Topic: newbie help needed :)

[caymanreview]

this is one area ive always neglected, is home playback, and i think it is finally time for me to dive in. it will be a meager system at about 1000$, but hopefully i can get a decent system going and upgrade later

im looking for advice on anything playback related

im gonna need everything, im not afraid to buy used, and will hopefully spend about 1k on gear and then buy speakers seperate

so i need some advice, lay it on me... budget playback options needed in the <1K range for the system itself w/out speakers

sorry for sounding like such a n00b, but i am def that

[leegeddy]

dustin;

http://www.compusa.com/products/product_info.asp?product_code=305043

Pioneer DV-563A DVD/CD/SACD/DVD-A Progressive Scan Player for $150

imho, $150 for a player that will play basically every format known is quite a bargain.  if you decide to upgrade, you can always use this unit as your movie viewing unit.

Adcom GFA-555 are nice budget amps.
http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?ampstran&1098403623
http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?ampstran&1098050205

Adcom GFA-5300
http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?ampstran&1097346402

Bryston 3B. this is a pretty good deal, imo.
http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?ampstran&1097620319

there's the Acurus in the Yard Sale that interests me. from what i've read, they are good amps.

i would always suggest getting separates (amp/preamp) and not go with integrated ones.  there are some nice integrated components, but $$$.

good luck with selecting your gear.

marc

[EScott]

I'd pick up the combo that Todd R has for sale....

http://www.taperssection.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=24945.0

That's a great deal in my opinion.  I'd add the Pioneer player Marc mentioned, pick up some decent interconnects, and you're ready to go for less than $1K.

Eric

[Todd R]

Yeah, what E-Scott says.     I've got some Python OFC interconnects I can throw in.  Basic oxygen free copper cables, nothing fancy but sound good enough and will get you started.  Pick up a pair of Maggie MMGs (new @$550, used at about $400) and then a decent sub and you've got the whole system.  I used a system like this for awhile, and it sounded damn nice.  You can pick up the Velodyne CHT-10 for about $200 new, which is supposed to be a pretty good sub.  $1200 or so for the complete system and it would definitely put you into the audiophile playback realm.

[dnsacks]

still sounding like a broken record, but can't say enough good things about the sony strda2000es, strda3000es or strda5000es (all the same basic setup but with increasing wattage/power) -- these are digital amps/receivers that accept a digital input (including 24/96).  As others have said (read nickspicks.com review), these have no business sounding this nice at this pricepoint.  The 2000/3000 can be had @ under $500 -- throw in a cheap transport (since it's d>a qualities are not an issue) and you can have a complete system, including basic speakers, that would sound REAL nice (imho) for under $1k.

[EScott]

I would have picked up the Lucid that was for sale as well.  Still would have come in below the $1K budget.  Unfortunately, it didn't last long at that price!

Eric

[Nick's Picks]

i'm the next track on the broken record.

I'd do this:

NEW  sony STR-DA2000ES  ($495)
USED Von Schweikert VR1 monitors ($500)
any digital source.

make your own IC's and speaker cable.

[Nick Culbreth]

lots of good advice in this thread already.  with a budget of $1000 you should be able to put together a pretty nice setup and then add more as time and budget allows.  here's my .02

source:  i'd go with a pioneer dv-563a, it'll play just about anything your throw at it and has a very quiet transport for only $150.  the toshiba sd4900 is also a nice option but cannot play sacd but only costs $80.  i've tried both and preferred the pioneer in a-b comparison.  the nice part about both of these is that there are a number of modifications available which can be made down the road when you have a little more cash available.

preamp:  i'm very fond of my y-s audio experience symphonies preamp and i knkow there are quite a few others on here that give it glowing reviews.  $400 new.

amp:  i have a b&k st-140 and i think it sounds pretty nice for the money.  i'd eventually like to move onto something with a little more power but for $250ish it's pretty tough to beat.

interconnects and speaker cables:  making your own interconnects and speaker cables is a great way to save money.  you might want to check out audioasylum but for diy interconnects belden cables are pretty highly regarded.   for speaker cables there are a number of cat-5 speaker cable recipes which sound very good for the money.  i used chris ven haus's recipe for my speaker cables and it was a huge pain in the ass but the results were worth the 40 hours of braiding required to make them, i got a chance to compare them to a set of mit terminator cables and they were lightyears better.

[caymanreview]

wow guys, i hadnt check in in a few days

lots of GREAT advice w/ links and everything... thanks so much for your guys time to write that stuff up!

[caymanreview]

allright, to get me started i have just bought these from ToddR:
http://www.taperssection.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=25047.0

any ideas of some stuff to go around these?

sorry for being such a n00b, but if a playback system was a rig, the source would be something like this:
dvd/dvd-a/sacd player > D/A > preamp > amp > speakers

am i seeing this right in my head?

ive got a real decent sony dvd player that plays everything but dvd-a and sacd's... i think im gonn stick with it untill i can get the rest of my playback rig going, then i would actually be able to enjoy all the 24/48 and 24/96 tapes i have made so far

[Nick's Picks]

agreed, the symphonies > B&K rig is a nice sound.
however, the 2000ES leaves it in the dust by miles, for 1/2 the cost of both units.

[Nick Culbreth]

agreed, the symphonies > B&K rig is a nice sound.
however, the 2000ES leaves it in the dust by miles, for 1/2 the cost of both units.

really?  i've been tossing around the idea of adding a dac back in my system and the sony digital amps have caught my interest as well.  i've read quite a few glowing reviews but i'm afraid by moving to a completely solid state system i'd hate to lose the warmth and smoothness of the symphonies > st-140 combo.  maybe i'll have to try one out for myself. 

[Nick's Picks]

agreed, the symphonies > B&K rig is a nice sound.
however, the 2000ES leaves it in the dust by miles, for 1/2 the cost of both units.

really?  i've been tossing around the idea of adding a dac back in my system and the sony digital amps have caught my interest as well.  i've read quite a few glowing reviews but i'm afraid by moving to a completely solid state system i'd hate to lose the warmth and smoothness of the symphonies > st-140 combo.  maybe i'll have to try one out for myself. 

well, its a different sound all together.  And out of the box, it has no warmth at all.  But after a few hundred hours it warms up considerably and your ear gets very used to it. 
If its warmth you like, then maybe tubes are the way to go.  If its detail, accuracy and imaging then i've not heard any other combo that bests my 3000es in my room at least.
If you could find one of the Sony's that is all ready broken in and running a PCM feed into it, then you'd be doing yourself a favor.  Shit, for the money ...how can you afford not to hear one and give it a good chance?

[Brian Skalinder]

Shit, for the money ...how can you afford not to hear one and give it a good chance?

Damn you, Nick, you're encourgaing my playback slut-dom in a big way - how am I supposed to save money for my move to Chicago after all this talk?

I've talked to Jen recently about the need for *2* full systems at home - a 2-channel listening room for me and the HT/TV system for all-purpose use.  Heh...   

[Nick's Picks]

thats the spirit Brian!