Help in putting together my system with used equipment on Audiogon and eBay.

cavscout thanks for the post. And for reinforcing the Pass/Bryston. I bought those after many hours of research and reading reviews and recommendations. I have to start somewhere, and there aren't any audio stores that will be auditioning these older models. I was scolded by one poster about getting out and listening to gear, but the audio stores are using new gear, not the used gear I want to buy. In order to maximize my $ and audio quality I need to buy highly rated used gear. Some may argue, but that's how I feel. Getting this new gear will open up a wide range of music for me. Jazz, rock, easy listening. I will admit even at my age I do like to crank up Nirvana, but there is plenty of room for the Eagles, Aretha Franklin, Bach, and lots of jazz. I figured the Bryston at 300wpc will play just about anything I want at whatever volume suits me at the time. Everyone that gives me recommendations are helping me in a big way in deciding what gear to get, even if I don't end up getting exactly what I want because of the $. The media streamer will be a hard purchase, it seems the industry is still refining the technology. The speakers will be the fun part, and perhaps the audio expo in Tampa will be the defining moment for my choice, although as with the entire system, my budget will weigh on my decision. If anyone reading these posts thinks I am lucky to be buying a system at all, when you hit your retirement age is not the best time to be getting into audio. It's on my bucket list of things I'm going to do damn it, come hell or high water!

Selling Pass and Bryston gear for something else is hogwash- keep that stuff, it’s excellent. you need a DAC because let’s face it, the majority of music played today is streamed and why not ?? Using Tidal etc it sounds great and you have access to the universe. You could start off with a cheap DAC like an audioquest dragonfly black and be well on your way-the dac will likely be one of the 1st things you replace anyhow so why spend a bunch +  you can use it as a portable /headphone Dac when you upgrade- blow the rest of your loot on speakers- which are entirely dependent on personal preference and the type of music you listen to- I have enough used gear to open a hi Fi shop- my everyday setup is a moon 350p pre/dac - bryston 14b out to a pair of somewhat beat up BW 802s and a JL E112 sub. I have stuff from jbl,kliipsch, SF and even a pair of Revel ultimate gems - but I run the aforementioned set up because to me, that’s what working for my tastes at this time- your amp and pre are very good, now you need a dac & speakers and that’s where I would recommend you focus your efforts on. The $64,000 question is what type of music do you primarily listen to??

acurus thank you. If I can find a Pass xa30.5 amp I will audition it. Class A but only 30wpc makes me feel like it will play clean but not loud. We shall see... dmbwire thanks for the audio store names, I google audio shop and get Best Buy and home theatre installers!!! arktithdeth thanks for the post, but I only know enough to be a little careless with my $ and I can't afford to choose wrong, I know my place in the audiophile world, and it's not very high up the ladder. I am hoping to take everyone's recommendations and try to get most of it right the first time, but I'm sure there are a lot of laughs from everyone about that statement! I just want to get the best sound I possibly can from my first components and do some tweaking along the way. It's just unreal how much some components go for. A set of speakers that cost three times my complete system! If it sounds like the band is playing in front of me, or as close as I can get, I will be completely satisfied until my time comes!

Forgot;;;;;;

Be careful with the ebay website.
lots of scammers on eBay!

 Be very careful w them.

Starting with the Pass labs preamp is an awesome start!

so many options u can go with!

  Don’t waste too much on a CD player, there is not a huge diff between mnay of them sound wise. I’ve been through a min of 20 CD players over the years, just go with a descent brand and save some $.

 Amps are a huge choice, the Pass pre will be very good with almost all good amps, it will make a good amp great, or a basic amp sound better.

 Check out the Odyssey Kismet+ monoblocks. 
Gobs of great amps , have patience with audiogon, and wait for the amp(s) you want. 

You ou have a good chunk of $ for an amazing system.

keep us informed.

cables I would go with those Belden from blue jeans, there great, or pop for better from Odyssey, those Groneberg rcas’ are amazing, but need a week or two to break in.

