Neophite needing advice

Eldragon: Thanks again for the info on Linn. I looked at the speakers a month ago on their web site and totally disregarded them at the time. I have a Linn dealer that is an hour from here (that's 10 miles in LA) and they are on the way to another shop that carries Renaud which is also on my list. I would also like to listen to the Tukan replacement that they were breaking in last week. I have not read any of the novels and will check the library. We just got cable a couple of years ago and do not have any premium channels, so, no on the series. We did watch "Tokyo Elevator Girls" and a Japanese detective series on local broadcast in the early 90's. Both were without English subtitles and I do not speak Japanese. This just goes to show you how simple I am. I just finished a crime mystery novel by a Swiss author (translated to English) that was super. Can't think of the name right now.

NAD C340 or Creek 4330 Integrated Amp.; Cambridge Audio D500 CD Player; B&W DM602-S2 Speakers; Used Onkyo Integra Tuner

I would use most of the amount for a set of good speakers - fx. Sonus Faber Concerto which is a very musical speaker with Jazz and Classical music! In my opinion the Linn stuff ist mostly overpriced - and I would say that you can have better equipment for the price... I would recommend a Denon solution with a really good amp called PMA-1500R, the cd-player DCD-1450 and tuner TU-255. Here you have a system that's within your price range and will beat most of the competition...

NAD, Creek, Denon? You must be kidding?

Dekay, I use Linn Sekrits as my main speakers (with Majik) and they are delightful. I have not directly A/B'd them with Tukans but I think they are more transparent and have more bass. Linn's website lists an in-wall Sekrit. Mine are not in-wall. I have them on stands (they need dedicated stands from Linn), but they come ready for wall hanging. You could hang them from a sturdy picture hook, but Linn sells a special bracket for them. Very unorthodox looking speaker -- only 5" deep and has a polymer cabinet -- the sound would surprise the heck out of you. This site has a pair for $295. That is ridiculously low; it is a good couple leagues higher in capability than the quality, value-oriented bookshelfers that occupy this price point. I think the pair for sale are white (mine are black), but you can paint'em anything you want (yes, they are unorthodox).