Anyone else feel left out?

Here's what I would do ---

I would use a computer for your front end. Rip your CD's to the hard drive, uncompressed. Then, get a top notch USB DAC like the Apogee Mini-Dac. Then, get powered speakers like Mackie HR824 -- buy them used and you can stay within your budget. Now, you only need to buy a pair of XLR balanced interconnects. This whole system will come in for the same budget you're talking about and it will compete with traditional systems costing two or three times as much. You get the technological advantages of internal bi-amping, active crossovers, jitter-free digital, wonderful sounding DAC, the elimination of speaker cables, balanced line level signal and interconnects.

Computer -- $1,000
Apogee Mini-Dac -- $1,000
Mackie HR824 -- $1,000
Balanced XLR interconnects -- $20

Rsbeck has a nice plan and fine recommendations. I'll give you an alternate (and there are many) should you want to stick with tangible discs for playback. I'd juggle your budget a bit differently than you laid out and stick to used gear.

Jolida JD-100 CD Player $600 used
Quicksilver Mini-Mites (25 watt mono amps)$650 used
Audible Illusions 3A $1000 used
Soliloquy 5.3 Floorstanders $800 used
Signal Cable Speaker wire @ $140 for biwire
or
Home Depot (TAS) extension cord @ $20

This would be a VERY rewarding system IMO

Marco

Sure, what you're talking about is certainly possible and quite a few people here have put together systems in that price range that are extremely enjoyable. It takes obsessive monitoring of the used equipment ads, lots of auditioning and/or swapping out of gear to find what suits you and being honest with yourself about both what your really hear and what you can afford.

I'm absolutely thrilled with my current setup. It replaced a much more expensive batch of gear when I moved into a much smaller space and the sound is better in every way, mostly because I'd learned a lot in the couple of years between putting together the two systems. Here's what I've got, with the prices I paid, all used:

ProAc Response 1s speakers - $525
HSU VTF-2 subwoofer - $350
Audio Refinement Complete integrated - $550
Music Hall CD25 with opamp upgrade - $400
Dh Labs Air Matrix interconnect - $100
Dh Labs Q10 shotgun biwire cables - $225
Sanus speaker stands, sand filled - $130

I like everything about what I'm now hearing and am content to wait until I can spend three times the money to try to make an improvement.

There could be literally hundreds of combinations of high-quality, fairly-priced stuff that have a similar total cost. It just takes some effort to find the one that thrills you. Finding that combination for yourself at a price you consider a real bargain has its own satisfaction, beyond the satisfaction you'll get from the listening.

Jw:
Rsbeck makes a very valid suggestion. But in the more traditional approach, I would suggest that there is a middle ground that can be very satisfying.

It takes patience, but attractive deals do come along. You must know what you are looking for and be prepared to jump without hesitation.

Believing that Robert Harley was right in stating the importance of not underestimating the importance of source components, I have put the bulk of my budget there, and I am admittedly well over your budget allocation (by close to a factor of four). But other than that, I have stayed within your figures. I bought a pair of used Martin Logans in excellent condition for well under your budget. I have a tube Pre (yes, it was a screaming deal) and a modest but well reviewed SS amp both of which are under your budget. My cabling is mostly DIY (Canare) and modest Audioquest.

So, the only place I have broken your budget constraints is my front end. My DAC is an Audio Logic M34 and transport is a CEC TL2. Both of these are pieces that you will find highly praised in the discussion forums. I feel that overspending here has been $ well spent.

The only item that my heart really longs for is a pair of tube MonoBlocks. Rogue M120s are a likely candidate and have been seen here at what I think you and I would agree were affordable prices. Yes, I would also like a new digital cable....but I can be patient and wait for a deal.

For my tastes in music and the listening levels that I prefer (very seldom over 85db), this system brings me a lot of pleasure, and has not broken my bank account.

There are many here who can make very good recommendations and do regularly. I don't think the point is the recommendations (though I would gladly detail my system if you wish) because everyone's taste is different. I do think that what is important is doing your own homework in line with your own tastes, absorbing the recommendations and the market values, and then making a plan of action and executing it.

In my family room upstairs I am currently enjoying a Musical Fidelity A3 CD player ($500 used), a Blue Circle CS integrated ($1149 new), and Energy C7 speakers ($ 700 used). It would suit your musical tastes very well, and is reasonably good looking stuff to boot.