Poor Man's Ferrari?


Starving artist with very intermittent income...non-audiophile-spouse is the breadwinner of the household. Intermittent-income-earner has eye on refurbished Mark Levinson No. 27 amps and No. 26 preamps on ebay which frequently show up at attainable-but-stretching-it prices. Are the potential audio world related pitfalls here as formidable as those oft heard horror stories about the blue collar guy who sinks a year's pay into a 1982 Ferrari 308 or is this sort of purchase a worthwhile goal for somebody on a really tight budget?
lg1
When upgrading, it is a good idea to seek long-term happiness by taking as big a step as you can. However I agree with Elizabeth that in your case you don't have to look at 'attainable-but-stretching-it', especially if it means getting lucky with the first try on eBay. Given your takeoff point (your Sony), attainable will please you more than you know. You can create a very satisfying setup if you listen to some integrated amps priced like the ones Reubent suggests. Audio Space is a name I would add, for tube gear.
Thanks all for the feedback. The Prima Luna gear has definitely caught my attention at this point...