Hey Zeos, I was looking for an amp to use with the T50 Mk3's and I stumbled across this Topping amp on amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/Topping-Hifi-Headphone-Amplifier-silver/dp/B01N2N3KWN?th=1
It looks to have comparable power to the Magni 2 Uber, but is much cheaper and seems to have similar features. I looked at their matching DAC and did some looking around and people seem to like it, but I haven't been able to find opinions on the amp anywhere.
Any thoughts?
You need an amplifier to power the speakers. The NFB will provide signal to that amplifier but you still need one. The ones in this guide will suffice. Amazon basics RCA's and Micca's new speaker wires are what I would go with.
Price have dropped to ~~$129~~ then to $65.99 in Amazon for months now. I just got one and I can confirm it's the real deal, even on the Hifiman website price is on sale to $74. Make sure you don't try to stretch the headband too much or it will crack.
You would just get a set of these and either split at your source or at the sub. Then set the sub and monitors and go from there.
If the screen is far away and smallish 720p is fine. The 3000 lumens is great for high brightness areas. If you plan on going close, big and in a light controlled room you may want to bump to a 1080p with 2000 lumens.
Also the bulbs all roughly cost the same http://www.amazon.com/Acer-EC-K0700-001-Projector-Lamp-H5380BD/dp/B002XKHKGC/
I little more discussion on performance rather than menu options would be nice!
I have an older version of this and have been quite happy with it, I'm actually on my second one after the first died a couple years in. Honestly I don't care that much about the sound quality as long as it's decent since I just want something lightweight to use while running and doing other physical activity and it does that quite well. 4GB version is enough for me since for my uses I don't need to carry my whole collection, 75% of the time I just use it for podcasts anyway.
Battery life is pretty good, though with a device this small obviously it doesn't have ton of power. I have had no issues using it with regular earbuds, but when I tried it with ETY Kids earbuds it would take full volume on the player to get decent volume in the earbuds in a somewhat noisy setting. I haven't really tried it with full size headphones since that would defeat the portability purpose.
There don't seem to be that many small players around anymore, I looked for other options when I had to replace my first one and there really weren't that many. Luckily it gets the job done as a lightweight portable player very well for my purposes.
hi zeos! Thanks a ton for the writeup!
I bought a Yamaha rx-v377 and want to get the Fluance SX6 speakers you recommended. You mentioned a black center to go with them, but that it's not actually a proper match. What noticeable negative affect will pairing them together make? I'm talking about parting the SX6 with the AVC center in black.
I'm also planning to get a BIC F12 to go with these, then put my crappy sony speakers in the surround position (they're front L/R right now).
Do you think all of this might be a good match, and do you think the Yamaha receiver I have should have any problems running all of that?
Thanks!
The bulb on my DLP finally burnt out so my wife let me buy a new TV for the living room. How do you feel about picking up another set of Klipsch Quintet speakers and using a pair from the set to upgrade my theater from 5.1 to 7.1 and use the remaining center channel and pair for the living room and run 3.0 stereo?
I like the Denon 1312, but would like zone 2 to power the outdoor pool speakers. Can you recommend another receiver that has 3d passthrough with 2 zone output in 5.1 for <$300?
Hello, do you have experience with https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Finished-silver-SE2-ES9023-USB-Audio-DAC-SA9023-USB-sound-card-headphone-amp/32626250080.html ?
I want to buy something like that but in your guide all items are too expensive. Are you suggesting that it's not worth it to pay less ?
You could use something like EqualizerAPO to get system-wide equalization. There are GUI plugins for it as well.
Yup made the call on the SX6's going to go with the SA-50 too.
Check it out, $100 bucks out the door direct from Fluance!
/u/ZeosPantera , I currently have a K7XX + Mica OriGen setup and am now looking for a 2.1 + sub setup. After watching your sound tests on $250~$350 shelf speakers, I've decided to go with the Klipsch RP150M. I want to pair them up with the Klipsch R-10SW sub. What dac and amp do you recommend for this setup?
I'm having a bit of trouble deciding on whether I want to pull the trigger on a surround setup. I currently have a 2.1 setup with the Wharfedale Diamond 10.1 bookshelf speakers and a PSW505. The problem I'm having is that I have a bit of an unorthodox room for surround. It would be for my computer desk, and my chair is not at all centered in the room. Furthermore, the Wharfedale matching center is apparently huge and a bit out of my budget currently.
EDIT: I looked up the actual size. It is 231mm tall which is just over 9 inches tall. That wouldn't exactly fit well with my setup.
I was going to go with the Denon 5.1 receiver and the Fluance AVBP2 for the rest of my setup. Do you guys have any suggestions with choosing a center speaker or should I one hundred percent wait until I can afford the proper center? Would the microphone that helps adjust the sound help with my space constraints?
