Onky M-504, tube and dac pre amp, Kef Q-150 Rig.

[pallpoul]

I recently changed my desktop music rig,...why ? just because wanted something different. (like most of us, I d assume).

I thought I'd change my desktop listening area, having been using a Yamaha N-500, as amp, with a tube Chinese DAC and a tube Pre-amplifier, (that I re-tubed both) and swapped the Yamaha with my Mint Onkyo M-504 amp that I 've had for while and barely used in any system.

I changed my speakers from bookshelves Def Tech's to a new pair of Kef Q 150, (currently on sale).

Well, truly I was amazed by the change in the SQ, compared to what I had, and the power and the amazing clarity I got out of this little system, streaming Spotify via my PC USB to the DAC.

Warm, clear, detailed, nuanced, and powerful, with wide sound stage is how I would describe this rig.

I Thought I'd share my positive impressions.

[leonski]

Please be careful about 'assuming' people just 'want something different'. I KNOW this is true 'cause I've done it myself!
While that may be true, I don't think that's the Long Term road to satisfaction.
I've spent time trying to identify my system goals and make sure everything feeds that end.

I'm very glad you made an improvement. All to the good and will hopefully give you pause as to WHY and WHAT is better.
And perhaps, in a couple years or maybe longer, point you toward another change to make further improvements.

Looks like a MC275 in your logo picture. That's good. Especially the last couple revs of that amp which might even be more user friendly.

Don't think I'm being preachy. I've made PLENTY of mistakes, some of which cost me dearly. I bought a Rotel Power Amp which was simply incapable of driving my Panels to the required levels. The amp I bought to replace it was much better. But it DID last 4 or 5 years, maybe longer, before
i upgraded.....A real upgrade even though list price was substantially less or the same.....total new cost. The amps / pre were an end game move for me, UNLESS I can really go upstream AFTER figuring out what I can actually make better. 'D' amp is an experiment I won't repeat again soon.

I don't mean to overly Dis Chinese tube gear, but while you might have spent big bucks on a retube, you were STILL working with whatever capacitors and resistors came with 'em. Some carbon resistors, for example, are notoriously noisy.

How are your soldering skills?

Me? I don't know the sensitivity of the KEF Q150 but in a near-field situation? Don't need THAT much power. If they are over 88db sensitive, maybe the AmpCampAmp designed by Nelson Pass. At 8x2 it's also single ended class 'A'. this is a kit amp costing 330$ and will take a weekend to
assemble. Directions are CRYSTAL clear. you could even assemble a PAIR of 'em as 15 watt mono blocs. That WOULD get the job done, no question.

I'm tempted to assemble another system just to build one for myself. Obviously that little amp won't drive my VERY low sensitivity @4ohm panels! Nice Try!

Have fun and keep your system goals in mind. I think you'll go down fewer ratholes that way and have more satisfaction.

[dasanto2]

This hobby wouldn’t exist if people didn’t simply want to try new combinations. Some people call it a “quest” for the “perfect system”, others just admit it’s fun to try new gear. It’s the journey.

I enjoy setting up a a new $500 system as much as I do a $5,000
system, and furthermore powering entry level speakers with high end gear and vise versa. It’s all fun.


Congrats on putting together a harmonious system.

[leonski]

I've seen a LOT of people put together a lot of systems. The BEST? Not necessarily the most $$ or 'expected'.

The 500$ level is quite challenging. So many choices at the 5000$ level as to boggle the mind. My garage system? 35$ for the amp (new) and hand-me-down speakers.
Works well and is fine for background while hammering about and making 'stuff'. iPhone source? Why not? My neighbor, the boom-box guy wass pleasantly surprised.-

First? I LIKE almost everything KEF does. The LS50 is, while not a landmark, certainly on the 'short list' of to be listened to.

I'm just thinking about trying to save people time and money. Mating some B&W speakers with low powered tube gear. Almost always a Bad idea.

I've changed to a 'goal oriented' approach. After many years of listening and some 'random' gear changes, I started LISTENING for stuff.
More specific than 'loud' or 'slam' or 'detail'. I had a HUGE argument (online) with a person and we batted stuff back and forth for about a year.
That was quite educational and I changed my approach a LOT. I even went and listened to LIVE MUSIC. Not always easy to find unless you are $$$, I even
went to a symphony.

If you have a piece of gear 'in stock'? Absolutely try to use it. Or convert to cash for something you'd rather have. The Def Tech and KEF are enough different that I think
the choice could easily be made.

Right now? I'm working up a plan with high sensitivity speakers to match the AmpCampAmp which has only 8 a Side. My panels of VERY low sensitivty need not apply, except as a function test. maybe.
The ACA is a totally different amp than what I'm used to. Single ended which means it is NOT push pull and it is biased heavily into class 'A'. If I can believe the reviews (really iffy) this amp will serve well,
but I'd need to really change direction.

I guess I'm a littel nutty. Random combinations don't make it for me any more. And for someone starting out, it is difficult to see the patterns. Home Theater just confuses it, with everything from 5.1 to who knows? I can't imagine being able to
afford half a dozen VERY good speakers, while for the Stereo or 2.1 guy, it is far more doable. Another Goal.
If Pallpoul is in a happy place, more power to him. This is a learning experience. What DID work? What made it happen? Is there a path forward (usually more $$$,)

[pallpoul]

Leonski, ty for your input, educational to me, as I see what path, others like me in this hobby, may have followed.

I see no point in spending a lot o $ if you can achieve what you are after, with what is laying around the house, and maybe not the most expensive stuff. I did fall in love with the tube sound, and try to have something in tubes in what ever system I put together. A good pre amp tube with a solid state like the M-504 ? why not.. I was very surprised to how they sounded together,. Yes I do have lost of expensive tube amps and integrated, speakers, etc...and some cheap ones too, and I like to mix and match every once in a while, experimenting with something new, which may, or not, bring a pleasure to my ears.

It is a hobby, and as such, it keeps my mind off of work stuff, and what I deal with daily.

[leonski]

Stereo as Therapy is vastly under rated. Works for me.

I get quite a bit of pleasure from my <100$ garage system.

And Yes, you can ALWAYS Throw More Money at something. But why?
That's where learning and what I call 'patterns' come to play.
In the real world, bang-for-buck counts......a LOT.

[garbulky]

I thought that Onkyo's meters looked quite nice!

[leonski]

Really old-school

[hondaman01]

The 504 is a BEAST!!!!!

[knucklehead]

I had a 504 for a while, with the combo XSP-1/XDA-1 and Salk SongTowers. It was one of the best combos I'd hit on in some time. Can't recall why I sold the 504, and the XSP-1/XDA-1 followed shortly after. I loved those big honkin' meters! While the standard green was ok there are some crazy good looking LED lights with various colors that looked even better.

IIRC that 504 weighted just about what my Yamaha A-S1000 does, about 48#. FWIW the combo of the S1000 and the XDA-2 is pretty decent with these Polk speakers. And no sub! EVER! The last tower speakers I used with a sub (2 actually) was the ERT-8.3's. Once I figured out that the ERTs needed to be moved away from the back wall another foot the subs became redundant. Even sealed speakers need to be moved around for the best bass response.