Jeez, you guys are tough!!
FIRST, SET A BUDGET!!!
Use a set amount of $$$ for power(integrated or seperates), and do the same for speakers and one or two sources. If you are new to this your tastes may not be discriminating enough to warrant a $10k cd player. You can find great cd players for $1500(the Cambridge Azur 840C for $1499, the Rega Apollo for $995, or the Sim Audio CD-1 for $1500); and a VPI scout turntable and tonearm combo with a Lyra Dorian cartridge can be had for around $2500. Add a Lehmann black cube as a phono stage--sometimes called a phono amp or a phono pre amp--and you have two really good sources for lesst than $4000 retail!
For speakers--you may want to start in the $4k-$5k range. Again, try Focal, B&W, Revel, Vienna Acoustics, Totem, and Dali for a traditional cone speaker. You may want to give a listen to planar or electrostatic speakers such as Martin Logan or Magneplanar as well. All of the above manufacturers have speakers that fall well within the $4-$5k range.
The power can also be had for $4-$6k--integrated or seperates. Check out McIntosh for a solid state integrated or Audio Research for a vacuum tube integrated.
Try Acoustic Zen or Nordost for cables as they are popular and may be sold easily if you want to try something different.
You should should be able to build a good starter system including seakers, power, cd, turntable/cartridge, and interconnect(cables) for $12-$15k.
I am using these prices as a starting point as you are new to this and again probably do not need a $500,000 audio rig(at least not yet!!)
Start slowly and buy some more popular brands while you are learning as they will be a little easier to sell on the used market when you decide to upgrade as you learn more about your listening preferences and tastes.
I am now on my "last and final" set of monoblock amps---yeah right!!
Go visit a few local dealers and talk to them and spend some time listening to different set ups.
Don't forget to ENJOY what you are buying and listening to.
Hope this helps a little,
Pepe
