Need advice on my proposed system

gnomore

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I am in the process of building a sound system for my computer room. It measures about 17x14 ft. Currently I am using a pair of cheap gaming headphones. I would like to graduate to a high performance / price system that gives me good stereo sound and good headphone sound for late at night when I cant use the speakers. The only thing I will be connecting this system to is my computer via an optical cable.

Right now I am looking at the following:
Marantz PM 6005 Amp with built in DAC
Monitor Audio BX-2 Speakers
Partington Super Dreadnought Speaker stands
Sennheiser HD600 Headphones

I am not someone who plans on blasting the volume of these speakers. I am after balance and clarity. Just hoping for a solid sound system that will last. I would rather not have various units on my desk like a separate dac, separate amp etc. I like the all in one aspect of the PM6005 for its simplicity and the fact that I am really not an audio guy... after I buy this system I will use it until it breaks. As far as music taste I typically listen to classical and movie scores. I don't plan on doing surround sound at all.

Do you guys think the above system will get me to a pretty good representation of what the music was intended to sound like?

Also what options should I be looking at as far as finishing the system. I know I will need speaker cables. Any in particular... certain guage etc? Should I be looking for a good quality speaker cable or just a certain guage of wire? And should I get some sort of surge protector like a tripp lite isobar... or some sort of audio specific surge protector? Also when mounting those speakers to the speaker stands... are there any types of pads I should consider etc.

At this point I think the above is what I will end up purchasing unless you guys think I have a mismatched system or should go with something else. The biggest issue I have right now is I dont know what I dont know so I think I need to defer to more experienced people before I pull the trigger on it.

Thanks :)
 
Everyone starts off saying they don't need anything loud or lots of bass... :D

Anyway, the Marantz is a very good bet; also do take a look at the Marantz MCR603 while it's still around for £299, and the NAD D 3020 (I did a quick'n'dirty review here, there's a more pro review here), they will both suit you well and have added wireless connectivity features.

The BX-2 are great speakers for their price; by adding the stands however you're effectively spending £450 on speakers & stands - would you consider the floor standing speakers like the MA BX5 instead, or going second hand for much more value?

Headphones are again a big area, do you want something which is neutral and honest, or something a little more "fun" (ie: slightly more emphasis on bass, which does tend to work a lot better in games and movies)? Will you be taking these on the move - therefore requiring something relatively easy to drive for a portable device?

In terms of cable, I've found Van Damme Blue (2.5mm, although I've gone for 4mm just for the sake of it) to be excellent. If your system is not going to be moved, you don't even need any terminations, just bare wire.
 
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Everyone starts off saying they don't need anything loud or lots of bass... :D

Anyway, the Marantz is a very good bet; also do take a look at the Marantz MCR603 while it's still around for £299, and the NAD D 3020 (I did a quick'n'dirty review here, there's a more pro review here), they will both suit you well and have added wireless connectivity features.

The BX-2 are great speakers for their price; by adding the stands however you're effectively spending £450 on speakers & stands - would you consider the floor standing speakers like the MA BX5 instead, or going second hand for much more value?

Headphones are again a big area, do you want something which is neutral and honest, or something a little more "fun" (ie: slightly more emphasis on bass, which does tend to work a lot better in games and movies)? Will you be taking these on the move - therefore requiring something relatively easy to drive for a portable device?

In terms of cable, I've found Van Damme Blue (2.5mm, although I've gone for 4mm just for the sake of it) to be excellent. If your system is not going to be moved, you don't even need any terminations, just bare wire.

Hmm I hadnt thought of the bx5's. You make a good point. I am trying to find a place online that sells them so I can get an idea of their price. Anyone know what they go for in USD?

As far as headphones I prefer a balanced sound... neutral and honest. These will never move from my desk. I dont have a portable device at all and wont be getting one. This is all about a good sound system for my computer. There will never be a dedicated cd player hooked up as I dont own any music cd's. All my music is played from spotify or high quality flacs. Of all the headphones I have ever had, my bose quietcomfort 15's sounded the best. Granted the quietcomforts were the best pair of headphones I had ever bought.... other than those I typically used razer or logitech gaming headphones. Sadly my quietcomforts broke on me a couple weeks back, but I loved the "clarity" they provided.

I do a lot of voice chat on my system, and also watch alot of educational videos/lectures. Also do alot of gaming and movie watching. Music less so than the others but I do listen to a fair amount of it.

Would the PM6005 drive the bx-5's well?
 
I am looking at price differentials between some of the monitor audio speakers.

bx2 = 490.00
bx5 = 649.00
bx6 = 875.00
rx6 = 1024.99

I may be willing to shell out the 875 for the bx6 or 1025 for the rx6. Are they worth it over the bx5?

What do you guys think the best speakers for that amp would be? Consider I want to buy this system and dont plan on upgrading anything after the purchase... which way would you guys go?
 
