Gina,
have to admit, i am lost on your Q.
It is ys ago i purchased stuff. All home-built, either by me or buddies.
Hold it, i own a minidisc recorder from Sony i am quite happy with. MDS-JB930.
A very nice sounding device.
I once worked in a hifi store but apart from AudioReseach, Rowland, VTL, Spectral, Marl Levinson, i do not even remember the brand names.
Vandersteen? himmh, probably a speaker manufacturer.
I could tell you which phono cartridge to buy or which turntable or tonearm.
Quote:
Originally posted by Gina
I know that at first glance $2000 seems undoable but here is how I figured it. I have $1000 budgeted for speakers. I already own a decent phonograph and a own a DVD player (weak link) that will play cd's and a good cassette deck so there will be $1000 for an amp and preamp. I think that is a doable budget without much compramise. I've seen good condition used Vandersteen 3's locally for much less than $1000 and new stuff like the Rega Jura is within the budget as well. I'm not so worried about the speakers because I'll be using my headphones most of the time anyway. So now that you know my objectives, where should I start Mr. Moderator?
|
The minidisc thingie i could recommend sounds like scattering priorities to me, considering your budget. Ummhh, budget .. i also would budget some time&patience
and make a long-term schedule where i want to arrive sonically instead of how much money i want ot spend on which.
If you get acquainted with building your own audio gear, you might find that more satisfying and way more bang for the buck and you have influence on the sonics, you can shape the sound you want to have .. within limits of course.
I did not chase you in planet10's arms without reason, he knows how to get fancy sonics for a few bucks ... he will use some vintage tube gear probably and fullrange speakers with alnico magnets and paper cones. Does not cost a fortune, sings, makes music, makes you smile. The suggestions i have read from him are dirt-cheap and what i hear is that people are quite happy with them, it certainly is worth a try. Just order some papercone FR drivers and screw them in a big baffle and find out for some weeks if you like it. And then borrow good speakers from a buddy and look if you still can like them.
If someone would take my $$$ Fertin speakers away from me right now, well, i would ask Dave for some cheapocheapo papercones, saw a hole in an old door, screw them in and have beautiful music. Not kidding.
But to topic: as amp, you could build an ASKA kit, or you could go with PassDIY, what ever you feel you can manage as 1st project. You also could order and integrated tube amp kit from our member Gabevee. I am quite sure, you arrive at a much higher level sonically than if you buy used commercial stuff. And this will be the same with speakers, please ask the people in the speaker board as i have lost touch with enclosured speakers. Cannot give valid advice on existing kits or products.
You ask me where to start? find out what you really like, what you like for long-term listening. I bet you want to listen to music finally and not to equipment, right?
Tube amps or SolidState amps?
FR speaker or conventional 3-way, vented or closed? Tranmision lines? Backloaded horn speakers?
Audio is personal taste to a high extent. What suits me perfectly may not suit you (so please take my open baffle enthusiasm with a grain of salt
).
But trying out what suits you can be fun.
...
...better if you blindfold her 1st, she needn't see at once the baffle is big like a door 
as far as cheapocheapo audio devices with terrific sonics are concerned; he owns the frugalphile(tm) trademark here 
did i mention how highly subjective, how oriented to personal taste audio is? That Nelson Pass or Dave or Peter or Ken or Fred or Jocko or me like sonics of a given device is by no means a guarantee *you* will like it.
suggest you consider
