hi, i trying to to get my first system together

Zd is correct. You need to first identify what sonic character you most prefer. Many different fine systems can be developed on your budget. They would not all sound the same.

If you are looking for more specific input, please provide additional information. What is the room size and placement of the system?
What sources are you considering; turntable, disk player, computer?
Musical preferences?

Take your time and do your homework and you will end up most happy.

Mechans pretty much nailed it - find the speakers you prefer 1st. Then get an amp that is suitable for those speakers. Then you need to find sources for your media. $5,000 will allow you to assemble a *very* nice system. Expect to spend about 1/2 your budget on the speakers. Then about 30% ($1500) on the amp and about 20% ($1,000) on source and cabling. Keep in mind that these figures are not set in stone, be flexible, but not ridiculously so.

Do NOT spend a bunch on cabling, maybe $200 - $400. And then feed your system the best source material you can find. If you do all this, you should be quite happy...

As an addendum, here's a suggested system:

1) GoldenEar Triton 2 speakers - $3,000
2) Emotiva XPA-2 amp - $750
3) Oppo BDP-105 Universal player - $1200
4) BlueJeans cabling - about $300

Total: $5250 for a very good system which will play back virtually every digital source and shiny disc out there...

Also, dont shy away from buying well cared for used gear. You could easily save 20-30% of the system cost by doing so. Watch the ads here for suitable gear...

-RW-

-RW-

Everyone always seems to say speakers first, I'd rather listen to a $500 pr of used speakers with a $ 2,000 good integrated Hegel or Yamaha amp than vice-versa. Any day.

I vote for finding speakers that you like that suit your room first and then finding suitable amplification (likely an integrated amp).