how would you start your system if you were me?

[perfectlife]

Hello all

with encouragement from many forum legends, may I pick your collective brains so that I can steal you ideas for my "real" setup?
I have been reading up your posts and hopefully I got terms right. Please kindly correct me if I was using it wrong.

What I want
a) below is layout of my room and bathroom
b) Media sources: DVDA, SACD and FLAC on external hard-drive on pc. Classical music, Steven Wilson, Yes, Beck, Roxy Music. and watch concert DVD.
c) What I ultimately want is:
to play 2-channel and multi-channel from anything at hand (Windows PC, iPhone, laptop)
Hoping I can use same system moving rear speakers back and forth between desk-chair position (not optimal but I spend long time here and want 5.1-ish experience) and sofa.
Playing on the makeup tabe in the bathroom, too.

It is taking a loooooong time to auditioning speakers! Meanwhile, the pacifier to shut myself up for now is;
Kef LS50wirelss about $2500 (powered 2 channel with DAC/streamer) which I fell in love auditioning. (can do LSX which is half the price)
Or
buy some used 5.1 system without auditioning it.

But here, I stumble.

Questions
How you guys doing it? What amp, software, streamer, box, are you using? How you started? Roon or Jriver? (I know I have to make FLAC all of DVDA and SACD if I decide with Roon sigh)
Do you have separate system for 2-ch and 5.1? How about rest of the house like bathroom?
I cannot use active speakers as rear speakers later mixing with passive speakers when I upgrade for 5.1, correct? Then it's expensive pacifier....
What would you do? moving rear speakers back-forth, or separate system at desk? Do you have 5.1 at your home office desk, too?
What would you do? Wait and research and buy? or 2 channels first?
And since I want music in bathroom too, looks like Denon with Heos 1 (moisture proof and can do 2channel) is only option? But then I cannot use Roon on Denon Do you know any good moisture proof speakers?
Anyone connects harddrive to Denon amp directly? How is user experience? Or should I do Kodi or Hifiberry?

Thank you so much in advance!

 

[markshan]

Can the KEFs be set up on different channels? If you could just get three more of those and have the channels remain independent then you would not need an amp. You could just get a surround pre and a powered sub. I am a big believer in speaker matching especially for surround music.

 

[markshan]

Oh and I have a media pc. Just Foobar, no streaming app (unless you count youtube).

 

[Jeffrey Michael]

The Kef wireless speakers are for two-channel only. No way to set several of them up to be used as an individual speaker in a surround system setting.

To the OP...

If you are thinking more along the lines of listening beyond two speakers (stereo), you must remove the idea of the Kef wireless speakers and go passive with either Kef’s Q series or LS50 plus a Streamer/DAC, such as the Bluesound products and a A/V Receiver or integrated amp.

 

[DuncanS]

A lot depends on how much you want to spend. Plus you don't have much space!

To store your FLACs etc. I would get a NAS Drive formatted as Raid 1 (so 2 mirrored drives) I have Synology DS216j (latest version is DS218j) & DS418play as they have good software, rather than use the PC and connect to your router via Ethernet. Where possible use Ethernet cabling, and use Wi-Fi if you can't.

I have a Pioneer SC-LX86 Amp (only plays 2.0 FLACs direct from the network - which seems quite common). I use my Oppo Universal player (connected via Ethernet) to play my discs and to stream the 5.1 & 2.0 music - but I'm looking at getting a new 8th generation i3/i5/i7 based Intel NUC to handle playing the FLACs & DSD downloads and captures - via HDMI to my Amp.

I have 4 Monitor Audio Silver RS8 floorstanders+centre in a room 15ft/5m square, (I looked at KEF first as well, wanted B&W but they were out of my price range) - have an audition of the Monitor Audio they do some really good smaller speakers, which you can easily mount on moveable stands..

I have in the bathroom a Roberts Stream 94i which connects via my network (Wi-Fi or Ethernet) and works brilliantly for internet radio and streaming of music from the NAS

 

[wavelength]

I am a big believer in speaker matching especially for surround music.

Same here. I know a lot of QQ'ers have setups with a center channel speaker and surround speakers (and they love it!). Imho a surround music setup is an entirely different animal. If you are just starting out it is a perfect time to consider using 5 identical speakers.

 

[markshan]

The Kef wireless speakers are for two-channel only. No way to set several of them up to be used as an individual speaker in a surround system setting.

To the OP...

