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Opinions please on a starter audiophile system?

I am in the process of completely revamping a long standing 2 channel stereo system consisting of older Polks, big box store sony cd / amp.
I suppose I could classified as a "newbie" to audiophile components but believe I can drastically upgrade with a desired budget of $4K.
Would love to hear opinions and thoughts on amp/cd/speaker components that fit that budget.
Have researched much, auditioned little, though trying to finally go hear, make a choice and get off the audio merry goround.
Musically we listen to a variety of stuff - jazz, folk, rock, jambands, lots of archive.org stuff. Logistically, the system will reside in the living room 14x 18 of a 9 foot ceiling'd post and beam house with open floor plan. HELP? Much thanks.
sjwsjw999
robertbrown
151 posts
 
amp/intergrated http://www.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?intatran&1278610295&/Plinius-8200-mkII-
speakers http://www.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?spkrfull&1278337005&/Totem-Forest-Mint--Cherry
DAC http://www.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?dgtlconv&1277163858&/MSB-link-lll-with-24/132k-upsa
CABLES http://www.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?cablspkr&1279228691&/Analysis-Plus-Oval-9-black/yel
AND SOURCE MAB ILINK USE $1000
peter_s
1,348 posts
 
Tell us more about the kind of sound you like. What is important to you?
t_bone
1,182 posts
 
Getting off the merry-go-round implies being able to make some nice final choices. That requires listening to a bunch of different speaker/amp combinations to find out what gets you 'that feeling.' This means discovering the relationship between Peter_s' question and the amp/speaker combo. For me, it is efficient speakers which go low and tube amps. I would recommend listening to systems where you can to get a feeling of what kind of sound does it for you and THEN asking the same question.

For that price, for jazz/folk/rock/jambands, and an expectation to listen to the same system with no real change for the next 20 years, and a $4k budget, I would choose Altec Model 19 speakers, an integrated tube amp like a Manley Stingray or similar (or some DIY tube amp kits through Bottlehead - you can build them yourself but they also come up on Audiogon from time to time), and your choice of CDP/digital. Personally, I would go for a music server through a 'Buffalo DAC' (twistedpearaudio.com) but that would require some DIY for the DAC. Cables would be your choice or roll-your-own.
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