If you were building a 10k analog system...

~$1500 = cart + turntable
~$500 = vintage pioneer receiver
~$1500 = speakers
~$5000 = MCM lounge chair (Wegner Wing or Eames Lounge or etc)
~$1300 = vintage credenza + side table
~$200 = decent bottle of scotch

 

A stylus lasts from (depending on who you ask) ~1000 - ~2000 hours.

A cart should last indefinitely.

 

Yup, of course (and I think we all knew what I meant). Though probably it is technically possible to wear out the internals/suspension on a cart with enough hours of use.
.

 

If properly taken care of the stylus will outlast the suspension of a cartridge. I am counting on that as I don't relish doing a rebuild of mine anytime soon.

 

I went through this exercise about 15 years ago.
The experts told me to look for speakers first and then match these to an amplifier.
I loved the B&W 700 series but i wanted/needed more bass so I also bought Rel Q400 (it has since gone to HiFi heaven and replaced with a Rel T7)
For an amp I chose an Arcam AVR 300 and an Electrocompaniet 120 DMB.
I don't do vinyl anymore but only do High Resolution Audio primarily using a Cambridge Audio Streamer.
From memory the B&Ws cost about $7k, the Q400 was around the $3k mark, Arcam $3k and the Electro $2.5K.
No gold cabling
It still sounds amazing

 

Does 3 hours a day not seem within the realm of possibility? I don't know that I've sustained a 3 hour average every day over a year, but there are definitely periods of time I'm over that.

 

I work from home so 3 hours a day, while maybe a bit high on average, is definitely in the realm of doable. I tend to replace my stylus every two years based on my back-of-napkin math.

 

Your AVR300 still works? I had one of the first units shipping to the U.S. and was an early firmware beta tester. I can only use mine now as a stereo amp, so it's been repurposed for an office music system. The digital board bit the dust a long time ago. Arcam stuff sounded great, but the reliability was horrible. Now they are Samsung anyway.

 

Analog system

Decware amp - SE34I.5 = $1495
Decware ZP3 Phono Preamp = $1295
Rega P6 w Ania Cart = $2195
Omega Monitor 7 = $995 (depending on finish)
Omega Deep 8 = $695

You'll have about $3.5K left for cables, room treatment, or maybe a better cart (Dynavector).

 

Sure, why not? But for argument's sake, we can also make it two years if that sounds more credible.

 

I did just that:
VPI Classic 1 barely used - $2k
Soundsmith Cart barely used - 1.5k
Herron VTPH2A - $3k
Belles Pre and Power Amp new and used - $2k
Audioquest cables and Shunyata power conditioner - $1.5k
GIK acoustic and bass panels - $1.25k
Harbeth P3ESR - $2k
Rel Sub - $750

The Belles and Harbeth and panels were the best purchases. VPI and Herron were great buys. Soundsmith was very good. And, the cables were solid. Power conditioner was a good purchase.

 

Yes AVR300 is still going strong'ish. I had a volume issue fixed a few years ago. Remote doesn't work but the remote from Cambridge controls the Arcam volume so I'm happy.
I do expect the Arcam to die at some stage soon'ish

 

2007 Lexus SC 430 Convertible, and a handful of cassettes.

 

Points for creativity. My Lexus has a Mark Levinson system.

 

In my 98 Tacoma, I often play Rattle and Hum. Not the U2 version - the check engine light version. If I lose R&H, smoke billows out of the hood.

 

I'm firmly in the camp of those who prefer separates for everything. It's a pretty small camp, I must admit, but nevertheless. Therefore I moved away from integrated amps, and do not believe in built-in phono's. However, in a vinyl-only system, there is a shortcut you can take, by skipping a line preamp, and pairing a phono stage with a power amp. As to amp and speakers, as someone here already mentioned - it would depend on what music you play most of the time. For rock/fusion/electronic, I'd get a powerful SS power amp and a pair of good moderate efficiency (88-90 dB) traditional speakers. For jazz/classical/acoustic - it would be a tube amp, and a pair of high-efficiency single-driver speakers. So, my $10K vinyl-only system(s) would look something like this:

Acoustic, Jazz, Classical:
GEM Polytable with a Jelco 10" arm and power unit (arm available as of March) - figure around $3,200 + Auralex isolation platform
Icon Audio - PS1 Mk2 MM/MC Phono Preamp | Shop Music Direct - $2,400.oo -
this is a powerful phono preamp that has a volume control, eliminating the need for a line preamp;
PrimaLuna ProLogue Premium power amp - $2,200.00
Zu Audio Omen Dirty Weekend speakers - $1,200.00 (with a better finish);
A-T ART-9 phono cartridge- $1,000.