If you are thinking more along the lines of listening beyond two speakers (stereo), you must remove the idea of the Kef wireless speakers and go passive with either Kef’s Q series or LS50 plus a Streamer/DAC, such as the Bluesound products and a A/V Receiver or integrated amp.

According to their spec sheet, they have an RCA input. Is there any reason he couldn't have three wired in the front and the wireless pair as rears? (I've never used them.)

https://us.kef.com/speakers/flagship-hi-fi-speakers/ls50/ls50wireless-powered-music-system.html

Edit: Never mind, I see you are way ahead of me with suggesting the wired KEFs.

Their page even shows a single to buy as a center...

https://us.kef.com/speakers/flagship-hi-fi-speakers/ls50/ls50-single-center-speaker-1144.html

You would end up having to get a three channel amp, but with a bit of level matching they should voice extremely closely to each other even with different amplification. Certainly much closer than using different speakers. Or if you get a HT receiver with 5.1 line outs you can just use three channels of the internal amp and send the rear line outs to the wireless (as long as those outs can be set post fader).

 

[markshan]

I have a Pioneer SC-LX86 Amp (only plays 2.0 FLACs direct from the network - which seems quite common).

That's why I ended up going PC.

 

[Jeffrey Michael]

The pair of rca inputs on the rear of the single LS50W in an AUX input to be used for the following devices:

 

[Jeffrey Michael]

Perfectlife,

Since, you’d like to know what we are using for our setups?

I have a 4.1.4 system setup in my living room using an OPPO UDP-205, Denon AVR- X4400H and Emotiva active monitors (powered speakers). I use the OPPO player for my discs and will occasionally attach my hard drives for my files. I use HEOS on my Denon AVR for playing two-channel files off my hard drives and to stream or AirPlay.

My bedroom system is 2.1 consisting of a pair of Kef Q100’s, connected to a Marantz AVR, and a subwoofer. Basically, I use AirPlay via my iPad to the AVR.

Today, If I were to starting from the beginning, I would go active speakers and a unit such as Bluesound. Personally, as much as I like Kef, their Wireless scares me. If one thing goes wrong, the whole speaker system is down. I would rather separate the DAC/Streamer. Plus, technology changes quite often.

 

[minimumtumbleweed]

I can't speak too much to personal taste in speakers (also, I can't speak much for very expensive speakers, ), but I personally have a PC that I connect via HDMI to my Denon AVR, and from there to my TV. I keep all my surround audio encoded as WAV, although that's just personal preference and really no different than FLAC (takes a little more space obviously). I keep all my music on a hard drive and then play it using MusicBee (I think it sounds a bit better than FooBar; again personal preference). For ripping audio, DVD-Audio Extractor is super easy for DVDs, and for Blu-Rays I use MakeMKV to remove the copy protection from the Blu-Ray image before ripping with DVD-Audio Extractor.

 

[markshan]

The pair of rca inputs on the rear of the single LS50W in an AUX input to be used for the following devices:

View attachment 40417

It says "disc players" but it is just a line level input. A channel out from a pre would work exactly the same (again, if it is post fader).

 

[markshan]

As far as what I have in my setup, all six of my speakers and the receiver cost less than your pair of wireless, so we are in different classes, but I'm pretty happy with Rock Solid mini monitors, a RBH/EmpTec ES1010i sub and an Onkyo TX-NR 676.

 

[Jeffrey Michael]

It says "disc players" but it is just a line level input. A channel out from a pre would work exactly the same (again, if it is post fader).

Okay. Purchase a couple pair of the LS50W and tell me how that works for you.

 

[jimfisheye]

Don't let any of the surround system packages confuse you regarding speakers.
You're free to put together any speaker system you please.

You probably already figured out that 'powered monitors' are simply speakers with amps built into the boxes.
There are a lot of "combo" products like that. (Amps and speakers in the same box in that example.) Surround receivers typically have amps built in.
See where this is going?
The game is to collect the pieces you need for a system without duplicating things or ending up with components that can't connect to each other.

Watch out for HDMI products!
HDMI can be restricted to video only and falls victim to copy protection gone wild schemes that further disable things.

The computer with media player app of choice is the way to go for the playback device.
You can have access to any format at its fullest quality.
Your archive on hard drive can be backed up.
Any smart phone running a remote desktop app can be a remote control.

