Looking to upgrade my cheapo system with $800, need advice

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by BrainlessProdigy, Feb 24, 2018.

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  1. allied333

    allied333 Audiophile

    Location:
    nowhere
    Fine on the cartridge & preamp. $500 is great on the new speakers too. But, little 'goodness' will come thru without a good amplifier.
     
  2. ralf11

    ralf11 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Earth

    and look for ones designed by Andrew Jones, Dick Vandersteen or get used Maggies
     
    Tim S likes this.
  3. BrainlessProdigy

    BrainlessProdigy Active Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    AL, USA
    I'm sure I can get some fantastic speakers using my entire budget but not sure if I wanna go down the route of spending thousands of dollars on my setup (at least not right now).

    I take it that I should DEFINITELY upgrade speakers first, then receiver, perhaps preamp later. I'm reading a lot of good things about this NAD C326. Gonna keep researching and looking on the Bay.
     
  4. Manimal

    Manimal Forum Resident

    Location:
    Southern US
    This! Also speaker shopping is about as fun as it gets.
     
    timind likes this.
  5. SpeedMorris

    SpeedMorris Forum Resident

    Location:
    Iowa
    I just meant I wasn't familiar with the 497. I assumed it was probably in the "adequate power, nothing to write home about" category , but I gather you're basically saying it's kind of a screetcher. (?)
     
  6. Tim S

    Tim S Senior Member

    Location:
    East Tennessee
    Spend it all on speakers.
     
  7. allied333

    allied333 Audiophile

    Location:
    nowhere
    My recommendations will blow you away. If NAD is looking like a purchase, get that Onkyo T-4040 tuner for $15 before it's gone. Have fun.
     
  8. somnar

    somnar Senior Member

    Location:
    NYC & Amsterdam
  9. allied333

    allied333 Audiophile

    Location:
    nowhere
    BTW- If you live in a fringe FM area, get a Onkyo T-4500 tuner. One on ebay for $50
     
  10. ralf11

    ralf11 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Earth
    a used Harmon Kardon receiver and the speakers I mentioned above
     
  11. SpeedMorris

    SpeedMorris Forum Resident

    Location:
    Iowa
    I guess I'd like to know more about this Yammy. I'm more like you in terms of budget allocation, but thinking a NAD, etc wouldn't be necessary right now, (and I own two NAD integrateds), as I'm under the impression that the 497 was 75 wpc, stable into 4 ohms and had (maybe) an approximate $400 msrp. That would seem generically adequate to drive $400-500 worth of bookshelf speaker, unless I'm way off on the nature of this thing. (Ohers are suggesting $800 on speakers, with presumably much higher price tags when new.)

    Btw, one thing I did do a brain fart on was seeing the cartridge # and thinking it was the AT 91. That's an "oops".:sigh:
     
  12. allied333

    allied333 Audiophile

    Location:
    nowhere
    The Yamaha 497 is average sounding at best. $25 to $100 max item on ebay. A NAD 326bee would kill it.
     
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