I agree with Chadliz, but you must also decide what you want from a system. Do you want a turntable, do you mind lots of components or do you prefer to keep it simple. if it was up to me, I would devide my money like this more or less.
Speakers $8k to $10k
amp $5k to $7k
CD $1k to $3k
cabels $0 to $2k
It get more complicated if you want a turntable as well. But just buying components won't make up for a good system. I would start with speakers. Listen to cheap and expenive speakers, from bookshelf to floorstanding. Figure out what kind of sound you like. Then start to listen to speakers that have that sound within you price range. Next find an amp that can drive those speakers without making them sound bad. Next buy a CD player. I think the CD player is the least impotand step. Sure there are differances between playes but not so much as between speakers.
I own a CEC TL51x with Wadia 12 DAC. I think this combo would no sound bad in a $20k system.
Speakers $8k to $10k
amp $5k to $7k
CD $1k to $3k
cabels $0 to $2k
It get more complicated if you want a turntable as well. But just buying components won't make up for a good system. I would start with speakers. Listen to cheap and expenive speakers, from bookshelf to floorstanding. Figure out what kind of sound you like. Then start to listen to speakers that have that sound within you price range. Next find an amp that can drive those speakers without making them sound bad. Next buy a CD player. I think the CD player is the least impotand step. Sure there are differances between playes but not so much as between speakers.
I own a CEC TL51x with Wadia 12 DAC. I think this combo would no sound bad in a $20k system.