Hi!
I am almost exactly with @panzrwagn, you'll be hard pressed to do a lot better than NAD C338. At this budget integrated do-it-all amp makes sense, and it does not get much more do-it-all than C338. Bluetooth, streamer, extra input(s), and when (and if) you are ready to add turntable it already has a built-in phono stage for MM cartridge. May be able to do better than $700 if used or refurb. Great bargains can be had out there, if you are willing to do your research and take your time (there is a refurb on Ebay right now for $519 - saves you almost two Benjamins toward other gear - not bad, if you ask me). But back to where we were..
Since C338 does it all, you'll just need speakers. Here you'll need to take your time and go do some listening. Establish the character of sound that you are looking for, and that is going to be very brand/type specific. Assuming $1500 budget, that leaves you about $700 for speakers (save $100 for decent speaker cables and a power cable, they will make a difference). I have bought and sold more HI-FI gear than I care to remember, but "in-house" sound/voicing is going to be somewhat common across the product line with most brands, I would look at Monitor, PSB, ELAC (heard them at RMAF couple of years ago, amazing for the money - the floorstanders, Debuts 5.2).
Get some Zu Libtec speaker cables off Ebay, should be able to win the auction for $50-$60, I doubt you'll be able to do much better for the money.
Most importantly - learn, enjoy the journey, don't forget to let the equipment break in, and, most importantly - it's not about the gear or it's price, it's about synergy of the components and music. Yes, Gryphon room at RMAF sounded insanely good, almost unbelieaveably good. But where is the challenge in that? All you need is about $250,000 and BAM! - great system at your disposal. :-) As Car and Driver once put it "...it's a lot harder to design a great $25,000 car than a great $250,000 car...
Happy listening!
I am almost exactly with @panzrwagn, you'll be hard pressed to do a lot better than NAD C338. At this budget integrated do-it-all amp makes sense, and it does not get much more do-it-all than C338. Bluetooth, streamer, extra input(s), and when (and if) you are ready to add turntable it already has a built-in phono stage for MM cartridge. May be able to do better than $700 if used or refurb. Great bargains can be had out there, if you are willing to do your research and take your time (there is a refurb on Ebay right now for $519 - saves you almost two Benjamins toward other gear - not bad, if you ask me). But back to where we were..
Since C338 does it all, you'll just need speakers. Here you'll need to take your time and go do some listening. Establish the character of sound that you are looking for, and that is going to be very brand/type specific. Assuming $1500 budget, that leaves you about $700 for speakers (save $100 for decent speaker cables and a power cable, they will make a difference). I have bought and sold more HI-FI gear than I care to remember, but "in-house" sound/voicing is going to be somewhat common across the product line with most brands, I would look at Monitor, PSB, ELAC (heard them at RMAF couple of years ago, amazing for the money - the floorstanders, Debuts 5.2).
Get some Zu Libtec speaker cables off Ebay, should be able to win the auction for $50-$60, I doubt you'll be able to do much better for the money.
Most importantly - learn, enjoy the journey, don't forget to let the equipment break in, and, most importantly - it's not about the gear or it's price, it's about synergy of the components and music. Yes, Gryphon room at RMAF sounded insanely good, almost unbelieaveably good. But where is the challenge in that? All you need is about $250,000 and BAM! - great system at your disposal. :-) As Car and Driver once put it "...it's a lot harder to design a great $25,000 car than a great $250,000 car...
Happy listening!