Just retired and want to get back to vinyl listening

Steven,

There have already been some very good recommendations. Now, I don't want to rain on the parade, but until you find out what kind of space the system is going to be used in, this is all pretty pointless. Doing your homework in advance is valuable and you will gain some knowledge regarding what is available in today's market. However, until you determine what the room is going to be, choosing speakers should be out. Some speakers are just going to be plain unacceptable, undersized, overkill, etc., depending on the room. And since speaker choices can't yet be made, amp choices are also out. You could decide on your front end though, but do you really want to have a moving company handle your new TT?

Anyway, just my thoughts. Get an idea on what you want for front end components, then wait until you get to WA to buy anything. Visit dealers in VA and WA to see what brands interest you and buy the stuff after you know what kind of room they will be in.

Good luck on your retirement, your move and your future audio bliss. With your budget, you should be able to build a really good system. Heck, for half of your budget you could build a killer system buying quality used items, especially if the room is not too big.

Enjoy!!!!!!

@steventoney

Since you are moving fairly soon, might not it be better if you start your search in earnest where you are moving? I’m not sure how many hi-end dealers there are in Spokane, but Seattle is just over four hours away and I’m sure there must be plenty of them there. And you'll have local dealer support if you need it. Maybe in this case it’s not about the swift road, but more about the journey and the fun you can have along the way. 

Hope you have a great retirement. I’ve got about 6.5 more years myself and plan to visit lots of dealers to build one more system. I’ve already started my search and dealer visits!

The Accuphase is only slightly better than the Luxman and it does not come with a phono stage. I have owned both brands and amp currently running an Accuphase E-600, which is an additional $2,000.  If I had to do it over again, I would have kept my Luxman L-590AX at half the price of the Accuphase. Luxman offers excellent value for what you get. The L-550AX is a great place to start. Speakers are going to very much a personal preference and room-specific. DeVore speakers in addition to the Heresy and Cornwalls mentioned wil be a good match. Also any of the Totem Element series will sing very well with the Luxman.

Don’t skimp on cables and interconnects and maybe save about 10% of your buget for room treatment and tweaks.

Take your time, work with a dealer that will let you audition the gear at your hone and enjoy the process!

I second the congratulations on your retirement. Life is just beginning!

Don’t buy speakers until you’ve heard modern Magnepans and Quad ESL’s. You may not like them, but if you do, there is simply no comparison for anything like the money.

Spokane isn’t that far from Victoria, Canada, which is home to a really fine audio store, Sound Hounds. They’ve been around since the early seventies, really know, and really care. I’ve spent quite a lot there.

For turntable, consider buying factory direct. If you don’t need suspension, consider a Trans-Fi Salvation turntable and air bearing arm. About $5000 new; although I haven’t heard the table, I do have two of the tonearms, and they punch far, far above their weight.

I suggest that you don't spend more than a few hundred on cables. Let your ears adjust to the sound and then see if you can improve on the cheap cables you already have. You may find, as I have, that cables are the least cost effective way to spend money.

Good luck!

Not to start it again but what terry9 said about cables was simply not true. You do need to spend a lot more especially if buying new and they can be the most cost effective upgrades. This includes power cords. I just didn't want the man to be misinformed or I would not have said it. Cables are components, signal transmission is very important.