Newbie looking for system suggestions


Category: Amplifiers

Pardon my lack of knowledge, but I just got a Xmas bonus, and am looking to spend it on a hi-fi 2.1 channel system -- starting from scratch!!! If you had around $6-8 thousand to spend, how would you do it? It will be for a 20x 24 room, carpeted, with cathedral ceilings (15 ft high). I mostly listen to vocal jazz, blues, rock, but often get a classical hair and have some very good orchestra + piano recordings.

Again, sorry such a basic question -- I have been doing a lot of reading, but I am still completely overwhelmed and looking for some suggestions to audition!!

Steve
sshawmd

Showing 1 response by kmiller5

I would personally avoid the Bryston stuff. While I think it is good, I think there are much better alternatives with more air, soundstage, detail, and transparency for the money. Unless you are prepared to go to an amp like Levinson or Boulder, I think the Ayre amps are tough to beat in the solid state arena. I have done A/B comparisons with Ayre vs Bryston time over time on very different systems and my friends and I can always tell which sounds better to us and it's always the Ayre. I would recommend the following for your budget...

Vandersteen 3A Signature speakers ($2200)
Arcam FMJ CD 33 ($1500)
Ayre V-3 ($1100)
Ayre K-5X preamp ($2100)
Speaker wire ($1100)(maybe synergistic or signalcable or some cheaper transparent stuff)

Only use magazines and reviews as a rough guide. I have found, for instance, that some of the components listed as class A in Stereophile are of vastly different sound quality.