New DAC, amp, speakers – advice needed please

[occamsrazor]

Hi,

I am "getting back into" hi-fi after many years of not paying much attention and I am looking to upgrade my gear. A couple of important points to note first, and which are the reasons I'm seeking advice here:

#1: I live abroad and will have to order online without ever being able to hear any components first, let alone together. Obviously that's unfortunate, but that's just the way it is... Therefore I'm seeking advice not just about individual components but also the likely synergy between them.
#2: I will have to air-freight the stuff, so size and weight are a factor.

Currently I have a 20-year old system consisting of:

Audiolab 8000A: One decent input left, all the plastic on the other terminals is cracking.
Blueroom Minipod speakers: One woofer dome cracked, home-made repair.
Rega Planet CD player (unused these days)
Airport Express devices (2 x 1st gen, 1 x 3rd gen)
Various Mac Minis and MacBooks.

As I have 2 mac mini servers, Macbook Pros, iPhones, and two QNAP NAS with a lot of storage and backups, I am fairly sorted for sources. Source material was all MP3s until very recently, but now I am trying to go lossless. A lot will be played over the Airport Expresses for convenience, but I'm also looking at the option to dedicate a Mac Mini connected directly to DAC via USB or optical SPDIF. I'm aware of the limitations of iTunes, but with so many Apple devices already I find the ease-of-use in terms of home-sharing, streaming, and Airplay to be very practical. My house is wired with gigabit ethernet and has decent dual-band Wifi.

New systems being considered:

As I no longer need to invest in a CD player/tuner/tape deck/turntable, I have decided I want to buy a new system and put my money in the DAC, amplifier, and speakers. I am currently looking at roughly £2000 for the DAC, amp and speakers, but my budget can be somewhat flexible, I am willing to pay for durable, quality equipment if it can be justified by long-term use. Equally I don't need to spend more than necessary....

At first I started looking at all-in-one AMP+DAC options like the Quad Vena and TEAC AI-501DA but I am now tending towards a higher end separates system. A couple options that have taken my eye are:

DAC options:
Rega DAC - likely the older version at around £300, or maybe the new DAC-R (http://www.rega.co.uk/dac-r-1.html) at around £550, but I'm doubtful in my setup it gives me additional advantages over the old version)
Teac UD-501 (http://www.teac.com/product/ud-501/)
Audiolab M-DAC/Q-DAC (http://www.audiolab.co.uk/M-DAC Series.aspx)
Arcam IRDAC (http://www.arcam.co.uk/products,rSeries,USB-DACs,irDAC.htm)

AMPLIFIER options:
Keep the Audiolab 8000A for the time being
Rega Brio (http://www.rega.co.uk/brio-r.html) or Elex (http://www.rega.co.uk/elex-r.html)
Something NAIM?

SPEAKERS options:
On the speakers side I really have no idea. This is where size and weight can become problematic. Whilst I'd love some floorstanders I suspect bookshelf speakers will be necessary.
I've seen all the positive KEF LS-50 (http://kef.com/html/en/showroom/flagship_hi-fi_series/LS50/overview/) reviews, and am considering it, although I find the styling questionable.

One thing I am wondering about, is for a given amount of money, for example my budget listed above, what is the best "split" between different components. For example will spending more on one only give me marginal gains, whereas allocating that to another give me greater gains?
I am willing to consider ex-demo and second-hand to get more for my money... but also looking at buying new.

So there we are.... Anyone have any thoughts on the above possibilities? Or have other suggestions?

I am very open to any ideas at all....

[Macca]

Start with the room and work backwards. You want as good a room as possible. If that is already set in stone then look at getting speakers that will work well with the room, then amplification that is a good match for the speakers, then attend to the source, or in this case, the DAC.

So information about the size of the room, dimensions and any other details about layout and so forth would be useful if you want suggestions as to suitable speakers. Taste in music might be a consideration, too. No speaker is perfect so what might suit a diet of mainly rock and blues won't be ideal if you mainly listen to classical or acoustic jazz.

[occamsrazor]

Start with the room and work backwards. You want as good a room as possible. If that is already set in stone then look at getting speakers that will work well with the room, then amplification that is a good match for the speakers, then attend to the source, or in this case, the DAC.
So information about the size of the room, dimensions and any other details about layout and so forth would be useful if you want suggestions as to suitable speakers.

Yes good points.... Current room is 7m x 4.5m but opens out partially onto another room. See below diagram, but also bear in mind I move every couple years, so future use of the equipment may well be different.

http://i57.tinypic.com/2086t1y.jpg


Taste in music might be a consideration, too. No speaker is perfect so what might suit a diet of mainly rock and blues won't be ideal if you mainly listen to classical or acoustic jazz.

Oops I meant to mention that too. Listen to a variety of music but usually....

a) West-African 70s funk (Fela Kuti etc) and highlife - I have a large collection of African music mostly from West Africa, especially 1960s/70s Highlife from Ghana/Benin and early 1970s Nigerian funk, which I listen to a lot.
b) British 1980s/1990s - Joy Division, Smiths, Pulp, Manics, Ambient (Orb, KLF), Britpop. Also Jack Johnson, Alexi Murdoch.
c) Hippie 1960s/1970s - Joan Baez, Joni Mitchell, Dylan, Hendrix etc.
I do like a lot of strong female vocalists...

I usually listen at a moderate volume and don't tend to "blast it" all that often... Vocals are almost always more important to me than heavy bass etc.

[Macca]

Nobody able to make suggestions for this?

