Sure, what you're talking about is certainly possible and quite a few people here have put together systems in that price range that are extremely enjoyable. It takes obsessive monitoring of the used equipment ads, lots of auditioning and/or swapping out of gear to find what suits you and being honest with yourself about both what your really hear and what you can afford.
I'm absolutely thrilled with my current setup. It replaced a much more expensive batch of gear when I moved into a much smaller space and the sound is better in every way, mostly because I'd learned a lot in the couple of years between putting together the two systems. Here's what I've got, with the prices I paid, all used:
ProAc Response 1s speakers - $525
HSU VTF-2 subwoofer - $350
Audio Refinement Complete integrated - $550
Music Hall CD25 with opamp upgrade - $400
Dh Labs Air Matrix interconnect - $100
Dh Labs Q10 shotgun biwire cables - $225
Sanus speaker stands, sand filled - $130
I like everything about what I'm now hearing and am content to wait until I can spend three times the money to try to make an improvement.
There could be literally hundreds of combinations of high-quality, fairly-priced stuff that have a similar total cost. It just takes some effort to find the one that thrills you. Finding that combination for yourself at a price you consider a real bargain has its own satisfaction, beyond the satisfaction you'll get from the listening.
I'm absolutely thrilled with my current setup. It replaced a much more expensive batch of gear when I moved into a much smaller space and the sound is better in every way, mostly because I'd learned a lot in the couple of years between putting together the two systems. Here's what I've got, with the prices I paid, all used:
ProAc Response 1s speakers - $525
HSU VTF-2 subwoofer - $350
Audio Refinement Complete integrated - $550
Music Hall CD25 with opamp upgrade - $400
Dh Labs Air Matrix interconnect - $100
Dh Labs Q10 shotgun biwire cables - $225
Sanus speaker stands, sand filled - $130
I like everything about what I'm now hearing and am content to wait until I can spend three times the money to try to make an improvement.
There could be literally hundreds of combinations of high-quality, fairly-priced stuff that have a similar total cost. It just takes some effort to find the one that thrills you. Finding that combination for yourself at a price you consider a real bargain has its own satisfaction, beyond the satisfaction you'll get from the listening.