Systems: $10,000 stereo

By Michael Jones

April 2007

Putting together a stereo system can be difficult and confusing. There are so many choices and so many different permutations of systems.

To help, AudioEnz has asked five hi-fi specialists to put together systems. These dealers have used their expertise to assemble systems and explain the thinking behind their choices. First up, the brief is a system at around $10,000. No constraints or guidelines were placed on the dealers, except that the system is for music listening, not home theatre.

So here The Listening Post puts together a $10,000 hi-fi system.

The Listening Post, Hamilton

Marantz SA7001

Marantz PM7001

ProAc Studio 130

Before recommending any equipment to our clients, we like to understand their individual requirements. Personal musical tastes, preferences in character of sound, and different listening environments all effect what comprises the “perfect” system for any given music lover. Each recommendation we make is based on what is best for the individual.

Having said that, after thirty years of putting systems together for clients, there are some combinations which stand out as delivering level of musical realism and involvement far beyond what one would usually expect for the price.

The following is one of our personal favourites. Each component is something special in its own right, but together they make magic.

The ProAc Studio 130’s are the replacement for the award winning Studio 125’s. They’ve retained the sweet and natural midrange that made the 125’s a favourite among our clients, but now offer even greater clarity and delicacy. Bass articulation and dynamics have also improved out of sight.

The Marantz PM7001KI amplifier received Hi-Fi Choices Best Buy Award for 2007, and rightly so. It punches well above its weight with good clarity, and an effortless and natural presentation.

Like the PM7001KI, the Marantz SA7001 SACD/CD player is an award winning product, having been named Best Product 2006 – 2007 in the Audio Player category by EISA. It’s open and honest presentation compliments the strengths of the PM7001KI.

Power conditioning is something that is all too often over looked in system design. The music that you hear from your equipment is generated from your mains power supply. For the purest and sweetest music, your must start with pure, clean power. Historically all but the most expensive audio grade power conditioners have tended to sacrifice dynamics and “life” to deliver improved smoothness and sweetness. The PF range of power conditioners from Pure AV are the first we’ve found that deliver the benefits of power conditioning without compromising dynamics at a reasonable price. To keep as close as possible to our $10,000 budget, we’ve recommend the PF30 at $699. Upgrading to the PF40 at $999 or the PF60 at $1299 will give even better results.

Having the best components in the world is useless if they don’t work as a synergistic whole. Choosing components that compliment each other is a great start. But choosing the right cabling is what separates great music systems from good music systems. We’ve found the Analysis Plus cables allow the wonderful musicality and realism these components are capable of to shine through, without adding a character of their own.

The end result is a system we love. Uncannily real, unerringly musical, beautiful to behold, and able to let us connect with our favourite music at an emotional level. What better way to spend $10k?—Romesh Anandaraja

Source: www.audioenz.co.nz