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June 30, 2016 - 9:50pm
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Suggestions for a nice/affordable setup
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I think there are other amps in that price range that will sound better.
From a design standpoint, it is better to have a separate DAC and not one that uses the same power supply as the rest of the amplifier, which can negatively impact the performance of the amp. I would advise you to get an amp without a DAC onboard.
The Music Hall 15.3 amplifier is excellent, and only $549 from Audio Advisor and others. The NAD C326BEE is also excellent.
Those speakers are probably a good choice, from what I have read. Speaker stands that are sufficiently rigid and allow good speaker performance are important, and can cost $200-300 dollars; they impact speaker performance, so do not neglect them.
Being in an apartment is no reason to select speakers that require a stand rather than floorstanding speakers, and floorstanding speakers will often perform better, so do not rule them out.
You could buy a a pair of PSB X1T speakers for $900, and they are MUCH better speakers. By the time you buy a good pair of stands, the B & W speakers will cost that much.
Another large advantage of a separate DAC is that you can change the DAC without changing the amplifier, at some future time, if desired. There are dozens of DACs on the market, and you can choose one that meets your specific needs separately from the amplifier. Many good ones are $250 or less, and better than what you would get with the Yamaha amp.
I am glad that I came here first before spending my money! Thank you for clarifiyng these issues. I will definitely look at separate DAC and Amp.
Thanks