Ok. Well those Denon's are nice but i'd think they would be a stepdown as far as two channel sound goes compared to the B&K. I've always thought Arcam, NAD and Rotel receivers were good with two-channel music and my old Marantz SR-18 was pretty good too. If you are picky about your two-channel...
HT in living room: CC: JMLab Sib XL, Fronts and four surrounds: JMLab Sib
Sub: JMLab Cub2. Yamaha RX-V1600 receiver, PS3 as dvd player. Van den Hul speaker cable for fronts and Ixos for rest.
Two Channel system is a dedicated listening room:
Speakers: Kharma Ceramique 3.1's Sub: REL...
The shop I go to here in KC is one of the finest audio salons in the country with some of the most expensive brands out there but the dealer is very down-to-earth and treats everybody in a classy manner no matter if they are shopping for a $500 receiver or a pair of $20,000 speakers.
Well first off I don't agree that B&K is dry. Compared to tubes their amps they might sound dry but not to other SS amps. I'm a tube guy but one brand of SS amps I really like is Parasound. The Parasound 5250 or 5150 might be just what you are looking for. Good luck with whatever you choose.
Well with that budget I would look at a used integrated amp. Sim Audio, Arcam, Unison, and Creek all make integrateds that might give you the sound you are looking for. Good luck with whatever you choose.
I guess my 2-channel system is one big lie!:D With tubes, expensive cables and a fairly expensive turntable I guess i've been living a great big lie! I've already had one two-channel system that should have been good on paper but ended up sounding bright and fatigueing. The speakers were...
Arcam or Parasound would be at the top of my list if I went with separates. Don't forget about the Arcam AVR 300. It's one of the most musical receivers i've heard and it will deliver all it's rated power which a lot of receivers don't. Good luck!
Chu It's been some time since i've been on this board and I see you're still tilting at windmills!:D Well keep up the fight though I will never agree.:)
I think it depends on your music tastes and what kind of presentation you like. If you mostly listen to hard rock then VA's might not be for you. If you like a forward presentation then VA's might not be for you. If you're mostly into HT and not music then VA's are probably not for you. I think...
Well first off I second Scott's idea of visiting a dealer. You should really home audition equipment with a budget like that. Checking on audiogon you could put this together in your budget and have a very nice system IMO. Amp: Edge Electronics G3 integrated $3295...
Well I have a tubed 2-channel system but if I ever went back to SS I would go with either Edge or Pass Labs. If you want a tubed preamp Conrad Johnson, Cary, Audio Research, Rogue and VTL all make quality well built tubed products. As far as turntables go if you want to spend less than $1000 I...
Kevin T The Akai uses technology similar to the Butler multichannel tube amp and really is more of a hybrid than a normal push-pull tube amp. The tubes are supposed to last a very long time in this design so maybe these receivers might lure more people into the tube world!:)
Only you can make that judgement. Find a dealer that will let you home demo a cdp or a dealer with a good return policy. Use the analog outs on the cdp if you do try one out.
Glad you like your JVC! I've been enjoying my 52" D-ILA for the past few months and I don't have any buyers remorse at all. If you think it looks good with xbox and dvds just wait till you watch HD on it because it's simply amazing with HD material! Enjoy!:)
You could get a Music Hall MMF-2.1 in that price range. It's a nice table and comes with a factory mounted cartridge. Needle Doctor and Music Direct sell it or you may have a local dealer. You could also look on ebay or Audiogon for a used Music Hall MMF-5 or a Rega P3. Good luck with whatever...
Of your list Electrocompaniet is the only brand that I have much experience with. I think it has a warm and almost tube-like sound which for me is a plus since I prefer tubes to solid state. I would add Arcam, Creek, Unison Unico, Naim, Sim Audio and Cairn to your list. You should be able to...
I don't think in this price range there is a "best" speaker. I've heard a pair Beolab 5's and they do have great bass and extended highs and a big sound but they weren't better than the best speakers i've heard which are the Kharma CRM 3.2, Dali Megaline, JMLab Nova Utopia Be, and the Verity...