 Pass pre! Nice!!!
an amazing start to a great system!
good luck.

you can buy a lot of amps, audition them, and sell for the same or maybe a bit more.
 I went through so mnay amps over the years before finding my grails.  The search and hunt is the best part!

keep us up to date on your purchases, it sounds like u know what your doing!

I’m in Jacksonville also. There are several shop options to go to and listen to gear. Best Buy Magnolia Room, Hoyt Stereo, House of Stereo... They all provide different options at varying price points. Enjoy the search and don’t be afraid to dream. 

Mario is spot on.

Thanks mrdecibel, I will be asking many questions once I feel I am going to buy or hookup equipment!

I have a Bryston 300wpc so I am looking for the right speakers. I don't want to sacrifice sound quality and maximize what I put together. I was told the Pass X1 preamp doesn't have a sub output for my Klipsch powered sub! Thanks dentdog I need all the help I can get. I am going to go to some audio stores and the expo in Tampa so I hope I can find the right equipment for my budget!

You may as well forget the 8K budget. Go ahead and double that and you MIGHT be able to stay under. Good sound leads to a thirst for great sound. Six years ago I got in at 15K used, but vinyl was a must.
To save money without sacrificing sound quality be careful with the efficiency ratings of the speakers. Moderately powered amps give you sound quality without breaking the bank and are less likely to be bright. Speakers with powered subs allow for bass w/o having high powered amps. 

Imabucfan, obviously, you have gotten several relies ( replies, lol ), and please keep in mind, suggestions and recommendations, are generally made, based on what people like, for themselves. A thread that is in it's 3rd day, is not an old thread at all. I do not go to audio shows, anymore, as " I " do not find them informative, nor fun. But, for a person, such as yourself, definitely a good time to be had. I too, am here to help, when you are ready. 

Thank you all for the relies!!! If anyone has a good suggestion for equipment on Audiogon or eBay that I could use please message me! I will consider this post closed since it is long and old, but feel free to post, I will be watching it!!! Thank you all very 

For digital, I would potentially try out Schiit Yggdrasil GS or Chord Qutest - both can be had for around $1,600 new.

Speakers aside, I think I need to figure out how to implement a DAC, music streamer, headphone amp, and possibly my lifetime Sirius subscription into my system. I'm starting to visualize stacks of gear on my audio rack or lack of because of my budget.

I have digital but I am really a analog guy. As the Klipsch fans on this forum already know, I do not like Klipsch speakers. However I also believe that if a person likes a speaker then this is the correct speaker for this listener. With this in mind, the only thing I think Klipsch do well is play loud. With solid state amplification, you may be in for migraine city. The main advantage of horn designs is high efficiency so this type of design lends itself to tubes. In fact if a speaker reacts well to tube amplification I cant think of single reason not to use a tube amp. 

I have never been able to live without an active preamp so I would discourage building a system without one. In terms of speakers you need to decide what is most important to you in terms of sonics and then determine the design. I think you need to narrow things down a bit and then perhaps I can help with the speakers.

Man, imagine the fun you could have with an 8K budget and buying used equipment as well! I will offer little advice that hasn't already been given, but just say I am envious and don't worry so much about mistakes that you might make. A lot of the joy of this hobby for me is in the auditioning of new/different equipment.

Thanks jsautter, why is that? and what is your recommended speaker?
Also, soma70 recommended the Innuos Zen Mini  streamer. It has an internal DAC and accepts rca inputs. Is there a streamer that would use xlr cables or is that only between amp/preamp? Can the DAC be used for all inputs or just the streamer? I know this post is getting long in the tooth, but you all are helping me a lot, I really appreciate everything. I know ultimately it is my decision. but it will be a decision based on your knowledge and invaluable recommendations. Thank you!!!!!!!

I would not suggest any Klipsch speaker with solid state amps. They do much better with tubes. 

I am looking into Cornwalls. Can somebody weigh in? I've heard them before I had my sights set on an audiophile system and all I know is they are loud and fairly detailed. A great speaker I assume is like a computer, garbage in-garbage out. So in my quest to hear detailed music I hope I can get quality in-quality out. Are the Cornwalls worthy?

