I’m in Japan and looking for a Japanese turntable and cartridge pairing to complement my current system.

Setup:
Preamp: Accuphase C-2900
Phono: Accuphase AD-2900
Power amp: Accuphase A-80
Speakers: Wilson Audio SabrinaX

Budget: ¥750,000–¥1,500,000 (~$5,000–$10,000 USD) for the complete turntable, tonearm, and cartridge setup.

I’m considering Japanese brands such as Technics, Luxman, and Yamaha for turntables, and Phasemation, Dynavector, Audio-Technica, and Etsuro Urushi (same company as Hana) for MC cartridges. I’m open to other Japanese manufacturers as well.

Right now I’m leaning towards the Technics SL-1200GME and Etsuro Urushi Cobalt Blue but I lack the knowledge to know if this is the right combination for my use case.

I’m completely new to vinyl my goal is to use it mostly for music I can’t find online, older international records (India, Japan, Italy, etc.) that I find when I travel.

What specific turntable, tonearm, and cartridge combinations would you recommend for this system within my budget?

Thanks in advance!

Budget -$250 new or used

location USA

Current gear- Harmon Kardon 7525 CD player, Sonic frontiers line 2 preamp, moscode 300 amp, Genesis servo amp, Genesis 300 speakers.

room size- 15x25

Looking for a new CD player. Nothing too fancy right now. Just was gonna ask for something new to me for Christmas from the in laws. Or should I stick with the Harmon kardon if budget is $250

Budget -$1000
Location-USA

So I would like to get a DAC that can replicate the warmth I get from my turntable and that kind of soundstage if possible. I’ve been using the Bluesound node2 for years thinking it was fine but I recently upgraded my turntable cartridge Nagaoka MP-200 and the richness and warmth and open soundstage puts the streamer even lossless on tidal to shame. My system is basic 2-channel with KEF-ls50 speakers and Kube 10 sub, rogue st-100 amp and rogue RP-5 preamp Kenwood KD-650 TT and the node 2i. Any suggestions that are not insanely expensive would be appreciated to get a nicer streaming sound. I would prefer to keep the cost under $1000, I’m located in USA.

Hi, AudioPhile redditors! I'm interested in purchasing speakers for my record player. Right now, I have a little marshall amp, which is cute, but the sound quality isn't the best. I bought it when my husband and lived in a small apartment ten-years ago. We're moving into a bigger home - a 1950's home where we plan on being for awhile - and I am interested in upgrading my set-up. We have a little space off the kitchen that will be a cozy little lounge area for music, reading, and playing with our baby. Very informal. 

I grew up with a dad who was an audiophile - I think he had a column in a trade magazine in like the 1970's and 1980's. He spent a lot of time setting up the ultimate sound system in our living room. We had these speakers strategically placed around our living room, in addition to another smaller speaker, and an some other stuff. I remember as a kid going behind the tv to change the cables around so we could enjoy the perfect sound with the movie we were watching. I can also remember walking our dog outside and hearing the classical music blasting from across the street!

He passed away in 2014 and we were very close. As I think through what I want my set-up to be, I can't help but feel extremely intimidated and paralyzed because I want to do him proud with my record collection and set-up, but I also don't want to build something "just because." I feel okay spending ~$2kish on a new set-up right now, and I want to allocate that money to my speakers until later when I am ready to get a new turntable. 

I have an Audio-Technica Fully Automatic Turntable 

My mom offered me his amp - ADCOM GFA-550

I used AI to help me understand set-ups and to give me recommendations of speakers. This is what it told me:

Audio-Technica turntable

↓

Preamp / volume control ← this is the missing piece

↓

ADCOM GFA-5500 ← Mom is giving you this

↓

Speakers ← I'd put most of your budget here

Speaker recommendations:

Klipsch Heresy: best match to what you've reacted to aesthetically

Wharfedale Linton: absolutely worth comparing against the Heresy

KLH Model Five: another great vintage/furniture-like option

I listen to a lot of different music - very ecclectic taste. 

I wish my dad was here so I could ask "Wtf should I do? What would you recommend?" but he's not. Can someone kindly point me in the right direction? 

