"Thf":
I agree with "Gary17" listed above, you ought to be able to put together a great sounding system for about $5K, and in many cases, a lot less than that. The "core" of my present system falls into that range (the speaker system, amp, preamp, tuner and cables......... and for about two years after putting that system together, I used a DVD Player as a CD Player........ a Pioneer Elite DV-37). But over the last two years, I fully tricked my system out (I added a Meridian 508.24 CD Player (it costed $3,995.00 when it was brand new, but got it used last year for about $1,600.00), and a VPI Scoutmaster/JMW Memorial 9 Arm/Grado Sonata Reference Cartridge LP Playback System with the VPI SDS System ($4,000.00 with everything) plugged into a maxed out Phono Stage (a Monolithic PS-1 Phono Stage with the matching HC-1 Power Supply)), and it was the components mentioned after the core of the system was assembled that has put the price tag of my system over the top. The core components of my system ran around $5,000.00 all by itself. So, it's been proven over and over again, you can put togeter a great sounding system from around $5,000.00 to about $15,000.00.
From my experience, here's what I would spend my $5,000.00 on:
Speaker System: Vandersteen 2Ce -- $1,000.00 (used)
Power Amplifier: McCormack Power-Drive DNA-0.5 (Special Edition) -- $900.00 (used)
Preamplifier: McCormack TLC-1 -- $500.00 (used)
Compact Disc Player: Meridian 506.24 -- $1,000.00 (used)
Cables: Pick Your Own...... But don't spend any more than $500.00
I listened to this system (sans the CD Player....... the CD Player used years ago was a Pioneer Elite PD-65) years ago, and I remember it sounding so right to my years back then. Had I gotten it brand new that year, it would've costed substantially more than the $5K I would pay for it today, but boy (???), what a system. If I don't say so myself, this system rocked back then, and I have every reason to believe it would still rock the house today.
My $0.02 worth.......
--Charles--
I agree with "Gary17" listed above, you ought to be able to put together a great sounding system for about $5K, and in many cases, a lot less than that. The "core" of my present system falls into that range (the speaker system, amp, preamp, tuner and cables......... and for about two years after putting that system together, I used a DVD Player as a CD Player........ a Pioneer Elite DV-37). But over the last two years, I fully tricked my system out (I added a Meridian 508.24 CD Player (it costed $3,995.00 when it was brand new, but got it used last year for about $1,600.00), and a VPI Scoutmaster/JMW Memorial 9 Arm/Grado Sonata Reference Cartridge LP Playback System with the VPI SDS System ($4,000.00 with everything) plugged into a maxed out Phono Stage (a Monolithic PS-1 Phono Stage with the matching HC-1 Power Supply)), and it was the components mentioned after the core of the system was assembled that has put the price tag of my system over the top. The core components of my system ran around $5,000.00 all by itself. So, it's been proven over and over again, you can put togeter a great sounding system from around $5,000.00 to about $15,000.00.
From my experience, here's what I would spend my $5,000.00 on:
Speaker System: Vandersteen 2Ce -- $1,000.00 (used)
Power Amplifier: McCormack Power-Drive DNA-0.5 (Special Edition) -- $900.00 (used)
Preamplifier: McCormack TLC-1 -- $500.00 (used)
Compact Disc Player: Meridian 506.24 -- $1,000.00 (used)
Cables: Pick Your Own...... But don't spend any more than $500.00
I listened to this system (sans the CD Player....... the CD Player used years ago was a Pioneer Elite PD-65) years ago, and I remember it sounding so right to my years back then. Had I gotten it brand new that year, it would've costed substantially more than the $5K I would pay for it today, but boy (???), what a system. If I don't say so myself, this system rocked back then, and I have every reason to believe it would still rock the house today.
My $0.02 worth.......
--Charles--