Thanks MrD. I have that trip to the Expo in Tampa coming up and I'll get ahold of you after that (unless you're on the way Jax-Tampa?).

Imabucfan, welcome to the ’Gon. I am about a 2 hour drive from you. You can read some of my posts. If you have interest, we can exchange phone numbers, and set up a time for you to come listen to my system, with you music selections ( my system is cd based ). You can PM me. Enjoy ! MrD.

What about Cornwalls? Since I can't listen to Cornscalas, can someone who has hear the difference tell me how the Cornscala compares to Cornwall besides price? The Cornwall III is on special right now for 3k. thinman2 I will look into the Pass XA30.5, but I will be going from 300wpc to 30wpc and the type of speakers I choose will determine this change I think.

If you are committed to the Pass Labs preamp then I second Mario.  Post a wanted ad on Audigon for Pass XA30.5 amp. Should Pay about $2,500, add new Cornscala speakers, about $2,000 finished and delivered, Lumin streaming DAC, about $2,000, subscription to Tidal and you have a very wonderful sounding system. You are on budget at $6,500 plus what you spent for the preamp.

Everyone, I still get recommendations of selling my separates and  buying an integrated. In the words of a speaker engineer I know of he said "I want to hear the smack of the singers lips when they start to sing, and the strike if a symbol as if it came out of thin air". I know I never will get even close to the $80,000 system he plays his speakers on, but I would like to hear that as close as I can get it. And from what I've heard from others, separates are the way to get there.

thinman2 I actually talked to Bob and he helped me with a pair of Heresey's upgrading the capacitors. I didn't know about Cornscala's I'll look at them. Mario thanks I'll look at the Pass XA30.5 and the streaming gear. That is definitely a possibility, as is the streaming gear recommendation. soma70 your post is very helpful to me. Thanks for that, I needed more recommendations on streaming gear. I had no idea where to start so thank you. Now I have some good recommendations on streaming gear I can research. As one of you put it, it's going to be time to stop reading and start listening to gear, so I will try to find out where to do that. Best Buy and the Expo are on my list!!!

consider an Innuos Zen Mini as your streamer (it can rip your CD’s to a hard drive) or possibly Wyred4sound streamer and also check out Schitt Audio. don’t use your computer as a streamer if you can avoid it,

Then sign up for Qobuz streaming service (better than Tidal) and finally a must have is Roon. The best music discovery and control app in the world. 

i would also recommend Morrow Audio for all your cables. make sure to get the discount and they are exceptional VFM.

Keep the Pass preamp, add a Pass XA30.5 amp, a pair of Proac D30R, an Aries Mini or a Bluenode 2i for your streaming and the best possible dac with the remaining money.

Mario

Consider Bob Crites Cornscala floor speakers.  Very efficient and a lot of speaker for under $2000. Reduces your power demand requirement. Forget vinyl for a while. Get a streaming DAC and stream Tidal with MQA. Something simple to use like a Lumin D2. Sell your preamp and buy a Pass Labs integrated Amp...something like the INT30A. Total value of the deal around $7,000 or less if you buy off Audigon.  

Thanks geof3, I actually almost bought a Parasound pre and amp! I will definitely keep a Parasound amp in mind if the Bryston doesn't work out! liamowen, it's posts like yours that make me want to venture into vinyl and I may at some point if streaming doesn't work for me. I think you have to like entire albums to get into vinyl. I like a few from start to finish I just don't now how many complete albums I like. luisma31 HELL YES! I am going to do just that! Thanks for telling me. I already feel like my budget is going to be shot to hell going there! arichison I played a pair of KEF LS50's using 100wpc and they didn't impress me. I will try to find ADS to give them a listen. moofoo so you are in my position of a new hobby late in years! I want to give tubes a try sometime in the future. I just don't know about their maintenance and if they give out enough power to get as loud as I like. I definitely will be looking into that. jburidan I have heard that from more than one person so you all have steered me away. I also heard B&W don't put out enough bass so that is a negative for me. I am looking at Klipsch Cornwalls and some other suggestions my fellow audio enthusiasts have recommended. It's the biggest deal in my audio system, so I need to get it right! Thanks and please keep up the posts everyone, you have been very helpful!!!!! 

