GIRL NEWBIE

"...my budget is between $500-$550...any ideas??"

Yes. Save your money.

I don't mean to come across flip but I firmly believe that if you buy a system (speakers, receiver, cables, etc.) for $500 it'll be a waste of money, especially if you're goal is to build an audiophile system as you mentioned. It's just a bad strategy for building a system and you won't get much out of it.

Either save your money until you can buy a good system or, just buy one component at a time and keep buying and selling your way up while putting in additional cash. The key to the latter is to buy something of quality at a good price that you can sell for at least what you paid for it assuming you take the time and do your homework so you know a good deal when it comes along. And, trust me, they do. But it has to be something of quality or, it's going to be hard to sell.

If you all you have to spend is $500 and that system will have to last for a few years; get a Bellari which is a tube phono stage/headphone amp and a pair of used Sennheiser 650 headphones. You should get better sound than you do today and you have your money in only two components of decent quality that don't depreciate that quickly.

MY best advice is to take your time --listen at some high end stores to get a feel for the differnces --don't allow any audio snobs to hassle you--save some money --you will find you can afford more than you think and an extra 100-200 dolars will be a small price for musical enjoyment --there are int amps from 200-500- that are pretty good to start as well as speakers in the same range either monitors or full range --nht- or triangle speakers aren't bad for the money and nad as well for int amps --just so you know my first real amp cost $300 and I had buyers remorse til I listened to it and haven't turned back since welcome to this crazy hobby any ?? email --Rich

NAD 3020 integrated amplifer will come in under $200, includes a pretty good phono stage to boot (but no remote control). B&W DM302 or 303 speakers (preference for the 302's) also under $200, leaves you a few bucks for speaker stands and some decent speaker wire. Welcome to the hobby, Jeff

I'm kinda in the same boat. I started thinking budget, but after you start getting into it and reading a bit, you kind of throw that out the window. Vinyl is especially expensive, I think it's worth it but there is the table, then cartridge and most likely a phono stage. Then you get into cables, power conditioning etc.

Given that you have a turntable already (I have one too but need a new one), I would think $1000 minimum.

I'm new to all this too, but some names get repeated often enough. You can google this stuff and figure it out for yourself. I have a solid state amp (NAD 325bee) but am thinking of going for an integrated tube amp. At least I have something to compare. You might want to just go straight into it. Do some reading about speaker sensitivity etc.

This might help:

http://www.high-endaudio.com/RC-EntryLevel.html

This guy the "Vinyl Anachronist" is really good, I like his articles. He writes for "ToneAudio" as well. It's a free online audio mag. Great freebie and excellent "software" (music) recommendations.

http://www.furious.com/Perfect/vinylanachronist.html

Solid state amps:

Nad 325bee ($200-300).... I like mine by the way. Been researching tube stuff so don't know other SS int.amps.

NAD 352, 372 ($350-450)

Tube:

Prima Luna Prologue 1 & 2 (seen $800-1000 used on Audiogon)
Onix SP3 II ($400-600 used)
Jolida 302b ($600)
Cayin, Ming Da (other Chinese tube amps)
Unison Unico ($50-600)

I've never heard any of this stuff but am intrigued.

Speakers:

I have Energy RC-10s ($335), tried Totem Mites ($400 I didn't give them a fair shake, bought new, returned them for cheaper used speakers), Totem Arros ($500-600 might like their looks, popular).
Van Schweikert VR-1s ($400-500 popular). Usher X-19 ($600)

Turntables:

Music Hall MMF-5 ($350-400, seems to be very popular)
Rega P2 or P3 ($400, $700 respectively)
Goldring GR2 ($250)

DACs:

Entech Number Cruncher 203.2, 205.2 ($150-250) These got a lot more expensive recently because of a write up buy a NY Times article about DACs. But this model works with an Airport Express and is cheap enough to give it a try.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/
RTGAM.20071025.wgtjukebox1025/BNStory/PersonalTech/

Ackdack (?)

Channel Island VDA 2 ($400)


(shrug)...like I said I'm new to all this. Haven't heard half this stuff but this is what has interested me.

Hope this helps...

Oh one more thing, as a generalization, audiophiles (like those on Audiogon) take care of their equipment. And love to upgrade for the hell of it...it's a hobby after all.

Looking through the ads and reading the reviews etc for a while, you get an idea of what is "popular" and what people like. If you choose carefully (quality products) and buy used, you will most likely be able to sell whatever you buy for around what you paid for it.

So like a few others before me, I would spend a little more and not look for the "absolute" bargains, that way when you upgrade, etc, you will get most of your money back.

And there will always be "newbies" after you...looking for advice.

...at least that's my theory anyway....