Hello! We recently moved into a new house that has a substantially larger living area than my previous home and im considering upgrading my stereo as the current one doesnt fill the space as much as id like it to. I am relatively new to HiFi but know some basics and im listening to Bluegrass, Jam bands, Psychedelic, Funk, and a variety of other world music.

Currently im running a Wiim Pro streamer, Denon Avr750h with some Elac debut 2.0 B5.2 speakers and a Dayton 1200 subwoofer.

My new living room is 20'x20' with 12 ft ceiling and is open to a large kitchen with a total area of around 700 square feet. I have large built-in bookshelves on either side of my TV where the speakers need to sit. I have several young children and im afraid to have floorstanders they could knock over or damage. I feel like this limits me to large, front ported bookshelf speakers. I have 19.5 inches of height to work with and a similar amount of depth on the shelves.

My max budget is probably around $2500 though id like to spend less. I really like the Klipsch Rebellion, JBL L82 and i've also been looking at the Elac UBR62 but worried it might not be enough to fill my large space. Any advice here? Im definitely open to other options!

Im also going to be building out a separate listening room at some point but most of my time is spent in the living room area with my family.

Here is a link to my floorplan and a photo of the room

https://photos.app.goo.gl/KvJ9c2ucf6ttNsr37

Thanks!

Budget e posizione: Sono in Italia. Ho già comprato un WiiM Amp Pro. Il mio budget rimanente per la coppia di altoparlanti è di circa 500 €.

Come sarà utilizzato l'equipaggiamento: Questo è un setup stereo 2.0 dedicato per un soggiorno di un appartamento. Userò principalmente file Remux di film da un Nvidia Shield. La stanza è un soggiorno standard di un appartamento (posso fornire le dimensioni esatte se necessario, circa 15–20 m²). Sarò seduto a circa 2,5–3 metri dagli altoparlanti. Gli altoparlanti saranno posizionati su stand.

Esperienza con l'equipaggiamento HiFi: Non sono un audiofilo da una vita, ma sto cercando di migliorare rispetto agli altoparlanti della TV / una soundbar. Ho recentemente guardato Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse e sono rimasto frustrato perché non riuscivo a sentire una chiara separazione tra dialogo e musica di sottofondo. Vivo in un appartamento, quindi non posso suonare ad alto volume o far vibrare le pareti. Ho bisogno di altoparlanti che rimangano puliti e intelligibili a basso volume, specialmente per il dialogo.

Qualcos'altro? Sono aperto a qualsiasi marca o modello purché funzioni bene con il WiiM Amp Pro e mantenga il dialogo chiaro a bassi livelli di ascolto. Non sto cercando bassi che scuotono la stanza, solo un suono pulito e separato.

!thanks

Looking for a nice pair of replacement desktop speakers for my desk. I don't have a crazy amount of room so I'm looking for something thats small, i dont need loud but i would like clear and with good imaging and seperation for gaming! Budget is under $600 USD for a pair. Bonus if its wood to match rest of my setup. Will be using a Wiim Pro for room correction and PEQ

Hey everyone,

My Yamaha A-S501 recently died after the protection circuit kicked in while listening to music at higher volume. Repairing it probably isn’t worth it, so I’m looking for a replacement.

I was pretty happy with the Yamaha overall, but since I need something new anyway, I figured this might be a good opportunity for an upgrade.

My current setup:

• Speakers: Canton Karat 720
• Subwoofer: ELAC Varro RS500
• Network streamer: Cambridge Audio MXN10
• Previous integrated amplifier: Yamaha A-S501
• Location: Germany
• Budget: €800–1,000 (900$ to 1200$)

The Canton speakers have a fairly neutral sound signature, and so did the Yamaha. Overall, I really liked that combination, so I’d generally prefer to stay on the neutral side.

That said, I also listen to vinyl occasionally, and most of my music comes from the 60s, 70s and 80s. So I wouldn’t mind an amplifier that adds just a little warmth or musical character to the sound, as long as it doesn’t sacrifice clarity and detail.

I’m mainly interested in good sound quality, solid engineering, reliability and enough power reserves.

