Help in putting together my system with used equipment on Audiogon and eBay.


I’m looking for the best bang for the buck. What equipment can I find that would make the best system for my budget ($8000)? I'm starting out with:

Pass Labs X1 Preamp, my rock to start with. I got it for $2500 This is where you can help me the most. Let me know your best match for this pre-amp, or the ones you have found to be the best you have heard!

Bryston 4B SST amp for about $1700. It’s been my experience that more power wakes up a speaker and pins it’s ears back. At 300wpc and the reviews on this amp I picked it, but just to start. I really need some experienced people to give me recommendations for the amp, or if the Bryston is a winner. I can sell this for a better amp.

Do I need a DAC?

Phono. I’ve realized that might be a big reason why people go to separates isn’t it? I’d like to hear some comments on this. If you have separates and no phono, what do you use? Stream music? CD’s?

CD player? I do have a lot of CD’s. With separates, it’s either phono, cd, or streaming correct?

I’m not really a phono guy, but I know which albums I would buy so it is an option. I wouldn’t know a good phono if you hit me with it. Please recommend a few.

I’m leaning toward B&W speakers just because of their reputation. I may spend up to 5k on a good pair of speakers, but I want them to be used and costing much more when bought new. I know how to spot a good deal and not buy speakers on their death bed (from reputable sellers), but I need your recommendations too. You all have heard more speakers than I ever have and will.

**I’m going to check this post often and answer any questions and write down your recommendations.
I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL IN ADVANCE FOR THIS, IT IS A BIG DEAL FOR ME!
128x128imabucfan
Consider Bob Crites Cornscala floor speakers.  Very efficient and a lot of speaker for under $2000. Reduces your power demand requirement. Forget vinyl for a while. Get a streaming DAC and stream Tidal with MQA. Something simple to use like a Lumin D2. Sell your preamp and buy a Pass Labs integrated Amp...something like the INT30A. Total value of the deal around $7,000 or less if you buy off Audigon.  
Keep the Pass preamp, add a Pass XA30.5 amp, a pair of Proac D30R, an Aries Mini or a Bluenode 2i for your streaming and the best possible dac with the remaining money.

Mario
consider an Innuos Zen Mini as your streamer (it can rip your CD’s to a hard drive) or possibly Wyred4sound streamer and also check out Schitt Audio. don’t use your computer as a streamer if you can avoid it,

Then sign up for Qobuz streaming service (better than Tidal) and finally a must have is Roon. The best music discovery and control app in the world. 

i would also recommend Morrow Audio for all your cables. make sure to get the discount and they are exceptional VFM.
thinman2 I actually talked to Bob and he helped me with a pair of Heresey's upgrading the capacitors. I didn't know about Cornscala's I'll look at them. Mario thanks I'll look at the Pass XA30.5 and the streaming gear. That is definitely a possibility, as is the streaming gear recommendation. soma70 your post is very helpful to me. Thanks for that, I needed more recommendations on streaming gear. I had no idea where to start so thank you. Now I have some good recommendations on streaming gear I can research. As one of you put it, it's going to be time to stop reading and start listening to gear, so I will try to find out where to do that. Best Buy and the Expo are on my list!!!
Everyone, I still get recommendations of selling my separates and  buying an integrated. In the words of a speaker engineer I know of he said "I want to hear the smack of the singers lips when they start to sing, and the strike if a symbol as if it came out of thin air". I know I never will get even close to the $80,000 system he plays his speakers on, but I would like to hear that as close as I can get it. And from what I've heard from others, separates are the way to get there.