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I am looking at price differentials between some of the monitor audio speakers.

bx2 = 490.00
bx5 = 649.00
bx6 = 875.00
rx6 = 1024.99

I may be willing to shell out the 875 for the bx6 or 1025 for the rx6. Are they worth it over the bx5?

What do you guys think the best speakers for that amp would be? Consider I want to buy this system and dont plan on upgrading anything after the purchase... which way would you guys go?

The silver RX6 are a much more capable speaker and IMO one of the best speakers available under a grand. They aren't too fussy about amps but they do need a fair bit of space to breathe, if they are too close to a wall the bass will boom and they really do become unlistenable. When I got some a few years ago they were £799 in walnut so I'm guessing £1025 is gloss finish?
 
I ended up going with the bx5 speakers. They will be going up close to a wall so hopefully the bx5's will work out well. Between the pm6005, monitor audio bx5's, sennheiser hd 600s im into the system for about $1800.00

Can't wait until it arrives. :)

The only thing I havent purchased yet is speaker wire. I am really lost trying to choose which wire to buy. Is there a noticeable difference between speaker wires in the final sound? How much should I spend on speaker wire for an 1800 dollar system?

I would definantly like terminals on them since these speakers will be moved every now and then.

Thanks guys :)
 
In the USA, AudioAdvisor.com is a good place for Monitor Audio speakers -

Monitor Audio-Audio Advisor

The Monitor Audio Bx2 are good speakers at a fair price. But you do have to consider the price of stands. You may be able to build your own with a little ingenuity and some woodworking skills. Or you may find some on sale for a bit less. But it is an expense you need to consider.

Monitor Audio - Bronze BX-2 - 2-Way Bookshelf Speakers-Audio Advisor

Monitor Audio - Bronze BX-5 2 1/2-Way Floorstanding Speaker-Audio Advisor

Monitor Audio - Bronze BX-6 2-1/2Way Floorstanding Speaker-Audio Advisor

Be very careful to note the Unit quantity. In the USA, they are fond of selling Bookshelf in PAIRS, and Floorstanding as EACH.

Typically, with a slightly different sound, the Wharfedale Diamond series are mentioned along side the Monitor Audio Bronze, and they can be found ate MusicDirect.com -

WHARFEDALE at Music Direct

The nearest equivalent to the Monitor Audio would be the Diamond 10.2 -

WHARFEDALE DIAMOND 10.2 BOOKSHELF SPEAKER (PR) at Music Direct

That is a very nice speaker, a bit more laid back than the Monitor Audio BX.

In Diamond floorstanding it is a question of how far you want to take it -

WHARFEDALE DIAMOND 10.4 TOWER SPEAKERS (PR) at Music Direct

WHARFEDALE DIAMOND 10.6 TOWER SPEAKERS (PR) at Music Direct

WHARFEDALE DIAMOND 10.7 TOWER SPEAKERS (PR) at Music Direct

The Diamond 10.7 were recently reviewed by Stereophile Magazine, and the Diamond 10.1 are a big favorite of the staff at Stereophile which gave them a stunning review. The Diamond 10.2 is simply a larger Diamond 10.1 bookshelf. The Diamond 10.1 has a 5" bass driver and the Diamond 10.2 has a 6.5" bass driver.

As a quick browse on MusicDirect, the speaker stands I'm finding are running about US$200.

Other places to consider -

Crutchfield.com

Frys.com

NewEgg.com (good for great deals on close-outs)

BestBuy.com (search BestBuy.com/Magnolia for their better quality equipment)

ABT.com (probably has a pretty nice Audio section)

Both Polk Audio and JBL/Harmon/Infinity have EBAY stores where they sell off surplus and discontinued models. You are buying direct from the Manufacturer with full warranty so it is a pretty safe bet.

Here are the addresses to the Ebay sites. You can sometimes find some amazing bargains there.

polkaudio in Consumer Electronics > TV, Video & Home Audio| eBay

harmanaudio in Consumer Electronics > TV, Video & Home Audio| eBay

Excellent bargains would be -

Infinity P363BK Magnetically Shielded 3 Way Floorstanding Loudspeaker 050667368326 | eBay

Monitor 70 Black Tower Speakers Polk Audio Pair | eBay

Again, pay attention as to whether the price is EACH or per PAIR.

While it may be kicking your budget pretty hard, these would be very good speakers (EACH) -

RTIA7 Cherry Tower Loudspeaker Polk Audio Each 047192118441 | eBay

At a better price, consider these (PAIR) -

polkaudio in Consumer Electronics > TV, Video & Home Audio| eBay

If you really have a big pile of money laying around then (EACH) -

RTIA9 Black Tower Loudspeaker Polk Audio Each | eBay

Or these (PAIR) -

RTI10 Cherry Tower Speaker Polk Audio New Pair 047192109777 | eBay

How far you want to take it is up to you -

LSIM705 Cherry Tower Floorstanding Speaker Polk Audio Each | eBay

LSI25 Cherry Tower Floorstanding Loudspeakers New Pair 747192108595 | eBay

That should give you something to think about.

