Here's $5,000 build the best system you can.

mhconley · « **Reply #60 on:** 16 Jul 2011, 06:34 pm »

Quote from: WC on 15 Jul 2011, 11:58 am

Well the system I am building sort of fits:

Virtue Sensation M901 Integrated Amp with Dodd tube buffer and battery kit. $1450
GR-research N3S speaker kit and materials $700
GR-research servo sub kit and materials $700
Pro-ject RPM5.1SE turntable $1000
Dell net book $300
Schit Bifrost or Peachtree Audio DACit DAC $450
Spend the remainder on interconnects $400

I think you might be missing a phono preamp. Does the Virtue Sensation with Dodd Buffer take phono level input?

Martin

S Clark · « **Reply #61 on:** 16 Jul 2011, 06:40 pm »

Quote from: mhconley on 16 Jul 2011, 06:34 pm

I think you might be missing a phono preamp. Does the Virtue Sensation with Dodd Buffer take phono level input?

Martin

No, but if you build diy interconnects, use the left over $400 to get a Vista Audio phono pre.

Wayner · « **Reply #62 on:** 16 Jul 2011, 06:44 pm »

If it doesn't have to be new, I think this would be a hell of a system for 1/2 that price.

Amp: Marantz 140 ($350)
Preamp: Marantz 3200 ($350)
FM Tuner: Marantz 112 ($175)
Turntable: Technics SL1200MKII (used up to $600, new $1100)
Cartridge: AT440MLa ($200)
CD player: Sony XA20ES ($250)
Speakers: Dynaco A25XL ($250)

Wayner

WC · « **Reply #63 on:** 17 Jul 2011, 02:07 am »

Quote from: mhconley on 16 Jul 2011, 06:34 pm

I think you might be missing a phono preamp. Does the Virtue Sensation with Dodd Buffer take phono level input?

Martin

Yeah, I forgot the Phono preamp. I have a preamp in an existing Yamaha that I am going to use, but for this thread I could add a Vista Phono preamp for $300 in place of the Dell mini (since others are leaving off their computers) or the interconnects.

FullRangeMan · « **Reply #64 on:** 17 Jul 2011, 02:38 am »

Source: a used Sony SCD-1 or SCD-777 or a new Oppo=under $500
Turntable: irrelevant
Pre-amp: useless
Amp: Ming-Da MC3008-B integrated monoblock = $2.669/pair at PacificValve.
Speakers: B200+Alpha-15A+4.7mH inductor OB panel= under $1000
Interconnect: Kimber PBJ or other affordable.
Speaker Cable: QED Silver Anniversary=under 10 pounds metre or VDH CS122=under 20pounds metre.

mhconley · « **Reply #65 on:** 17 Jul 2011, 03:31 am »

Quote from: WC on 17 Jul 2011, 02:07 am

Yeah, I forgot the Phono preamp. I have a preamp in an existing Yamaha that I am going to use, but for this thread I could add a Vista Phono preamp for $300 in place of the Dell mini (since others are leaving off their computers) or the interconnects.

Too true - I left off my PC because I would have it regardless. It cost me about $1600 several years ago and is getting long in the tooth. I've been think about putting together a second generation i7 rig but cannot justify the cost at this point, plus I just added a pair of 1.5TB drives in a RAID 0/1 array and I'm sure not wanting for storage.

Martin

Martin

I.Greyhound Fan · « **Reply #66 on:** 17 Jul 2011, 04:35 am »

Magnepan 1.7's $1900
AVA Insight+ 240 or 260 amps $999/1499
AVA T-8 Tube preamp $1299
Marantz SA8003 SACDP $750 or Rega Apollo $1000, or Cambridge Audio 740c
Cables by Bluejeans

System's got to have some tubes!

LobsterClaws · « **Reply #67 on:** 20 Sep 2011, 11:29 pm »

Does a '02 Subaru Outback with 179,000 miles going for $4995 with a McIntosh Stereo count? I mean value-wise, it's hard to beat wheels and a McIntosh set-up at the same time!