EDIT 2: These Wharfedale speakers are stupidly hard to find for some reason, but I found a much smaller center that is both cheaper and matches. It is the Wharfedale 10.CC.
Wow, those look perfect for my needs -- I'll google around, but if you have any links handy to similar brackets that you'd recommend, I'd really appreciate it. And thanks for the photo and info!
Quick edit: I found this, which doesn't seem to use the wall mounting brackets; I wonder if it'd shake the hell out of tv...
Would these perform better, worse, or similar to the KEF Q700's (I've been saving up for these for a while).
Honestly I hope the answer is "worse" because I think these are ugly as fuck; but if they perform equal or better than the Q700's then I better start seriously considering if I'm willing to spend an extra $1000 on aesthetics.
I currently have the DT770s at work and love them. I also have the Logitech G930 wireless gaming headset, but I'm beginning to hate it. Beyond the constant random disconnects from the wireless, the sound just isn't that impressive.
I'm looking to spend <$250 for headphones + mic. I plan on buying the Micca Orgien+ separately as I buy some new desktop speakers (currently planning on the MB42x, but that's a separate discussion).
I'm not super experienced in all of this, so I'm unsure if there's anything else I need to buy. I really like the DT990s, and then I'll need a mic to hook up, too. On the other hand, it seems like it would be easier to just get an HD598 and the mic that attaches in-line.
I love bassy "fun" sounds, which is why I think I would like the DT990 better, but my biggest worry is that it may be annoying hooking the headphones into the Origen+ and stringing a mic along separately to plug directly into the computer. What do you think would work better for me?
I'd leave this comment on the subwoofer thread but that thread is archived.
I know the Acoustech PL-200 is obviously a step up from the BIC America F12, but is it that much of a step up? I'm gonna be living in a small room next year, and I will be using the F12 (with my Fluance SX6 bookshelves) for primarily music but also movies and gaming. Is the PL-200 really going to be that much better of an upgrade for a small room? I'd understand if I was planning out a HT but again, small room. And a lot of reviews for the PL-200 complain it's a bit too boomy for music.
Cool.
Speaker wire is cheap. 100ft of 14guage (can be oxygen free or not, oxygen free decreases oxidation, so they do have a benefit) can be had for $30 or less.
I would also get banana plugs if you don't have. I prefer open-screw and wire them 90° (not thru). I use them on all my gear when possible, but definitely the receiver (such a pain in the ass). I bought a few orders of these.
Your guide is awesome, but I have kind of a special use case that I need advice on. I want a 5.1 setup, that uses my PC as a reciever (my motherboard has outputs for a full 7.1 setup), and is good for both gaming at my desk and listening to music/watching movies across the room on my bed.
The issue with my PC as a reciever is that it doesn't output enough power for some speakers. Right now, my GF's parents gifted a Sony 5.1 setup, but the reciever sounded terrible in my opinion, which is why I want to use my PC. L/R output loud enough for now with these speakers, but center/sub and RL/RR are super quiet. I have a Lepai 2024 as a stop-gap to get use out of my center/sub, which works ok, except that the bass sounds muddy, which I've read (I don't know) is an issue with the cheap amp.
I want to upgrade all around. I'm not an audiophile, so I don't want to spend crazy amounts, but I notice if it sounds like trash. I was thinking Micca MB24X for L/R, mounted on the wall above my monitor, and matching center placed underneath my monitor, the Dayton 800 or 1000 for the sub, and the $70 Sound Appeal for rears. To power it all, I was going to use amps. Somewhere on Reddit, someone was recommending this $40 amp, that supposedly has much better bass the the current Lepai I have and is cheaper than the SMSL 36 that's currently at $51.99 on amazon. Am I being stupid? Should I just get a reciever? I just don't want to drop $200 right now, I could buy one piece at a time doing it this way, but it does seem like a waste.
Thanks for the input!
I missed the XLBP sale, but did stumble across the SW-112 for $300 on amazon
I'm not married to Klipsch for a sub, i just saw it on Zeos sub post and fell within the budget I was looking for. Is there a better rec for a sub outside of Klipsch at that price point?
Is something like the mini covo s better than a 2.1 like this on Amazon? https://smile.amazon.com/Cyber-Acoustics-Computer-Speaker-Subwoofer/dp/B00BXF5HQ8/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1493676646&sr=8-2&keywords=cyber+acoustics
Hey /u/ZeosPantera what are you recommendations for small speakers? I have limited space to put them and I was looking at the Audioengine A2+
Edit: I have about 5.5" between the edge of my desk to my mouse pad and I have this dac/amp
Just stumbled across your NOBsound Micro Amp review and really liked what I saw. Is there a reason this amp isn't recommended on here anywhere? I realize the original unit you linked to from that review isn't available anymore, but there is a different unit available now, for what seems to be $5 more than the old one, but it looks identical.
