All used: McCormack DNA-0.5 amp ($650.), Sonic Frontiers SFL-1 pre-amp ($650.), Sony CA9ES CD player ($300.) and Adcom 600/700 DAC ($300.), Theta TLC jitter reducer/Toslink converter ($75.), PBJ ICs ($80.), cheap Kimber spkr. cables ($100.). Vandersteen 2Ce spkrs. ($700.).
This system could be put together (used) for $2500. to $2700. and would be musical and non-fatiguing. Earlier in my high-end affliction, I had a very similar system using these or very similar components.
I'd be willing to give up the wife's beer-- don't have much else to give. Cheers. Craig |
All used: McCormack preamp, Well Tempered turntable and arm, Phonomonon phono stage, Benz Glider, Sound Valves Mono blocks and Vandersteen 2Ce speakers. For cable, Purist Elementa. This system should go together for about what Garfish's totaled.
If I was lucky enough to have any budget left, I would buy a decent CD transport and the Art Dio digital converter. |
The least I could live with is either a Jolida or Antique Sound intergrated tube amp,or for solid state B&K or Adcom seperates,even the CD player,like the SONY's older stuff..I would stick with my NEAR speakers and pickup a decent tuner for under 50.00,and it would maybe run under a grand total.And of course when times are tight KIMBER KABLE can bail you out with a decent sound between the components. |
The system in the basement of my mothers house: Nad reciever circa '84, technics turntable found the basement of my building, grado cartridge(new)B&W bookshelfs circa '84, radio shacks best as interconnect/speaker cable, sturdy table for support. Software is the vinyl that my 3 brothers, sister, mom and dad(passed away) have collected over the past 50 plus years. Think Bach,Tommy Dorsey-Hendrix,Cream, till about the Talking Heads/Clash days when I finally left the house. No footers,cones,power conditioners or thankfully, judgments. Occasionally one of the kids will come downstairs look at us, see the vinyl, and retreat, muttering something like "that's weird". Yeah, I could live with that. |
with $200 a Panasonic portable and a pair of Grado SR 80's
with $800, a b-stock NAD L-40 (cd/amp/tuner/pre), b-stock soliloquy sat-5's from underwoodwally, and $5/foot speaker cable (this is what i have in my office)
with $3000, used bryston integrated, new soliloquy 5.0's with stands, a used micromega cd player, and decent cables (i actually have this one too, with excellent cables that drive the price up. also, i owned the cd player as a new unit, and i might not be willing to buy one used unless i knew the owner)
while all of these are immensely satisfying, none comes close to my big system, in sound or price. so would i die without the big rack? no. would i survive with just the panasonic/grado combo? yes. if you are a smart audio consumer, do you get what you pay for? of course. when should you stop? when your budget says "diminishing returns."
i'm glad that this is just a conversation topic and not a reality for me. i'm not remotely wealthy. my big stereo took me years to put together. but having it doesn't mean that i have to stand in line for cheese, either. |
Me, I could never do it for less again, I've been much too spoilt. So I'd try to keep a decent suit, shirt, tie and a pair of Italian shoes, next to my jeans-stuff, save on food, stop drinking wine and take in as much live music as I possibly could afford. |
I'm with Detlof -- at least in the short term. Psychologically, I don't know if I can move straight from "A" to "B" class sound. I'd start with an old vintage receiver from e-Bay for under $300 and slap on some, gasp, Bose speakers. Once my ears are accustomed to some "C" or "D" class sound, I might be happy to explore the options in moving to "B". But I might not ... and would then move on to another, less expensive, hobby. |
A yamaha Tenor Sax, a Canondale mountain bike and beach shorts....can't get any more basic |
I have to agree with Rbirke, Grado SR-60's and an inexpensive portable cd player. |
A cold Pabst Blue Ribbon, a Bose Wave rad... oh I can't EVEN finish this one... hah hah hah! |
Detlof - Stop drinking wine? I've heard of sacrifices, but really!
Actually, I heard a Yamaha CD player, Yamaha receiver (stereo, not HT - makes a big difference) and B&W 601s2 system that sounded much nicer than what I would have thought. I could probably live with that system, if push came to shove. Probably could be had for $1000 plus stands & cables. |
Mvwine, I think you're right. The idea of never having a good glas of wine anymore is simply just too horrible for words. So it will probably only be one concert a month and a good glass of Champagne in the intermission and one or two glasses of a decent red every night with my then frugal meal.
Cheers! |
Detlof, you scared me for a minute -- until I saw yr 2nd post...
My present set-up is not good enough (yet) to live with; should i just "right"-grade Joysjane's solution?
Cheers |
Revel F30 with Audio Refinement Complete Integrated,a decent Rotel/Planet/Whatever CDP; maybe Blue Heaven IC and
cables. A Neuance for the CDP. Well under $5k with reasonable discount. Ern |
Boo!!!
Audio Note Zero system...I am cheaper than you!!! 4.6K
I still think the way to go is
http://audiogo5.iserver.net/cgi-bin/fr.pl?hbest&999891134&openflup&8&4#8 |