Chuckdog2005 · « **Reply #68 on:** 21 Sep 2011, 11:45 pm »

I've recently gotten back into audio after more than a twenty five year layoff. The cd player was still new, and no one was sure whether analog or digital filtering would be best? Things have changed alot. Cables now cost more than components? I didn't want to jump in over my head right at the start, so here's what I have purchased in the last couple of months.
Nad C375 BEE @ $1295.00, Magnepan 1.7's @ $2095.00, Marantz CD5004 @ $350.00, Squeezbox Touch @ $249.00, Peachtree Audio Dacit , (on the way) @ $375.00, miscellaneous wires, connectors, and such about $400.00. This comes in just under the $5K mark, and is a really remarkable combination. The Magnepan's simply deliver the most convincing audio presentation I've ever owned.

Rclark · « **Reply #69 on:** 22 Sep 2011, 05:35 am »

(gets all WWF with it) I'm going to kick all your butts. Everyone's got all these little nick nacks and extra unneeded pieces. Diluting the $5000.

I'll Keep It Simple Stupid (KISS) and beat all those systems above.

Magnepan MMG speakers $600.
Magnestand MMG mod with Deulands $1800
Virtue Three amp $800
two GR Research OB servo subs est.. $1500 complete self build H frames
Emotiva ERC2 $399
Radio Shack cables and speaker wire.

Bam Bam!

Zero · « **Reply #70 on:** 22 Sep 2011, 07:08 am »

System 1:

Speakers: Totem Acoustic Hawk compact floor-standing towers (retail for around $2800 I believe)

Integrated: Vista Audio i34 35 wpc EL34 tube integrated ($980)

Source: NAD 565 CD-Player ($800)

System Goals: To ace the ability to recreate an accurate tonal palette; holographic in its soundstage ; detailed yet smooth; fast yet full; unfailingly musical; and lastly - the ability to do EVERY genre of music justice. Yep, I think that system would do just fine. Those with big rooms or the desire to crank it loud need not apply. Oh, and I'd use the remainder of the cash to wire things up with cables from Virtue Audio, and bring in three GIK 242 panels.

jkelly · « **Reply #71 on:** 22 Sep 2011, 11:42 am »

This is the basics of my current system which totals around 5k.
Makes nice music.

Mac Mini - $750
Original Tranquility DAC and original USB cable - $1250
Pure Music Software $130
AQVOX PS - $150
Bob Latino 120 Amp- $1500
AJ SAM1 Speakers- $1000
Speaker Stands - $200
Interconnect/Speaker cables - $50

Optional - Tubes (4 Treasure KT88)- $500
Cables.

Jeff

Pez · « **Reply #72 on:** 22 Sep 2011, 05:45 pm »

Quote from: Chuckdog2005 on 21 Sep 2011, 11:45 pm

I've recently gotten back into audio after more than a twenty five year layoff. The cd player was still new, and no one was sure whether analog or digital filtering would be best? Things have changed alot. Cables now cost more than components? I didn't want to jump in over my head right at the start, so here's what I have purchased in the last couple of months.
Nad C375 BEE @ $1295.00, Magnepan 1.7's @ $2095.00, Marantz CD5004 @ $350.00, Squeezbox Touch @ $249.00, Peachtree Audio Dacit , (on the way) @ $375.00, miscellaneous wires, connectors, and such about $400.00. This comes in just under the $5K mark, and is a really remarkable combination. The Magnepan's simply deliver the most convincing audio presentation I've ever owned.

Great post!

Glad to see someone actually able to accomplish this goal in real life!

LobsterClaws · « **Reply #73 on:** 27 Sep 2011, 09:46 pm »

Not to highjack the thread, but to put a twist on it, of that $5k what would you spend the most on if starting from scratch?

I know some people believe in the garbage in, garbage out adage and preach sources while others focus on speakers and/or amplifier synergy, and yet others believe it all begins with the pre-amp, and don't even get me started on interconnects, etc,etc.

