Hi Swarthy,
You are kidding me right? I don't think it is that hard to select decent components on-line and have them shipped to your house. This is not a perfect way of doing things, but I think you can only go so wrong. At the very least, you will wind up with a good system. So you won't hear it ... reviews will give you some idea ... and you take a chance.
You can buy an all Rega system from Needle Doctor. You can pick up Prima Luna tube equipment from Upscale Audio. Upscale also has a number of desirable pieces from Opera and Musical Fidelity and Cary in its New & Used Specials. You can have speakers made for you by Omega or Zu Audio or Ascend Acoustics.
For $3500, I would consider a Rega Brio Integrated, Rega Apollo CD Player, and some RS3 speakers. Or go for a Rega Brio, with the Rega Apollo CD player, and Ascend Acoustics Sierra 1 monitors for $3K. Or swap in a Prima Luna tube integrated for a total of $4K.
Granted I used components I know, but I have purchased what I have on-line. I have 64 pins in my back, so I don't drive and I don't have that type of spare time to audition components.
It is not nearly as frustrating as you think.
Rich
You are kidding me right? I don't think it is that hard to select decent components on-line and have them shipped to your house. This is not a perfect way of doing things, but I think you can only go so wrong. At the very least, you will wind up with a good system. So you won't hear it ... reviews will give you some idea ... and you take a chance.
You can buy an all Rega system from Needle Doctor. You can pick up Prima Luna tube equipment from Upscale Audio. Upscale also has a number of desirable pieces from Opera and Musical Fidelity and Cary in its New & Used Specials. You can have speakers made for you by Omega or Zu Audio or Ascend Acoustics.
For $3500, I would consider a Rega Brio Integrated, Rega Apollo CD Player, and some RS3 speakers. Or go for a Rega Brio, with the Rega Apollo CD player, and Ascend Acoustics Sierra 1 monitors for $3K. Or swap in a Prima Luna tube integrated for a total of $4K.
Granted I used components I know, but I have purchased what I have on-line. I have 64 pins in my back, so I don't drive and I don't have that type of spare time to audition components.
It is not nearly as frustrating as you think.
Rich