Sorry for the second reply, but do you know anything about the ATH-WS1100? Seems to be a more bass oriented version of the MSR7, but I can't find much about it since it's a Japanese import.
hi,
thanks for the reply. i have sorta one like this
Ah yes I forgot about the mic... So I guess I'll go for the X1s anyway and plug the mic into my motherboard with a jack extension cable and hope for the best.
Just to double check, if that causes a gound loop, a noise isolator like the Mpow one plugged between the X1s and the X2 would work fine right?
Thanks again for being so available, it's greatly appreciated.
My setup is mostly for movies/TV, gaming and discord.
Would SMSL SA50 (or would the Micca Origen+ be better?) + ELAC B5 be good for a desk setup?
I already own this microphone, is that something I should incorporate into my decision?
I plan on getting a sub down the line, should I consider this in my amp choice?
Should I bother getting a sound card for my computer if I have an amp? If not, would usb or 3.5mm to RCA better sound quality? If so, does the sound card in particular matter?
Any help would be greatly appreciated!
hi /u/ZeosPantera, I'm trying to make a simple setup for my small living room. I was looking at the MB42X's and an amp, with the option of adding a sub later. My problem: my TV only has SPDIF out. I was previously going to buy this amp, but I need something else, right? Does the Griffin Twenty cover it for me? How do I make this work?
So currently Amazon has the H400S on sale for $287 but then they have the H400I on sale for $249 would it be a better choice going with the H400I's? This is for purely gaming and according to /u/ZeosPantera he recommends the H400S's just curious if anyone could chime in with a suggestion since to ME the average person the better headphones are less expensive, am I correct in that regard?
Edit: Ok so the X2 keeps popping up everywhere I look, so I am assuming these are the headphones I probably should just go with. I hate headphone chasing lol. But I think I am ready to get rid of the Astro a40's with the mixamp pro and get these X2's and amp them later with the Sennheiser GSX1000...
Two questions, im currently using audio techinca m40x's and was wondering if Shure 840's are worth the upgrade?
also im looking for something that will make my headphones louder while on a budget, my laptop seems to play them real low even at max volume, is this guy a good choice? what would you recommend in that price range that also must have a mic port
I'm so confused about 2.0 and headphone setup now.
Can I buy a DAC/amp such as the SMSL SD793, connect my headphones to the front, a pair of bookshelf speakers to back, and switch between the two outputs with a button?
All the DAC/amp rear outputs look like RCA to me, which AFAIK, don't work because speakers need to be connected via straight speaker wire.
Do I need to buy a standalone AMP to do something like this??
ZEOS! i strongly recommend taking the Blue snowball off of this list. It is terrible for how much it costs. For $70 you can get a samson meteor mic(i personally own) it is on par with a blue yeti and is a FAR better investment than the snowball. https://www.amazon.com/Samson-Meteor-Studio-Microphone-Titanium/dp/B00FQE337M/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1478684577&sr=8-2&keywords=samson+meteor+mic
Thanks for replying also im new to the whole amp/dac thing do i need this to connect to pc...my pc doesn't have optical
this might be a good small sub for u
https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=8248
I own the BIC's big brothers, the DVI 62s and they are great. https://www.amazon.com/BIC-America-DV62si-Bookshelf-Speakers/dp/B00006JPDI
https://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD-598-Cs-Headphone/dp/B01JP436TS
HD 598 'Cs' closed backs, on sale for $100 today, Black Friday. Yea or nay?
I never sprung for the standard 598 as I wanted something closed for work.
SVS SB1000 a good match for Airmotiv 6s nearfield? Currently have an XDA-2 and I'd buy a Behringer for crossover. My rooms 11x13.
hey guys what do you think of this bundle? im planing on paring this with a 4k HDR tv(samsung 40 inch KU6300) and a ps4 pro. i plan on putting all of this in my bedroom, with the tv on the feet of my bed
https://www.amazon.com/Onkyo-immersive-Surround-5-1-Channel-HT-S3800/dp/B01F3ENAOU
there is also the lower tier moodle which is cheaper,but i don't really know the difference cuz im a noob to this stuff
https://www.amazon.com/Onkyo-HT-S3700-5-1-Channel-Theater-Receiver/dp/B00LU0GPAI
im pretty new to this sub reddit, so any help would be great! im afraid of buying speakers that don't match, for example if i were to get front speakers that have different sound quality from the side speakers, it would be too noticeable. which is why i want things in a bundle, so i would get a consistent sound quality from all sides
any help is appreciated, like i said im new to this sub and in fact this is my first time setting up a home theatre system
Does anyone know anything about this new product by ELAC (Elac Element Integrated Amplifier)? I haven't been able to locate anything too informative.
