Are you looking for a entire system or just a analog source ?
Good Listening
Peter
Good Listening
Peter
what to TURN to when starting $1000 budget
besides telling more bad jokes
Hello
Originally I posted this question on yahoo. Someone that uses this site recommended that I post it here instead which, will allow others with experience to answer it. Here is the typical question.
I started to read posts on turntables (MANY of them) and I cant help succumbing to the confusion of everyone contradicting every bit of advice. Someone will say this model is good and then another post or comment will attempt to discredit the feedback claiming it to be incorrect, seems to be no end to the cycle. Others will say new products are great yet others say the vintage makes are far superior because of belt drives and and various other reasons. I dont think I am alone with this experience of frustration specifically regarding turntables as there is quite a bit of equipment that we the reader cant really listen to and judge for ourselves half the time. Thus we are rendered helpless in a sense to just take advice yet as noted above its a circle of confusion. Therefore I need your/someones "professional experience" to set me straight. My goals are to find a set up that produces great sound for a cost around 1000. Is there an official resource on this forum with lots of experience in high end audio equipment or at least someone that has experience where I can ask the questions I need answered like, should I buy all the pieces separate and put them together or buy a table that is set up already. Is it possible to get more for each dollar if you by each part separate or not. After a purchase I would like to listen to the music. What exactly do I need eg pre amp and such. Who can recommend an a to z set up with the budget restrictions that I gave and by all means if there is something that costs a little more than that but makes a large difference in quality recommend it to me. Also can someone explain where to buy or what brand to go with for each. Each piece of equipment makes up the quality of sound but is there a main piece or a top three to invest in that will be the cause of the majority of the effect. Lots of questions but it just seems like nobody from the stores that are close to me know what they are talking about which I expected in the first place however, the customer representative in the sound department should know where to refer you. I would be very grateful if anyone with actual experience (Hands on not just repeating what they read, suggesting what looks cool or what is trendy) can lend their insight and teach me what is what. Thank you!
Hello
Originally I posted this question on yahoo. Someone that uses this site recommended that I post it here instead which, will allow others with experience to answer it. Here is the typical question.
I started to read posts on turntables (MANY of them) and I cant help succumbing to the confusion of everyone contradicting every bit of advice. Someone will say this model is good and then another post or comment will attempt to discredit the feedback claiming it to be incorrect, seems to be no end to the cycle. Others will say new products are great yet others say the vintage makes are far superior because of belt drives and and various other reasons. I dont think I am alone with this experience of frustration specifically regarding turntables as there is quite a bit of equipment that we the reader cant really listen to and judge for ourselves half the time. Thus we are rendered helpless in a sense to just take advice yet as noted above its a circle of confusion. Therefore I need your/someones "professional experience" to set me straight. My goals are to find a set up that produces great sound for a cost around 1000. Is there an official resource on this forum with lots of experience in high end audio equipment or at least someone that has experience where I can ask the questions I need answered like, should I buy all the pieces separate and put them together or buy a table that is set up already. Is it possible to get more for each dollar if you by each part separate or not. After a purchase I would like to listen to the music. What exactly do I need eg pre amp and such. Who can recommend an a to z set up with the budget restrictions that I gave and by all means if there is something that costs a little more than that but makes a large difference in quality recommend it to me. Also can someone explain where to buy or what brand to go with for each. Each piece of equipment makes up the quality of sound but is there a main piece or a top three to invest in that will be the cause of the majority of the effect. Lots of questions but it just seems like nobody from the stores that are close to me know what they are talking about which I expected in the first place however, the customer representative in the sound department should know where to refer you. I would be very grateful if anyone with actual experience (Hands on not just repeating what they read, suggesting what looks cool or what is trendy) can lend their insight and teach me what is what. Thank you!
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- 13 posts total
Well, I wanted to see if it was possible to put together a system for $1K. There is no way to do this without buying used equipment IMO, so I searched for todays offerings both here on AG and of course Ebay. I read from your post that you want to play Vinyl so a integrated with a decent phono stage is needed, the absolute first one that came to mind is the NAD 3020, had one of these many many years ago, luck was theres a very decent looking one on Ebay right now for $275. Speakers are hard to suggest since I know nothing about your room size etc, but I think its safe to recommend the Pioneer bookshelf designed by Andrew Jones, they go for about $130 per pair. I heard these at a Show last year and thought they were exceptional for their asking price. I would like something with a little more bottom end extension, but there the budgetary restraints. For a turntable I searched a few options, first I looked a Denon Direct drives like the good old DP57 and DP62, they must have become popular again because asking prices are on the rise. Also looked at a few Musichall tables but nothing to fit within the budget. I did find a nice old Pioneer table looked in nice condition, had been recently serviced and fits within budget $225 For a CD player i looked first at Oppo, but pricing took high, then searched here on Audiogon under CD players and a nice looking Emotiva popped up, don't know much about it but scanned a Stereophile review. Asking price is $325 So $955 later and heres a system you have $ 45 left for a spool of speaker wire and a pair of interconnects. With shipping charges you may run a little over budget. NAD 3020 NAD 3020 Integrated $275 Pioneer Speakeers Pioneer SP-BS22-LR $130 Pioneer Turntable Pioneer PL 510A $225 Emotiva CD Player Emotiva ERC2 CD player $325 Best of luck and let us know what you eventually end up with Peter |
After 40 + years of audiopiling , if was starting over I 'd buy a decent headphone amp , I can reccommend the Rega Ear which shows up on here for about $150, a used pr of Sennheiser or AKG headphones and the best source I could get for whats left of a grand. A 1K "can" system can, and usually does, sound better than a 10K speaker based system. All jokes aside thats what I'm taking to the old folks home which might be any time now. |
Wisdom from Schubert. It's a long journey, so take your time, enjoy the ride, and look to the future. The goal near term is to hear your records in something approaching excellent fidelity. With your budget, there's not room to make a long-term system that does everything and is also great sound. That's OK, because you've got to start somewhere, and there are great ways to start within your budget that also keep the longer term in mind. Try this idea: Little Dot Mk. 2 tube headphone amplifier $140.00 Grado SR 80i headphones $100.00 Project Debut Carbon turntable with Ortofon cartridge $400.00 Cambridge Audio 651 phono preamplifier $225.00 Interconnects (2 sets) $100.00 (or less) -----------Total $965.00 This plan is based on new prices. Used, you can do even better. When you have more thousands to spend, keep the headphone amplifier, headphones, turntable, and phono pre. These are all good sounding items and will likely hold you for a while. Add a decent integrated amplifier and loudspeakers. Good luck! |
- 13 posts total