Howdy,
Never owned a decent stereo say one more than ~$700 of gear. Right now have a Sonos but not a good wifi and it's been a pain to keep online.
Now I have a $1500 budget (up from $1000 so that a hard ceiling!)
Figured close to $1000 on an iIntegrated Amp and $500 on speakers. Wires etc figured in.
Main source for now an iPhone. Starting to learn software like Audivana and use higher quality files. Eventually improve this but I want to "plug and play" via Bluetooth, WiFi or hard wire. Streaming from computer a plus!
2 channel fine. No TV so no 5.1 interest. No radio required. No phono but option down the road nice..
I play classic rock and country and lots of acoustic bluegrass Tony Rice kinda stuff. Aspiring flat picker!
Hours of research have given me the following:
Pretty well set with ELAC Uni-fi UB5 speakers.
Integrated Amp choices.
Yamaha A-S801
Cambridge Audio CXA60
Most intriguing are NAD's offerings
NAD C 338
NAD C 368
There are NO showrooms within 500 miles that stock any of these so I'm online!
So far what I've gathered:
Yamaha can be a little sterile and issues with treble.
Cambridge wins awards but only from Brit WhatHiFi which may be biased as I read between lines. Something bugs me about it...but I can't recall...
NAD's are new and few reviews and hard to find.
338 has the quickest easiest "plug and play" but not sure of actual bit rate it can handle and if I can grow with it.
368 seems to have to all once I add a $400 module to it!
Last time I bought a stereo there were actual showrooms with dozens of options that could be switched and compared! I'm in Tucson if there are any I missed you know of.
Aside from just advice on which I'd love to hear a general approach I should take. So far I have impressed myself and been studying for over a week! I'm usually an impulsive buyer....
Thanks!
Warren
Howdy,
Never owned a decent stereo say one more than ~$700 of gear. Right now have a Sonos but not a good wifi and it's been a pain to keep online.
Now I have a $1500 budget (up from $1000 so that a hard ceiling!)
Figured close to $1000 on an iIntegrated Amp and $500 on speakers. Wires etc figured in.
Main source for now an iPhone. Starting to learn software like Audivana and use higher quality files. Eventually improve this but I want to "plug and play" via Bluetooth, WiFi or hard wire. Streaming from computer a plus!
2 channel fine. No TV so no 5.1 interest. No radio required. No phono but option down the road nice..
I play classic rock and country and lots of acoustic bluegrass Tony Rice kinda stuff. Aspiring flat picker!
Hours of research have given me the following:
Pretty well set with ELAC Uni-fi UB5 speakers.
Integrated Amp choices.
Yamaha A-S801
Cambridge Audio CXA60
Most intriguing are NAD's offerings
NAD C 338
NAD C 368
There are NO showrooms within 500 miles that stock any of these so I'm online!
So far what I've gathered:
Yamaha can be a little sterile and issues with treble.
Cambridge wins awards but only from Brit WhatHiFi which may be biased as I read between lines. Something bugs me about it...but I can't recall...
NAD's are new and few reviews and hard to find.
338 has the quickest easiest "plug and play" but not sure of actual bit rate it can handle and if I can grow with it.
368 seems to have to all once I add a $400 module to it!
Last time I bought a stereo there were actual showrooms with dozens of options that could be switched and compared! I'm in Tucson if there are any I missed you know of.
Aside from just advice on which I'd love to hear a general approach I should take. So far I have impressed myself and been studying for over a week! I'm usually an impulsive buyer....
Thanks!
Warren