Well you can get your hands on a ton of used gear for 10 Gs with room to spare.I would suggest Conrad Johnson like the MV- series and the PV series preamps.As for CD players you really cant go wrong with California Audio Labs.For solid State amps,there is Threshold and even Pass Labs,Speakers I like the Martin Logans and B&W 802s and for interconnects I like Audioquest or Kimber Kable.Tuners,go for Magmun Dynalab and youll still have loot left over.Cheers and good luck. |
My current system would fit the bill: Conrad Johnson Premier 11a amplifier Conrad Johnson PV10L preamp Micromega Stage 2 CDplayer Totem Forrest speakers I'd suggest selecting a different CD player. The Micromega and its parts are no longer available. It also has a pretty bad reputation with respect to reliability (even though mine has been trouble free). You could easily improve over the preamp given your budget, but you probably can't do much better than the PV10 at that price leve. |
b4 u drop a dime, no advise would be valid w/o letting others know what type of muzak u listen to. |
Jeff Rowland Jeff Rowland Model 2 Asking $2850.00 obo New Retail $8500.00 Condition 9/10 AGS Days/Views 6 / 212 Ship cost Plus shipping Ship from 94102 lbs from http:// Ship to USA only Included Box, Manual About seller Singlee75 (5)(Send email) (Read feedback) (Seller's other items) Pay Terms Money Order (explain) Item Description This powerful amp rated 75 W/CH but factory tested 125W/CH with BPS 2/6 battery pack recommended component class A with all the box and Jeff Rowland Synergy A year old Asking $2795.00 SOLD New Retail $5500.00 Condition 9/10 AGS Days/Views 26 / 365 Ship cost Plus shipping Ship from 40 lbs from 92051 Ship to USA only Included Remote About seller Cbb (111)(Send email) (Read feedback) (Seller's other items) Pay Terms Money Order, Personal Check, Visa/MC, Amex, Discover (explain) Item Description Mint condition. Priced to sell quickly.No box or manual. Martin Logan CLS IIz Electrostats $1800 OBO Asking $1800.00 obo New Retail - Condition 8/10 AGS Days/Views 36 / 730 Ship cost Plus shipping Ship from 150 lbs from 37203 Ship to USA only Included No box or manual About seller Auraears (6)(Send email) (Read feedback) (Seller's other items) Pay Terms Money Order, COD, Visa/MC, Amex (explain) Item Description Martin Logan CLS IIz electrostatic loudspeakers. Excellent condition. Medium walnut wood. No box or manual, but will have professionally packed for shipment. Price: $1800 plus ship OBOVISA/MC/AMEX OK.Call Craig at 615-714-6699 anytime to leave a message. EAD DAC 7000 Mk II, T-1000 Transport $899.00 (on audio review site) THAT LEAVES YOU WITH ABOUT $3,500 FOR CABLES OF CHOICE & A TUNER IF YOU DESIRE, LINE PROCCESSOR & POWER CABLES. You can get better sound than this but you will have to spend much more! Just think only $6,500. |
I don't think you have to spend 10K to get a great system. Below are systems with almost all components that I've owned, usually for a few months. I've paired the synergistic matches. I've only had red dawn cables in my system so cannot comment on cable matching.
For a great rock and roll system buy a vandersteen 3aSig(3500) or 2CeSig(1600). Probably have to buy these new and use a mccormack dna-1 (rev A if possible) ($1000-2000) amp w/adcom 750 preamp(800) and kinergetics research (a buddy recommends these) cables. For CD player buy an xa7es($1100) and you'll have money left over for a rega 25 ($1000) and lehman black cube ($500) or better yet an AR PH-3(900). If you want tubes, the monster Sonic Frontiers sfm-160's (1600) worked very well with the vandersteen 3aSigs. McCormack is the way to go by a mile with these speakers. Swap in some b$w 801's w/monster krell for more bass/thunderosity.
For a resolution/imaging oriented system, swap in: Audio Physic Virgo's ($3200) with pass aleph 2's(3000), a pass labs P(1800). Red dawn speaker cables w/nordost red dawn balanced interconnects (1200). Heard Analysis plus 9 is great w/these too. Put a vt100m2(3000) on this for world class tube lp sound but sound but slightly less resolution. Put a dna1/revaGold for house shaking bass w/still very good resolution. The alephs are my current setup. Doesn't rock like the vandersteens but tighter with tremedous detail and resolution. Better for medium sized rooms.
