AudioBanter.com - View Single Post - I just want accurate-sounding music!

said:

Hi Stephen, thank you. I guess you answered my most pressing question
-- is it possible to reproduce live music accurately for $500-$750 --
and the answer seems to be "no."

So, that being said, I suppose I am now asking for a specific
recommendation. Or is sound reproduction so subjective that anyone's
recommendation outside my own experience is irrelevant? Maybe I need
to find someone with similar musical tastes (live jazz, classical,
acapella vocals, theater) on a similar budget.

I guess a good followup question would be -- can you buy sound
reproduction components based on specs alone and expect the result to
match the specs? I'm thinking that if that's true, then Consumer
Reports recommendations are as good as any, and better than a
salesman's.

My advice to you would be:
Look around in the second-hand market, especially for speakers.
In this budget range, I'd say the speakers are the most important
factor.

More money buys you mostly more bass.
Knowing this , you could start out with some good 2-way speakers ( not
staellites!), and add a subwoofer later.

I have lived with Epos ES-11 two-way speakers for years and was very
happy with them. Used them with a variety of amps, even tubes.
They still serve as "monitors" in my little home studio.

Speakers should be auditioned at home, whenever possible.
I doubt you'll find any second-hand seller allowing this, but in case
you're planning to buy new, it's certainly something to ask of the
salesman.

Speakers are very person-dependent.
I now have Magnepans, which I'll never trade for anything else.
People visiting me have opinions all over the map, though.
Some love' em, some hate' em.
No telling.

The rest:
Add in a small Rotel or NAD amp and CD player and you have a basic 2
channel system.
If you're after multichannel, I have to pass on advice.

Good luck in your search!

--
Sander de Waal
" SOA of a KT88? Sufficient. "