Anyone into stereo equipment?

[ChetMagongalo]

Sup dudes, I want to buy some nice ass speakers to listen to music, my small computer speakers aren't badass enough. I like listening to a wide variety of music, so I would need them to annihilate me when I want to listen to Krallice or make me feel like i'm on drugs when i'm listening to OneOhTrix. I would be using mostly a line in for music, out from my computer or my phone. I'm also into CDs but maybe not enough to invest into a CD player, but who knows, I might go for it if they are cheap. From my experience, it seems that older/vintage speakers seem to sound the best for the least amount of money. I know that buying modern audiophile speakers is a bottomless pit of money; and i'm just a measly 20 something college kid with more than enough holes to throw money into.

I'd put my budget around $500, I'd be happy to spend less, hesitant to spend more, but I might be able to wiggle, I'm gonna sell my giant ass plasma TV that I never use to help accrue funds.

I have a subwoofer in my car I could likely plug into an amp + whatever speakers I get, so that might be something I don't have to worry about. it's a nice 10" sub, it would likely shake my house.

These speakers are at a pawn shop in town, (http://www.jamo.com/speaker-types/floor ... /?sku=D590) they are big and heavy but it looks like they might require a lot of power, are they worth grabbing? they are marked at $600 but I was told I could get them for $400, or maybe haggle further, they have been there for a long time.

[Mudfuzz]

old bose book shelf speakers are badass!, I run 4 of them with a old Onkyo TX-5000

[kbit]

I have a pair of Klipsch Heresy IIs that sound so fucking killer. They're not super duper loud but certainly loud enough for a medium sized house party without being pushed too hard. I don't know if they're super accurate in frequency response or whatever, but there are few stereo systems I've heard that I like better than mine. Can pick up on little details in recordings easily, good low end, plus they're decently small and look rad.

It seems like they can fetch a pretty penny on eBay but there's a set for $425 BIN up right now: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Klipsch ... 1454711530

EDIT: Just noticed that's a pickup only, sorry

[ChetMagongalo]

looks like those are local PU only, but I'll put Klipsch on my radar

also I live in a pretty small apartment, I only need them to fill one room, I'm never going to throw a party for more than a couple people haha.

[kbit]

Cool, well then I will say it will certainly fit your bill. But I always find myself wanting to crank them

[ChetMagongalo]

yeah i'd like it if my speakers get loud enough for me to go "ow!" then I turn it down a very small amount.

[rustywire]

I have a late 70s TX-6500mk2 @Mudfuzz
It's great, I've used it alone for phono stage or in a bi-amp setup for low end due to its EQ & filters.
I'm not fancy about stereo gear, I enjoy the look and sound of vintage hifi consumer audio products with varying coloration...my fav is prob early 60s Fisher tube amps/receivers.
Great balance of features and very enjoyable sound to my ears...type of gear that makes everything sound better...even low bitrate, lossy mp3s.
I have an x100 (Fisher) that puts out about 18w/ch with a quad of EL84s. I think EL84 tubes are my favorite for hifi and EL34 for most instrument amps; the way their midrange distorts is just beautiful.
Def not an audiophile but my ear is low key legendary; I'm all about the sonic colors of distortion foh with *purest sound* steez.

IMO skip the BOSE, it's a lifestyle brand marketed to people who wear couture clothing & read lifestyle magazines that have nothing to do with sound. They get outperformed by competition in lower price tiers...Yamaha, Pioneer, Kenwood is what I recommend to anyone considering BOSE for home audio.

[Mudfuzz]

I have a late 70s TX-6500mk2 @Mudfuzz
It's great, I've used it alone for phono stage or in a bi-amp setup for low end due to its EQ & filters.
I'm not fancy about stereo gear, I enjoy the look and sound of vintage hifi consumer audio products with varying coloration...my fav is prob early 60s Fisher tube amps/receivers.
Great balance of features and very enjoyable sound to my ears...type of gear that makes everything sound better...even low bitrate, lossy mp3s.
I have an x100 (Fisher) that puts out about 18w/ch with a quad of EL84s. I think EL84 tubes are my favorite for hifi and EL34 for most instrument amps; the way their midrange distorts is just beautiful.
Def not an audiophile but my ear is low key legendary; I'm all about the sonic colors of distortion foh with *purest sound* steez.

IMO skip the BOSE, it's a lifestyle brand marketed to people who wear couture clothing & read lifestyle magazines that have nothing to do with sound. They get outperformed by competition in lower price tiers...Yamaha, Pioneer, Kenwood is what I recommend to anyone considering BOSE for home audio.

Fishers are great sounding, even their SS stuff. As for bose, yeah sure, but those 80's wedge shaped ones are better than a lot of speakers and they can get pretty loud and you can find them cheap.. but no they are not my first choice and that's why I still own a set of speaker labs with 12s

[HAVN]

Is there a hi-fi retailer near you that sells and services vintage stuff? In Chicago we have Decibel: http://www.stereostorechicago.com/

In general I'd say go for anything from Marantz, Pioneer, JBL, etc, made in the 70s.

How are you powering these speakers?

[ChetMagongalo]

I have yet to buy an amp for my to be speakers.

[HAVN]

Split your budget and get a nice chrome face receiver from the '70s. It'll last longer than anything you can buy now. Should have $300 to toy around with for speakers. I would think that would get you something nice.

[kbit]

I have a chrome faced Pioneer something with those big ol knobs and switches. EQ is simple but nice. I don't think it was very expensive.

EDIT - dis one: http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/3218805400 ... rmvSB=true
Has a phono preamp built in for a turntable, too.

[ChetMagongalo]

I'm not sure I'd be able to hook up 2 speakers + a sub to that amp, and it looks like it has 110W which might not be enough depending on what speakers I settle on.

[kbit]

You could probably finagle it with the speakers A+B option, but yeah it doesn't look optimized to have a sub running off of it.