Setting up an audio system

Have you actually purchased or just narrowed down the options? You can start with budget and then allocate accordingly. And, will you have an on-going budget or is this a one time buy? Speakers are also the starting point of a system. Make sure that you can live with them and are not just in love with marketing and perceived value and reviews. Balance it all out. Are you willing to buy used equipment? Used equipment is a good way to hear and listen. BUT, do not get trapped into a buying and selling frenzy. Take road trips if time, family, and budgets permit to see and hear different equipment and live music. Few dealers are one stop shopping, albeit some can be close. Goheelz raised a good point about vinyl. Do you have records now? If so how many? And, what do you want to listen to, how, where, when? I could talk for a long time about this, but, the point is take your time and listen and listen and ask questions. Then, as we have all written or said, let your ears decide. Hope this helps.

Cellorover : Thanks for your input . I'm not the kind of person who is constantly buying or selling anything. I suspect once I put a system together it won't change a lot. The speakers will probably be the last set I'll buy , unless there is some "breakthrough" technology I can't live without .
I can see at some time in the future ? 5 years I might upgrade the amp/preamp maybe move to a McIntosh if I find I'm still happy with everything else. At present I'm not sure I want to put that much money into that part of the system I'm putting together now . Maybe I'm wrong though and it would be better to put $ 7000 to $10000 into that. I doubt that I personally would ever go more than that for that component unless I became so completely enveloped in the experience that I had to go further . That's why I appreciate the members advice .
The CD , turntable part of the system I guess I would move up in those components when and if I became convinced that that was the weak point in the system and I would then decide how much audible difference /improvement at what cost .
I probably have 300-400 vinyl LPs from the " old days " but I'm not sure what shape they are in. My plan was to listen to CDs first primarily but play some vinyl and if I think the sound is better than the CDs , of music that I like buy new LPs of what I think are my favorite discs or albums.

The "old vinyl" deal is something I can relate to. I've kept a pile of LPs dating back to the 60s and bought a "Spin Clean" to clean the damn things after putting together a new phono rig. I've noted this before but it's still worth mentioning (or beating to death): The only thing you can play LPs on is a turntable, and my old LPs that I thought were trashed by crappy turntables and greasy fingers years ago can really sound amazing after cleaning (and replacing the sleeves with MOFIs). If you ignore your LPs, all the music on them will remain unheard...sadly. There are some new tables that sound and look great for small money, plenty of used gear, and you can bring your LPs to life in a big way.

I would suggest that you put the system together using what you have for speakers and amp . Play it for a while and see what it does . At least let the CDP and turntable get broken in . See what you have and what you want to be different/better .
Then come back here and ask for suggestions to change one thing at a time . But remember that this is a system and certain pieces work well together and not so well with others .
Oh , and don't dismiss those old relic LP's . Quite often they are better than the new , improved remasters of today .
Reread Wolf's submission , he's got it right . The newly produced stuff is usually made after being digitized . And I won't open that can of worms here as it is being done elsewhere !

Happy Tunes