My question would be what piece of gear would you focus most on and deserve the largest percentage of coin? And your reasoning?

frank111 · « **Reply #74 on:** 28 Sep 2011, 09:28 pm »

HoytBedford 1 speakers $865 (shipped),
Jungson JA88D intergr-amplifier $1650,
Marantz UD7006 CD/DVD player $1000,
Sony Bravia 46" flatscreen $850.
shipping/taxes would eat up $$$ for items 2,3,4

My tastes are simple as life should be.

decal · « **Reply #75 on:** 28 Sep 2011, 10:22 pm »

Send me the five grand and I'll post the full details and photos of what I buy!!!

gary · « **Reply #76 on:** 28 Sep 2011, 10:45 pm »

My system is around $5k total:

Clearaudio Emotion - $1k
Bottlehead Seduction Phono Stage $250 (used)
AudioGD Dac 19 MK 3 - $350 (used)
Decware Zen SE84ZS amp w/ V-caps & alps pot - $1200
Bastanis Promitheus speakers (kit) - $2200

Very little of this has changed for several years and I'm still happy with it. Which is fortunate for me because any kind of meaningful upgrade from here would probably cost a lot more than I could afford.

gary

cujobob · « **Reply #77 on:** 28 Sep 2011, 11:06 pm »

Quote from: LobsterClaws on 27 Sep 2011, 09:46 pm

Not to highjack the thread, but to put a twist on it, of that $5k what would you spend the most on if starting from scratch?

I know some people believe in the garbage in, garbage out adage and preach sources while others focus on speakers and/or amplifier synergy, and yet others believe it all begins with the pre-amp, and don't even get me started on interconnects, etc,etc.

My question would be what piece of gear would you focus most on and deserve the largest percentage of coin? And your reasoning?

Speakers deserve the majority of the budget. A properly designed speaker takes money. Great polar response, high efficiency, able to hit peaks over 120 db, and good build quality plus any subwoofer supplementation needed will cost a decent amount. My current system has $4,000 mains, a $1300 sub (custom, would cost more otherwise) and two other less expensive subwoofers all run by a receiver that cost me only a few hundred. My system measures well, can reach reference levels, and most importantly sounds great to me. Would do it again in a heartbeat!

Part of this, I think, is due to the fact that modern sources are quite good. Modern amplifiers are quite good (but take expertise just like anything else). As long as a person has the knowledge necessary, I believe they are best off investing heavily into speakers. This route, however, will leave someone unable to tinker much (except for incorporating the subs into the system).

Besides...if you invest into a system with bad polar response, you're going to need to spend a bit to get proper in room response through room treatments.

cujobob · « **Reply #78 on:** 28 Sep 2011, 11:07 pm »

Quote from: Chuckdog2005 on 21 Sep 2011, 11:45 pm

I've recently gotten back into audio after more than a twenty five year layoff. The cd player was still new, and no one was sure whether analog or digital filtering would be best? Things have changed alot. Cables now cost more than components? I didn't want to jump in over my head right at the start, so here's what I have purchased in the last couple of months.
Nad C375 BEE @ $1295.00, Magnepan 1.7's @ $2095.00, Marantz CD5004 @ $350.00, Squeezbox Touch @ $249.00, Peachtree Audio Dacit , (on the way) @ $375.00, miscellaneous wires, connectors, and such about $400.00. This comes in just under the $5K mark, and is a really remarkable combination. The Magnepan's simply deliver the most convincing audio presentation I've ever owned.

You did a hell of a job putting that system together....Maggies are next on my short list for speakers I must own!

Andre2 · « **Reply #79 on:** 29 Sep 2011, 12:06 am »

I just started spending money on an audio system and my budget was $5k

not counting a $350 pioneer elite CD/SACD/DVD player that I got in 2004 and was retired in a closet...

This is what I got:
$1,800 EE M88 Integrated Tube amplifier - Stereomojo has a review
$1,000 EE Digital to Analog Converter Plus
$2,400 soon to be ordered N3 tower speakers custom made pair

-------------
$5,200