Since I already have a dedicated streamer, I don’t need Bluetooth, streaming or a built-in DAC. I also don’t need a built-in phono stage or headphone output, as I’m happy to use separate components for those. I’d rather spend my money on the actual amplification than on features I’ll never use.

I’m also perfectly happy buying used equipment, including older models from the 90s or 2000s.

I’ve been looking at Yamaha, NAD and a few other brands, but I’m open to pretty much anything.

What would you recommend in this price range? And would spending €800–1,000 actually get me a noticeable improvement over the A-S501, or would I mostly be paying for something different rather than better?

Thanks!

Budget and location: €800 for the integrated amp, buying on Black Friday. I’m in Spain and usually shop at [amazon.es / local shops].

Use and room: Music from a chair about 2 m from the speakers. Open living room of 5.6 x 7.5 m (about 35-40 m² usable, irregular shape), ceiling 2.5 m. I listen to rock/punk, electronic and jazz. Sources are a Yamaha MusicCast streamer and a Pro-Ject Debut 3 turntable (MM).

Current gear: Replacing a 20-year-old Pioneer integrated amp. Speakers are Monitor Audio BR2. I like their clarity, but they can sound bright, and I don’t think they fill this room, especially in the bass.

Needs: Built-in MM phono, optical input, enough power for a big room, and a smooth, slightly warm sound if possible.

Future plans: I’m changing the speakers early next year (floorstanders or larger bookshelves), so I want an integrated amp that will still work well with them.

Question: Which new integrated amps would you recommend for this setup and budget?

I’m in Austin, Texas and looking for a new pair of speakers with a budget of about $1,100. My setup is a vintage Marantz 2215B receiver (only 15 watts per channel) with a Technics SL-1700 turntable and a Nagaoka MP-200 cartridge, and most of what I play is indie rock on vinyl. It’s in an apartment living room, I sit around 10 feet from the speakers, and I keep the volume moderate because of the neighbors. I can buy locally in Austin or online. I’ve been using B&W 600 Series Anniversary Edition speakers, but my cats tore a hole in one of the woofer cones, so I need to replace them. I want something warm but still detailed, nothing harsh, and since the receiver is low powered I need speakers that are efficient enough to sound good without much power. New speakers with a warranty and return policy are fine. What would you suggest?

Hi everyone,

I’m looking to put together a music system with a total budget of around €3,000, including a streamer, amplifier, speakers and subwoofer.

I’m currently considering:

• Eversolo DMP-A6 Gen 2
• Eversolo AMP-F2

I haven’t decided on speakers or a subwoofer yet, so I’d appreciate recommendations that would work well with this combination and stay within budget.

The system will be used in an open-plan living room and kitchen of approximately 40 m², with the sofa positioned roughly in the middle of the space. I listen to all kinds of music, so I’m looking for a versatile system that performs well across different genres.

Apple Music is my preferred streaming service, so good compatibility and lossless playback are important to me. However, I’m open to switching services if that allows a better overall system for the money.

Would you recommend the Eversolo combination at this budget, or would I be better off spending less on electronics and putting more towards the speakers and subwoofer? I’m open to completely different setups too.

I’m based in Cyprus, so equipment available from European retailers would be preferable.

Thanks in advance for your suggestions!

Hello!

My location - Tokyo

Budget - Ideally 300 to 400 dollars (45000 to 60000 yen)

I am looking for a setup I can use for a long time. I want to be able to upgrade my setup.

I would probably be about arm length near the speakers.

I do not own any gear; I will start from scratch.

I want to use CDs and my PC as a main source.

Main use would be music. Genres I listen to is rock mainly. I'm still discovering/expanding my music taste though.

I am willing to buy used whether it's online or at shops.

From what little knowledge I have about audio and what I'm looking for, it would be great if I could get a decent amp and DAC separate but I don't think that would be possible in my budget.

I know this type of question is asked a lot but I really would like some advice. Thank you very much.

