Help a confused newbie build his first setup...

You wanted opinions, you got it. And that's why you're confused. As a musician also, I know where you are coming from. Take your time. Read. Listen. Question everything. If you don't use your head, you'll use your wallet. You need facts, not opinions.

Have to take issue w jdmobrow's

Get out to some decent stores and listen to some systems to get an idea of the type of sound you like....Look for good deals on used gear.

If you buy used at 'net prices you can invest your time to read reviews and literature (intellectual equity if you will), make a decision, try it out and resell at little/no loss if you don't like it. Or you can go to a dealer, pay his mark-up and benefit from his expertise and overhead. Many will let you try things at home overnight w a credit card swipe. But remember that he has made an investment in time, equipment, rent, etc which deserves to be re-paid. If you don't like the stuff, then fine, move on. But if you don't have a realistic intention of buying from a dealer it is dishonest and basically theft of intellectual property to learn from/audition at a dealer and then buy used from the 'net. Just an audio consumer here, not a dealer or industry person, but please, be honest. And not to quibble w Ojgalli, but as a musician, you must realize that aside from obvious equipment mismatches, there are precious few facts in appreciation of music. Lots of opinions, but I'm sure you all know what opinions are like...;~)

I would watch for some Paradigm Active 20's. They are active speakers that don't need an amp and sound amazing. Great place to start a system. If you source has volume control you can go right from that to the speaker.

They can usually be had for about $700 used on A'gon.

As you can see from the varied responses you have received, opinions on the subject are as varied as the number of enthusiasts out there. So I'm not going to suggest any specific speakers to you, or suggest that you buy new or used, or urge you to start with some piece of equipment other than the speakers. But as one who still remembers being a newbie myself, some practical advice:

1. Loudspeakers are a good place to start when upgrading, because then if you later upgrade electronics you'll be able to hear and appreciate the difference. And loudspeakers are the one kind of audio gear where it is still largely true that you get what you pay for -- generally, with reputable brands a higher price point will get you better bass extension and better imaging, at the very least.

2. At any given price point, monitors are probably going to have an edge with imaging, but floor standers will likely have better bass extension. And remember with monitors you will usually need stands, so you have to factor them into the total price.

3. When setting your budget, don't buy anything you can't afford to replace - accidents happen, and as I am sure you know, warranties don't cover accidental damage. So, if your upper limit is $3000.00, for example, and it took you years to save that much, you may want to limit your purchase price to about 60% of that amount -- otherwise, you could end up staring at expensive paperweights.

4. Since you are a musician, in particular, and new to the hobby, I would urge you to not purchase speakers you haven't heard. Do some research in your price range, and then seek out dealers that sell brands that interest you, and listen, listen, listen. Be sure to take your own music with you -- pieces you know well. Dealers tend to have carefully chosen "demo tracks" intended to make almost any speaker sound good -- you want to play and listen to the kind of music you like. I once discovered that a pair of"demo" speakers a dealer was urging me to consider had a damaged woofer only because I had brought along music I knew well that included organ pedal notes (the dealer replaced the woofer, and I ended up buying the speakers).

5. ¥ou can get into some really impressive arguments over the question of speaker cables -- I would say to avoid fancy speaker cables, at this point, and concentrate your money and effort on the speakers -- if high-end cables do make a difference (and boy, can you start an argument by introducing that topic among audiophiles and electrical engineers), it is incremental.

6. Keep your listening space in mind when looking at speakers -- if the space is relatively small, in particular, consider how the speaker is going to fit in the room and how much flexibility you have in placement. Smaller rooms and fewer placement options often make a monitor, rather than a floor stander, a better choice because they tend to be more forgiving and less boundary-dependent.

7. Most of all, take a little time and have fun looking at the options. As with many things the journey is at least half the fun.

The spk. will determine what type of amp you'll need. Generally, bookshelf spks are less effeciant and req. a good stand. Each have their advantages and disadvantages. As someone has already said, great pieces of equipment need other great pieces in order to sound their best. You could end up on the merry-go-round. But buying used is the way to go in case you don't like what you hear. A properly put together lower-priced system can sound fantastic. Start w/the speakers first, but don't get something which will need a very expensive other piece of equipment to sound good, unless you have the funds. Good hunting and hope things work out well.