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My jazz collection told me to get a *real* system

So I’m determined to put together my first serious analog system, having subsisted on entry-level NAD TT, integrated and phono amp for over 10 years. My tastes are very eclectic, but I’ve put together a nice jazz collection and that’s what’s really crying out. I’m looking at a budget of about $8K over the next 12-18 months. Yeah, that’s the trick: This ain’t gonna happen over night. But I’m willing to be patient with imbalances in my system as long as I’m headed in the right direction. And I’d rather go the route of buying the gear I really want for the long term rather than stop gaps and labor intensive upgrade paths etc. My life just doesn’t have room for that.

N.B.: Looking to stay SS, likely integrated+phono preamp configuration. Really just talking about the table, cart, and amplification ... speakers and ICs are OK for now.

Questions:
1) How would you divvy up the dough?
2) In what order would you buy the components?
3) Top 3 recommendations within each component category?
4) Other crucial considerations?

Appreciate the wisdom!
128x128jazztherapist
goheelz's avatar
goheelz
297 posts
 
Easier to discuss and advise if you go ahead a post a system, so we can see where you're at right now.

Think also about a 10-20 year budget, so that your long term goals are in view.

If it were me in the shoes you seem to be wearing, and only short term plans will do, I would spend 6K on phono rig + 2K on integrated amp.  
jazztherapist's avatar
jazztherapist OP
21 posts
 
Integrated: NAD 320BEE
Phono amp: PP-2
Table: NAD 533
Speakers: Epos M5s
IC and cables: Transparent

I'm looking to build a system that's really able to do justice to early Blue Notes and the like. And then I want to leave it alone for a long time.
charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
10,250 posts
 
Yes that makes sense, get it right/very good initially and then be happy long term. I wouldn’t try to talk you into tubes if you’re uncomfortable with them. It is just that we have similar taste in music and this genre just comes alive and breathes with tubes doing what they do with instruments and vocals. Listening to Eric Reed and some Carmen McRae tonight, beautiful! Early Blue Note?!"oh yes, Lee Morgan, Freddie Hubbard,  Dexter Gordon,  I'm with you 😊
Charles
inna
7,364 posts
 
My advice would be to hold it until you are ready to upgrade your speakers and probably cables too. You want, I think, a competely new system at a totally different level. $8k is pretty good amount for a system including speakers if you buy mostly or exclusively used and are patient. I saw decent speakers here for about $1.5k-$2k used, Vienna is an example. I heard a few models, not my dream speakers but I could easily live with them for a long time. I strongly prefer floorstanding speakers that go down confidently to at least 35hz. Some like Harbeth and Spendor, I am ambivalent to them.
Pass is a good general recommendation, anyway. Nottingham and VPI are sure no-nonsense choices for turntables. Pass or Sutherland phonos are good.
jazztherapist's avatar
jazztherapist OP
21 posts
 
So let me ask this: Why not enjoy the benefits of incremental system upgrade rather than waiting? I mean, I'm sure flipping the switch on a whole new system would be really satisfying, but it's also pushing it down the road a couple of years rather than starting to piece something together now and hearing some improvements sooner. Just curious how folks weigh those different approaches ...
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