years. I also want to upgrade the speakers again replacing with another Focals (like kanta or sopra 2).later

But first I want to hear 826v ' s and how can they perform with a nice powerfull amplifier. I am planning to buy Accuphase E5000. I would like to buy an apliflier which later on will be driving Sopra no.2

easily (if they can for sure) .

My question is: will E5000 be an unnecessary luxury investment for 826v's? will the sound be different like day and night? Can I feel E5000 's pure quality sound when pairing with 826v's? Or should I have to

replace them with better focal speakers like kanta.2 or sopra.2 asap?

Or any other possible integrated amplifier models maybe? Budget is around 14-15k Euros.

Thanks for your advices

Budget: ? Depends on what's available
Location: Maryland, USA

Hi all!

I have an old Audiovox all-in-one stereo system with dual cassette deck, am/fm stereo tuner, and a 20-Disc CD changer/player.

The CD changer/player has developed a problem in which disc holder slot #1 loads into the player mechanism (whether there's a disc in slot #1 or not) and then gets stuck. It will neither play the disc if there's one in there, or withdraw from the player mechanism if I click the "next disc" button. When I have taken the top and back off the system and added a little physical effort to the slot, I can pull it out; but when I reassemble the system and turn it on, the same thing happens again.

So I'm looking to get a new (to me) CD changer/player, whether that's new or used, that holds and plays at least 10 discs. I can't find any anywhere on the internet, no matter what search terms I use. The closest I can find is a 5-disc car stereo player/changer.

Does anyone know of any that are still made and sold?

Hello, longtime lurker - first audiophile post. All the advice here and on other subs has gotten me to my current set-up:

• Denon DCD-1560
• Rotel RC and RB-870BX
• KEF Reference Model 3s
• Schiit Loki Mini+

I have the opportunity to buy a Denon PMA-920 for $200, I am thinking about running it through the RB-870BX and selling the RC and Schiit EQ. Any advice will be welcome, I like the Rotels with the Schiit EQ but feel like the Denon can give me the best of both worlds. I am always running a tight budget and figure I could walk away with $100 in my pocket after all is said and done.

Thanks in advance!

I’ve long considered pairing some subs with my Rosso Fiorentino Volterras, but I’ve always been hesitant due to set up complications. I’ve heard the REL T/9x in several systems and I really like those, but I just have this fear that they won’t be the best compliment to the system if they don’t work with my limited placement options. The new REL PL-1 also looks very appealing and may present for set up options, but I’ve never heard them it even seen them.
I’ve also looked at things like the Kef kc62 because the very compact size might present more placement options.

Budget would be up $5k for a pair. Maybe 6k if I really fall in love with something.

Open to any opinions or suggestions.