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Looking to build a system for under $5k

Hello,

I am brand new to audio and looking to put a system together for around/under $5k all in. Any recommendations?

This would be mainly for CD audio but expandable for phono in the future. I have a small bedroom that I am dedicating as a music room upstairs in a cape cod style home. So it has angled walls that follow the roof line.

Looking for components that offer the biggest bang for the buck. I've done some research over the last couple of months and it seems like the Vandersteen 1Ci might be a good cornerstone to design a system around.


Thanks,

Joe

128x128audionoobie
audionoobie's avatar
audionoobie OP
363 posts
 
@mesch Thanks! Appreciate the kind words. I'll absolutely check in once everything is up and running. Johnny even offered to come to my house to help me optimize everything. He's a real good dude!
alpha_gt
155 posts
 
Instead of recommending any particular brands, I would just offer that you divide the money up to best effect. 

Spend $2k on speakers, if they are $1500 to $1800, or $2200 no big deal. But buy speakers to fit the room. Wires included in this price. Start with simple wires, this is something you can upgrade later. 

Buy a separate amp and praamp, I've always found best results with separates, so glad the day I went with separates. Spend about $2k on the both. And include any cables in that price, no need to buy any exotic wires just yet, just something nice for $100. 

That leaves you a grand to spend on a nice CD player! And wires, again, just something nice, no need to spend equal amounts on wires and some folks do, anything is better than the skinny throw away RCA's they put in the box. 

Decent tuners can be had for a few hundred bucks, no need to go crazy here, but if you like background music a radio is nice. 

And i strongly suggest buying it all used. My entire system was built from used gear, and it would have cost me 3 times as much to buy it new, you get a lot more bang for the buck used. Of course you don't get to audition your gear, or hear it in your own system before buying. But, if any of it turns out to be objectionable, just resell it and try again. Personally, with reading online reviews and knowledge gained from these forums, I've made good choices and have not had to retry very often, only once I replaced an amp I wasn't happy with, no big deal really, considering the money I've saved. 
mesch
3,519 posts
 
You are welcome. Have to commend Johnny for great service. 
mdelrossi1
79 posts
 
A little late to the party, 
Did you save any money for room treatments?
They can make a great deal of difference depending on your room.
Enjoy!
bondmanp
1,818 posts
 

YMMV, of course, but Vandersteen 1Cs were my first real hi-fi speakers.  While they sounded good at the dealer, they never really worked in my home.  I added subwoofers, replaced my amp, preamp (with a tubed preamp), wires and digital front end.  I got improvements along the way, but I never had it where I wanted to just sit and listen.  There was always as sense of strain, of congestion, at high volumes, and too much grit in the upper-mid/lower-treble range.  About seven years ago I upgraded to Ohm Walsh 2000s and have never looked back.  I now look forward to long, fatugue-free listening sessions.


My take away from this is always, ALWAYS, insist on a home audition for any speakers you are considering.  Hear how they sound in your home, with your gear, with your music, and without a dealer hovering behind you telling you how great the sound is.  Hearing how they sound at the shop is of very limited value.


Audio Conection is a wonderful dealer.  But, if you are in NJ, let me add a few B&M stores in NJ worth checking out:


Care Audio in Edison

The Art of Sound in Lambertville

Distinctive Stereo in River Vale

Audio Video Synergy in Clinton

Bravo Audio/Video in Bernardsville


And if you are in NJ, I would invite you to check out the New Jersey Audio Society.  Joining this club will give you a chance to hear all sorts of gear, and speakers, at all price levels, at retailers and in people's homes.  www.njaudiosociety.com



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