Help and Guidance Appreciated - getting back into the AUDIOPHILE STEREO hobby
#
[](https://www.reddit.com/r/StereoAdvice/?f=flair_name%3A%22General%20Request%22)
NOTE - While some of my components are used for home theater purposes, this is seeking advice for upgrading and organizing equipment for music NOT for HOME THEATER advice. Mods please don't remove.
Back in the mid 80's, I used a student loan to buy my starter STEREO system: Harmon Kardon Integrated Amp, Thorens TT, Nakamichi BX-125, Boston Acoustic Speakers...shortly after I added a decent CD player.... Then life happened and I got away from the hobby. A few years ago I decided to up my home theater game a bit and got a Denon AVR and a set of Monitor Silver RS6 and the Monitor Silver center channel speaker.
A couple of years ago, I moved again, replaced the Denon with a newer model and bought the Klipsch 5 channel speaker set w/ the subwoofer, a planar p1 TT so I could listen to my old albums. Didn't like the speakers and brought the Monitors out of storage and have been using them since.
So current setup at the TV / Living Rm (18' X 12' - seating / listening area is 12' X 12'):
Denon AVR X1800H
Monitor Silver RS6
Monitor Silver RS LCR
Planar P1
Wiim Ultra Pro - connected to the Denon
The Klipsh Subwoofer
Problems I would like to fix and looking for help and opinions. I am looking to upgrade my music playback:
1. The Planar playback on the Denon is faint - it claims to have a built in phono pre-amp but way too faint. I recently added a Schiit Mani 2 - but it causes hum and music is garbled. I've done very little to see if can be fixed so far - but it might be the Mani 2 is incompatible. 2. Overall Music Playback Quality is Meh. Streaming video is fine. Looking for better music fidelity. 3. I still own the Thorens TD 316, but doesn't work. So, question here is throw out, sell or refurbish? On the fence on this one. 4. I still own the Nakamichi BX-125. I haven't done anything with it in years, it works fine but I think I'd like to get it refurbished. Question is where do you recommend? 5. The Wiim playback quality isn't noticeably better than streaming directly through the Denon - Spotify Lossless. Is this a Denon problem or other issue? I've read that using an AVR for music is less than ideal even if playback is in stereo mode due to power constraints - true or no? Wondering if adding a power amp to run through the Denon might help or some other solution entirely? 6. Subwoofer recommendations? The Monitor Silver no longer has a matching finish so it doesn't need to be that necessarily.
Location: Charlotte, NC
I am willing to add to the system, my budget is variable depending upon the solutions - but around $3k -4K to start with. More $$ will require additional planning / saving.
Thanks in advance!