Well, my current system costs over USD35k, so I've blown that much money already. So what would I do now, if I started again (instead of 35 years ago).
1) Buy TWO Sony APR 5003 R2R tape machine - USD 1000 each in good nick - this was Sony's one and only studio R2R machine - super transport, great replay electronics and fabulous software driven interface for calibration
2) Spend USD 1000 on appropriate monitoring - twin needle PPM meters with mono/sum function (to check levels and repro head azimuth), XLR-RCA balanced converter (not just XLR-RCA leads), cheap studio XLR leads and a test tape.
3) USD circa 12k on speakers, pre and power amp
4) USD 20k on "master" tapes and blank tape (I duplicate each master tape I buy onto new tape stock with calibrated test tones for replay line up)
Why have I said this? I reached an epiphany about 2 years ago. I had spent 30+ years trying to get a high quality vinyl replay system. In fact I was really happy with this - Platine Verdier with GT Audio Battery PSU - 2 tonearms/carts; Schroeder Model 2, Allaerts MC1B and Hadcock 228 and vintage Decca London FFSS MkIV C4E - TRON Seven Reference phono - amplification TRON Meteor/Voyager tube pre/SET Power - Avantgarde Duo 2.2.
I then bought my first studio R2R machines - Studer A807/II, Sony APR 5002 and Sony APR 5003 - result - I haven't played my turntable for almost a year!!!
1) Buy TWO Sony APR 5003 R2R tape machine - USD 1000 each in good nick - this was Sony's one and only studio R2R machine - super transport, great replay electronics and fabulous software driven interface for calibration
2) Spend USD 1000 on appropriate monitoring - twin needle PPM meters with mono/sum function (to check levels and repro head azimuth), XLR-RCA balanced converter (not just XLR-RCA leads), cheap studio XLR leads and a test tape.
3) USD circa 12k on speakers, pre and power amp
4) USD 20k on "master" tapes and blank tape (I duplicate each master tape I buy onto new tape stock with calibrated test tones for replay line up)
Why have I said this? I reached an epiphany about 2 years ago. I had spent 30+ years trying to get a high quality vinyl replay system. In fact I was really happy with this - Platine Verdier with GT Audio Battery PSU - 2 tonearms/carts; Schroeder Model 2, Allaerts MC1B and Hadcock 228 and vintage Decca London FFSS MkIV C4E - TRON Seven Reference phono - amplification TRON Meteor/Voyager tube pre/SET Power - Avantgarde Duo 2.2.
I then bought my first studio R2R machines - Studer A807/II, Sony APR 5002 and Sony APR 5003 - result - I haven't played my turntable for almost a year!!!