Newbie to the awesome audiophile world

MC - maybe good for you to watch as well:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUZhtQheELg

Welcome!

I suggest that you go around the retailers and listen, listen, listen. Visit a high end store too - they may just treat you a whole lot better than the chain stores - at least, that's my experience. And they often have used/demo equipment too. Main thing is to be exposed to various sounds. Planar speakers are very different from box speakers. Vinyl is very different from digital. Etc. Etc.

You may find that you only need to spend half your budget to get what you want. Then again, you may become like most of us here ...

Just don't get conned into spending a lot for cables, a HUGE profit centre for retailers. Sound of cabling is almost uncorrelated to cost, and what you spend on cabling can't be spent on speakers.

Consider headphones. You can get a lot of sound for a few dollars that way.

MC - maybe good for you to watch as well:

Hilarious. Why people keep getting sucked into this pretentious noobs video is beyond me. I thought by now people know comments disabled translates to- "Warning: Video contains indefensible misleading BS".

Start with speakers. If I could do it again.... efficient easy to drive always works best because you have flexibility to get an amp that does not break the bank. If you fall in love with a sound of speaker then get it, I did this and still have a couple pairs of my favorite. I would put my money into a decent integrated or amp and pre-amp that lights up the speakers that I like the best. Enjoy! You have lots of time to get the turntable or digital player or whatever source you will use to play music with so much cheaper. Buy used from audiogon or an ebay seller that has a good rating. If you get real lucky you might find some equipment at a garage sale (do not count on it) those days are gone. My two cents.