Help! Starting from scratch- new system

[Bkoslow]

Need Help figuring out which Martin/Logan’s to purchase. Please provide your input!!

Have not been in the audio purchasing mode for 12 years. Went to hear speakers and love the M/L’s !!

The room I am planning to fill with Jazz and Hip/Hop is 35 feet x 24 feet. 9’ceilings. The Room has solid/concrete floors. No Drapes, no carpets. One small rug. My budget for Amps, Receiver and Speakers is $20K total.

Here are the questions I need your input on!

1) Will a pair of Vista’s and two (2) pair of Passages do the job? Do I have to purchase Voyages for the walls? Will the Vista’s do what I need, or do I have to splurge on the Vantage? If the Vantage, where do I cut costs?
2) Which Sub woofer will work best? (it’s a big room!)
3) Will one Sub woofer be enough?
4) What Amp(s) and Receiver do you suggest?
5) What combination of M/L speakers and your choice of receiver and amps would you buy for yourself with $20K?


PS: Wiring, Flat-screen etc., is a separate budget.

 

[taylode]

If it were me, I'd shop Audiogon. With $20K here is what I'd do I'd buy two McIntosh MC501 monoblocks (very good amps) for $7K, a McIntosh C220 preamp for $2.7K, and a pair of Summits for $7.5K. That totals out to $17.2K leaving you with $2.8K for a source. Those are all current prices available on audiogon. It would be a killer 2-channel system.

 

[Charliemike]

Jazz and Hip-Hop are really going to be two completely different challenges wouldn't they?

One is more base and vocals and the other is mids and highs?

 

[twich54]

Personally I would partition the room , whatever, to smaller demensions (try to work with the 'Golden Rule') and allow budget $$ for proper room treatments.

Spending 20k and putting it in the space as you have described now is damn near a waste of money.

 

[coolcobramatt]

damn I wish I had the blessings to have 20k to blow on a sound system...:bowdown: you sir are the MAN!

(and I am 100% sincere!)

PS...I'd go summitts, a descent, and a newer Krell setup (my dream system), the remainder on some quality cables. Then maybe a pina colada...lol

 

[bober]

that room is huge.. but it raises a question. how are martin logans with hip hop? are they good for that application?

 

[kcl]

damn I wish I had the blessings to have 20k to blow on a sound system...

Now, now, its all in the perception. He won't be blowing that money, he'll be investing it!

 

[jjcarr]

My last ML system was in a room that size (except I had a 12-20' sloped ceiling). I had SL3's, CLS's, and ReQuests in that room and the ReQuests were the only ones that could properly fill the room. To me this indicated that the ReQuest was the minimum to fill a room of that size.

First, I always shop used, Audiogon is the way to go. Given your price range I'd consider Odysseys ($3.5k)or Summits ($7.5k) a starting point. I can't imaging the Vista's would fill that room properly. In a room that size, even a pair of ReQuests ($2k) would kick their butts.

Here's what I'd do:

Summits ($7.5k)

Arcam AV-9 ($3k) or Meridian 568.2mm ($2.5k w/ .v3 switching unit)

The Arcam AVR-350 has also been getting raves as a receiver, that plus an outboard Arcam amp to bi-amp the Logan mains would run about $4k total. Then again the Summits are powered so the Arcam might actually drive them well.

7-channels of ICEPower, I'm really liking the Murano ones on eBay, $2k for 1000watts x2, $1.5k for 200wats x5. The Murano's appear to be exact clones of the Bel Canto units.

Also, with a room of that size, I'd seriously consider dual subs. One in front, and one behind. There are LOTS of good subs that would do the job. A pair of Bag End's would be really nice, but I'm not the sub expert.

For the side speakers, even the little Ticket's would do the job, particularly in the rear channel of a 7.1 setup, as there is very little sound going to them, and the frequency range is very limited.

Also, on your separate budget, you might want to think seriously about a projector. Get a decent flatscreen for daily viewing, and a motorized screen in front of it for movie nights.

Oh yeah, also given your description of the room, I'd do as much as I could aesthetically in sound treatments. Maybe just hang some nice rugs on the walls, put egg crate behind nice fabric frames, stuff like that.