1) Go for an integrated amp. Something like a
Creek 5350SE, which is going for $925, used,
on Audiogon right now. Another possibility ---
Musical Fidelity A3.2, which has a new price
similar to Creek and would probably sell for
a similar amount, used. There's a Musical
Fidelity A300 going for $950, on A'G'.
So, integrated amplifier --- $900 -- $1,000
2) Speakers -- go for a pair of Sonus Faber Grand
Pianos (the older version, not the Homes). Or,
an older pair of Monitor Audio Studio 20's. [A few
years ago, it was common to find these in
reviewers' systems.] I've seen these go for
around $1,500.
Speakers -- $1,500
3) CD player. There are a number of lower priced
players worth considering. Check out the Ah! Njoe
Tjoeb 4000. Recently, an upgraded unit sold for
$375.
CD Player -- $400 -- $500
4) Cables and Wire -- in a $3,000 set up, I am not
spending more than $100 - $200 on cables and
wire. Go with 12 AWG OFC speaker cables which
you can get for less than 50 cents per foot. Get
your speaker cables and interconnects from
PartsExpress and/or AV cables.
Cables and Wire -- $200
If you expand your budget -- put any extra money into
speakers, not cables. For a little more money, you
can get a pair of the Sonus Faber Grand Piano Homes
[Which I like better than B & W Nautilus 804]. Or, Monitor Audio Gold Reference 60's.
AC Conditioning -- A decent bang for the buck on AC conditioning is a Blue Circle Noise Hound, which you can get for $110.
AC Conditioning -- $110.
Surge Protection -- for now, go with something cheap
but effective --- one of those strips.
Total Cost -- 2,800 -- 3,200
x
Creek 5350SE, which is going for $925, used,
on Audiogon right now. Another possibility ---
Musical Fidelity A3.2, which has a new price
similar to Creek and would probably sell for
a similar amount, used. There's a Musical
Fidelity A300 going for $950, on A'G'.
So, integrated amplifier --- $900 -- $1,000
2) Speakers -- go for a pair of Sonus Faber Grand
Pianos (the older version, not the Homes). Or,
an older pair of Monitor Audio Studio 20's. [A few
years ago, it was common to find these in
reviewers' systems.] I've seen these go for
around $1,500.
Speakers -- $1,500
3) CD player. There are a number of lower priced
players worth considering. Check out the Ah! Njoe
Tjoeb 4000. Recently, an upgraded unit sold for
$375.
CD Player -- $400 -- $500
4) Cables and Wire -- in a $3,000 set up, I am not
spending more than $100 - $200 on cables and
wire. Go with 12 AWG OFC speaker cables which
you can get for less than 50 cents per foot. Get
your speaker cables and interconnects from
PartsExpress and/or AV cables.
Cables and Wire -- $200
If you expand your budget -- put any extra money into
speakers, not cables. For a little more money, you
can get a pair of the Sonus Faber Grand Piano Homes
[Which I like better than B & W Nautilus 804]. Or, Monitor Audio Gold Reference 60's.
AC Conditioning -- A decent bang for the buck on AC conditioning is a Blue Circle Noise Hound, which you can get for $110.
AC Conditioning -- $110.
Surge Protection -- for now, go with something cheap
but effective --- one of those strips.
Total Cost -- 2,800 -- 3,200
x