Setting up an audio system


I am a new member. I haven't listened to music in some time and am going to set up a system . I'm trying to balance price versus performance and I'm not sure if I've allocated properly. Currently what I've put together is B&W 802 D speakers , either a Cambridge Audio Azur 851 A or a Rogue Cronus magna amplifier , a Marantz CD 6005 CD player and a Audio Technica LP 120 vinyl player. Obviously the cost declines from speakers on down. My thoughts are that I can always upgrade the CD player and turntable later . I would appreciate the members advice about my choices and should I be considering other equipment . I understand now I need to actually audition the equipment. Thanks for your help.
making2

Showing 5 responses by making2

I'm not sure vinyl is important it's just having the ability to use whatever medium I want to. My musical taste is widely varied. I listen to most genres
I appreciate the insight I've gotten. Sfar the only stuff I've ordered is the turntable and CD player . Those obviously are the cheapest part of the system.
I have a system I haven't used in 25 years with a Luxman receiver and Klipsch Forte speakers. I plan on dusting them off and hooking the turntable and CD player into them if the receiver still works while I decide about the rest of the equipment . I never had time to listen to it much because of work but I'm now entering retirement /semi- retirement and thought now I have time to do other things and why not get back into audio and put together a system .
Like most of us ,the choices I made 27 years ago were based on what I could afford then but now my options are much less limited financially.
Based on the research I've done primarily on the internet this is the system I'm considering and I wanted to get members advice is this a good "fit"system or are there other components I should consider .
I started with the speakers as I'd read such good things about B&W 802 D speakers . The stuff I read about these speakers is really what piqued my interest in setting up a system . I haven't ever heard them yet but plan on "auditioning " a pair at a dealer next week .
I'm interested if members think there are other speakers I should audition and what would be a good choice for an amplifier/ pre amp or combination as I've listed to power the system .
Cellorover : Thanks for your input . I'm not the kind of person who is constantly buying or selling anything. I suspect once I put a system together it won't change a lot. The speakers will probably be the last set I'll buy , unless there is some "breakthrough" technology I can't live without .
I can see at some time in the future ? 5 years I might upgrade the amp/preamp maybe move to a McIntosh if I find I'm still happy with everything else. At present I'm not sure I want to put that much money into that part of the system I'm putting together now . Maybe I'm wrong though and it would be better to put $ 7000 to $10000 into that. I doubt that I personally would ever go more than that for that component unless I became so completely enveloped in the experience that I had to go further . That's why I appreciate the members advice .
The CD , turntable part of the system I guess I would move up in those components when and if I became convinced that that was the weak point in the system and I would then decide how much audible difference /improvement at what cost .
I probably have 300-400 vinyl LPs from the " old days " but I'm not sure what shape they are in. My plan was to listen to CDs first primarily but play some vinyl and if I think the sound is better than the CDs , of music that I like buy new LPs of what I think are my favorite discs or albums.
Thank you all for the input particularly Mesch. I found on this site a " used " McIntosh MA 7900 integrated amp for $5600 . I've contacted the seller and hope to make a deal although I have never bought anything "used" sight unseen and for me it's a leap of faith to do this .
Paraneer : thanks for the advice. I suspect your right I need to probably "cool my jets " a little . I may be a little too over enthused about setting up the system . I think also part of the fun in taking the journey is listening to different " pieces" of the system and picking and choosing based on what the parts sound like to me . Like anything I started with researching the subject as best I can reading other peoples opinions about equipment , deciding on what I think is reasonable to spend and based on that trying to put a system together on "paper " that I would expect to sound good and now as you've said I need to audition the players.