2. misc-audio
  3. 183149-180883

Need advice on building a system from a mishmash of components!

Hi, 1st time at posting so I apologize in advance if I screw up.

As a result of wonderful gifts, purchases and inheritance I have the following components.  Is anyone interested in providing some recommendations on how to pair them up for a good system or two? Purchase new components to improve?  I listen to jazz, a little classic rock. I listen to a lot of vinyl and many CDs

Thank you in advance.

MacIntosh Amp SS MC2105 - Great condition Refurbished by Audio Classics 105 watts/channel  1972 I believe

Adcom Amp GFA535 60 watts into 8O  1987  Good condition

Adcom Pre-amp 555 1987 Good condition

Golden Tube Audio Pre-amp SEP-1 No phono  1995  Excellent condition

Rega Saturn CD Player 2007 or so, very good condition,

 Pioneer Tuner TX6800 Very good condition 1980-81

Luxman Turntable Quartz DD, PX99  1980's?  Good condition, Grado red cartridge, under 10 hours

Niles SVCC Speaker Control System  1980s, 4 volume controls for 8 speakers  Very good condition

2 B&W 705 speakers (curved top) with stands, 2004 Excellent condition

2 Totem Mite speakers with stands.  2005  Excellent condition

2 Magnepan Ribbon speakers - very good condition, with oak sides, metal feet.  MMG I believe (They are wrapped up)  As I have a fairly small house I'm not sure that these will fit...

Definitive Technology Super Cube 3 - Excellent condition, maybe 5 hours,   Active.  7.5" woofer with 2 radiators 

KLH Small Sub - passive, cheap piece.

 

I am not sure of the best pairing of components to make one good system, and where I should jettison and / or invest in other components.  Or if I shoild look at making 2 systems... I realize that this is not high end stuff, but its the best I have at the moment!  Thank you for any and all suggestions.  

 

 

 

scooneytunes
russ69's avatar
russ69
3,360 posts
 

Keep the Mac amp, Golden Tube pre-amp, the B&W speakers, and whatever sources you want to use. I'd only use the secondary stuff for the garage or spare bedroom. 

ghdprentice
6,342 posts
 

You are very lucky. What sounds best will to a large extent depend on you. So, my recommendation is to use input from the forum to organize the sequence for you to audition. You must ultimately decide for yourself. We all have different values in sound quality. 
 

I will say I have a pair of Totem Mites in my office (with matching subwoofer) that I like very much. Magnaplanar speakers can require a lot of natural warm power to sound good.

You easily might have the makings of a “main system”… and an office (or bedroom)  system. But experimenting will be required.

scooneytunes OP
3 posts
 

Thanks for the quick responses.  Wish the GTA had phono.  

mapman's avatar
mapman
21,823 posts
 

Take your time and try the different combos and compare. Older gear is always somewhat more unpredictable regarding how well they work and resulting sound plus in the end what sound one prefers is always highly subjective to start with.  

grislybutter
2,213 posts
 

I would list them all on ebay and other sites. Use hifishark.com to find what they are worth.

The best value you have the B&W speakers. If you like them, keep them. I personally favor the Totems.

Next is the McIntosh amp. If it’s in great shape, you can sell it for a few grand.

The Rega CD player is highly rated too.

The rest might take a long time to sell and will give you time to play with it.

I don’t see the point of owning more than of anything (but on this site there are people who own 10+ speaker sets or 150+ cartridges but those are clinical cases) unless you have 4 heads but of course you can have 2nd and 3rd systems. My sense is that what you have doesn’t add up to a sweet 1st or 2nd system.

If you don’t want to do a lot of research, just take the easy route, CDs or streaming. You have great speakers (not the subs), a decent CD player and you can get a good integrated amp for a $1000 that’s better than anything you have.

More to discover