Come on folks. if I do it then god knows what the poor bloke will end up with....

[struth]

I'm not Mac savvy by so I'll leave that. Dac wise I'd add the mf m1 asynchronous dac I have one and it's a very good all in one unit and an excellent post 2013 version will be got for around 200£.
As you will then only need one input I'd keep the a lab its a good amp and maybe later either change it or get it repaired.
Speakers much depend on what you like and want to spend and whether second hand or new. I recently got a new pair of q acoustics 2020i and stands from the manufacturers for about 330£ and they are really good. They do a higher model should you want that are even better. They'll come well packed in boxes and will travel well. Put some decent speaker cable on and your away.

Hope this helps

[occamsrazor]

I'm not Mac savvy by so I'll leave that.

Fair enough. I have actually been looking at some of the various streaming options, but experience with other "embedded" type devices has always left me a bit disappointed. There always seems to be one annoying bit of the user interface that doesn't quite work and then you are left at the mercy of the manufacturer to fix it by firmware update, which never seems to arrive. At least with a full-fledged computer you can switch software at any point if you wish.


Dac wise I'd add the mf m1 asynchronous dac I have one and it's a very good all in one unit and an excellent post 2013 version will be got for around 200£.

I'd read a couple users saying it had compared unfavourably to the iRDAC and Rega. But then again that's just a couple of people and not in any way definitive. I'll add that to my list....


As you will then only need one input I'd keep the a lab its a good amp and maybe later either change it or get it repaired.

Yeah, perhaps I should do that, at least as a temporary measure but medium-term it's going to need replacement. Repair will be very difficult in that I would have to do myself. I've read of people replacing the terminals but it requires desoldering them off the mainboard and is probably too much for me to handle. Given that the Audiolab lasted me 20 years, I'm willing to spend some money to get me something which will last another 20 (which I doubt the Audiolab will...)


Speakers much depend on what you like and want to spend and whether second hand or new. I recently got a new pair of q acoustics 2020i and stands from the manufacturers for about 330£ and they are really good. They do a higher model should you want that are even better. They'll come well packed in boxes and will travel well. Put some decent speaker cable on and your away.

Yeah I was looking at the Concept 20 model that got some good reviews. I wouldn't be able to get the dedicated stands (too heavy and expensive to ship stands) but could get something basic made up here.

Thanks!


Come on folks. if I do it then god knows what the poor bloke will end up with....

I'm very open to "off the wall" ideas :-)

[MikeMusic]

What can you buy in Kenya ?

Assume hifi is rare but then maybe not many chasing it.
If it's expensive then buy here, ship out lots and flog on the stuff you don't want !
:)

[occamsrazor]

What can you buy in Kenya? Assume hifi is rare but then maybe not many chasing it....

Hi, some discussion of Kenya hi-fi in my intro thread (http://theartofsound.net/forum/showthread.php?34636-Greetings-from-Kenya). But they say a picture tells a thousand words, and whilst this isn't an exhaustive investigation of the audiophile opportunities in Kenya, I think it gives a fair representation.... :-) :-)

http://i59.tinypic.com/2vxodg2.jpg


If it's expensive then buy here, ship out lots and flog on the stuff you don't want!

Not a bad idea actually. But shipping is expensive and I'm not very business-minded, sadly.... Let's start with one set first!

[Macca]

I'm very open to "off the wall" ideas :-)

In that case.....

You could have a look at the Cambridge Audio Aeromax 2

http://www.richersounds.com/product/standmount-speakers/cambridge-audio/aeromax-2/camb-aeromax-2-blk

One driver for bass one for everything else from 250HZ up so no crossover in the critical region. Makes vocals very clear, so I understand but not heard them myself. New technology drivers.

Another option seeing as you are intent on replacing the Audiolab would be active speakers along the lines of some professional type monitors. No need for a seperate amp that way and you can buy at pro prices which are a lot lower than audiophile prices.

[occamsrazor]

Another option seeing as you are intent on replacing the Audiolab would be active speakers along the lines of some professional type monitors. No need for a seperate amp that way and you can buy at pro prices which are a lot lower than audiophile prices.

Thanks, I will read up on the Aeromax speakers. Regarding Actives, could you list a few of these pro-priced active monitors that you think might be worth looking into? I'm usually against putting two such eggs in one basket, but am always happy to consider.... Thanks...

[MikeMusic]

:)
One set at a time then, but keep an eye on adverts in Kenya as there may be bargains to be had

[occamsrazor]

:)
One set at a time then, but keep an eye on adverts in Kenya as there may be bargains to be had

Of course, but have now found a reasonably-priced way to ship stuff so my options are pretty-much wide open.
Think I will start with speakers, then DAC, and finally amplifier which seems to be in order of most improvement.
I have to say I am quite partial to the Rega stuff and suspect I will end up with something like the Rega Elex amp-wise.
Given the room size and music styles I posted, any other recommendations on speakers?

[MikeMusic]

Of course, but have now found a reasonably-priced way to ship stuff so my options are pretty-much wide open.
Think I will start with speakers, then DAC, and finally amplifier which seems to be in order of most improvement.
I have to say I am quite partial to the Rega stuff and suspect I will end up with something like the Rega Elex amp-wise.
Given the room size and music styles I posted, any other recommendations on speakers?

You can't go wrong with Rega.
If you ship by ship do you need extra protection from sea air ?
(Probably done by shipper anyway)

I'd go with Linn Isobariks as they are in my blood. Needs a good amp