re: Audiophile/Vinyl Thread - Post Pics, Advice, Questions, Setups, etc.

I tell everyone this...subscribe to Stereophile magazine--paper rag or online. You will learn a lot as the pages are filled with advertisements as well as reviews of off the charts expensive gear and extreme beginner gear.

The great part about reading about uber expensive audio gear is that while you may not be able to afford it, you begin to understand WHY these things cost what they do, thus giving you a better understanding of how components should be built.

Once you understand these concepts, you are better equipped to make a good call on the budget gear.

They do also review a good bit of budget gear every month.

A subscription is about $15 a year--well worth it.

I would also recommend going to their website and searching for reviews of budget components--free to read the back log. I believe you can also search by price range.

I will always recommend Focal--the entry level line of bookshelf speakers is now 40% off MSRP at Music Direct. I started with Focal 13 years ago and moved up the line a couple times eventually attaining the Utopia series. The lesser lines retain a good bit of the sonic signature of the Utopia big guns up the line, but you just don't get as big a sound as you do with really the big loudspeakers.