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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
sonicnirvana
20 posts
 
Personally I start with speakers. Whatever does it for me that I can afford.
And then I build a system around them that works as best it can as funds permit.
This way you end up with a good front end that when the time comes to upgrade the speakers, there is little to do to optimise for them, simple as cables, or perhaps an amp, and then move forward.

A "strategy" for progress.....although recently I have been through wholesale changes as everything is getting on a bit in age now. And I've mellowed as I 've got older and priorities do change.
Ag insider logo xs@2x
uru975
684 posts
 
basicly I believe there are two schools of thought, one says put your money into your speakers, and upgrade everything behind them till you are satisfied and then upgrade your speakers and begin again. The other says put it into your amplification then go either to your source or speaker next and keep on going back and forth, cabling included until you can't get it any better and then upgrade your amp. i buy my equipment with the idea of hanging on to them for at least a decade, so it is a splash but it lasts. Hope this helps.
krazeeyk OP
24 posts
 
Hi all

For those of you that are curious, I have purchased the following components so far.

Bryston BP-20 preamp
Aragon 2004 MkII
Arcam cd72.
Creek obh-9 i believe (moving magnet forgot the number)

I am currently looking to try some new speakers. Currently using wharfdale e-90s. Right now I have a strong inclination toward the Vandersteen 3A signatures.

Interestingly enough I have made my want into analog and have started to despise the cd-sound. Could by my player so I'm currently looking into either upgrading that or buying a new analog rig. Decisions decisions.

After that, the Power Amp is next.
skushino
91 posts
 
Re: digital sound. In my experience, a good DAC can do wonders for transforming edgy, flat digital sound towards a more layered, musical, liquid analog-like experience. Like Lush, I use a modified Museatex Data II. It's the real deal. The improvement is dramatic, not subtle, compared to playback from my Sony CDP. If you find one, get it. If it doesn't work for you, you can resell at little to no economic loss. I haven't heard the unmodified version, my comments pertain to the John Wright mods. My cost was $350! Other DACs I listened to are DCS, EMM labs, Lavry, Electrocompaniet, Audio Aero, and some others I forgot.
kevperro
72 posts
 
Yikes....5K in plenty. The speaker-room interface is probably the most critical part of your system. Remember to budget for room treatments as it doesn't matter how much you spend on the rest of your system if the room is bad. The most expensive system in the world will sound like crap set up incorrectly without regard for the room.
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