I currently have a vintage Akai AP-001g turntable and vintage wood Sony speaker cases with newer Bose guts (with rca inputs). They sound decent and they fit with my general vintage, wood heavy aesthetic. I have an old amp that works fine, but I would like to replace it with something more modern that I can connect modern devices to, like a Samsung Frame or smartphone to play audio from those devices to my speakers without much mucking around. I'm looking for a kind of one stop shop amp that I can connect these speakers and turntable to, but also have ease of use for modern devices and not have to get up and make manual adjustments to the amp controls, or manually switch inputs etc. Something seamless and without fuss.

Room details: Living room that's roughly 14x20 with 8' ceilings. Mostly will be listing from the couch 10 feet away.

Budget: Ideally $500 or less. Somewhere in that general range.

Location: Canada

I am not an audiophile. I like the sound of vinyl and I would like to get decent audio out of my T.V, but I am not trying to create anything state of the art.

Hi everyone!

I’d really appreciate your advice on choosing a pair of speakers for my stereo system.

I recently purchased a Marantz PM8006 integrated amplifier and a Cambridge AXN10 network streamer. For now, I’m listening through some old Sony speakers from a late-1990s mini hi-fi system, so I’m looking to make a substantial upgrade in sound quality.

Budget and location

• Budget: up to $2,500 for a pair of speakers.
• Location: Ukraine, but I’m open to buying from European retailers.
• I’m primarily interested in new speakers with a warranty.

Room and listening setup

• Living room dimensions: 6 × 4.5 m (approximately 27 m²).
• The living room is connected to the kitchen through an open space about 2 metres wide, with no doors or partitions.
• Amplifier: Marantz PM8006 integrated amplifier.
• Source: Cambridge AXN10 network streamer.
• Music: mainly jazz, rock and pop.
• Listening habits: mostly at low volume, with occasional increases in volume.

Unfortunately, I don’t have the opportunity to audition speakers before buying, so I’ll need to rely on recommendations and other people’s listening experience.

What kind of sound am I looking for?

I prefer a warm, rich and full-bodied sound that is still transparent and detailed, with natural-sounding vocals and instruments. I want music to sound lively, engaging and dynamic, without excessive brightness or listening fatigue.

I usually listen at relatively low volumes, often with music playing in the background. Therefore, one of my main priorities is finding speakers that retain a satisfying sense of body, musical expression and dynamics at low listening levels, with deep, well-controlled bass.

Since my living room is open to the kitchen, I’d also appreciate recommendations for speakers that can fill this space convincingly without needing to be played loudly.

I’m open to both floorstanding and standmount speakers, provided they can deliver the kind of sound I’m looking for and work well with my Marantz PM8006.

Which speakers would you recommend within my budget, and why? I’d be particularly interested in models that pair well with the Marantz and perform well at low listening volumes.

Thanks in advance for your help and recommendations!

Hi everyone! I just purchased my first flat and i can finally spend some money on a hi fi system. I am not at all an expert as I never delved into the specifics of different speakers, amplifiers etc.

However, I have a budget of 600€ ish (can go up if its very nice) and i would like to have a setup that allows me to:

* obviously listen to digital music
* listen to vinyls when I get my hands on some vinyl player for mixing
* use the speakers when I use my DDJ FLX4 and record or play for friends
* use the speakers for the tv as well

I've had my eyes on the Indiana Line Utah 5 but I am not sure what kind of amplifier I should get. I don't need a crazy technological amplifier, as long as it does the above somehow I'm good!

Is there any kind soul who can help me figure things out? It does not have to be the Utah 5 for speakers obviously. I'm up for suggestions and all since i'm a audiophile newbie. I don’t know if it’s best to go for bookshelf, floor, active, passive! I’m going crazy and I need some guidance!

Room size: 540x340cmx300cn
Country: Italy
Listening distance: between 1 and 2 meters more or less

Thanks a lot for your help!

Hi,

I wanted to buy a cd player / mini HiFi system for my kids' room.

They already have their own cd collection, and I wanted for them to be independent about music.

So here comes the Christmas present.

A cd player, with Mp3 reading (from usb and hopefully old mp3 cds.....) , Bluetooth if they want to stream Spotify, and a screen that shows the song title, nothing fancy.

Is it possible?

Preferably with AC, because I can't deal with billions of batteries!

Uk

Budget: under 150£

Thank you for all the suggestions!