Does Andrew Jones have his hand in this integrated unit, or is he only a speaker guy? I am interested in this unit since it checks all my boxes (optical, usb, and sub out) and has more power than the teac listed above.
Good luck with your sub hunt :-) I can tell you monoprice does sell quality products at reasonable prices. I bought my desktop speakers from them and they are amazing. I plan to augment them with the small monoprice sub soon.
I found another post where you recommended this - https://www.amazon.com/Mpow-Ground-Isolator-Stereo-System/dp/B019393MV2/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&qid=1477489703&sr=8-1&keywords=mpow+isolator&linkCode=sl1&tag=zeos-20&linkId=0c9e535eaed206c5b6d1b336e26b3557
Thanks for all you do man, I am a fan of yours now, been watching your videos for the last 20 hours.
Thanks! I did not have any need for a remote control, so I ended up buying-
Do you have any suggestions for speaker stands that would work with the HVL-1?
I have everything except for the speaker stands and wall mounts now. The VideoSecu mounts aren't available where I live unfortunately. Would these work well with the C5 and B5?
cross post from /r/audiophile
I need to purchase a music system for our gym at work. The room is square and is about 1600 square feet. I have no idea what to get. This system will only be used for music. My budget right now is about 400. I can go up from there, I just need to be able to justify it. I can have floor speakers or mount them on the walls. The walls are mostly concrete and its about 30 feet to the ceiling. I purchased this but it is a piece of shit. I am assuming I just need to buy a 5.1 receiver, four speakers, and a sub? I do not know what size or wattage I need for this big of a room. Can someone or the great /u/ZeosPantera suggest something please? Thank you.
i would love to hear your thoughts on a low-profile sub such as the Dayton Audio VS8
Hello there, /u/ZeosPantera
Very thorough guide. It has been a big help
I am looking for a 200-400 dollar setup that includes the following
What I have found so far
Will this do fine for me or do you suggest otherwise?
It will work as a speaker system for my computer monitor (with AUX, without sound), which is connected with a Chromecast for Netflix (I don't watch regular TV, so I don't need to buy a TV). Also, when I want to stream Spotify or whatever, I will be able to do that on the same speaker system.
Thanks in advance! (I hope the formatting is OK)
First time projector buyer for a new house. Looking for some recommendations!
Mainly will be used in basement that has windows. Can be light during the day but obviously dark at night.
Uses will be sports, movies, and TV. No gaming.
Additionally, we're wanting to bring the screen outside in our backyard to watch movies during summer evenings outside by the fire. Probably won't use projector outside before dusk.
A friend just sent me the Epson Powerlite 3020 that's on sale from best buy for $799, which seems like a great price for that unit. I bought it on a whim, knowing I can lock in the price and return it later if needed.
Budget is $1k or less. Here's the 100" screen we'll be using: Homegear 100HD
Thanks for your help!!
i was thinking of getting this preamp (it costs 30€ in europe) which is cheap and does the job, i'll probably upgrade down the line though.
also i was reading about the schiit magni 2 uber being a pre-amp aswell, would there be any problems if i connected my turntable to 2 preamps?
and would i be able to control the volume of the turntable with the magni 2 volume knob when listening over speakers?
thanks a lot for your help :)
Hello /u/ZeosPantera! I keep trying to think up a way to expand my 2.1 setup for use with my computer and trusty little headphone amp (FiiO e09K, which I bought large because of your recommendation in the video you have on YouTube).
I have an SVS SB-2000 and a pair of Yamaha MSP5A. I love these babies; they've been churning out tunes faithfully for over 10 years now, but I can't help wonder how much I'd gain from having another 2 speakers in back (or these in back and a new pair in front).
Because getting the Focusrite Scarlett 18i20seems to be the cheapest way of achieving anything more than 2.1 with monitor speakers (and would cost $400), I had to think of something else. So:
Would hooking up 1 front monitor and 1 rear monitor to the FiiO's left channel input using a splitter and doing the same for the right work?
I understand this would still be a 2-channel setup, so the rear speakers would be duplicating the front ones. Do you think this is worth it? I want to surround myself with speakers to feel more immersed in the sound and wanted to know whether you've tried doing this.
If I choose to do this, which pair of monitors do you recommend I buy to accompany the Yamaha MSP5A? Do you think the Yamaha HS line would be a good choice?
Thanks for taking the time to read!
Hello! How does the Monoprice Premium Home Theater Subwoofer - Black (110801) compare to the Dayton sub-1000?
Specially now that the monoprice is at $84?
Monoprice Premium Home Theater Subwoofer - Black (110801) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IACEQW8/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_KB7MxbWJQHTTT
I'm not expert enough to know all of the options (since I'm still on 1080p myself); but yes, I imagine you would have workarounds such as this. There is a copy-protection feature in SPDIF, but I don't know if or when it's employed for TV audio output.
