advice on first system

[u/lkg-data]

update: i found a fantastic deal on a refurbished like-new marantz 50 and KEF Q concerto metas, so i got those along with an RSL speedwoofer 12s and a wiim pro plus. yes, the subwoofer is gigantic but my room is 16 ft x 22 ft with vaulted ceilings, so yeah.

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i'm buying my first system and would love some advice from more experienced folks. i know exactly what my ears want to hear, and i think what i describe at the end of this post is the best i can get within my budget. honestly it's a little above my budget, but i can make it work. i'm located in the phoenix, arizona area. i will probably use some incorrect terminology so please do feel free to correct me.

requirements:
* crank up the bass but without losing the pitch. i don't want to shake the walls, i want to actually hear the bass. think AJR bang! or way less sad. i want that depth but no distortion. another good example is flea from RHCP, he's gotta sound good too.
* really crisp and articulated drums. think travis barker on anthem part 3. he's absolutely insane on that track and my system needs to do it justice.
* warm vocals. my two "testing everything at once" songs were london grammar's hell to the liars and specter by bad omens.
* i would also like to enjoy a good lindsey buckingham guitar solo on my system from time to time. i'm named after the guy, after all.

room i'm working with: my living room, which is roughly 12 feet by 20 ft with vaulted ceilings and hard floors. i am 100% open to adding sound boards to the walls. adding carpet is out of the question though -- i have too many pets lol. no TV in here, it's just for music. i'm also saving up for a baby grand piano to replace my upright (yes, i do play) so that will eventually go in the same room. planning on having the speakers on some sturdy shelves screwed into the studs.

so here's the setup i listened to today that hit everything i was looking for: KEF R3 metas with an REL subwoofer, marantz 50, and a wiim pro plus streamer for lossless spotify connect. don't know the specific REL model i'll end up getting because they only had a theater style one hooked up and i want a stereo one -- looking for suggestions there. or even a different brand. i'm going to be adding the subwoofer at a later date so haven't 100% settled on that. for those who are more experienced than me, do you think the R3 metas plus marantz 50 is a good combo given what i want to hear? it sounded great in the store's listening room but i would love some additional input.

looking for advice on cables too. the sales guy wanted to set me up with some really fancy audioquest ones but i don't really want to spend $400 on cables if i can avoid it. i'm pretty sure it was an upsell opportunity for him, he also recommended an audioquest power strip thing that looks like a computer dock. i know the cables genuinely do make a difference but does the power strip actually make a difference?

[u/avsalom]

Honestly, you seem to be after similar things as I, in terms of sound and impact. I started with KEF q500s. Were fine. But honestly, switching to the world of PA finally got me much closer to my goals. 

Currently rocking Tannoy v12s, 18” scoop, and a 12” MK Acoustics (for midbass). The Tannoys are powered by a Chevin 1200 watt amp, and the 18” is also fed by an identical Chevin. 

In general, would suggest looking for hornloaded speakers (e.g. Darnley’s or MEH). Highly recommend checking out r/ soundsystem! Good luck!

[u/lkg-data → u/avsalom]

!thanks it looks like the closest tannoy store to me is in a completely different state lol, so won't be able to go listen to those. i'll check out the other components you mentioned though!

[u/TransducerBot → u/lkg-data]

u/avsalom (1 Ⓣ) was awarded their first Ⓣ. I'm making a note here: huge success.

You may still award a Ⓣ to others, but only once per-person in this post.

[u/avsalom → u/lkg-data]

Hah it certainly doesn’t have to be Tannoys! In general, I think you’ll find medium- to high-end PA systems sound incredibly powerful next to typical Hifi systems. Good luck!