next step please

A nice, useful response from Newbee and I agree with it. You need to find out where you want to go. The best way to start this is to listen to some very good systems and make notes on what you like about them. Don't worry about the usual audiophile vocabulary if you're not comfortable with it--it's your feeling reactions to the music which count the most.

Once your ideas have coalesced a bit, start listening in your price range for components which give as much as possible of what you liked about the big boys. There are two rules of thumb which I always go by. First,small upgrades don't make it. They cost a lot in the long run and tend to make marginal improvements, sometimes only differences.

(N.B this is *not* true if you have a toxic or broken component somewhere. When a friend showed me how bad my speaker cables were a few years ago, I retired them for fifty bucks' worth of Audioquest Type 2 until I found the ones I wanted.)

Second rule: the source rules. Upgrade starting upstream. A $3K source with $400 worth of electronics will keep you happy much longer than the reverse.

That said, I would guess from looking at your list that the Denon is the weakest point, as you suggest. Your speakers are some of the best you can get at the price and the Rotel player is decent. A really good preamp (read: a worthwhile purchase) and its interconnect will not be in your price range just now. If I were you I would go for a good integrated amp.

I pretty much agree with both above posts, get a plan down with a long term goal in mind, your post is vague as to your goals. Remember that most good gear lasts and sounds good for a very long time, the (latest greatest) is often times a lot of hype when dealing with many of the componets that make up a good audio system. Many times here on audiogon you see a system post, where the owner has taken many years to put a very fine system together, there is no reason you can not do the same. Vague goals=Vague system every time.

I will quadruple-echo all the previous comments. Excellent, excellent advice. I wish someone would have told me this eight years ago. Follow it and you will come closer to Nirvana much sooner. However, I must I am enjoying the journey!

thanx for the very informative responses, very helpful indeed. by asking what goals, do you mean HT or 2-channel? well, i'm going for the 2 chan. anyway, i very do appreciate your time answering my question. again, thank you.

Hey Cyanzky,

I think part of determining your goals is to have an idea of what it is about your system you'd like to improve.

You state that you're interested in 2 channel, but what kind of music do you like to listen to? Knowing what kind of music you'd like to enjoy on your system can help determine what type of gear to consider. Building a system around jazz and metal would involve two different approaches.

For jazz you might want to create a system that reproduces vocals and acoustic instruments well. This may involve tube equipment and not require the purchase of high current amps and big speakers.

On the other hand, a system based on producing big sound for metal, soundtracks, etc. could require more powerful solid state amps and possibly different types of speakers whether they be floorstanders or monitors integrated with a sub.

Another factor is figuring out how far you want to go. I know this isn't easy, and to be honest I'm in much further than I ever imagined I'd be. But putting a ceiling on what you want to spend and maximizing your system around this budget is a good idea in the beginnning. This will help prevent you from upgrading as often as some of us, and hopefully sit and enjoy a system for a few years and not weeks before changing things out again.

Get out and listen to many different types of gear. I realize this could be dangerous, because if you hear something that blows you away and it's very expensive, you may either become discouraged or raise your spending limit. The great thing about Audiogon is that many people here can give you cheaper alternatives to the expensive systems you hear in high end audio salons. I've discovered so many great manufacturers through the members of Audiogon that I never saw in the audio magazines or in a any stores.

Listening to other systems will also help you determine the type of system characteristics you like as well. That is, do you like sound that is romantic and intimate or something big and bold.

Read through the Audiogon archives and look at other member's virtual systems. If possible note their goals and compare that with the system they built.

In general I would suggest:
1] Determine what kind[s] of music you'd like to reproduce with this system and how you'd like it presented.
2] Create a budget
3] Visit audio stores and listen to friend's systems as much as you can
4] Peruse the archives here and look at member's virtual systems.
5] Don't spend a lot on cables, isolation tweaks or power conditioning in the beginning. These are important, but on a restricted budget they can be dealt with last if at all since they can in themselves become very expensive upgrades.
6] Make sure your listening environment is sonically optimized and your speakers properly placed for maximum effect.

Specifically in your case:
1] I agree that the Denon is probably the weak link and starting with an integrated would be the first good move.

Good luck!