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Please Advise me on Building a System on a Budget

Hello everyone,

I am an aspiring audiophile who loves music but I have never had the money to buy any real nice equipment. I am looking to build a relatively nice system for the first time and I am on a budget. I am looking to spend only around $2000 on everything. I am looking to get everything used and I am willing to hunt on ebay and craigslist for bargains. I want to stretch this $2000 as far as I can. I have a few questions that I hope some of you experts could help me with.

Ideally, I need a pair of speakers, a preamp, an amp, a record player and some type of digital source like a cd player (or SACD player). I know that is an aweful lot to ask for on a $2000 budget but tell me what you think I could do.

One question I have been wondering is if it really makes sense in 2011 to spend big money on a cd player or SACD player. I don't quite understand people who are spending a thousand dollars on a top of the line NAD player or other unit. Wouldn't it make more sense to have a hard drive based unit or computer playing lossless audio files? Wouldn't that be able to produce the same quality audio but be more convenient?

My initial thoughts would be that I should have a PC with a solid DAC as my digital source (or hard drive based player) and then get a good record player. Does this sound reasonable? Or is there some reason why playing old fashioned CDs through a NAD or other device would sound superior? Also, would you recommend a SACD player? Of course, there are plenty of high resolution FLAC files that I could conceivably play from a hard drive unit as well.
Please advise on this.

What I was thinking of as far as budgeting was concerned is: Spend about $700-$800 on the best used speakers I can find. Spend about the same on the best Pre-amp/Power amp combination I can find. And spend the rest towards the rest, particularly the digital and vinyl sources.

The $2000 is not a hard and fast budget but I seriously do not have a lot of money and I want to get the best audio I can for a reasonable amount. I would rather spend more on the speakers and amps and maybe wait on a record player.

What can you suggest? Thanks. I look forward to hearing your suggestions.
jrodefeld

Showing 3 responses by soundsbeyondspecs

soundsbeyondspecs
132 posts
 
Answers depend on the experiences of someone responding, and well-learned lessons. I suggest system matched components. By that I mean learning to appreciate reading spec sheets. For example, pro's have different output levels and amps have different minimum signal level requirements for full-rated power. Speaker's have amp rating specs to match-up. For digital sources like a transport, professional AES/EBU connections are the best I've heard. Yet, I have an OPPO 981 HD with very fine multi-disk audio/video playback abilitites, too.

Certain matched components, like processor/amp/speaker combinations seem to sound made for each other. Cables can be a daunting. I like and have all Mogami Gold. Analog and digital 75 ohm and 110 ohm can look very similiar, yet, sound way different. Order carefully and look for the cable identification.

I'm looking at adding vinyl playback, so, can't answer from good experience. When I do, it will be best system matched components, within reason.

The types of music you enjoy is important, too, because some well-matched system's seem best for certain music. Of course, the true musicality MoJo has to be experienced with your own well-known recordings. Also, check the system settings when demo'ing. "Flat" is often the best baseline reference point to judge the musicality MoJo with your ears. A "in-home audition" is usually best.
soundsbeyondspecs
132 posts
 
Another member posted a great note on developing better critical lisening skills. Critical listening skills can help you better interpret transient changes in music reproduction during high demands.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/17725584/Critical%20Listening.pdf

One interesting note is why some critical lisener's "occassionally" use subwoofers. During high music peaks, especially with lower ohm-rated speakers, amps can drop the balanced levels of less demanding instuments and voices. A good musical sub can reproduce the lower notes, removing the lowest frequency demands from the main speaker amps during highly demanding music.

Matching your main speaker's with a perfectly matched musical sub is something to consider, especially, if the levels of less dominant instuments and voices drop off during musical peaks.

soundsbeyondspecs
132 posts
 
Better link:

Here is the link in working order: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/17725584/Critical%20Listening.pdf
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