New Audiophile - Upgrade Amp First or CDP First?


I'm somewhat ashamed to say (at least in this crowd) that I've been living with Technics and Philips for years and years. I always wanted an audiophile system, but never wanted to invest the funds before now. At least I had a pair of Infinity RS-5B speakers.

Anyway, it was recently that I knew I finally had to bite the bullet and upgrade. I started with a great used pair of Paradigm 11se Mk II speakers. Not brand new or anything major in the audiophile world, but a world of difference for me who needs to start at a budget.

My plans next are to upgrade to getting an Outlaw RR2150 receiver and an Ah! Njoe Tjoeb 4000 CDP with the updgrades including the upsampler.

My question is, which one should I get first? I'll only likely be able to afford one at a time. Which would make the biggest impact in improving my system - replacing my Technics amp with the Outlaw or replacing my Philips CDP with the Ah! Njoe Tjoeb?

Also, I'm open to any other advice/suggestions from people who've been doing this longer or a lot longer than me. Thanks!
soulgoober

Showing 1 response by cathode

Are there high-end stores in your area? If so, I would stop in at a shop and listen to some gear. Find a CDP or amplifier that you like and try it in your system. The reason I say this is because it will be difficult to determine which would make the bigger upgrade.

If you're eager to buy gear, I would direct you to a used integrated amplifier. From what I could find in a quick Google search, the 11se is 89 dB/1W/1m sensitive, so a mid-power tube unit could drive them to reasonable levels. I'm thinking Jolida.... For a CD player, Rotel, Arcam, and Music Hall are good units to look at.

Cables - It's really easy (and cheap!) to make your own using great materials. You sounded averse to soldering in equipment, but it's almost impossible to screw up basic ICs. Good wire and connectors can be had from Michael Percy Audio or Parts Connexion. If you'd prefer to buy, entry-level Kimber Kable, Cardas, and XLO are tough to beat.