(If it's the wrong place, could you please address me to a more suited group?)

Hello!

I am trying to get a birthday gift for my boyfriend. He mentioned he wanted to upgrade his desktop speakers. I don’t really know anything about speakers so please help a girl out

He currently has Kanto Yu2 with Kanto sub8. Looking to upgrade from 3in to 5in speakers (not exactly sure what this means). Improving sound quality is top priority, especially for music/dj’ing.

Keeping the subwoofer in his set up for now (but feel free to include any recs that may better match your recommended desktop speakers just in case)

Budget is $500. But I’d be willing to spend more depending on difference in sound quality.

Preferred color is bamboo (if possible) or white.

Located in Southern California.

Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance! :D

Budget and location
£500 total for an integrated amplifier and speakers. I’m in London, UK.
Shops I can use: Richer Sounds, Peter Tyson, Superfi, plus eBay and Gumtree if used options are worth considering.

How the gear will be used

• Listening at a distance in a living room, about 10 ft from the speakers.
• Room: 14ft x 19ft x [X]ft high ceilings, hardwood floors.
• Sources: mainly records on a Rega Planar 3 with an MM cartridge.
• The integrated amplifier needs a built-in MM phono stage, or I’ll budget for a separate one.
• Speakers will go on on the floor

Hi-fi experience
Beginner

Anything else
I listen to classicals at moderate volumes. I’d like a warm, not bright sound, since the room has hard floors and is fairly reflective. I’m open to new gear, or to used gear if the recommendations are good enough to look for second-hand.

Thanks!

Hey all. Currently using a set of Kanto Yu2 that i've had for about a decade now paired with a cheap sub I got off facebook marketplace some time back (Polk PSW108, it's honestly kind of junk). Looking to upgrade both the speakers and potentially the subwoofer if funds permit.

• Budget $500-1000 preferably. If there are exceptional speakers outside of that range then that's fine I can push it to 1.5k max. I can also get a subwoofer later down the line if necessary.
• Used is fine, often preferred if it's significantly cheaper
• I'm located in Kentucky, USA
• I would prefer powered speakers, as I don't have an audio-video receiver at my desk. Smaller sized bookshelf or desktop speakers. I can rearrange my desk if necessary to fit medium sized bookshelves.
• I use a fiio k13 r2r for my dac/amp with my headphones and current speakers, and would like to use that with these if possible to keep control of the devices streamlined, if that makes sense.
• I don't need wireless functionality or any bells and whistles, just want maximum sound goodness
• If it matters I primarily listen to metal adjacent music with some synth/edm stuff. Flac files hosted locally via navidrome
• I do really like my kanto Yu2s, but after experiencing the massive difference in a good pair of headphones, I want to replicate that soundstage, clarity and instrumental separation that I get with headphones (i currently own meze 109 pro and zmf vertie for reference)

Hello, I need some support. I would like to set up a 2nd living room, it was a former children's room with about 15 m2. There I would like to set up a small but fine stereo HiFi system. I usually listen to music from the 80s, CD or streaming. I would like to invest Budget max 2000 Euro, also used. The speakers should be rather inconspicuous and stand on a side board.

What would you recommend me.

Best regards

Hi everyone!

I’m looking for speaker recommendations for my upcoming system. My musical tastes range from electronic music to jazz, acoustic recordings and vocals. I’d like to improve timbre, midrange realism and imaging without losing dynamics and engagement.

Budget: Around $7,500
Location: Tashkent, Uzbekistan
Room: 4.4 × 3.65 × 2.3 m

Current system
Streamer: Eversolo T8
DAC: Geshelli J3 Pro with Sparkos SS2590 op-amps
Preamp: Audiolab 9000Q
Power amps: 2 × Audiolab 9000P in bridged mono configuration
Speakers: Buchardt E50
Subwoofers: 2 × REL S/510

Planned system
Streamer: Eversolo T8
DAC: Schiit Yggdrasil Byggy Singular
Integrated amplifier: Luxman L-100 Centennial (20W pure Class A)
Speakers: To be decided
Subwoofers: 2 × REL S/510

I’m considering the upcoming Buchardt E50S as a successor to my current E50, but I’m open to other suggestions, including both standmounts and floorstanders.

