Advice for an ex sound engineer

[thenaylor]

Hello all, this is my first post on this forum as I don't really have anything to do with sound anymore apart from the odd bit of mixing etc that I do sometimes.
Anyway I have a question for all you in the know about current speakers amps etc.

After working on a set of PMC ib1's and various other nice setups I am looking to buy a set of speakers and amp for my home hi-fi. The problem is nothing I hear that is within my budget really does it for me. I want that big speaker sound with a nice clear frequency response but on a much lower budget, I probably have about £500 (uk) to spend and am looking at second hand gear.
What would you suggest?

Many thanks.

Jim

[Byll]

Hi, Jim. My home system is still built around some Spendor LS3/5a BBC monitors, powered by a Marantz integrated amp. This system is paired with a very musical - and old - NHT sub. This has worked very well, over a lot of years. The biggest claim to fame, of the many incarnations of the LS3/5a, is their musicality. I would think that you, living in the land of LS3/5a speakers, would have no problem picking up a used set, built by one of their many licensed manufacturers, plus an amp, and still be very much within your budget.

Good luck in your search.
Byll

[thenaylor]

Thanks that's good advice, they look like a nice set. I'll keep an eye out for some. Just one more question. If I'm using a an integrated amp and stereo speakers, what is the best way to add an active sub to this? Will I need to get a separate pre amp and amps?

[yeahforbes]

Some active subs actually connect in between the receiver/amp and the speakers and get their signal that way. They have circuitry to reduce the signals from speaker level to line level and then they sum the left and right to mono. The sound to the main speakers is unaffected. Obviously this will not produce the best possible bass since two power amp stages are coloring the sound, but it's an easy way to avoid buying a new receiver.