€1,000 to spend

KOR101

Looking to get a HIFI system which I can attach to my computer.

My computer has an AMD High Definition Audio Device and a Realtek High Definition Audio Device. Just crappy speakers.

Listen to a huge amount of music on the computer. Wonder why I never did this before.

What exactly do I need? Is €1,000 enough for a very good system?

Custardpi

Are you just looking to play all your music through your computer or do you want to add other components (turntable, cd player etc)? You could get a cheap amp & speakers for around €300 that would sound great, but if you wanted to spend more that's up to you. There are some great value single input "t-amps" out there that sound great & are very small so are convenient if you're only using the computer. I'd advise getting an external DAC too as that will be better than the internal soundcard of the computer. Rip your music to lossless, install Foobar or iRiver, hook it all up & you're good to go.

what sort of speakers you thinking?
floorstanders?
you should ask on the richersounds forum for ideas.
You could get a pritty decent AV amp with 5.1 set up and it'd be a super flexible setup.
even if you only used the 2 front channels and the sub

KOR101

Custardpi wrote: »

Are you just looking to play all your music through your computer or do you want to add other components (turntable, cd player etc)? You could get a cheap amp & speakers for around €300 that would sound great, but if you wanted to spend more that's up to you. There are some great value single input "t-amps" out there that sound great & are very small so are convenient if you're only using the computer. I'd advise getting an external DAC too as that will be better than the internal soundcard of the computer. Rip your music to lossless, install Foobar or iRiver, hook it all up & you're good to go.

Thanks for the reply. Yes, only through the computer.

So, I need an amp, speakers and an external DAC. I'm a complete newbie to this, so could you make specific product suggestions?

Custardpi

5.1 is pointless for most music applications, far more suited for home cinema. There's a certain amount of music released in surround sound format but most people will be fine with a stereo set up.

KOR101

BrownFinger wrote: »

what sort of speakers you thinking?
floorstanders?
you should ask on the richersounds forum for ideas.
You could get a pritty decent AV amp with 5.1 set up and it'd be a super flexible setup.
even if you only used the 2 front channels and the sub

Why would anyone buy a 5.1 system, if all they listen to is lossless stereo music?

Custardpi

As regards the amp & speakers you could get good deals on the Richer Sounds site. Mission, Monitor Audio & Wharfedale are all great value brands for speakers. Bowers & Wilkins would be a notch up from them so also more expensive. I'd advise getting bookshelf ones unless you have an enormous room as floorstanders tend to be far too powerful & boomy sounding in most domestic settings in my experience. I have an older NAD amp which I'm very happy with so can definitely recommend that as a brand, I've used Marantz & Rotel ones too which I was ok with but didn't really match the sound I was looking for (purely personal taste). If you're sure you won't be expanding the number of inputs I had one of these guys for a while until I foolishly managed to fry its innards (whoops!) which sounded fantastic. Many different USB DACs available, I'm currently using one from Schiit Audio which is great, though Windows doesn't always play nice with it. HRT do some good gear too.

KOR101

Was thinking of these.....

Bowers & Wilkins MM-1 Hi-Fi Stereo Computer Speakers

They have an internal DAC. Do I need an amp as well?

akaSol

KOR101 wrote: »

Was thinking of these.....

Bowers & Wilkins MM-1 Hi-Fi Stereo Computer Speakers

They have an internal DAC. Do I need an amp as well?

They are probably the best sounding PC speakers I've ever heard. Good idea if you plan on keeping a budget but full retail on them are the same price as an entry level amp & speakers...

KOR101

akaSol wrote: »

They are probably the best sounding PC speakers I've ever heard. Good idea if you plan on keeping a budget but full retail on them are the same price as an entry level amp & speakers...

Any suggestions for where I could get them at a discount?

akaSol

KOR101 wrote: »

Any suggestions for where I could get them at a discount?

They do a referb (RC) version for €399 which beats the rrp €499.
Cloney Audio in blackrock are the southern Ireland retailer. Having said that you might get a cheaper unit via eBay but be careful of the warranty official one's carry a 2 year warranty.

Mr AV

Agree akaSol on that they are fantastic sounding speaker. Have you heard them yet Kor101?

KOR101

Mr AV wrote: »

Agree akaSol on that they are fantastic sounding speaker. Have you heard them yet Kor101?

Got to get out to Blackrock. A bit put off by some reviews saying they are over-priced.

Mr AV

I wouldnt say 'over priced' they are expensive but do what they do well. Has anyone any other good hifi stores they would recommend ? I know HiFi hut are decent any other alternatives ?

akaSol

KOR101 wrote: »

Got to get out to Blackrock. A bit put off by some reviews saying they are over-priced.

That's because they leave all the expense shiny toys on display!

Mr AV wrote: »

I wouldnt say 'over priced' they are expensive but do what they do well. Has anyone any other good hifi stores they would recommend ? I know HiFi hut are decent any other alternatives ?

Well there's the Listening suite in Wicklow Street, Hifi Hut and Cloney Audio as brick and a website only one... Will see if I can find it

Mr AV

been meaning to pop out to the listening suite actually i believe its impressive.<Mod Snipped>

galljga1

The MM-1s are pretty good as are the M1s although you may need a sub and will need an amp. It depends on what you want:best sound with more cables, more boxes and more flexibility or a tidy solution. Another option is a pair of Sonos Play 5s which would be over your budget but are wireless and portable and probably the best sound of the three. All the above are available in Cloney.

KOR101

galljga1 wrote: »

The MM-1s are pretty good as are the M1s although you may need a sub and will need an amp. It depends on what you want:best sound with more cables, more boxes and more flexibility or a tidy solution. Another option is a pair of Sonos Play 5s which would be over your budget but are wireless and portable and probably the best sound of the three. All the above are available in Cloney.

And with the Sonos Play 5, would you definitely need two?

Mr AV

2 play 5s in one room? How big is the room ?

KOR101

Mr AV wrote: »

2 play 5s in one room? How big is the room ?

Well, I'm really looking to play music from my computer, while sitting at the computer.

Mr AV

2 play 5s is far too excessive then

galljga1

Mr AV wrote: »

2 play 5s is far too excessive then

Agreed, if it is just for sitting in front of the computer. In this case, I would probably go for the MM-1s. It depends on the layout of the room and where you want the speakers.

KOR101

MM-1s

€495 in Clooney Audio.

€489 in Amazon Germany.

Recertified €399 (is that likely to be fine?)

Any other options?

mossym

second hand but these have a usb port and can be used as an external speaker. i've a zepplin mini i use in a secondary system and it sounds fantastic

http://www.adverts.ie/home-audio/bowers-wilkins-zeppelin-air-ipod-dock-speaker-with-apple-airplay-b-w/10372265

KOR101

Made my way to Blackrock. They had no MM-1's in stock, so I had a listen to two BW 686s with a NAD D3020 Amp. Very impressed, and I assume a class above the MM-1s.

Then went to The Listening Suite, and listened to the Dynaudio XEO 2 system. Find it hard to gauge speakers in shop, should have brought some of my own CDs.

I don't need much output, in the sense that my office is small enough, and that's where I listen to music. Some of the reviews talk about poor sound at high volumes.

The more I think about it, the more I think it's worth spending more. It's not as if they are an item you would have to replace every few years, and I do listen to a lot of music.

Anyone got any advice re. the two systems I listened to?