It looks like there are a few other solutions involving relatively inexpensive bits, if you want to go that way.
Thanks for the answer, greatly appreciated !
Funny thing is I have a Marantz amplifier ( M-CR511 ) powering the 530s and providing the sub out. And yes, I think the weakest link is the sound card, a Creative Labs ( https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0044DEDCA/ ), but it's 5.1 and it has a volume knob, which is really a plus for me. Oh well, the quest continues !
Was looking to add 2.1 system to my bedroom that I have, starting off with your recommended Micca MB42x, but was thinking of maybe going 5.1
I can do the the first three speakers up in the front, no problem.
With the space that I have though, would you recommend in-ceiling speakers for rears?
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=micca+in+ceiling
If you don't think in-ceilings are a good, would placing rear speakers in the back of a listener be a bad? The best I could do is having them wall mounted. Seating area is about in middle of the room.
EDIT: These for ceiling mounted rears if all the way to the back wall placement and in-ceiling speakers are not a good idea? I like the small profile which will be much easier to mount https://www.amazon.com/Micca-COVO-S-Compact-Bookshelf-Speakers/dp/B00N8265I8/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8
If all this sounds bad, then I guess 2.1 can do lol
Thanks!
Thoughts on the Elac sub? Click Here
Would this work or is it bad to have the back of the speaker rest on the table while the front is slightly elevated? There wouldn't be much support in the middle of the speaker in other words - unless I cut a piece of this in half...?
thanks for the reply, couldn't I just get a 3.5mm/6.3mm TRS to TS adapter and then plug the 793's front output into the mackie cr4? ( http://www.amazon.com/Hosa-CMP159-Stereo-Breakout-10-Feet/dp/B005HGM1D6/ref=pd_bxgy_267_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=1XPX1KH7JXFQATGEEJY0)
I think the wife my kill me if we go over budget anymore than we already are. Would something like this work? http://www.amazon.com/BIC-Eviction-RTR-EV1200-Front-Firing-Subwoofer/dp/B003H3G5D8/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1463878713&sr=8-5&keywords=bic+subwoofer
Other than price, is there any difference between these sub cables? Do you think the quality of the cheaper one would be just as good? http://www.amazon.com/BlueRigger-Shielded-Subwoofer-plated-connectors/dp/B008UGPBXM/ref=sr_1_10?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1461318012&sr=1-10&keywords=subwoofer+cable, http://www.amazon.com/Mediabridge-ULTRA-Subwoofer-Cable-Feet/dp/B003FW0WIK/ref=sr_1_18?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1461318012&sr=1-18&keywords=subwoofer+cable
The Pioneer SE-A1000 is listed as having a 1m cable + 2m extension now, not a continuous 6m(?) cable like /u/ZeosPantera gripes about in his youtube review of them.
http://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-SE-A1000-Over-Ear-Stereo-Headphones/dp/B0033PROOY/
I am currently trying to upgrade my receiver and was looking into the 5.1 Denon that you recommend. Since the newer version (http://www.amazon.com/Denon-AVR-S510BT-Channel-Receiver-Bluetooth/dp/B00YAO43YG/ref=dp_ob_title_ce) is cheaper than the S-500BT, do you think it's better to get the newer one? For now, I just need bluetooth and 5.1 capability. Currently using my dad's old sansui speakers from the 90's but they still work fine.
Thanks a lot for your reply. So something like this?
I'm looking at getting the Fidelio X2 if I can find a decently priced original pair, what dac and amp combination would you recommend for those headphones in the $200 USD range? I was looking at the Schiit Spread.
Also, I use this microphone and it's about 1 - 1 1/2 ft away from my mouth, will the X2's bleed enough sound for people to hear me in different voice comm apps? Push to talk is not an option for me.
If you had to recommend a pair of great headphones for gaming but were still good for listening to music what would you recommend? What about a closed back pair?
Thanks a lot if you get back to this. Your videos are awesome and I think I'm slowly going to transition into a little audiophile at this rate. Keep doin' you.
So the HiFiMan velour pads don't work at all for replacing the Superlux pads.. I assumed from the video that the velour would be the same as the pleather but when I tried to detatch the ring on the pads the whole thing just ripped wide open... Well that learning moment cost me $20.
Edit://
These are the wrong pads: http://www.amazon.com/VelPad-HIFIMAN-Planar-Magnetic-Headphone/dp/B012VZB9MY?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00
These are the correct pads: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00VV2JYXK/ref=cm_cd_asin_lnk
I got the wrong ones.
