Good advice re: thinking abt speakers first, or at any rate at the same time. Synergy makes or breaks. That said, I have a Naim Nait3 and *love* it. It's just so engaging -- rythmic, in tune, dynamic. Not quite so airy or sound stagey as some, but those strike me as audio artifacts rather than musical qualities. You can pick one up on the 'Gon for considerably less than the $1300 you are thinking of. Be carful to get a phono board, though. A Niat5 bwill set you back about $1500, and I think you have to get an outboard phono stage for it.
RNM
RNM