What to upgrade first?

Dude, tell us what you have now.

Hey Danvetc wasup? Receiver is a 2x50 RCA Stereo Receiver STA-3850, Speakers are Optimus STS 600 61/2" Two-Way Mini Towers, 75W into 8 Ohms 55 Hz-20kHz. The CD player as mentioned above is a California Auduio Labs DX-2. I would appreciate your input.

OK, you have a big room to fill. First, maybe check out this site with lots of good info and then check the listings, http://www.goodsound.com. I also vote for speakers first. There are a pair of PSB Image 5T for $550. Also a pair of [discontinued] PSB 500i for $280, (will need stands though,) that would fill that room. You could check the PSB website for specs. PSB is, across the board, respected for what they do in their price range. If you bought the cheaper speaker and strrrrrrrrrrrretched your budget for a used Creek 4330 integrated amp, you would be in business. How do you say, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step?” Good luck, and hey, you really can live for a month or two on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches if you take a good multivitamin. Charlie.

hey danvetc, any adwantage to going to name-brand multi-witamins vs the generics? ;~)

regards, doug

Hello Scmca; I wholehearted agree with Costrosk. For your situation i would think ahead and start with the speakers. Though 500 is a little lite for what i suggest. I can tell you how to plan ahead and knock your socks off with the components you now have. Later as funds become more available you can get a high quility intergrated amp. First save about another 900 or 1000 (you can do it, work hard and save and watch every penny). Than FIND, BEG, BORROW but don't steal and get a USED PAIR OF INFINITY PRELUDE PFRs. This is a former Stereophile Class B speaker that has been discontinued by Infinity. It has a 96db sensitivity which means that the Prelude PFR will play loud with your 50 watt receiver and the sound will KNOCK YOUR SOCKS OFF. The Prelude also has an integrated sub that blends in great and will give you FULL RANGE with HIGH QUALITY SOUND with your present equipment. MAKE SURE that the used pair you will buy IS IN VERY GOOD CONDITION both sonically and cosmeticly. You will be very happy with the PFRs and your present receiver and CD player. Now for the future, next you find a high quality integrated amp. It doesn't have to have alot of watts because the PFRs don't need alot to upset your neighbors. So you will be able to buy a used high quality integrated amp for a very reasonable price right here at this site. Than later on you can get a better CD player and cables. With this setup you will be impressing all you friends and most important yourself. If you need more help and good advice, you can email me and i will send you my tele#. Start saving your money and don't make any spuratic purchases until you have around 1500. Trust me, you will be very happy and have a great system right at the start with what you have now. Just save till you can afford to spend 1500 or so.