Use your ears .
Buy the speakers first.
If you have access to many friends who are in the hobby listen to their stuff to get a feel for the house sound.
If you are near any retailers listen/audition to as any amps as possible. The rest will depend in part by the amp you heard with Acme brand speakers. Listen, listen listen let that be your guide,don't drink a wine you don't like just because its expensive. If you like a certain wine then too bad if the wine sobs don't.
For a starter set up there is the potential that dealer will be interested in making a sale. But if you like brand X while he prefers brand Y then buy the amp you like the best. Let's be realistic even used you can only buy a certain gear. Find some stuff that you can enjoy for the moment when you become rich or save up the required money then you can indulge.
As a side note my system has reached the stage where I ca do little that would be an improveent all because I tried a used AE-3 preamp. I call it miracle. For 300 or 350 bucks. I went from getting close to nirvana to getting their all on acount of this miracle. The rest of thee system is not as inexpensive but I was patient. First new monoblock tube must be tube power amp and a few months afterthat All I needed was a preamp I really liked. Back to the question.
happy hunting shoot me an email for some cheap suggestions.
Buy the speakers first.
If you have access to many friends who are in the hobby listen to their stuff to get a feel for the house sound.
If you are near any retailers listen/audition to as any amps as possible. The rest will depend in part by the amp you heard with Acme brand speakers. Listen, listen listen let that be your guide,don't drink a wine you don't like just because its expensive. If you like a certain wine then too bad if the wine sobs don't.
For a starter set up there is the potential that dealer will be interested in making a sale. But if you like brand X while he prefers brand Y then buy the amp you like the best. Let's be realistic even used you can only buy a certain gear. Find some stuff that you can enjoy for the moment when you become rich or save up the required money then you can indulge.
As a side note my system has reached the stage where I ca do little that would be an improveent all because I tried a used AE-3 preamp. I call it miracle. For 300 or 350 bucks. I went from getting close to nirvana to getting their all on acount of this miracle. The rest of thee system is not as inexpensive but I was patient. First new monoblock tube must be tube power amp and a few months afterthat All I needed was a preamp I really liked. Back to the question.
happy hunting shoot me an email for some cheap suggestions.