How about a bluesound powernode in the office ($800, very small footprint) with a couple bookshelf speakers and a subwoofer (another $1500-2000, or less if you're ok with slightly lower quality sound). Then a bluesound vault in the living room ($1200). You can rip all your CDs into the Vault, and because the vault and node talk to each other, you can play the music in the office or living room. It will be time consuming to rip a lot of CDs though. For other rooms just buy a single bluesound speaker (also connected wireless to the vault and node). I sound like a bluesound salesman but I'm not - I just think this is a great option. Not cheap - but a good option. If you want to save some money you can go with Sonos, they sound good but not as good as Bluesound.

Bluesound has an integrated system called a DUO but I don't like that idea because 1) I can't find anyone who has it set up locally so I can listen to it 2) I believe the speakers have 4" woofers - and that size probably will sound thin (not a full midrange). If you can get a bookshelf speaker with a 6-7" woofer I think it will sound a lot better. With a subwoofer I don't think its critical to get speakers with great bass (which no bookshelves have anyway) - just rely on the woofer.

Final thought: go to local stereo stores and ask the same questions. I've found salesman to be very informative. They can be pushy, and biased in one direction or the other, but they are generally knowledgeable and can give you some options.

Rochefort8 wrote:

Hi All -

Been reading through the forum for a while now and the level of information is just dazzling as is the numbers of components, potential setups, etc.... not sure I can still keep my mind sane over all over it..

But hey, giving it a try anyways. We just moved houses and sort of a reset moment is available now..

What I need to solution:

- want to have some proper music available in my office (7x5m)
- we have quite a CD collection, most of it ripped into iTunes but prefer to play from the disc
- need a turntable
- need to have proper sound in living room (challenging i think; sort of 20x5m, old town house). we also watch television & movies here. Currently have a sony DAV X10 home cinema thing but i don't like it at all
- ideally from a number of other rooms (kitchen, kids rooms, garden,..) i can pick up signal and stream music. quality can be a bit less
- support for streaming services (spotify, tidal or so)
What i'm looking for is some guidance in terms of 'architecture' to build (i can further investigate then into actual components then - however, if you feel like suggesting not going to stop that :-) ). If at all there is some good way to phase the setup that would be good too, i prefer a modelar solution so i can invest in the right things that allow proper future evolutions too

many thanks for input upfront

The first place to start is a good integrated amplifier. I recommend the NAD C316BEE, which is only $379 from Audio Advisor.

For your turntable, I recommend the Marantz TT42, which is a very nice starter turntable which includes an Audio-Technica cartridge and a has an integral phono preamp, which will eliminate the need to spend $100 or more for one. AA sells it for $359.

Hopefully, your TV has an analog audio output jack which can be connected to the amplifier. If it has only a digital output, you can get an inexpensive digital to analog converter from Amazon ($20-30).

I have a Grace Digital Internet Radio tuner which lets me access thousands of free internet radio stations with any kind of music you can think of, and then some. It receives by W-Fi and has analog outputs to go to the amplifier. The model number is GDI-IRCA700 and Amazon sells it for $120.

There are thousands of speakers you could buy, but I will recommend the Wharfedale Diamond 10.1 speakers, which are $300 per pair. Another good choice would be the ELAC B6 speakers, which are around that price also.

commsysman][quote=Rochefort8 wrote:

Hi All -

If at all there is some good way to phase the setup that would be good too, i prefer a modelar solution so i can invest in the right things that allow proper future evolutions too

many thanks for input upfront

The first place to start is a good integrated amplifier. I recommend the NAD C316BEE, which is only $379 from Audio Advisor.

For your turntable, I recommend the Marantz TT42, which is a very nice starter turntable which includes an Audio-Technica cartridge and a has an integral phono preamp, which will eliminate the need to spend $100 or more for one. AA sells it for $359.

For playing CDs, the NAD 516 player is only $299, and will perform well; more money will get better, but it is very good for its price.

Hopefully, your TV has an analog audio output jack which can be connected to the amplifier. If it has only a digital output, you can get an inexpensive digital to analog converter from Amazon ($20-30).

