How do you determine how much to spend on speakers


Hello all,

I am just starting out in this HI-FI stuff and have a pretty modest budget (prospectively about 5K) for all. Any suggestions as to how funds should be distributed. At this stage, I have no interest in any analog components. Most notably, whether or not it is favorable to splurge on speakers and settle for less expensive components and upgrade later, or set a target price range and stick to it.

Thanks
krazeeyk
Source Source Source.
1.5k Source
2.0K Amp/PRE
1.7K speakers
300.00 Wire from www.diycable.com.Its all the cable you will ever need.
Suggestion Rega Jupiter 2000
Rouge 66/88 Combo
Speakers what ever you can Audition in your own home with the said Electronics or electronics of your choice..Buy the speakers last.Buy the speakers last.
Trust me its the best way to do it.
Dont make the # 1 mistake in audio of buying speakers first.
If you can get the stuff Used even better.
Email me if you have any questions.
Just a couple of weeks ago, a little group I bounce ideas back and forth with brought up the topic of best sound for the money. FWIW, Dr. RE Greene (of The Absolute Sound) suggested spending almost everything on your speakers. He has heard and reviewed a lot of components over many years. He went so far as to suggest, based on his observations, that he would spend $6k on a pair of Harbeth Monitor 40s [his present reference speaker] and drive them with a NAD amp, if he had to. This would make him the most satisfied. (This is an oversimplification of our discussion, but the point is clear.)

My recommendation would be [a bit more conservative] to spend about $2.5k or so and get a pair of Harbeth C7s or Spendor SP 1/2. These are very accurate BBC heritage monitors that would last you a lifetime. You can research them easily. The rest could be spent on a used Bel Canto DAC1 ($650) with a new Pioneer DVD player ($275)as a transport, and the new Creek 5350SE integrated amp ($1500 new.) Also consider a good subwoofer. The rest you can do foolish things with wires, cables, etc... (Or you could buy some music!)

Good luck to you.

Charlie
I would much rather listen to $4000 well spent on electronics through $1000 speakers than high doller speakers with weak source and amplification. You will only be frustrated knowing how good it could sound. The thing is it can be surprising how good modestly priced speakers can sound with great gear. Find some good moniters and make your next upgrade a sub (or two).
I forgot to give you my breakdown in my previous post. Here goes in approximate values:

$3,500 Speakers (Maggie 3.6r- if you have the room, Coincident, Silverline)

$1,000 Amp (Antique Sound Lab, Counterpoint, Rotel)

$450 Cd or DVD player (Something with variable outputs to avoid using a preamp; Marantz CD63, Sony XAes series)

$50 Cables (preferably solid core; Tara, Nordost)
Bel canto and a DVD player is not the way to go.
For one thing this guy has 5K to spend on a Music suystem.Why pollute it with a DVD player in the first place.
Put 1500 in a single box Cd player and your well on your way.
Put it into a DAC and DVD player and your on your way to a bad source.
The TAS writer is a lunatic period.
The only reason this site exists is because its a place to dump all the crap incompetent reviewers recommend.