Here is a pair of Magnepan 20.1s for $5995:  https://www.ebay.com/i/333448059064?chn=ps&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-117182-37290-0&mkcid=2&itemid=333448059064&targetid=593772165813&device=c&mktype=pla&googleloc=9014962&poi=&campaignid=2086087905&mkgroupid=76935344123&rlsatarget=pla-593772165813&abcId=1141016&merchantid=101828666&gclid=CjwKCAiApOvwBRBUEiwAcZGdGO6KfucfaXqEAwqv4Rwk3MLKGFLiM0fWHPQchZdcUxj6BWXU4Da3rBoCRScQAvD_BwE With the Bryston putting out 500 watts per channel into 4 ohms, you won't have any trouble driving the Maggies. You'll need a decent sized room, you'll need to be able to place them at least 3 feet from a wall, and you'll most likely want to add a sub. But when you get them set up properly, no other speakers at even twice the price will compare. 

Just noticed @moofoo reply, +1 I share his opinion on tubes and separates completely.

@ the OP. With your permission and after re reading your initial post I’m going to dare further trying to help.

Pass Labs X1 Preamp, my rock to start with

Excellent preamp but conceptually speaking and unless you have a preference for solid state and IME and other members on this forum you could follow the hybrid approach and match a tube preamp with any amp tube or solid state, the recommendation for an integrated also valid if budget is a constraint and you want to keep it simple. But IMO I would go tube preamp.

Bryston 4B SST

You said it plenty of power is best than limited power, quality matters too but in your case the Bryston is solid and good, if you like SS well Pass is amazing but at a higher cost.IIMO you can keep the Bryston for now

Do I need a DAC?

Oh yes you do, not a used old one, with DACs you need to keep up with the latest iterations, it is hard to find good used recent dacs in the used market and the price is sometimes more than what you will pay new. You don’t have to spend much on a good dac. The DAC subject IMO depends on the pre used, let me go a step back, you would want to use balanced interconnects whenever possible, not saying single ended is bad but if your equipment supports balanced then your DAC should support balanced as well. With dacs the power source is essential, good engineered dacs will work well with their stock power source, others good dacs which are cost effective will benefit from a good linear power supply, doesn’t mean the DAC is not well engineered just that to keep it cost effective the manufacturer couldn’t not supply the DAC with the best power, good transformers, EMI shielding, caps etc are expensive.

Phono. I’ve realized that might be a big reason why people go to separates isn’t it? I’d like to hear some comments on this. If you have separates and no phono, what do you use? Stream music? CD’s?

TT are great but you need extra budget and vinyl for this which you don’t have, I thinkyyou are better off streaming music, qobuz had a decreased pricing on their subscription model cheaper than Tidal better quality, Tidal is good too. You could stream from a PC to the DAC, I could provide you with more details if you are interested.

but I know which albums I would buy so it is an option. I wouldn’t know a good phono if you hit me with it. Please recommend a few.

Good phonos are pieces of engineering, it will get expensive, not only the phono but the phono power supply, tonearm and cartridge, then the adjustment, then a good pre with phono stage, if you have the money absolutely if you are on a budget keep it digital or CD. BTW vinyl can be cheap but remember does cheap vinyl releases most of the time were created from sub digital recordings, if you like pink Floyd for example what you are getting with the latest pressings is not the original quality but digital mixes which have lost resolution, I have some English 3rd releases of pink Floyd and it gets expensive (and old so little scratch could be an issue), the sound is amazing better than digital IMO but at a higher cost. Some companies are collecting the original masters and creating vinyl presses from it (mofi) and these are better than the $15 releases but be ready to pay $40 to $70 or more. BTW the Florida expo have excellent vinyl setups if you are interested, there is a dealer in Deland which is an exhibitor and have 2 vinyl rooms there, he plays new vinyl from masters with different speakers, cartridges even mono (which sounds great) and he is a great person, very helpful, he has a cost effective room and a more upscaled one, his name is David http://www.alc-pro.com/

You all have heard more speakers than I ever have and will
but I want them to be used and costing much more when bought new.

