|
Post by chrisbates1974 on Oct 5, 2017 9:29:38 GMT
So, I have a friend who currently does not own a hifi. (We're life-long friends, I have learned to overlook this!)
We very much enjoy listening sessions in my hifi room with the following kit - Apple AEX for Apple Music, Cyrus 5 Integrated, Cyrus 6 CDP, Rega Planar 3/Ortofon 2M Red, Rega Fono MM MkII, KEF Q700.
Recently, came the fatal question - "I don't want to play music from CD or vinyl, I just want to use Spotify. How much do you reckon I'd need to spend to get a sound as good as you have?"
Now, I know it's all down to personal opinion, but I told him I'd probably look at around £2k. And be fairly confident he'd end up with something better than my kit!
Here's where the fun starts. You have £2k, the requirements are either an amplifier of some type, and a pair of (most likely) standmount speakers, for a room roughly 12ft square, hifi ideally placed for good sound.
Go!
FWIW, my first thoughts were KEF R300, Rega Elex R. OR, KEF LS50 and Cyrus 6DAC
I know nothing about streaming - as you can probably see from my kit list, but I understand that he could throw Spotify to a ChromeCast?
Let's hear some ideas! Left-field ideas welcome!!!
|
|
davidf
Administrator
Posts: 331
|
Post by davidf on Nov 10, 2017 14:31:50 GMT
For me, systems like this scream out for simplicity, so I usually try and reduce the box count.
The obvious and simplest answer would be the KEF LS50 Wireless, having Spotify and TIDAL on board - TIDAL is noticeably better quality than Spotify, it just doesn't have the catalogue unfortunately.
A Bluesound PowerNode is basically a Bluesound Node with an on board 60wpc Class D amplifier. At £800, this allows a fair budget for speakers, or even to save a bit of cash. I've used it very successfully with tiny speakers like the Ophidian Minimo, as well as the bookshelf models from Amphion. Even the £1600 Ophidian mambo floorstanders worked fantastically well with it, so it's a capable unit. This is the option for those who have a favourite speaker. The Larsen range of speakers should be fine to work with it too, as well as KEF's Q Series. Hell, I was using it the other day with the fairly large £1850 Heco Direkt Einklang speakers, mainly because of their 94dB sensitivity!
Another option is to look at Bluesound Node, which then leaves your amplifier and speaker choice wide open - add a Cyrus One and a pair of KEF LS50s and you have a passive alternative to the Wireless version, but with extra flexibility.
|
|
|
Post by chrisbates1974 on Nov 16, 2017 11:11:27 GMT
Well, there's really only one way to find out... When and if he gets the approval for budget, much listening will be done... Cheers!
|
|
|
Post by simon123 on Aug 10, 2018 19:57:37 GMT
I’d second kef ls50 actives which are very good. But I’d also throw in kef ls50 passive, but I’d look at a Rega pairing not the cyrus one, as it’s not as good I don’t think as the Rega small boxes. I also love the small speakers from neat. Rate the kefs but not q series. I don’t think the 6dac and ls50 would be as good as active ls50s or other passive speaker and amp combo. Have owned the 6dac myself and it’s easily outclassed by newer amps now. Cyrus are behind on development. Chromecasts are good but reach a plateau quite quickly on good kit. I’d prefer the auralic Aries mini to the node2 as it’s more versatile and just as good. You can use a hard drive in it. If your friend is using a budget type streamer with a good system the Aries will be hard to beat.
|
|