Looking for first system advice

Let me amend my previous advice. Don't pay 250 for the Scott Nixon dac if you get a Bottlehead preamp. Instead,go to Nixon's web page and just get the circuit board and wire it into the preamp circuit ahead of the selector switch. Sorry about the oversight.

I absolutely agree with Brooks. It is much less expensive to buy good quality low powered amps than to buy good quality hi-powered amps. Of course, that means the speakers must be fairly efficient.

I like some of the speakers that Brooks mentioned and I would also suggest the Athena 3-driver floorstander (can't remember the model no.) that is currently available from AudioAdvisor for $349 shipped!! It is 92-93 db efficient and could probably live with an amp of only 5-30 watts.

I personally own the Reference 3a MM Decapo speakers that Brooks mentioned. I power them with a 3.5 watt/channel 2A3 based tube amp and get plenty of volume.

You might be shocked at the sound quality that can be achieved with a simple (Integrated amp, CD player, speakers) system based around a low powered amp and a pair of relatively efficient speakers.

My $.02 worth..................

Enjoy,

TIC

My first piece of advice for you would be to go listen to equipment at stores other than Tweeter, Etc. Nice enough stuff, yes, but far from optimal listening environment, and very limited selection. However, this is what I'd do for 3k, for classical music.
Speakers: Vandersteen 2Ce Signature (about 1600 dollars)
Amp: Rotel RA-1070 integrated
CD player: Rotel 1072
Interconnects: Kimber Kable Hero
Speaker Cables: Kimber Kable 8TC
Power Chords: Poth Audio Greenman (x3)
If you buy used, you'll be able to pick up some of the nice stands for the Vandersteens (not required), and you'll have a rocking system. Rotel and Vandy have great synergy, though not the most "audiophile approved" brand.

Here's a pretty forgiving, highly musical combo:
Spendor S3/1p ($1400/$800 new/used, 88-89dB/w), a decent new integrated from NAD ($500?) or used Audio Refinement Complete ($600) and the NAD C541i/542 ($300/400). Add some Canare Starquad speakercables, Blue Heaven ICs, maybe my DIY PCKits (oops!), and those nice Plateau steel 23" stands ($200) and bliss out around $3k. But first I'd spend serious time demoing speakers IN YOUR ROOM, and indeed avoid all lowish efficiency monitors (like the 83dB/w Spendor S3 I purposely substituted with its 1p big brother). So find the speaker that works well, then get a decent newest-design CDP, then an integrated powerful enough to power said speakers bass response IN YOUR ROOM.
And have fun, cause it may take awhile....

I appreciate everyone's advice. Couple of questions: what are "crossoverless" speakers? Also, can anyone give me the dumbed down story on the relationship btw speakers and diff amps. Ok, so I understand that say martin logans will need a bigger and, thus probably, more expensive amp. how do I know which speakers need more power and how do I know if s certain amp has enough juice to maximize the speakers.

1 more question and I'm sure I'll get a bunch of diff answers- If I can only stretch the budget on say 1 area, speakers, amp, pre-amp, cd. Assuming that at a later date I can upgrade other things, what makes the most sense to stretch on now?

I should have added before that I am definitely looking to buy used equipment (that is how I goet turned on to gon) as I feel I can get much higher quality equip for the same price.

Thanks