Well if you attend the expo you will have a chance to hear many speakers and then you can buy these used after if you want. Some speakers will be discounted and if you shop around you might even get a floor sample but like you said the used market will be cheaper, this is really a personal thing.

Apologies for the long reply hope it helps.

You can do much better than B&W, whose reputation is the result of massive advertising rather than real merit.  

I will be 65 this year and after many years of rock concerts my ears are in great shape, but I am very careful with listening volume these days. I also for many, many years had integrated amps, both solid state and tube. Several years ago I went to separates and am so glad I did. I know there are integrateds that rival separates, but you can’t customize your sound as easily, and you have flexibility to try combinations of tube and ss components. Personally if your main source is digital I would put tubes somewhere in the system. They add a richness, fullness and naturalness to music and vocals. I also have a pair of used EgglestonWorks Fontaine Signature speakers from a fellow Agoner on a great deal. I would look into Spendors also. Have fun putting your system together. It is a great hobby!! Just my thoughts if I were starting from your point. 

Have you checked out Kef, ADS or PSB loudspeakers? I know they are old school but they sound good. New KEF is not cheap but they have amazing towers that are full range. I own ADS and if you get the flagship tower model it will give you all the bass and sweet highs you would ever want. Unfortunately some of these brands are getting old and hard to find in good shape. Good luck!

I am not associated with the expo in any way nor I am in the audio industry as a manufacturer or dealer (yet)
Here is the list of exhibitors

https://floridaaudioexpo.com/exhibitors-2020/
February 7th, free admission

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/florida-audio-expo-tickets-69940837929?utm-medium=discovery&utm-cam...

@imabucfan Do yourself a favor, register for the Florida audio expo, in less than a month, it is free, you just have to drive to Tampa, I went last year and going this one as well, from Miami I go and comeback the same day, last year was their first, this year seems it will twice as big as last, it is a small audio show considering others but you will have the chance to try all sorts of equipment and listen to it.
It will give you a great exposure to what's out there, you just have to wait 25 days or so. I guarantee you it will be worth your wait, then if you want to purchase new or used that's entirely up to you but you will have the reference of what you like.

By the way, after every audio show, even the small ones, the used gear sites will AGon, usaudiomart etc get flooded with used equipment from owners who just purchased new gear so it will be the perfect opportunity for you to grab something of the used market.

Just my 2c, that's what I did when I setup my gear, but I had to flight to Denver at that time.

My recommendation would be to go and listen to a high end system using vinyl as a source and then using a cd transport or player as a source.  Then figure out what sound you like better and put your money into getting the best sound from that source, rather than hedging your bets and getting a lot of mid-level CD and analog stuff.  I ended up going with vinyl for "serious listening" because it just just sounds better and more pleasing to me.  But, it took some time and it took some money...

I started with a Pass Labs XP15 and a Rega RP6 with the Exact2 Moving Magnet cartridge.  All through really nice CJ tube linestage and amps-- along with Egglestonworks Viginti speakers.  When I put an high quality album on my system I absolutely hated the sound-- classic rock or classic Mozart-- it sucked.  But, it wasn't the electronics or the speakers-- it was the turntable and moving magnet cartridge.

I went to see my friends at Goodwin's High End in Waltham-- just outside of Boston, and they gave me news that I did not want to hear, but was absolutely accurate.  My guy told me "if you want good sound on vinyl, you are going to have to spend a lot more money."  And, he was right.  I dumped the RP6 with the Exact 2 and bought a Rega RP10 with the Apheta 2 MC cartridge, along with a Clear Audio Smart Matrix Pro record cleaning machine.  That made all the difference in the world, but it will eat most of your budget.

There are some Rega RP10 lovers and some RP10 haters on this forum, but I like mine.  Great soundstage, dynamics and plays all kinds of music.  And,  it matches well with the Pass Labs XP15, which I got from Mark at Reno Hifi in Nevada.  Mark is a very likable, knowledgeable and friendly hi fi pro.

