himynameisdk Posted August 5, 2014 Share Posted August 5, 2014 So I work for Urban Outfitters and a few times a year my discount increases to 40% off electronics and vinyl and I've been looking at the Music Hall MMF 2.2 considering I can get it for $270. My set up is currently a AT LP120 and a pair of Alesis bookshelf speakers so it would definitely be a step up I would just need to buy a pre-amp. Do any of you think i should jump the gun on this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eight1echo Posted August 5, 2014 Share Posted August 5, 2014 Yes trevorxramage 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xxmartinxx Posted August 6, 2014 Share Posted August 6, 2014 Can you get an MMF5? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steviex2shoes Posted August 6, 2014 Share Posted August 6, 2014 Can you get an MMF5? Doesn't look like it, based on the web store. Full of crosleys then this one and the Usb-1. I'd say it'd be worth the upgrade at that price for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
himynameisdk Posted August 6, 2014 Author Share Posted August 6, 2014 Any suggestions on reasonably priced pre-amps? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajxd Posted August 6, 2014 Share Posted August 6, 2014 "Resonably priced" means different things to different people. Budget? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dethrock Posted August 6, 2014 Share Posted August 6, 2014 Any suggestions on reasonably priced pre-amps? With your turntable budget, I'm guessing your pre-amp budget isn't much. I've heard good things about this http://www.amazon.com/ART-II-Preamplifier-Output-Switchable/dp/B000AJR482/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1407340325&sr=8-1&keywords=art+dj+pre+ii Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
himynameisdk Posted August 6, 2014 Author Share Posted August 6, 2014 $150 would probably be my max. I just don't know if I should keep the speakers I already have or get a new set. That's going to really determine how much I have to spend on a pre-amp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steviex2shoes Posted August 6, 2014 Share Posted August 6, 2014 Ultimately you're going to probably want to upgrade everything. But for the sake of just wanting to play records, just the upgrade to the MMF and a decent pre-amp for now, with the expectations that you're going to upgrade the speakers later on. Otherwise you're talking basically a brand new set up all at once and it doesn't seem like that's currently in your budget. $270 for the TT, $150 or more for the preamp/maybe integrated amp, then i'd say $400+ for new speakers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidamnesiac Posted August 6, 2014 Share Posted August 6, 2014 Stay away from the ART preamp mentioned earlier if at all possible. It will get the job done, but I had one in my early days and it sounded pretty harsh. You can get the Bugle2 preamp kit for $139 if you can solder and feel like taking on a project. It's also available assembled for $189 and is widely considered a great value even at that price point: http://www.hagtech.com/bugle2.html Not sure if this Emotiva XPS-1 was sold yet or not: http://boards.vinylcollective.com/topic/100041-fs-emotiva-xps-1-phono-pre-amp-100/ but that's also a pretty good deal. The Cambridge Audio Azur 551P is another great option in the sub-$200 price range: http://www.amazon.com/Cambridge-Audio-Phono-Preamplifier-Black/dp/B007A0CYCK/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trevorxramage Posted August 6, 2014 Share Posted August 6, 2014 Schiit is also supposed to be releasing the Mani this month that I'm sure will be unreal and priced around $150... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
himynameisdk Posted August 6, 2014 Author Share Posted August 6, 2014 what about something like this? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?gclid=COe2-6Lq_78CFaTm7Aod-UYA8A&Item=12K-001N-00001&nm_mc=KNC-GoogleAdwords&cm_mmc=KNC-GoogleAdwords-_-pla-_-Turntables+%26+Cartridges-_-12K-001N-00001&ef_id=U5JwOwAABeBjNUdJ:20140806235052:s and then these speakers have gotten great reviews and are reasonably priced... http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008NCD2S4/ref=s9_simh_gw_p23_d1_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=1ZTYP19MQ3Y49KP15NDN&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=1688200382&pf_rd_i=507846 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajxd Posted August 7, 2014 Share Posted August 7, 2014 http://boards.vinylcollective.com/topic/98694-want-a-good-speaker-set-for-130/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
himynameisdk Posted August 7, 2014 Author Share Posted August 7, 2014 http://boards.vinylcollective.com/topic/98694-want-a-good-speaker-set-for-130/ are those powered or passive? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xxmartinxx Posted August 7, 2014 Share Posted August 7, 2014 Passive. Powered speakers are bullshit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
