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Budget of $30K. Help me build a system

Hi all,

I just got around to unpacking my Merlin VSM-M's from a few international moves and have decided to rebuild since I sold off a lot of my gear in those moves. I have a budget of about $30k. Will be setup in a pretty small room of 14x8

What remained was an Aragon 8003 and a Lexicon MC1. Not really an ideal setup for these speakers.

I'posted in "Speakers" because I am under the impression that is the component you start with and should build around. So looking at upgrade paths I've almost decided on the following:

Master VSM-MXM (sell my VSM-M) $13,600- $2k = $11,600
Ars Sonum Filamonia SJ ESM $4,300
Bryston BDP1 $2500
Bryston BDA1 $2500
Cardas Clear ~$3000
GIK Acoustic treatments $2000
Equitech Son of Q balanced power conditioner $2500
Hi-Fi Racks Podium Reference $2000

Which brings me to $30,400k.

Am I missing anything? Any concerns with the synergy of selected components or do you think they marry well?

Problem I have is I live in a location where I am limited to what I can audition in person. So a lot of this I will be buying deaf...which is not ideal. It also limits me to what I can buy used since there isn't much of a market here and with shipping and power issues doesn't make it cost effective in most cases.

Thanks for your advice.
blueshirt

Showing 3 responses by blueshirt

blueshirt OP
31 posts
 
Ejlif - First, thanks all for the reply.

I live in Europe and have not been able to find a good marketplace for used high-end equipment. Buying used from Audigon doesn't seem like an option due to high shipping costs, people not willing to ship global and the gear I have targeted not in high supply.

Gsm18439 - Some do but the cost of $650 each way in shipping (was what I was quoted for a medium sized speaker) seems like I could waste my budget on shipping alone if I auditioned quite a few speakers.
blueshirt OP
31 posts
 
Newbee - Valid point. It is a concern. And it gets worse. The ceiling is slanted 10' which slants to 6.5' on the long wall.

But it is the only room I have ant the moment. I have been working with GIK Acoustics to come up with a strategy. 2 sofit traps, 4 diffusers, 8 bass traps (with 3 hung from the ceiling). They assure me it will help with acoustics but how much, I dont know.

I could entertain monitors but as I am looking at this as my last purchase for a long time and this house is not somewhere I will live for a long time I would hate to paint myself into a corner.

The Merlin's are supposed to be pretty good off axis in terms of power response and only being a two way speakers as Jordis pointed out, bass response might be 'controllable'

The amp im looking at is a Class A 30w tube amp so my thought was its not a huge amount of power.

Still valid points and will talk to Bobby about this possible issue and see what can be done. Thanks.
blueshirt OP
31 posts
 
Thanks all, you advice has been helpful in seeing other point of views.

Clio09, what you suggest is basically where my mindset has gone. Hold out on room treatments and power conditioner for now. A good point regarding cables. I think I might consider the Cardas Presence and take the money saved and invest in a better DAC.

Not that there is anything wrong with the Bryston BDA but a few things I have been reading lead me to believe I can improve at this 'link in the chain'. Calyx Femto, Lampinator, Aurelic to name a few.
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