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Newbie needs help building a tube system for $6-8K

I'm looking to assemble a warm (yet rocking) musical system for a 10' X 11' room with a budget of about $6-8K. 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 on vinyl. I also have a ton of FLAC's on my Macbook pro and assorted hardrives - do I need a separate DAC and/or dedicated music server? I know 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 vintage/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
8 responses Add your response
ebm
9,311 posts
 
Good luck dobbie.
rhythmnsound OP
10 posts
 
Thanks Drdennis- So the Scott is a vintage amp correct? Any specific models you can recommend? Any particular reason to look at Scott over say a vintage Marantz or Mcintosh?
drdennis
165 posts
 
Start with a Scott integrated amp with EL84 tubes, and add Klipsch speakers. You should be able to do this for under $2,000.
riley804
1,224 posts
 
http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?eanlg&1312052755
rhythmnsound OP
10 posts
 
Thanks Danielk - "really cheap" sounds good to me - more money to blow on vinyl!!
rhythmnsound OP
10 posts
 
LOL. I use these words because they best describe an actual listening experience I had years ago while hearing a friends Conrad Johnson for the first time! I always vowed I'd get there- so I provide this (somewhat exaggerated) description to give you experts out there a ballpark zone of what I'm searching for. Just looking for some gear suggestions here - I will of course audition and let my ears decide what works best for me.
danielk141
489 posts
 
Rythmnsound,

I'm going to jump on this & suggest you go really cheap.
Get a Melos SHA-1 preamp. No remote but it sounds very good, available used on Audiogon for around $400.00.
This tubed piece is super simple & still in demand.
For the amp, don't bother with the Adcom 555.
Get an Adcom 5500. All Adcom 555s sound thin & forward,
(to me). They are great bass amps. They aren't musical.
The 5500 sounds much better, and due to the continued cult following for the 555s, it is available for around $450.00.
Tell us any speaker you are prone to use, you'll get input from members who have the speaker.
onhwy61's avatar
onhwy61
5,218 posts
 
If you put together a system that tells you the wood of Zappa's guitar, assuming that's even possible, it will sound terrible on nearly all classic rock or funk recordings. Way too bright and gritty sounding. I notice that you use a lot of words to describe listening to and the sound of music -- sweet, detailed, holographic, transcendent, rich and cozy. Don't get hung up on how audiophiles describe sound, it's a path to frustration. Take the time to figure out what sounds good to you using the type of recordings you actually listen to and enjoy. You may find that you end up spending a good deal less than what you have budgeted.
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