Newbie to the awesome audiophile world

MC - maybe good for you to watch as well:

Hilarious. Why people keep getting sucked into this pretentious noobs video is beyond me. I thought by now people know comments disabled translates to- "Warning: Video contains indefensible misleading BS".

Sorry Millercarbon. Crazy to spend 25% of a $2000 budget on wire. Infinitely better spent on active components at this level where another $500 can buy you big improvements.

Said the guy who has never been paid to actually put together a system on a $2k budget. Easy to imagine. Different to do. I did it. Was paid for it. By a customer who told me he has lots of friends with far more expensive systems who won't believe his cost so little. Beside himself with pleasure, he is. Because the fact of the matter is $500 will buy way more performance in wire than you can ever get with a $500 component upgrade. Admittedly this is a fact you can only know by actually doing. Until then you can make up all the imaginary facts you desire. So dream on. Dream on.... 

Speakers with around 95dB sensitivity will be a big help, as much below 90 and you need a lot more watts. And don't spend half your budget on speakers. Or amp. More like 25%. You need source, amp, speakers, and wire. Four equally important components. 25% each.