This can be modern and slick:
Computer with thunderbolt port -> TB to HDMI cable -> HDMI surround receiver
If it's a restricted HDMI product on either end though you get shut down completely and the system is DOA.

This always works:
Computer with USB, firewire, or TB -> audio interface (with connection type of choice) -> surround receiver with analog inputs or amp stack of choice or powered monitors

There's a modularity to such a system that keeps it simple in a way. Upgrading parts and pieces is pretty straightforward.
There's also a little techy-ness that's maybe not so simple if you're used to turntables and DVD players.

But I think it's even more confusing navigating some of these combo devices!
Items like the DA converters are big ticket items. You kind of want to pick the best unit you can afford (these come in the audio interface or the digital receiver - see, even an 'audio interface' is kind of a combo device: interface connection to computer + DA & AD converters). People end up with 3 DA units sometimes! (eg 2 disc players and a receiver). Can't very well listen to all 3 at once! Pricey!

There are a number of options.
You can put together a very high quality system (studio, reference, audiophile - whatever you want to call it) pretty simply and frugally if you shop right.
You could walk out of Worst Purchase with thousands of dollars of garbage that doesn't connect together like you need it to and doesn't play many formats if you shop wrong.

 

[markshan]

Okay. Purchase a couple pair of the LS50W and tell me how that works for you.

We all know I'm not going to do that. However, the OP already has a pair and should have little difficulty seeing if I am correct. This thread is to help him/her, right?

 

[Jeffrey Michael]

We all know I'm not going to do that. However, the OP already has a pair and should have little difficulty seeing if I am correct. This thread is to help him/her, right?

Are you kidding? This Thread is enough to make a newbie stick with Streaming Apple Music or Spotify.

 

[markshan]

Are you kidding? This Thread is enough to make a newbie stick with Streaming Apple Music or Spotify.

With many newbies I would agree, but I think buying 2k speakers as a "pacifier" does demonstrate a certain commitment to the process, wouldn't you say?

 

[perfectlife]

I woke up and found you guys helping me out this much and I am overjoyed and holding up tears....Especially after bad experiences I got from hifi sales people (my newbie intro here)

Thank you thank you and I am so so so glad to post it here.

First, OMG, I really needed to laugh aloud on this one

With many newbies I would agree, but I think buying 2k speakers as a "pacifier" does demonstrate a certain commitment to the process, wouldn't you say?

Yes. I am committed. I have never wanted expensive handbags, diamonds or cars. But this. This I want.

All because I went Hi End Munich (well, because Steven did press conference and autograph session. I am stupid that way). There, I experienced the amazing amazing room called "music without limit" (of budget), where I almost pitched tent and slept in it. And also fell in love with LS50w. I liked better than some of more expensive speakers I heard. Funny that

Soooooooo. LS50W is like my teenage-girl crush on boy band singer. Totally out of my league and stupid choice. I am so glad my friends on this forum are telling me "the relationship doesn't last!" "he is bad choice for you!" "there are better man out there! Be patient!"

Thank you for sanity check

---
Re: LS50

There is powered LS50 called LS50W and passive one LS50.

LS50W only comes as pairs. Left and right both comes with DAC/power/network, inputs are on left (you connect right to left). And a pair is $2.5K. And it only comes as pair, so if I need 5 speakers, I need to buy 3 pairs and preamp. Hahaha. Stupid redundancy and stupid way to spend money.

I also auditioned passive LS50 and somehow didn't like it. Could be the bad acoustics of the room I auditioned. Could be amp (it was expensive Maranz, though, so shouldn't be). And almost all the review/comments say LS50W is fuller and richer and I have to agree (probably because it's with 200w?)

I guess I just keep on auditioning speakers. My current setup is PC -> DLNA -> $200 theater in box. Crying every day....

May I read other posts and comment/thank you later? Thanks guys for now!!!

 

[markshan]

Well, if this is the one expensive treat you give yourself, and you are enjoying the hunt, perhaps you should use your current KEFs solely at your makeup table and find a new system for you to fall in love with for 5.1. I will say though that I wouldn't expect the wireless KEFs and the passive ones to be voiced at all differently. It may have been the different room or even just the different day. Sometimes I think the greatest variable in this hobby isn't our systems but our own bodies/ears and the day to day changes they go through. I know some days my system sounds better to me than other days. When you get a bad cold and your ears block is an obvious example, but I think there are more subtle things that happen from day to day as well.

At any rate, since you are having fun with it, go listen to lots of speakers.