Fusion, Rock, Electronic:
Technics 1200GR - $1,700.00 + fluid damper by KAB ($170) + Auralex isolation platform ($80)
Same phono stage - $2,400.00
Odyssey Stratos Stereo Extreme power amp - $1,800.00
Vandersteen 2Ce speakers - $2,700.00
Denon DL-110 phono cartridge - $300, or maybe a Nagaoka 500 - $700.
A few hundred bucks left for scented candles and asthma inhalers to save yourselves from the effects of the scented cables.

In both cases, I consider racks, cables, and power treatments outside of the system budget. Choices are limitless.

 

And speaking of a used Conrad Johnson CAV-45, there's one on audiogon today lited as "like new" for $2800 ... Conrad Johnson CAV-45 OUTSTANDING CONTROL AMP LIKE NEW | Tube | Tucson, Arizona 85750 | Audiogon ... they just show the stock CJ ad photo though ...

 

Still, you need a preamp/amp that can drive the speakers. I don't think having $$$$ speakers performing way below spec, because the electronics are lacking, is a good plan. The only way I would do it your way is if I was planning on upgrading the electronics in the near future.

 

I agree. I had my CAT amps out for service and put another (not cheap amp) in it's place. I had the same results, pretty much unlistenable. I ended up listening to my back porch system instead, which was matched up better.

 

I do think it matters whether it's $10k and never a penny more upgrading, or $10k to get a kickass start but eventually put more into it. If upgrades are in the picture, it makes some sense to me to prioritize speakers and turntable/cart/phono with everything in between maybe being a peg lower at first (probably start with an integrated, then upgrade to separates eventually). If it's $10k and done, then I think a more balanced approach would be more desirable so you're not wasting too much potential throughout the system.

 

My thought when starting this thread is $10k end game system. Not to start.

My destination for my main system would be around $10k (not considering digital front end). I'd like to focus my upgrades on getting pieces that will help build that from my current system. So, while a $1k integrated will likely be a step up from what I have, I'd rather save up and get the end game piece of gear to eliminate upgrading.

My VPI, on the other hand, could fit into this end game system, in my opinion, with some accessories and upgrades (SDS, platter, periphery ring, etc), even though I scored the deck, upgraded motor, and arm for well under $1k

 

If you were building a system from the start, I would put less money in the cartridge initially, as that always can be upgraded later as the carts wears down. Better to put more money in the Turntable and Phono Preamp, as these will be the mainstays in your system for the long haul. Carts always come and go over the years. You can always get a better cart down the line. If you trade out turntables and phono stages, you'll end up losing more money and may as well get a good option from the start.

 

But the point is exactly that less expensive electronics (not junk, but "lesser" decent models) will not reduce the total sound nearly as much as less expensive speakers. As an extreme example, you could drive $4000 speakers with a $400 receiver (like a friend is doing) and they will still sound really great. They will not be "performing way below spec"-they sound nearly as nice as driven by like $4k of PrimaLuna pre + amp, in a lovely treated room. Slightly below spec. Conversely, $4000 spent on the electronics will not help $400 speakers somehow sound magically great.

The vast amount of corruption of the sound happens at the electric/acoustic transduction interface which is the speaker. It is just "way" more than differences between electronics. I'd also posit-admittedly from circumstantial evidence more than rigorous testing-that cheap speakers generally won't let you hear differences between electronics very well.

 

I don't disagree that speakers are very important, but I'd rather spend a little less on speakers and put that money into electronics. I believe that provides a better performing system.

 

I too would put a heavy priority on the TT/tonearm/cartridge. And the proper setup of the record player is just as important as the record player itself. But I would buy used. This way I can get really good speakers for around 1/3 - 1/2 price. But if I wanted to get the best sound for under $10K, I would still go used, but probably go with a CD player because it really takes quite a bit of the $10K to get a good analogue front end. It doesn't take nearly as much to get a really good digital front end.