Best system for the budding audiophile?

The molecular structure of interconnects is NOT what a budding audiophile needs to worry about. Nor is "a dedicated power line". Come on guys. Why impose your neurosis on a well-intentioned newcomer? Tube vs Solid State? Fair enough. Planar vs. conventional speakers? Fine. Integrated vs. separates? These are the kinds of things I wanted to know when I first got into this habit.

i'm in a similar situation... i'm about to move halfway across the country, so i'm selling my entire system. but i plan to rebuild at around the $5k range. here's what i plan on getting:

preamp: rogue audio 66 magnum ($900-$1000 used)
amp: odyssey stratos (~$1000 used with upgrades, tough to find for sale on the used market though)
speakers: meadowlark kestrel or shearwater hot rods (anywhere from $750-1500 used)
source: sony dvp-9000es sacd/cd/dvd player ($600-700 used)
cables: virtual dynamics power cords, interconnects, and speaker cables (run around $750-1000 for everything... they are worth the price!)

i've had great success with the tube pre/solid state amp combination. the meadowlark's are transmission line speakers, and i really like this design... best bass reproduction than any other speaker design i've heard. some may think it strange to spend almost as much on cabling as on other major components, but i've found the virtual dynamics line of cables to be just that--a high quality component. in my experience, the virtual dynamics' cables have made a HUGE improvement on my system.

just my thoughts... have fun with your search! i think experimenting and finding what you like is one of the most enjoyable parts of this hobby (next to the listening, of course). best of luck!

C; Lot'sa good advice above, but Neubilder makes a good point, ie don't make things too complicated to begin with. While recognizing the importance of good source components, I'd pick out speakers that I liked first and build my system around them. Why? Because speakers are the most "colored" of all components you'll be dealing with, and they are usually the most conspicuous too. AND it sounds like you might have speaker placement issues, but as Physicanimal notes, speaker placement really is important (critical?)-- so get some you like and can live with sonically and aesthetically. After you've settled on speakers, go from there.

If you like big, near full range floor standers, either Vandersteen 2Ce/sig or PSB Stratus Silver/Gold are a good choice (new or used makes a big difference in price for all this stuff). and for stand mounted, I like the Proacs too-- if you can live with the bass limitations. Good Luck

If piano is a big thing for you I'd strongy recommend hearing the Soliloquy 6.2(around $2700/pr.)--makes many other speakers sound like they leave half the sound of the piano behind. They're a pretty forgiving load and sound good with lots of electronics, but I'd do something like a Placette passive pre(the one with 3 inputs at about $1400), an Odyssey Stratos amp, and maybe something like a Cambridge CD player or a Sony CD/SACD player that you can get modified later. I'd worry about the cables later--get the components(especially the speakers) right first. Best of luck.

Tim

Here is a fourth for considering speakers as the starting point. Based on the description of your musical tastes and priorities for system sound character, I strongly recommend planars. Find a Magnepan dealer and demo the 1.6's, a good fit for your budget. Once you hear piano, voice, or guitar rendered by Maggies, you will look at dynamic (cone) speakers differently.

If the Maggies float your boat, then consider Bryston or McCormack amplification, as Maggies demand stout amplification with loads of current. A Conrad Johnson tube preamp and Rega Planet CD for the front end will round out what should be an extremely satisfying system within the confines of your budget.