Steve/bluewizard
 
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The only thing I havent purchased yet is speaker wire. I am really lost trying to choose which wire to buy. Is there a noticeable difference between speaker wires in the final sound? How much should I spend on speaker wire for an 1800 dollar system?

I would definantly like terminals on them since these speakers will be moved every now and then.

Thanks guys :)

Only one way to answer that question... Get a few cables to demo :)

Most decent suppliers will be happy to provide test samples.
 
I'm not sure if the Link to the Polk RTI-A9 is working so I'll post it again -

RTIA9 Black Tower Loudspeaker Polk Audio Each | eBay

As far as speaker wire, I'm a big fan of wire and cable in proportion to your system price. Myself I just have good quality Rope Brade Pure Copper Speaker wires. Something similar to this -

Wired Home SKRL-14-50 14 AWG OFC Speaker Wire 50 ft. 100-020

Wired Home SKRL-14-100 14 AWG OFC Speaker Wire 100 ft. 100-021

Avoid CCA wire; CCA is Copper Clad Aluminum, that's a low grade of wire. You want 100% Oxygen Free Copper (OFC).

For the very reasonable price of the Wired Home 14ga in 50ft length linked above, it is well worth buying a full 50 feet.

14ga is more than enough for most audio applications. 12ga is a bit of overkill, but if you want to spend the money that is up to you. For short runs 16ga is workable. But given the difference in price, there is no point in going any less than 14ga. 12ga would be more for Ultra-High Power amps or very low impedance speakers. Standard 14ga gives you plenty of reserve capacity for common Stereo and Surround Sound Amps.

If you want a Double Insulated speaker wire, then something like this will work -

13 AWG 2C Speaker Cable 1 ft. 100-482

If you feel you want to go above these prices, then the Audio Websites I linked to will have a variety of speaker wire, though at considerably higher prices.

I generally say about 2% to 5% of the system cost on all wires and cables. That is just a guide line feel free to spend as much as you want. Though myself I just use 14ga rope braid similar to what I linked to.

Steve/bluewizard
 
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I ended up buying a spool of Monoprice 50ft 14 awg speaker wire. Listed as High Purity Oxygen Free copper. I got the spool for 20 dollars.

The Marantz PM6005 and the Sennheiser HD600 headphones arrived. All I can say is WOW. Worth every penny in my book. I don't yet have the speakers but I did order them. I went with Monitor Audio BX5's

The only thing I do not like about these headphones is the included cable. I was hoping for a more substantial round cable instead of the flimsy double cable. Other than the cable the headphones are fantastic. We are hearing music like we have never heard before. Right now I am using Jriver Media Center with wasapi.

Are Cardas cables for the Sennheiser HD600 worth it?
 
Cardas is a well respected maker of cables and wires. Whether it is worth it, it up to you. However, they can be on the expensive side.

As a cable to extend your headphone reach, any reasonable quality cable will do. It need not be exceptionally expensive, but on the other hand don't get the cheapest you can find. Stay in the middle ground.

Steve/bluewizard
 
The monitor audio BX5's have yet to arrive. I am kicking around the idea of changing the order to the RX6.

Would my amplifier Marantz PM6005 be too underpowered for these speakers? Would it be best to stick with the BX5's?

In other words which speakers do you guys think would sound better with my amp, the BX5 or the RX6?

Thanks
 
The BX are very good speakers. However the RX are better speakers without a doubt, which is why the cost more. However, according to some, the RX are a little harder to place. Some feel they need a bit more room around them.

Considering what you had, the BX should be very good speakers - crisp clear highs, solid deep bass. The RX are going to be more of the same only better.

With a 45w/ch amp, you may not get the best out of any speaker, however the results should still be pretty damn good. I don't see the BX or the RX as especially hard to drive.

Also keep in mind, it takes a few hours of play time for speakers to get broke in. In some cases 20hrs to 30hrs, in other cases 100hrs or more. You can't judge the out of the box sound as the final sound. However, that can make things difficult, as you probably have a limited window in which you can return or exchange them.

I would take at least a couple of days to make sure you aren't just overcome with the buying enthusiasm. There is always a better speaker out there for just a little bit more money. So within a reasonable window, you need to set a budget and generally stick to it.

Using AudioAdvisor, we have these prices -

$375/ea = $750/pr = Monitor Audio BX5
$500/ea = $1000/pr = Monitor Audio BX6
£625/ea = $1250/pr = Monitor Auido RX6

That's quite a price increase. But it is your money, spend it how you see fit.

But, that said, the BX5 are exceptional speakers for the money. And already considerably more than you originally intended to spend.

Still ... your money ... do as you will.

Steve/bluewizard
 

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