This is my first system and I hope it is enough to keep me happy for a while. So far I am very happy with the system but my standards were rather low. I mainly use apple lossless through the apple tv or the cd player.
This is a small brooklyn apt - 9.5 feet wide and about 15 feet wide.
I originally was looking at the totem mites but found the DB1i used. I also looked at a pair of used AAD Silver Ones but missed out on them.
I would eventually like to add a turntable but right now no space for the vinyl.
I listen to just about everything.
I will likely update the tube in the preamp at some point.
Any thoughts on the system people? Any upgrades/tweaks you would suggest?
I recommend finding a very small powered sub from a reputable brand (REL or Velodyne MiniVee, maybe?) to fill in the very lowest stuff (no need to run the sub loud), and I second the earlier recommendation to find a way to work a pair of small speaker stands into your living space. Having the speakers on the credenza looks nice but if the speakers aren't designed to take the extra room loading into account then your voices and acoustic bass could sound unnaturally thick.
To find the best subwoofer placement, place the sub in your listening position and walk around the room until you hear the best bass. Once you find the best bass, put the sub in that location, and that's the kind of bass you'll hear at your listening position, because in most cases room acoustics can work in reverse.
Get some speaker stands. I know space is ridiculously tight in there but if you were to get stands with a minimal footprint you could pull them out for a listening session & then put them back near your tv when you're done. Moving the speakers away from room boundaries will add a ton of clarity to images & spaciousness to your soundstage.
The Nova looks like a great piece, I own a Peachtree Decco and use it as the heart of my computer system.
A good free upgrade tip for you is to cover the TV with a blanket (or similar material) while listening to strictly audio. This will not smear the sound due to the reflections from the TV screen. I had a similar setup like you a couple of years back and covering the screen was a big upgrade, as if focuses the sound rather than scattering it.
