Looking to build a system for under $5k

Joe, Yes soundstaging and imaging are very important to me also. My system resides in a bedroom (15x12x8 feet) and puts me front row center stage in a jazz club. Were you listening in rooms close to the size of yours? Thanks for the update.

Hello Joe,

I have been following your thread and are waiting for you to come into our shop for a visit as well.

You are not mentioning what sources and how the systems were played which can be a big factor in how a system images and sounds.

Audio Connections system was $1,500 speakers with a $2,500 amp for $4,000k what was the source being demoed and how expensive was that source?

As per the Quest for sound system, $2,500 speakers, plus $1,300 amp as per a Rouge or a Parasound both are good starter amps, however, for the same money there is an amplifier for $995 that beats the stuffings out of both of them.

A Vandersteen sounds totally different than a Kef, if you told Quest for Sound you like the Vandersteen sound it is doubtful you would prefer the Kef. Kef is a much more accurate speaker than a Vandersteen, I am not saying better, more accurate, and has better treble extension, which makes the Kef a more forward sound to the more laid back perspective which is the Vandersteen sound. Apples to Oranges.

I would say that you did not get a good demo with the Kef, as the electronics were not as good as the Belles and a more accurate speaker will show you flaws in the electronics more easily.

You should check out a pair of the Dail Opticons, the Dali offer a remarkable sound, they use a Ribbon super tweeter for detail coupled to a soft dome for wide dispersion and a smooth sound , they also use drivers which have very low distortion and use a new type of powdered magnet material. The Dali Opticon sounds more like a $4,000.00 speaker then a $2,500.00 set! They also have very good bass, and offer a similar warm perspective like the Vandersteens do.

We have a fantastic system using a Nuprime Dac/preamp which sounds incredible and in our system you are getting a state of the art dac along with the preamp, couple that with one of their smaller amps and you have a system with a state of the art dac, a headphone amp, you can upgrade the amp and a stunning pair of Danish speakers that throw a gigantic soundstage. This entire system comes in at $4,795.00 add some good inexpensive cables and you have hit your price point.

Lots of good advice, and I'll just say that if I had a 5K budget, I'd at least consider the wireless KEF LS50's, with a good source, such as the Sonore Microrendu (with good linear power supply), being fronted by Roon/Tidal on the PC.  With lifetime Roon membership, this would still leave you about a $1000 for cables/accessories.  Just saying,

Don Ivey 

Provided that the speakers have been determined to be 'the ones' for ones taste and room, I do not have a problem pairing a $1500 speaker to a $2500 integrated amplifier (or visa versa for that matter, though i generally am less inclined to advise this ratio). That said, one issue here is that the working budget is $5000 which only leaves $1000 for source components and cables. Now this is doable, however depending on what source flexibility is desired. Spending 50% of ones $5000 budget on amplification can likely result in a 'weak link' elsewhere in the chain unless a CD player is the only source. Options in the digital domain have expanded greatly since the advent of the CD player.

curious.......

why would audio connection take you to a Vandersteen that exceeds your entire system budget by 2K, and then slide you all the way down to the least expensive floorstander Vandy makes?  Why did they not let you listen to the 2CESigII?

You need to listen to that speaker with the Belles........and you also need to audition a pair of Magnepan 1.7s before making your final decision.......