Hey, looking into Definitive Technology SM45 ( http://www.amazon.com/Definitive-Technology-SM45-Bookshelf-Speaker/dp/B005XXMMG4/ref=sr_1_91?s=aht&ie=UTF8&qid=1460452614&sr=1-91 ) are they better than\comparable to the Wavecrest HVL1? also how is the topping VX2, is it worth considering over the sa98? (it has digital inputs) Thank you
http://www.amazon.com/Samson-Meteor-Studio-Microphone-Chrome/dp/B004MF39YS
Best desk mic I ever bought. 79.99 CAD and looks like 50 USD right now on Amazon. Super clear and even tunes out my sound bar right behind it when my ears are fatigued from headphones.
The Micca Origen MIGHT solve your issue but if your power hum extends to your USB it will pass over. I ended up using a Ground Loop Isolator to fix my issues but that can mess with the frequency response.
I think the XPT100 would be a great choice $80 and super comfy. Only downside is that they are on the large side so you might look silly
I got these cheap pads for my girlfriend's superluxes and they aren't terrible, definately better than the OEM pads.
Also just recently got the angled brainwavz pads and they make my sony MDR V6s 1000% more comfortable.
Hey Zeos! Thank you for all this knowledge you provide to mankind. I've been lurking here for a while but finally saved up the money to invest in a system. I've had a 2.1 setup for a year with the Micca MB42X and a cheap amp. I having trouble choosing between two receivers that are in my price range:
I like the option of having 7.2 capability for the future but right now I am looking into a 5.1 setup. I live in an apartment with a 13x15 living room. Majority of my use is listening to music and watching Netflix. I really want an option to stream music from my phone using Airplay or Bluetooth.
I love my Micca speakers so I am going to buy 2 more of those and the matching center you have recommended. Whats your suggestion for the receiver I should get?
Zeos, try pulling out the stock headband. It has two little pegs that come out of the headband, and there's a cap on the underside of the headband (those plastic bits near where your head sits). The pegs pass through the cloth and foam floaty headband thingy, and the caps go through the exposed pegs.
This could allow some interesting modding. Perhaps try using this leather strap, Zeos?
(I've got something similar planned, but using a suspension headband mod for SHP9500, along with custom-cut foam, velour and some exotic glues.)
Thanks mate, I'll look into them. How do you feel about the irreplaceable nature of the pads? If I were to invest in them, I would also look to eventually replace them with these suckers. On a scale from 1 to shove my head through a wall, how difficult is the process?
Edit: Actually, I just removed the white internals from the original pads and stuffed them behind the replacements - I consider it an improvement... It makes the clamp tight enough that I can rotate the headphones behind my head, and they sit comfortably on me! Thanks anyways, I'll definitely keep my eyes on upgrading in the future, thought not as of right now...
I accidentally bought these HM5 pads instead of the velour. Do you think it will effect the sound? Do you think it can stretch enough to cover the ear cup?
Hey Zeos, I'll likely be posting about this in a few different places, but I got the S.M.S.L mini DAC SD-793II for christmas. I've played with it for a couple hours, and I'm starting to think I got a defective unit.
The biggest issue is that everything sounds great at first, and then after about 40 seconds everything starts to sound like crap. The volume drops to about 25% in my left ear, it stays about the same in my right, but the clarity is gone. If I turn it up past halfway, the distortion becomes disgustingly bad.
So this first issue, where the sound shifts to my right ear and the quality takes a dive, goes away if I quickly turn the device off and then on again. It returns in another 40 seconds, but turning it off and then back on again fixes the issue for those few seconds.
The second issue I'm having is the slight hum that's in the background, it comes almost entirely from the left earcup. If I touch the device, the hum becomes louder. It's exactly the sound you get when you turn an amplifier way up and then touch the tip of the signal/input cable. It's as if I'm grounding the signal with my hand I'm giving off interference of some kind.
The third issue is that I get nasty scratchy static whenever I adjust the volume knob. I wouldn't be super shocked to learn that that's normal but the other issues make this thing unuseable for now.
Input: Optical audio straight from my motherboard (windows 10 PC).
Let me know if you need any other info, thank you so much!
Thank you for this resource, would appreciate any input for my current plan but it seems relatively straight forward.
The questions I have for you, given this budget and requirements, is there a better setup? Assuming I go with this, in a 2.0 setup would it be better to get the two floor standing speakers first or two bookshelves and the center? Any glaring errors?
Budget: $1200ish Requirements: Eventual 5.1 system, 4k
Current Equipment: 4k tv, Xbox One, Chromecast/Fire Tv/HTPC/etc
Room Setup: 12' x 12', TV 7' from the back wall (on stand at the end of the bed).
Plan: Overall budget is ~$1200 but only want to drop ~$800 at the moment so I am opting to build over time starting with a 2.0 setup (receiver and either two Floor standing OR Center + 2 bookshelf).
Receiver- Denon AVR-S500BT 5.2 ($275) Speakers- Fluance XLHTB ($800 total, split 500/300 depending which option I choose)
Sub- TBD
Might be overkill for the room I'm in but the speakers seem like a nice mix of quality/price for me and I want a decent set that will last. Not totally sold on the receiver,this Yamaha seems like a decent deal but not sure I'd use any of the features.
