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September 21, 2008 - 8:23pm
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My starting point: Yamaha RX-V2095
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I think for now you may want to settle into what you now have available and listen for a while. In the mean time you should go audition other equipment to try to build an idea about how you like a system to sound. Then as you progress you can make informed decisions.
The Yamaha RX-V2095 is a decent receiver and would work well for your two channel listening. The nice thing about it as you upgrade if you decide on a preamp and power amp you can still use the Yamaha as a preamp for a first purchase of a power amp and then ditch it when you can afford the second purchase of a preamp.
I have not heard the Definitive Technologies Mythos STS SuperTower so I can't comment other from than the reviews available. However, for that amount of money I always recommend listening to the Vandersteen 2Ce Signature IIs which cost $2345 with the bases. http://www.stereophile.com/floorloudspeakers/107vandy/
Also your source would be improved with lossless format, you might already have a substantial number of MP3s, but you should get all your music from now on in lossless format. There are others here more knowledgable on digital music files and the equipment to use them than I and hopefully they will chime in.
Are you also looking to a CD player or vinyl?
Thanks, Jackfish!
Regarding the Vandersteen's: Will I need to purchase a subwoofer with those? If so, what do you recommend?
Thanks,
David
Just read the review of the Vandersteen's, and it recommends 56" clearance from the back wall! Yikes! That's just not going to happend in my house. How much difference will it make if there's only a foot or so?
No worries. In the real world, people (including many "audiophiles") put their speakers closer to the wall for practical reasons. They will do great there. I have Vandersteens and have experimented with distance from the wall - I have the back edge of the speaker about 1 foot from the wall behind it and it's perfect.
the Vandy's will not need a separate subwoofer.
I gave the Vandersteen's a nice long audition yesterday afternoon. Absolutely loved them for certain types of music (mostly voice-driven stuff like Sinatra, Bobby Darin, etc.). I heard things in their voices I had never heard before -- more character. More depth. More ... song.
But, I did not care for them much when listening to alternative and indie stuff, which is what I usually listen to. They sounded almost insipid. There was no punch where I expected there to be punch. Portions of songs where I expected to be roused and excited would leave me wondering if something was wrong with the speakers. It was like I was listening to another song, but in a bad way, not in a good way.
Definitely not the speakers for me.
What did you like better about the Mythos SuperTower?
Perhaps the extra $1,200 or so is worth it to you.
I had the opportunity to directly compare the Mythos STS SuperTower to the Vandersteen 2Ce Signature II, and chose the Vandersteens. I distinctly heard the Mythos tweeter break up on peaks, at levels I thought were not all that loud. I remember telling the dealer that the tweeter spit at me. I bought the Vandersteens. Later I learned that the Vandersteens used a ceramic coated metal dome tweeter, while the Mythos used an uncoated dome. This was a year ago; maybe things are different now. Listen carefully.
Cost wise they're going to be the same. I can get the Def Techs for $2550 and the Vandersteens are $2358.
The Def Techs, quite simply, sounded much punchier, livelier, deeper, and were much more visceral in their delivery of alternative rock. Stuff like Arctic Monkeys, Arcade Fire, The Shins, Vampire Weekend, et al., sounded night and day better on the Def Techs.
It could certainly be my untrained ear, but that's what I got from the experience.
I'm sorry, I meant to say I heard the Mythos ST SuperTower, the big brother to the STS, which I have not heard. Aside from the tweeter problem, the ST sounded more like hi-fi and less like music to me. Perhaps this is what attracts you to them. I wouldn't try to steer you away from them, but maybe another audition is in order. Buy the one you like, you have to live with them, not me.
It sounds like for your preference in music you might want to also listen to the Monitor Audio GS20 and Paradigm Studio 100.
I was also blown away by the Opera Linea Classica Seconda when I heard this summer. They sound about like the Sonus Faber Grand Piano Domus for two-thirds the price. About $1000 more than you want to spend though and they might not fit your tastes if you didn't like the Vandersteens.