Newbie looking for advice...


I'm looking to assemble a warm (yet rocking) musical system for a 10' X 11' room with a budget of about $6K. I know this isn't much for a truly killer analog setup, but I love the rich and cozy sound of tubes and vinyl so I'm trying to make it happen! I listen to mostly classic rock, funk, and some jazz. The majority of my music is vinyl, but I also have a ton of FLAC's on my Macbook pro and assorted hardrives. I don't need a CD player, or a tuner.

I inherited some gear from my father and was wondering if I should keep it, integrate pieces of it, or sell it all and start over? This is what he left me:

Adcom ACE-515 AC Enhancer
Adcom GFP-555 Preamp
Adcom GFA-555 Power amp (needs repair - has one blown channel)
Technics 1200MK2 (with no cartridge)
Creek OBH-8 MM Phono preamp

He had this hooked up to Infinity Kappa 7's (which I didn't inherit) and I remember it being face-meltingly LOUD and fun, but not very sweet, detailed or "holographic". I am not looking for skull crushing volume, I am looking for a transcendent and dimensional listening experience where you can hear what kind of wood Frank Zappa's guitar is made of!

I'm totally open to buying used (even older/classic) equipment here on Audiogon, there seems to be tons of great gear/deals, but the selection is overwhelming and I don't know where to start! Any advice would be great!
rhythmnsound

Showing 2 responses by tbromgard

If it were me, I would opt to change my components to get the sound you want. Look at a Jolida tube integrated amp-60 watts per channel and a nice turntable. I would look at a Sota Comet, Rega P3, MMF 5.1 which are all nice options, plus a flexible phono amp such as Musical Surroundings. There are lots of speakers to consider-Totem would be a nice match and would provide a holographioc image. Finish with some nice cables-perhaps Kimber. Good luck
Rhythmnsound-
I forgot you want to play your FLAC files too. Instead of a Jolida integrated amp, look to a Peach Tree Audio Nova or Decca. It has 90 watts per channel, a tube pre amp section, and a built in DAC. I personally have not heard the Peachtree-although it might be my next upgrade too--Google for very positive review.