For a cheap (AND AWESOME) system:
Magnepan 1.6QR's (1500) w/conrad johnson mv-55(1200) and adcom 750 (800). Maybe a cav-50. Same Cd player, cables and record player. This is a wonderful setup for classical music listening. Might try a premier 11a amp as well. vt100 ups the performance a bit but much more expensive. I didn't care for any solid state amps with this speaker.
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I wish I had $10k to spend on equipment, but the best system I've ever heard for around that price used was a Wadia cdp, Levinson pre, classe 200 or 300, and Hales and don't forget the room treament. This combo is my personal favorite at any price. The more expensive systems i've experienced have possibly been technically better, but they didn't make my heart pound, or my eyes water like the one i listed. I wouldn't let hales being out of business stop me from buying a pair if i didn't already have them. There was, maybe is, a window where you can get the trans series for about the price of the revelation, new. And there may or may not be parts available for them at qsc.com in the future, but they don't have foam surrounds, and you'd have to be a total idiot to screw these speakers up. You could also swap B&W N804s, or N805s plus sub combo and end up with something super cool. Have fun blowing your money! That's the second best part. |
Well Streetman, age should not have to play a role when it come to not having money being a factor is concerned. I am almost 38 y/o (and assumedly, I have been out there longer than you have), and I still don't have enough money to do what I want to do. What makes matters worse is, I have champagne taste, but all I have is a beer budget to work with. And that has played a big role when it has come to me putting my audio system together. In fact, I have went the used route when putting together my system as well. I got my amp (an Adcom GFA-545II) used, my tuner used (a Magnum Dynalab FT-101) and right now, I am looking for a used cd player (a Meridian 506.20 or a Meridian 506.24). I realize that this system doen't begin to approach $10K ($5K or $6K is more like it.... while I have gotten the amp and tuner used, the preamp (Adcom GFP-750) was brand new, the cables (MITerminator 2 and 3)are brand new, and my speakers (KEF Reference 102 w/ KUBE Equalizer -- Circa 1988) and cassette deck (Nakamichi BX-300 -- 1987) were brand new when I bought them more than a decade ago), but that's okay. It works for me and I am happy with it. You cannot die rich, so you might as well die happy. --Charles-- |
Thiel 2.3's, Pass labs x-150, Wadia 830 or 850. I have purchased all of my equipment used. Enjoy!!!!!!!!!! |
Totem model 1 monitors new aprox 2100.00 Stands new 400.00 Electrocompaniet ECI-3 used 1400.00 EAD Ultradisc 2000 used 2000.00 Nordost Solar wind spk 250.00 2 meter pair Nordost Blue Heaven interconnect .6 meter 90.00 The main variable here is the speakers. You may want to investigate a good floorstander say an Areial. Synergy will be important but this amp is not too picky and will give good results with a good variety associated components. If you are more a rocker than a Jazz, acoustical, classical person you may want to investigate the Plinius 8100. Howerever this will be tough to find on the used market as it is brand new (retail 2K) This system will last you long into the future. If you can spring for the New EAD Ultradisc (retail 2.4K)it will play DVD's and CD. You will be well on your way to primo home theatre without the bull. I realize this may be just a little beyond your budget and audition is a must. But I think you will be more than happy with the music this system will be capable of making. Future upgrades could include Monster HTS1000 power conditioner and a CPCC model II for the ECI-3. I believe the EAD stuff has captive power cords unfortunately. Best of luck and listen to as much as you can before you buy. |
Coincident Super Eclipse 3500.00 Rouge M120 Mono's 1800.00 Rogue 66 Pre 800.00 BAT VK5D cd player 2200.00.Coincidnt IC and Speaker cable with the Rest. |
This is a brand new gear you can buy for this price that sounds great!
CD Player: Linn Ikemi
Amp: Lavardin IT
Speakers: Audio Phisics Virgo
you still have 1.500$ to spend on cables(MIT works great with the audiophisics |
Dunlavy SC-IV - $2550, BAT VK-60 - $2200, BAT VK-5i - $1900
Dodson DA-217 Mk II - $2000, PS Audio Lambda II - $450, Wireworld Eclipse IC's,~$250, Eclipse speaker cable ~ 250, Apogee Wyde Eye Digital cable - $30, PS Audio Power Plant - $650
About two years ago, I put together a system very similar to this - I cannot recommend it highly enough. |
