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help me build a system for $1200

I am a medical student, and as such, already have tons of debt to begin with. That said, I've been wanting to upgrade my current system (cambridge audio CD player, squeezebox v3, a 10 year old NAD receiver, and a pair of minipod speakers that I received for free). I will probably keep the cambridge audio CD player for now.

So I've been perusing audiogon incessantly the last week or so...but can't seem to come up with a good integrated/speakers combo. I have thought about the following systems:

Onix sp-3 (for about 500-600 + onix ref 1/epos M5
musical fidelity ($700)+ quad 11L
jolida 502b + something in the 600-700 range

and this last crazy idea:

sonic impact super T amp ($150!) + an efficient speaker in the $1000 range (suggestion?)

I'd love to hear your comments.

John

p.s. This new system will be used almost exclusively for music. My current room is pretty small I'd say about 13x20 with 9 ft. ceiling. My musical taste is mostly indie rock...with the occasional jazz and "electronic" thrown in.
eungdamr
mechans
3,048 posts
 
A know a couple of medical students, one of whom introduced me to this miserable hobby it causes an insidious incurable condition, audiosyncratic upgraditis. Unless there is something drastically wrong with your current system. Then I seriously recommend that you simply learn to to love the one you are with.
I would say that if you want to take the plunge into tubes which is a different type of audio the Jolida 302 with the Totem arrows is magical, but sweet and not meant to rock you. Otherwise just upgrade your mid-fi solid state amp. As recommended already, the Adcom, or an improved NAD, possibly Rotel or Accurus Etc.
Call my buddy at Quest for Sound, Stephen Monte. He will set you up tubes or SS. He is an Audiogon guild member you can look him up on these pages. No financial affiliation.
sufentanil's avatar
Ag insider logo xs@2x
sufentanil
782 posts
 
I was the medical student who introduced mechans to this "miserable hobby". Sorry about that, bud. :)

I agree with the suggestions to keep the NAD for now, and focus first on the speakers. Depending on your musical tastes (I'm not familiar with "indie rock"), you may consider speakers such as PSB Stratus Silver or Bronze, Totem Arro, or Totem Rainmakers. They're all great bangs for the buck. Give it about 6 months, and then if you still desire something different, now you can consider tubes or an amp upgrade. You could at that point consider selling the CD player and receiver, buy a cheap DVD player, and hook it to a Music Hall Mambo (integrated with built-in DAC). The Mambo is a great-sounding piece for the price.

Good luck,

Michael
windzilla
16 posts
 
Man this is turning into an audiogon SDN

what year are ya'll I'm a first year.
mdhoover
695 posts
 
You may want to contact Klaus Bunge 317-299-5578. By the way, what medical school are you going to where you have time to listen to audio???!!! Unless you guys are in your senior elective year, med school has changed considerably since I graduated in 1988. Alternatively, maybe I was just too stupid to work fast enough to generate free time....kind of like I am now......

Either way, enjoy the music.
windzilla
16 posts
 
I listen where and when I can songs here and there, as a 15 minute recharge during study sessions, that kind of stuff.

Unfortunatelly serious extended listening sessions aren't easy to squeez in. Dinner is a nice time to decompress though, and i don't have a kitchen table so I sup in the living room.
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