2. analog
  3. 131223-99020

My jazz collection told me to get a *real* system

So I’m determined to put together my first serious analog system, having subsisted on entry-level NAD TT, integrated and phono amp for over 10 years. My tastes are very eclectic, but I’ve put together a nice jazz collection and that’s what’s really crying out. I’m looking at a budget of about $8K over the next 12-18 months. Yeah, that’s the trick: This ain’t gonna happen over night. But I’m willing to be patient with imbalances in my system as long as I’m headed in the right direction. And I’d rather go the route of buying the gear I really want for the long term rather than stop gaps and labor intensive upgrade paths etc. My life just doesn’t have room for that.

N.B.: Looking to stay SS, likely integrated+phono preamp configuration. Really just talking about the table, cart, and amplification ... speakers and ICs are OK for now.

Questions:
1) How would you divvy up the dough?
2) In what order would you buy the components?
3) Top 3 recommendations within each component category?
4) Other crucial considerations?

Appreciate the wisdom!
jazztherapist

Showing 3 responses by randy-11

randy-11
1,913 posts
 
a tube pre with a SS amp will be fine and give you the euphonic sound people are urging

that's what I use with my Maggie 3.7i's - and they Maggies are xlnt for jazz

1.7s would fit your budget
randy-11
1,913 posts
 
you just described euphonic
randy-11
1,913 posts
 
I spent several hours listening to 3.7i and 1.7 (no i) driven by separate Rouge tube gear.  I forget which models but the amp was $4,000.

They both sounded great (I brought my own test tracks - Redbook CD).

BTW, I use euphonic to just mean good SQ - including the above remarks on inner detail, etc.

I also think a good SS amp will do a fine job.  Something by John Curl maybe, unless you want to hunt down some Brystons on the used market.

Maggies like a lot of current delivery (not "Power" per se) but are an easy load to drive as they are a nearly pure resistive load - at 4 ohms.

that same resistive load means you can use just about any speaker cable w/out a change in the sound

you will want to spend many hours moving them around to the best spot; absorption & diffusion can help too (and yes I am one of the people harping on that - it is much more important than the commonly discussed tweeks, cables, little boxes full of fiber, etc.)

for the record, I use a tube pre- (Audio Research LS25 Mk II, and formerly a Sonic Frontiers Line One) with a Bob Carver Sunfire amp.  I may swap to a Benchmark or a newer Class D design, but am headed for a new DAC first.
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