For your budget:
Mac Mini w/Pure Music
External firewire HD
Decent USB DAC
Decent cables
Purchase your music from HDTracks or similar site in the highest resolution you can, then settle for CD. Your computer will downsample to match up with your DAC but you will have the hi rez for the future so you won't have to purchase Kind of Blue 10 times like some of us here. You don't have the budget to do both a good vinyl and a good digital setup, so opt for the future with digital. SACD, DVD-A....all physical formats will eventually be DOA.
Seakayaker, you really use a cassette walkman? Very retro!
Mac Mini w/Pure Music
External firewire HD
Decent USB DAC
Decent cables
Purchase your music from HDTracks or similar site in the highest resolution you can, then settle for CD. Your computer will downsample to match up with your DAC but you will have the hi rez for the future so you won't have to purchase Kind of Blue 10 times like some of us here. You don't have the budget to do both a good vinyl and a good digital setup, so opt for the future with digital. SACD, DVD-A....all physical formats will eventually be DOA.
Seakayaker, you really use a cassette walkman? Very retro!