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Helping a friend build a new system

A good family friend has recently retired and is looking to build a system for his home office. He used to own a nice sound system some 25 years ago but hasn't been actively pursuing the hobby. He was visiting my home a few weeks ago and I guess listening to my system must have inspired him to finally build a new one. He asked me to help set up a new system (new to him, he's willing to buy used). I asked him a bunch of questions to find out what he wants and how much he is willing to spend. His responses are summarized below:

1. Budget -- since he's retired he wants to keep the total system budget to around $7-8K (including cables)
2. Components Needed -- bookshelf speakers, integrated amp, cables. He already has a CD player which would do for now, but he might get into streaming later on. He owns a few hundred CDs.
3. Room size -- around 10x12 with 10 foot ceilings. Fully carpeted with some furniture.  
4. Music genres -- jazz, blues, vocals (he's a big fan of Frank Sinatra, Chet Baker, Billy Holiday, etc.), and R&B
5. Listening preferences -- he is looking for an 'intimate' and cozy experience and wants to try tube amps with high sensitivity bookshelf speakers. He mostly listens at a moderate volume and can be sensitive to high frequencies.

He also mentioned that he has some hearing loss since he's in his early 60s and suffers from a mild case of tinnitus. I'm not sure if this plays a role in the choice of components but I thought it's worth mentioning just in case.

I will really appreciate it if you guys can provide some pointers. Please remember that he is retired so $8k is absolutely the max he can do. System synergy is important. And, please no Tekton or class D recommendations. He really wants to try some affordable tube gear as a starting point.

arafiq

Showing 1 response by terry9

terry9
2,354 posts
 
Two things: what I like and what your friend likes may be very, very different. The only sane way to buy hardware is to audition, audition, and audition some more. Then make a decision. A specialist dealer is your friend. But remember: your ears, your money, your decision.

Second, cables (power, interconnect, speaker) offer the least bang for the buck. I suggest that you spend the money on better components, which, if chosen correctly, will offer much better return on investment. Connect them with literally the cheapest cables you can buy.

Yes, cables can make a difference. Just not much of a difference compared to upgrading a major component.

My interconnects are made from microphone cable, $1 a foot, connectors $30. That’s good enough for a system with a phono cartridge valued at more than your budget. I suggest that you set up with cheapest cables and test any cables before you buy. Compare cheap to expensive. Your ears, your money, your decision.



IMO
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