Thanks for your help. To clear up my confusion, you can't use a Vmoda BoomPro with one of these amp/dacs? Because this mic was in your list, I thought the amp/dacs might have four pole support.
Well, I was looking at the Pioneer you recommended and for some reason the price was marked down for a brief period, down to 179.99 (from 249.99). I went ahead and pulled the trigger as it was the last one in stock.
Good purchase for the price? http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0141JVEHS?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00
Prime shipping too, even though it normally doesn't have it...
/u/ZeosPatera and /u/tulon64
I have some of these. I just cut one of them up to fit inside of the cups.
This is probably the best form of the mod I've heard yet.
First, thank you very much for the recommendations. It's nice to have somewhere to start with. Now let me get to my overly long post and, hopefully, you'll have some advice you're willing to share.
To state my needs up front: I'm a gamer and movie watcher. Music doesn't much factor into my receiver. I'm upgrading from an Onkyo TX-SR605. The main reasons for my upgrade are I need more HDMI ports and I want a 4k receiver to match the 4k TV I have.
After looking through your list I was thinking of getting the Marantz 7.1 receiver you linked, however after some further research it appears that to truly display 4k content you need both HDMI 2 and HDCP 2.2 on some of the ports and I can't see that the Marantz does that.
Now, I'm not an expert on this stuff by any means, but I do like to buy things that are, at least for a little while, future proof. I'm looking at having this receiver for conceivably the next 10 or so years.
1)Does the HDMI/HDCP thing matter that much?
2)Will the Marantz receiver be just as good as say the Onkyo NR737? I've been treated well by my current Onkyo and all things being equal would buy from them again. The slim fit of the Marantz is not a selling point to me. Not that I can't appreciate it, but I just don't really care.
3)Which would you recommend more?
4)And do you know of any... guides I suppose on how to set up a receiver for my purposes? My current Onkyo has several sound settings and I don't even know which of those I'm supposed to be using.
Thank you very much!
Hey I was looking for an entry level system that I could build up to a full 5.1 surround sound system. I was looking at a few of your recommendations for receivers, but I saw the Denon AVRS510BT-R receiver on amazon refurbished for about 200 bucks. Should I be staying away from refurbished equipment?
I was thinking about starting with the book shelf speakers and getting the micca MB42x and the matching center speaker. I saw the older model the micca MB42 were cheaper, is there a big difference between the models, is it worth the money to grab the mb42x speakers rather than the mb42
Sorry to keep bugging you about this, but are these the ones that you recommend as the most comfortable?
Thank you for the answers. After doing some more research, the model of Marantz that you linked does not have HDCP 2.2 so it won't go all the way with 4k. However, Maratnz has released a newer version, the NR1606. From what I could find, ALL of its ports are both HDMI 2 and HDCP 2.2 vs one HDCP 2.2 port on the Onkyo. It does appear, however, to only have half of the power that the Onkyo does.
Again, I'm not really an expert, so I don't know precisely how much wattage I should have. Here's what my two options seem to be:
Stat | Onkyo | Marantz |
---|---|---|
HDCP 2.2 | 1 Port | 8 Ports |
HDMI 2.0 | 7 Ports | 8 Ports |
Stereo RMS Power | 110w | 50w |
Price | $499.99 | $699.99 |
At this point, it sucks that the Onkyo only has the one HDCP port, but it seems a much better value. Would you still recommend the other Marantz? Is that 60w of power going to be noticeable? Should I just suck it up buttercup and drop the extra $200 for having all the ports be 4k HDCP ready?
Thank you again so much for your time.
Correct - so the G wall is where the TV and receiver will be. It's unfortunate that the speaker panels are in the top left corner but I can run that through the floors under the basement and back up to the G wall.
So what I think you're saying is that I leverage the existing 4.0 set up and added a sub and an additional speaker (is this what you mean by a center?) for a 5.1 set up?
I've looked at your guide and it's unfortunate that most bookshelf speakers and rear channel speakers are quite big, like this Mica MB42x I need to find out how much weight the wall mounts can hold but it sounds like I'll need to find a sweet spot between size and performance.
Also - you've been incredibly helpful. What can we do to provide additional support for you?
You can just plug this bad boy into the SPDIF optical and then your PC to the Coaxial output of your motherboard and switch between them. Looks like you are getting the X2's.
I understand troubleshooting over the internet is a pain in the ass. But, more updates :)
I removed the sub from the setup and the sound still waves up and down. We went through all the audio settings, PCM Dolby, Variation, Fixed, Truesound on off. The problem persisted.
Huge CLUE to what the issue is: we played the same song over again "Clockwork by Easton Corbin" and it continually drops at the same parts of the song (it isn't the song itself, we listened to the song through other working audio devices) right as the vocals start.
