Musical system for under $2K?

I'll agree with the first poster-from experience! My system: RCA 5223P DVD player (last years model, probably available if you can find it discounted into the $200-$300 area). I sold an Arcam Alpha 8SE (list price over $1000) because the RCA beat it handily (you can see my full review at Audio Asylum-I can't explain it but it's definitely true!). Audiolab 8000A integrated-now available on closeout from Artech electronics-$359 for a demo or $449 new (50-60% off and don't worry about reliability-mine is about 12-14 years old!) or you can go to the 8000S (remote control-no phono-supposedly better sounding-more flexibility for home theatre etc) for $439 demo or $549 new. Then buy a used Cardas Golden power cord for the amp-some posted on Audiogon for $200 right now. Interconnects-I bought a half metre Silver Audio Silver Bullet 6.0 off Audiogon for $150, have seen the Hyacinth go used $125 to $150-these are phenomenal cables for the money, alternatively you might check out Pure Silver Sound at $139 new for 1 metre. Then buy some used Kimber 8TC- maybe $100 or so for that. This leaves you about $750 for speakers (I'm using Elipson 1313 that sold at full retail around $2000 about 12 years ago and I don't think are even available, so I can't help you with speaker recommendations) and if you go for a reasonably priced floorstander, you can save on speaker stands etc. The Audiolabs should drive just about anything and you can choose your speakers to match your musical preference-ie. a slightly warmer sound or something more analytical. A cautionary note-I can't vouch for the new RCA DVD players, but the 5223P (if you can find one) sounds amazing if you connect decent stuff to it. It was a real shocker for me. And the Cardas Golden is mandatory on the amp! Put this all together and you'll end up with a system that can hold its own against systems costing 2-3 times more! I've compared down at my local dealer. My analog front end in use in the same system is a Michell Gyrodec with Premier FT3 arm and Ortofon MC 20 Super, so the RCA is up against some stiff competition!

Here is a great system for your price range, prices are for new equipment, PSB Image 2 speakers $300.......Attacama 21" speaker stands $99.....8ft Analysis Plus Oval 12 speaker cable pair $150....Musical Fidelity X-A2 integrated, 75w $700....Musical Fidelity A3CD player $1000....Analysis plus copper oval 0.5m interconnects $200.....Monster HTS200 power conditioner $125....grand total for new equipment is $2500 slightly over budget, you could get cheaper CD player but this MF A3CD based system will produce amazingly good sound, CD player quality will be most important at this budget level.......many of these items can be purchased from Audio Advisor online, Sam (yes I have heard all these myself)

Thanks for all the help so far. As I have no personal experience with DVD players, I found the advice offered by Bebo and Hdm to be very interesting, and worth looking into. And please, keep the systems comming, and the more specific, the better! Of course, I plan to enlist my favorite local dealers help too, but I wanted some first hand advice from people who have actually lived with a "small" system that they have found to be musically satisfying. Thanks again! Chow, caio,...forget it! Deborah.

I think the size of the room would be very important to know before suggesting a system I beleive that to be the most important factor in order to put together a system of any price in a small room you can save on power and speaker alone

Sorry about that Jules. I called my nephew, and he said the room is *about* 16' x 14' x 8', and he plans to set the speakers up along the long wall. Thanks. Deborah.