himynameisdk Posted August 7, 2014 Author Share Posted August 7, 2014 Okay so please ignore my ignorance here but after doing my research I'm still confused on whether I'll need a receiver or if I can simply connect a pair of speakers to the external pre-amp connected to the turntable? Thanks again for the help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allenh Posted August 8, 2014 Share Posted August 8, 2014 Have a read of the beginner guide it tells you all you need to know on that score. It's a superb well thought out resource and will answer the questions you don't know you need answers to yet as well. quick simple answer though pre means low signal and speakers need high signal (power). You can drive powered speakers from a pre but passive speakers need an amplifier because powered speakers already contain the amplifier. The beginners guide will also explain the pro's and cons here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
himynameisdk Posted August 8, 2014 Author Share Posted August 8, 2014 well seeing as how at the moment I can't really afford a Marantz or something of that quality what are some decent powered speakers that I could get? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tardcore Posted August 8, 2014 Share Posted August 8, 2014 Can everybody just agree to a ban on answering questions about powered speakers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
himynameisdk Posted August 8, 2014 Author Share Posted August 8, 2014 are they really that bad? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tardcore Posted August 8, 2014 Share Posted August 8, 2014 are they really that bad? Oh no, you can't fool me that easily! Just look up any of the zillion 'powered speaker' threads, they all sort of play out the same way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allenh Posted August 8, 2014 Share Posted August 8, 2014 Of course there are good powered speakers which are made as studio near field monitors but good ones will cost you way more than any half decent integrated amplifier and normal passive speakers that will probably sound better, plus being near filed monitors you need to be sitting with them very close to you for them to work properly. When people talk about powered speakers they are generally talking about pretty low quality items that are intended as computer speakers though (hence Tardcore's shock), so why buy a nice turntable and play it through an amplifier and speaker combination that is intended for MP3 at it's very best. Go an read the beginners thread and then read it again, the keys to audio heaven are there if you take the time as is all the info you need to understand why the standard layout of turntable, phono stage(if your amp hasn't got one), integrated (or separate pre amp/power amp) and passive speakers is the way to go as it pretty much always has been. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brillwill Posted August 8, 2014 Share Posted August 8, 2014 There are plenty of good powered speakers. I'm running a set of Aktimate Mini's with an Sl1200 that sounds brilliant. If you were to stick with just using powered speakers, I would take a look at the Audioengine A5+ or even KRK Rokit G6s, both of which sound pretty dang good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allenh Posted August 9, 2014 Share Posted August 9, 2014 There are plenty of good powered speakers. I'm running a set of Aktimate Mini's with an Sl1200 that sounds brilliant. If you were to stick with just using powered speakers, I would take a look at the Audioengine A5+ or even KRK Rokit G6s, both of which sound pretty dang good. As I said yes there are good ones, all the ones you've listed fit the description of near field studio monitors and for the price of them you can get a decent integrated amplifier and speakers that will sound better when you are not right in front of them. In very simple terms with all audio to a point the more boxes you split things up into the more screening from noise you have so powered monitors are fine for their intended purpose but are made for convenience not for quality, the idea of putting the power supply inside the same box as the speaker technically is a really bad thing to do and will always be a compromise for convenience. I have nothing against them and If they are all you have the room for they will do a job for you but you can do better quality wise for less money They call them studio monitors but really they were intended for things like mobile broadcast vans where there isn't the room to have separate amplifiers, they have caught on as they are convenient and if there is a market manufacturers will fill it but it doesn't mean it's the right way to go, the same is true of Receivers versus integrated amplifiers, Receivers are made because that's what the market wanted for convenience not because technically it was the right way to go. As I said above in these sorts of forums people confuse powered monitors and computer speakers into the same thing which they are not and are intended for entirely different jobs and as Tardcore refers to there are loads of forums and posts on the powered speaker subject which all end up in the same conclusion Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sad Heart Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 My girlfriend works at UO and I actually took advantage of this exact situation. Upgraded from a ProJect Essentials. Having the mmf2.2 paired with a CA 551P Pre Amp and my Sony receiver, and I can hear a magnitude of difference. Definitely jump on that offer. The 2.2 is definitely a finger print magnet though haha. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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