So there are a few possibilities of what is causing the issue.
Sounds like you just need to add a mixer bypass from the USB dac, around the mixer and straight into the SA36. You can probably accomplish this with a set of these for the back of the SA36 and a simple A-B switch for the USB dac output.
If your mixer can control the tape out volume separate from the main out you should be fine with just these two things.
If the Tape and Master can't be controlled individually you may need another A-B switcher.
Thanks for the list!
I've been using the FiiO E10k (my first DAC/headphone amp) since last fall and was interested to hear your review. I've been very satisfied with mine (the bass boost is great with my SoundMagic HP150s, which are similarly flat/neutral sounding), but am always curious about upgrades. I do have a question for you though: Since I run my Audioengine A2 speakers out the back of my E10k through the 3.5mm line out, would I notice a difference if I switched to the SPDIF out (using a cable like this)? I guess the general question is, is there a noticeable difference between 3.5mm->3.5mm cable versus a SPDIF Coaxial ->3.5mm cable when going from DAC to speakers?
I'd consider something a bit better than the Monoprice for the future move up to monoblocks. It would be a bit messy but I would do an Odac + Source Switch Pre amp and then find a way to share the output either by a splitter or an RCA switch for a Headphone amp (Sap2 or FiiO E09K) and the other to your monoblocks.
Do the Fluance SX6's not get entered because of their size?
To hook any speakers up you just need some speaker wire.
My old and outdated How to strip wires tutorial
Hi Zeos, I've just gone and built my first computer and need a sound option other than earphones. I am a student and I am having a hard time choosing between spending a good amount of money on getting a 2.1 setup, or just getting something like this.
If I am primarily gaming and watching netflix, is there a reason I should be paying an extra ~70$?
alright, thank you! one more question, POLK R150($100) vs Theater Solutions B1($100) vs Dayton($140)
Sorry to spam you with question :p I'm really new to this
Anything to look out for when it comes to fixed frames? You linked off to the Elite Screens but I found this company which seems to run a good bit cheaper (plus no logo!), any major difference you see?
Edit: I found a great article comparing multiple screens that seems to favor the Silver Ticket, so I think I'm gonna go with that one
Those are $75/each stand so pay attention to that. Sanus makes some very basic stands and even one that is 31" high that should suit your needs. DIY also works just remember the base can't be too small or lightweight or you risk it tipping over. Many people DIY with just Wood and 3 or 4" PVC pipes cut to length, held in place with a threaded rod down the center.
Do some research on DIY stands. I spent a bunch on my stands with the extruded aluminum and subwoofer bases but if I'm crazy. I am sure you can pull something off for under $50 a pair.
What are our options? Is there a basement or crawlspace under this room? The carpets have yet to be installed so you could have some flat speaker wire run under there to an approximate location.
If you want the matching center it would be this one Just a bad picture.
Everything seems fine. That room is small so you are going to have to compromise a bit.
You want as tall a set of stands as you can get. These are a bit pricey but at 36" are also pretty to look at.
I guess I should ask if you are opposed to the concept of putting something like this up on a stand next to the couch. It isn't small and you would have to figure out how to secure it so it isn't knocked over. (but that is the same as having normal speakers up there).
Depends on if you want to keep it 2.1 or go 3.1 with that extra cash. My favorite speakers are those JBL 530's and for a 2.1 theater they are hard to beat. BUT the matching center is pricey so the next step would take you a bit.
Thanks! For the sub I was looking at this guy or a DIY version of it if I'm feeling brave. I'm gonna try a few carpet squares under the towers and see if that helps.
Hey Zeos, been lurking around on /r/budgetaudiophile and here and I'm pretty sold on upgrading. I live in a very small room (10x10, maybe less idk) anyways I'm stuck between purchasing a pair of Micca MB42x's and an smsl-sa50 to power them, or a pair of Micca MB42x's and a Dayton sub-800. My current setup is just these (http://www.amazon.com/Cyber-Acoustics-Subwoofer-Frustration-CA-3602FFP/dp/B00BXF5HQ8) and after extended listening my ears hurt haha. I have a few questions for you.
Thanks, Sv3n
The E10k is a little weak for the,. Grab this adapter and the 793.
Couple of questions regarding the HVL-1's which I recently purchased:
First off, I'm currently using this little guy from my Audio Engine D1 from my PC, but I've had it for a few years now and it has an unbearable humming (coming from the amp) whenever it's on, and I'm pretty sure it's time for a new amp. I pretty much only run from my D1, so I don't need features. The main question is this:
I read in a review for the AudioSource and it said it wasn't good for anything less than 90 dB/watt, but I wasn't sure if he was just an elitist or not.
Second little thing: what is that covering on your desk?