I would talk to Mark at Reno HiFi and get a used Pass Labs XP15, which is now around $2,000 and I would get the best turntable you can afford; the Rega RP8 or RP10, especially the 10 is a very nice table, as is the Apheta 2 cartridge.  Others will have their own view, but the RP6 or the P6 does not sound ANYWHERE near as good as the 8 or 10 with the Apheta 2.

When you have that set up, and have spent most of your money, I would look at speakers.  Everybody has their own view, but I like Egglestonworks speakers-- especially the Viginti's.  But, those are a "destination" or reference speaker, meaning those are the last speakers (for my "A" system) that I foresee buying.  The Nico's are smaller, 2 way speakers that are also exceptional, in my view.

Hope this helps in your search.

It’s both. You can have a 2 channel preamp running into a 5 channel amp. But you still only have 2 channels of sound. That is assuming analog out and in. If you have digital out, and your preamp has a surround processor, then that would work, depending on the amp. If you were to buy a 5 channel amp, your Pass preamp would only put out a stereo signal in 2 channels of the 5. Generally, for full compatibility both have 5 separate channels. If you want to go the surround route, seriously consider integrated. That’s a whole lot of cabling to deal with, and you could spend half of your budget on cables alone (don’t have to, but could... easily)
Something to consider in your process, the Parasound A21 amp is a serious bang for the buck, and would play nice with your Pass pre. Saves $$$ for speakers. Best Buy has the Magnolia wing, which is their “hi-end” side of things. They should have some good selections to try. They have a very liberal return policy as well if you find something you like in the store. Keep in mind, your room/house will be completely different so take that into account. Ultimately pick what you like, you are the one that will be listening.

I have a question. I was told the Pass Labs X1 is a stereo preamp. I thought it was the amplifier that determined the number of channels. I don't mind, but if I wanted to have a 5 channel amp later I would have to sell my amp AND preamp?

jgreen, Tekton Moab 900wpc !!! I bet they put out some bass. tomic601 that is a good suggestion, but driving to ATL is a bit much! Of course, that maybe the closest audio store to me. I don't think Best Buy counts. I sure wish audio stores were still a thing. Nowadays people use youtube as there listening place go to! I need suggestions on how to stream digital, my laptop doesn't have 16mb memory so that is not an option. Streaming gear??? And realistic speaker recommendations please! I'll do what I can to get out and listen to potential buys!

I agree with the recommendations for an integrated amp.
It's what I have, and I'm very happy with it.
Also cuts back on the power cords and interconnects required, rather than with a pre/power amp.

Most of my system I bought used, which enabled much better equipment with my money.
If you sold your Pass Labs X1 and Bryston 4B, you then could have $10,000-$12,000 possibly.
Buying used you could easily end up with a $25,000-$30,000 system.

I cannot suggest much, as I have no access to most of the US brands available on EBay, here, or US Audio Mart.

I would suggest at some stage you trial a PPT Omega+ Emat on your breaker panel. Sceptics will soon disagree. But you get to trial, and hopefully notice an increase in base (as I did), an increase in depth (as I did), an increase in detail (as I did), and better instrument separation.

You could kill yourself with the Bryston and Cornwalls ( I know I actually own a pair and some 60 wpc Bryston monoblocks...

jax to Atlanta is what ???? Go see Hi Fi buys in Buckhead, get off the reading about sound and go hear some gear.....

Dude, if you’re looking for speaker suggestions and want full range with amazing bass, check out Tekton Moab’s!  

Thanks rbstehno, I've heard that about separates more often than not. And I am going to go digital. I'll look into the ps audio DS sr. And keeping it simple is great advice! jdesj thank you for that. I've been wondering about the B&W and I do want to hear the bass. I have a pair of Heresey III's right now, and Cornwalls would be a great choice if I can find a pair! mahgister, that is a wise statement. I am definitely going to try to get the very best out of my system since I don't have the time or $ to fool around too much. Thanks everyone! I still want to hear speaker choices and digital gear recommendations please!

