$1130 system for a musician, please :

The Athena AS F2 speakers are on close out at Audio Advisor and Best Buy- can be had for under 400 new. These are shockingly good for their price- sensitive and tube friendly, absolutely non-fatiguing and honestly full-range with really tight bass. They have a very smooth coherent mid-range and slightly muted highs- sound great with any style of music. I just set these up in my finished garage with a used Antique Sound Labs AQ1001 integrated tube amp running in triode mode (30 wpc) This is one of the most satisfying and fun combinations I have owned, and cost less than 1000. Other tube integrateds from Jolida, Cayin, or Ming Da should also be a good match with the Athena's. For solid state, integrateds from creek, used naim, lfd mistral, arcam etc should also work well with these speakers.

Thank you very much!!!

I have to specify 2 things:
a) this budget is only for integrated and speakers
b) I need high-definition @ low volume levels (I live in an apartement)

--An NAD 370 integrated amp,used,here on audiogon for under 500.

--Magnepan MMG's new,575 used 400 plus shipping.

--The cheapest circuit city/best buy loss leader disk player with a digital out. When you can afford to add it,add a Scott Nixon dac for 250 dollars.

As a musician you would be thrilled with the sound of the Jean Marie Reynaud Twin Mk IIIs loudspeakers at around $800 new. Maybe a second hand Arcam Alpha 10 (the preamp section is of lesser quality than the power amp section, but you can use a outboard preamp with the Arcam - something for down the track).

Gee, I just described my bedroom system. ;-)

Regards,

A pair of closeout Soliloquy 5.0's from Underwood HiFi here on Audiogon, http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?spkrmoni&1087265953, and the best used Creek or Rotel integrated you can find for the other $600.