I have a Grace Digital Internet Radio tuner which lets me access thousands of free internet radio stations with any kind of music you can think of, and then some. It receives by W-Fi and has analog outputs to go to the amplifier. The model number is GDI-IRCA700 and Amazon sells it for $120.

There are thousands of speakers you could buy, but I will recommend the Wharfedale Diamond 10.1 speakers, which are $300 per pair. Another good choice would be the ELAC B6 speakers, which are around that price also.

commsysman][quote=commsysman][quote=Rochefort8 wrote:

Hi All -

If at all there is some good way to phase the setup that would be good too, i prefer a modelar solution so i can invest in the right things that allow proper future evolutions too

many thanks for input upfront

The first place to start is a good integrated amplifier. I recommend the NAD C316BEE, which is only $379 from Audio Advisor.

For your turntable, I recommend the Marantz TT42P, which is a very nice starter turntable which includes an Audio-Technica cartridge and a has an integral phono preamp, which will eliminate the need to spend $100 or more for one. AA sells it for $359.

For playing CDs, the NAD 516 player is only $299, and will perform well; more money will get better, but it is very good for its price.

Hopefully, your TV has an analog audio output jack which can be connected to the amplifier. If it has only a digital output, you can get an inexpensive digital to analog converter from Amazon ($20-30).

I have a Grace Digital Internet Radio tuner which lets me access thousands of free internet radio stations with any kind of music you can think of, and then some. It receives by W-Fi and has analog outputs to go to the amplifier. The model number is GDI-IRCA700 and Amazon sells it for $120.

There are thousands of speakers you could buy, but I will recommend the Wharfedale Diamond 10.1 speakers, which are $300 per pair. Another good choice would be the ELAC B6 speakers, which are around that price also.[/q

Rochefort8 wrote:

Hi All -

- ideally from a number of other rooms (kitchen, kids rooms, garden,..) i can pick up signal and stream music. quality can be a bit less
- support for streaming services (spotify, tidal or so)
many thanks for input upfront

Keep in mind that there are very few streaming sources that have high quality sound. Tidal is one, but I find their music selection very poor.

Most of the internet radio stations and services are only 64K or 128K, or worse, and that is not really all that great.

For casual listening, 128K is not too bad. The streamers that cost thousands of dollars and have all kinds of oversampling etc, are ridiculous, in my book. You can put gold paint on a pig, and it is still a pig. Streaming quality is just not all that good, and simply depends on the streaming rate, which is the decision of the source station.

IMO, the thing that will totally transform streaming is MQA, which is coming soon in a big way. It should become the standard and give excellent audio quality.

To find out about MQA, get the May/June issue of The Absolute Sound, which explains the format and its many advantages, and projects its future. Everyone who is interested in streaming owes it to themself to know all about it.

Rochefort8 wrote:

thanks already for the comments - without getting into too much specifics, i think (and that is very much a understatement) i should probably consider the amp section - integrated or not - the heart of the architecture right? should i invest more here, i see the recommend for the NAD device which no doubt is good; from my reading so far however i was looking at components like the Rogue Audio Sphinx / Shiit Audio Ragnarok which are a step up from the NAD C316BEE, or am i seeing this from the wrong perspective?

The Ragnarok seems to be a very good amplifier. If you want to spend that sort of money, there are several very good ones. I thought maybe you were looking for something less expensive.

One of the best IMO is the Musical Fidelity M3si, which runs $1500 and is an excellent amp and includes a DAC.

For a lot less money, you might also want to consider the Music Hall 15.3 amplifier, which is quite good and only $600.

I personally have an Audio Research LS26 preamp ($6000) and a Musical Fidelity M6PRX power amp ($3500). Its all a matter of the sound quality you want and how much you care to spend...lol.

I would have a base system with a NAD amp and a Rega turntable with a blue sound vault2. Then add other blue sound products for the other rooms that suit your purposes ....

Project makes an excellent turntable with a built in phono stage that's at least as good as the Marantz TT42P, and probably better.
It's the Project Carbon phono USB DC turntable. It's 500 bucks, I think. You can get it from Music Direct. It has a carbon fiber tonearm and a DC motor. It was rated the best tt buy on the market in 2015. It's phono stage is said to be the equal of most separate phono preamps.