The only thing this audio hobby have teach me is that what we already owns is able to reach a potential sound quality unbeknownst to us, sometimes a very high level...Nevermind the price....
The only thing the audio market advise us generally is to buy to upgrade the audio system we already owns without thinking about the conditions of his right implementation and embedding which could make it able to reach this true sound quality, his original potential, unknown to us to this day...Nevermind the price...

Think about that discovery: most of us to begins with, dont even  know the fine audio possibilities of our audio system that are veiled behind, vibrations, high noise level, bad acoustic room, and the least effort to "tweak" what we have, when we contemplate the easy solution : to buy.... Nevermind the price....
The greatest miracle in audio:
The transformation of a system we dont like enough in one that is at the top of his potential and which we begins to truly love...Nevermind the price...

I’ve had experience with B&W speakers. Lovely top-end, no bass. Great for sound engineers and the like, boring for regular folk who want to feel the music. 
May I suggest keeping the equipment you have for now and buy BIG full-range speakers. Maybe Klipsch Cornwall IVs. Great sound immediately. Upgrade when you feel it’s time. 

Totally untrue about an integrated will better any separates. If you limit yourself to $1000, possibly, but after that, going separates Will get you a better system.

To make recommendations, you really need to make some decisions.
You seem you are up int the air on phono, if you are, don’t get a turntable. I just sold my $14k analog setup and more than happy with my digital setup, which outperformed my analog setup. If you go strictly digital, for $8k, all you need is a network dac like the ps audio DS sr or even the jr, and the best amp you can find for the remaining $$$ of your budget. I go directly from my DS sr dac into my ps audio amp without needing a preamp (flexibility of owning separates). You can use any computer with a decent processor and 16G of ram to run Roon, and you will run Roon on your phone or iPad. Not all dacs can do this, they are either noisy or don’t have the ability to drive an amp, then you need to use a preamp.
when I sold my tt, I also eliminated using my McIntosh c47 preamp. Keep it simple.

ovinwar thanks for the link I'll look into those. jsautter I will most likely buy a Pass x125 when I can afford the additional $ after selling my Bryston (unless I love the Bryston). david_ten I have a flex budget but the amps ARE included so the difference goes to speakers. 4diagrams I will look into the Goldenear Triton speakers! dwmaggie I ruled out Magnapan's because I want to hear bass, and also the space requirements for them. I'll take your suggestions, I have a Best Buy near me but I don't know how much audiophile equipment they have on the floor, if any! malatu I laughed at your post! I feel like my budget, although seemingly on target, will be surpassed by selling and buying amps/speakers if I am not satisfied! I think I will be ok if I can find the right speakers! I'm going to give separates a shot first because I already have them being shipped to me. It's speaker selection that is kicking my a** right now. Thanks everyone, please keep the suggestions especially for music streaming gear and speakers coming!

I went through a similar process you are going through. I originally had a budget of about 5,000. I ended up spending four times my original budget. If I was embarking on that process again with your budget (assuming you stick to it), this is what I would do:
Sorry, but I’ll reiterate another poster’s suggestion- Sell the preamp and get an integrated amp. My suggestions on purchases are on new equipment. If you can get used, even better.
Primaluna Integrated amp - $4,000Focal Aria 936 Floor Standing speakers - $2,800 (on sale at a vendor in California, regularly 3,999). If you don’t like em’ you have 60 days to return them.

My thought is this: This integrated amp and speakers could act as the core of your system that hopefully, you could be happy with for years. That will leave you $1,200 to put together a digital system. You could then grow your system from this point. Disclaimer: I bought the Primaluna and the Focals about 8 months ago and am so very very pleased with those two items. I listen to vinyl 90% of the time for my digital system can’t hold a candle to my turntable setup. The difference for me is night and day! In addition, buying albums, taking them home, cleaning them and the anticipation of "what’s it going to sound like" and the associated anticipation, makes me happy! Sometimes I get goosebumps when listening to a moving piece of music on a kick-a-- pressing! Cheers and good luck with your decisions.