please help a rookie

Where in SC?? We're practically neighbors!!!

I am in Columbia at Law School presently, and I have a pair of B&W Nautilus 805s, a Rega Planet CD, and A Rogue Tempest Integrated (love the tubes) and a Cary SLI-80 Sig integrated(tubes again) as well (alas, one will have to go soon!).

I second most all of the recommendations, except the ones that said that high power solid state is the way to go. I am currently using the Cary in triode, 40 watts per side, and it is PLENTY loud. The Rogue in triode at 30 watts per side was also PLENTY loud, but I have a medium sized room. AS previously mentioned, I will ahve to sell one of my amps soon, but if you're close, you're welcome to come over and play!!!

I love the sound of the Nautilus 805 with tubes, I feel that I have gotten more music from the speakers with a tube amp.
You could buy a system like mine on the used market for roughly what you have to spend (maybe not the speaker cables), and still have $$ for a rug (I use a flokati wool rug on my hardwood floor), and i would recommend a rug of some sort most definately, along with something on the walls...

Anyway, I have the speakers I suspect you want, if you really like the B&W sound, there's not much better at roughly $1500 used. I have a couple of amps lying around, and as I said, if you like, you are welcome to email me privately at g13@bellsouth.net if you are interested in making a trip to Columbia sometime soon to listen!!

good luck!!

Joe

I agree with the basic suggestions here. Look at your system as a whole from beginning to end. That means it starts as a power source ( PLC ) makes music at the recorded source ( CD system ) is fed through interconnect cables to the amplification chain ( preamp / amp or integrated ) through speaker cables to the speakers. The speakers are then carefully positioned within your acoustic environment for best results at your seated listening position while the components rest on some type of support device.

If this sounds like a chain of events with a LOT of various factors involved, it is. Paying less attention or taking a shortcut in any one area will weaken the entire chain. As such, i would HIGHLY suggest buying used from reputable sources and doing as much listening and research as you can before spending any money. It will be FAR cheaper and more enjoyable to approach it this way than to rush into something that you'll regret later.

I would also comment that tubes produce a more "liquid" and "musical" sound than SS, so introducing tubes somewhere into the chain is typically a good thing. That is, so long as everything is well matched in terms of tonal balance and "speed". In order to obtain the same type of "liquidity" with an all SS system, you would have to spend quite a bit more money. Personally, i think that tubes work best at the source but everyone has their opinions.

As to the comments about learning how to "work" your room, it would be well worth it. The suggested books are very cheap for what you can get out out them and contain a wealth of knowledge. You can learn at your own pace and experiment for pennies on the dollar if you are willing to "DIY" a little bit.

As to "esoterica" such as various tweaks, power cords, isolation, damping, etc... i would suggest building a solid system first and then experimenting with variables. There is a lot to be learned along the way, but starting with a firm foundation should always be ones' goal when it comes to building a system.

With that in mind, here's what you would be looking at to build a system from scratch. Breaking it down this way may give you a better idea of what is involved in building an excellent system right off the bat, but also helps remind you of how you need to allocate your budget:

Digital Source ( CD player, DVD player or transport / DAC combo

Interconnect ( at least one from source to amplification device. Possibly one from transport to dac and another from preamp to amp depending on what you go with ).

Amplification ( preamp / power amp or integrated )

speaker cables

speakers ( may also need speaker stands depending on your final choice )

PLC ( power line conditioner. Go with something simple yet effective at this stage of the game )

rack ( don't overlook the importance of a decent rack )

room treatments & attention to acoustics ( something that most people neglect for the majority of their listening experience, yet it can make the biggest difference out of anything )

I hope this helps and gives you some food for thought. If you've got further questions, try looking through the archives here and at Audio Asylum. Both places have an excellent amount of info that has already been covered. Obviously, every situation or question can't be covered, so feel free to ask about specifics : ) Sean
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Thanks again for the input. I considered the tubes somehow too exotic for a beginner but it looks like I must at least take a listen to some...I like B&W, but I am aware that are many other nice alternatives.[ so far I just listened to B&Ws, KEF Q35, Monitor Audio silver, some Polks...]
Joe, your kind invitation is appreciated, I 'll email you.

I just wanted to second the thoughts of Joe and others - please give tubes a listen. I was in your position about two years ago buying my first real audio system. I had the same thoughts that you did about tubes - too exotic, not for beginners, upkeep, etc. Well, I bought solid state separates, and I really enjoyed them. But, I kept wondering how tubes would sound in my system. About nine months later, my curiosity got the better of me and I bought a used Conrad Johnson preamp, and loved it. I couldn't stop there, so shortly thereafter I picked up a used Conrad Johnson amp to match. Again, loved it. So, long story short, give tubes a listen; for me, I have enjoyed my system much more after I got them.

Oh, and I'm in Columbia, SC too, so I know where you are coming from with lack of dealers to audition equipment. With some of my purchases I ended up taking some risk and ordering used equipment without having heard it first. Not the best way to go, but Audiogon is a great resource for people without many dealers around. Good luck with your search -