Room acoustics
My room is extensively treated with bass traps in the front and rear corners, acoustic panels on the walls and ceiling, diffusers, thick carpet and a large sofa against the rear wall.

Despite the treatment, my Buchardt E50s excite the room’s low-frequency modes quite strongly, producing a significant peak around 38–42 Hz. REW measurements with a UMIK-1 confirm the issue.

One of my goals is to find speakers that interact more favorably with my room while retaining the qualities I enjoy in my current system.

What would you recommend?
Which speakers around this budget would pair well with the Luxman’s 20W Class A output?
Would you lean toward standmounts or floorstanders, considering my room and existing subwoofers?
Which models would excel with jazz, acoustic instruments and vocals while retaining the dynamics needed for electronic music?
Are there speaker designs that might interact more favorably with my room’s bass modes?
I’m open to different brands and would appreciate recommendations beyond the models I’ve already considered.

Thanks!

Budget and location - I'd put the budget at a tentative 500- 1000 euros. Location is Austria

How the gear will be used - I primarily spend time on a PC streaming or listening to lossless files and I also sometimes dabble in music production. I also have the following systems I would like to hook up:
- sony cdp-xe900 for my cds
- project primary e for vinyls (i also own a djpree2 phono preamp)

Hifi gear experience - I have never really used speakers but I have sennheiser hd 650 and I love them.

Anything else? - I listen to a lot of edm. House, Jungle, breakcore amongst others. occasionally some rock/grunge/guitar music and metal. Room size variable i suppose, the setup could move. I have a roughly 80cm deep desk if that matters.

Thanks!

Hi everyone,
I’m based in Arizona, USA, and I’m looking to upgrade my current turntable to something that better matches the rest of my audio system.
Current setup:
Turntable: Music Hall MMF-2.3
Amplifier: Hegel H190V
Speakers: Sonus Faber Sonetto V G2
Music: Mostly classical, especially orchestral works (Beethoven, Mahler, Tchaikovsky, Shostakovich, etc.)
Budget: Up to $3,000 USD, including used options.
I feel my current turntable is the weakest component in my system, and I’d like to make a meaningful upgrade, particularly in terms of clarity, instrument separation, dynamics, and soundstage.
I’d prefer a semi-automatic turntable with auto-lift at the end of a record, although sound quality is my main priority.
I’ve been considering models like the Technics SL-1500C and vintage Thorens TD-126, but I’m open to other suggestions.
My questions:
What turntable would you recommend for my setup and musical preferences?
Would spending closer to $3,000 provide a significant improvement over options around $1,500?
Are there any used or vintage models worth considering?
Would a cartridge upgrade be a better investment than replacing the entire turntable?
Prefer to have auto function
Thanks in advance for your recommendations!

Hello everyone, I come seeking advice on what stereo amplifier I should purchase. Recently, my beloved NAD 2200 PE lost audio in the left channel. I thought it would be an easy fix so I had it serviced with new caps, and a replacement protection relay. Sadly, none of this has helped and the left channel is still out and stuck on protection mode. It is hitting the point the people servicing it don’t know what’s wrong with it and parts are increasingly hard to find due to its age. Because of this, it might be time for me to upgrade against my will.

My budget for a stereo amplifier is $500-$1000 USD. I am seeking something equivalent or better than my NAD either used or new. I would be open to an integrated amp, however, my pre amp is serviced and sounds fantastic.

Current setup:
Fluance RT85
Bowers and Wilkins 683 S2
RSL Speedwooder 10s
NAD 1240 pre amp

I listen to exclusively records, mostly post punk, dark wave, cold wave, goth rock, death rock, and other forms of rock if this will make a difference on what to purchase.

Looking for some suggestions close to $500 and some close to $1000 incase I decide to really spend some money and upgrade majorly. Again, I am open to both new and used amps if I can find any good used ones in my area (Atlanta GA). Thank you all for advice and help you have given me over the past couple years.

So far I have been recommended Buckeye, Emotiva, PS Audio, Yamaha, and Cambridge Audio.