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Limited budget-spend more money on amp or preamp?

Hi. I am new to decent sound. I have a OK pair of full-range speakers (Von Schweikert VR-2000's) and are now looking for something to power them with. I am very limited with funds now, and am looking for decent used gear (both an amp and preamp). Out of the two components, would money be better spent on a good amp that I will be happy with for several years and a budget preamp, or the other way around? I have been looking at both a Bryston .4B Linestage and a Bryston 3B/4B amp, but I can't afford both. If I go with the .4B preamp, I will have to cut corners on the amp (probably an Adcom 545II). Likewise, if I get the 4B amp, I will have to get a cheaper preamp-something used under $150.

What combo would give me the best sound? Thanks in advance!
dawgcatching
philefreak
416 posts
 
A great source will sound better through lesser speakers than a lesser source through a great speaker.
bemopti123
303 posts
 
Sumo Athena class A driver stage, older, but with passive and active modes. Even has a phono section to boot. Around $150- I own one.
muzikat
887 posts
 
Count me on the source first side.
Speakers only reproduce what is fed to them.
Garbage in garbage out as they say.
Go for the best preamp and lesser amp.
eldartford
4,262 posts
 
Muzikat...Correction. Speakers produce a lot more than what is fed to them. They (like all transducers)superimpose their character on the sound.

Source quality-per-dollar goes up a lot faster than speaker quality-per-dollar. And if you consider the CD, DVD, SACD or LP as part of the "source" it's contribution is much greater than the hardware used to play it. Buy a $1,000 player, and $30-$50 recordings.
sogood51
2,157 posts
 
I'll take $5,000 speakers and a $100 cd player any day over a $5,000 cd player and a $100 pair of speakers.

I agree with Driver and Warren. You would do very well IMO for not a lot of money with either of these two suggestions.

Dave
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