How do you determine how much to spend on speakers

Sean: meant no offense.

The last sentence in the paragraph where I commented on spending 1500 on speakers was "unless you get some really exceptional deal/value out of proportion to what you spend." Obviously, if you get a 5k pair of great speakers for $500 you did just that. I tried to point out this kind of buy in the paragraph where I talked about the law of diminishing returns too when I noted "general rules about what you have to pay for good stuff are broken everyday by folks here at Audiogon." This applies to any general rule I state too! You're a smart buyer and have been around and you found a great deal. Doesn't surprise me. By the way, I'm a big fan of old equipment too. Old speakers and Dynaco 70s that you can tweak a little. But if you start down that road all normal rules for what you have to pay go out the window. IMHO ,You can't expect someone new to start out modifying old equipment.

I also based all of my general comments on buying new only if its exceptional. I gave a whole paragraph on the simple point: general rule: do not buy retail. I think the Northcreek Kit is an exceptional value for reasons stated above and he can get the NAD under $500 at Audiogon now. I think that is a value too.

It really just comes down to a simple difference of opinion between how much of a 5k budget to spend on speakers. Probably we just disagree. Barring some great deal on one of the components that throws everything off, I would normally go with over 50%. Lots of folks do not agree. I said that folks wouldn't agree with me in the last sentence of my first post so I can't say I'm much surprised.

This does not make me a "Speaker first, last and always" guy. As Whatjd calls me. Nor do I want an unbalanced system for the sake of speakers. In my first post, first thing, I asked Krazeeyk if he intended to upgrade and specifically stated that my recomendations were based on the idea that he was. Why not build a system that is readily upgradable if that is what you are thinking? I have seen friends drop all sorts of cash in endless rotations of equipment that could have been avoided had they thought about their final goal at the beginning. No poster had discussed this and I thought it a valuable thing to mention and discuss. A friend dropped an Audiomat Arpege in that set up after a year and it is really quite a system. Only kicked in 1k to do it. She is happy as a clam now and the system sounded good in the beginning too. No big sacrifice to start out -no wasted bucks.

Didn't mean a blow to the kahunas. I've read some of your posts and respect your opinion on stuff. We just disagree here. It ain't so bad to disagree w/ someone named Clueless.

Stay Cool,
I remain

As of now, the only components that I have considered are

Bryston 4B-st (used)
Rotel 971 cd player (used if possible)
Sonus Faber Grand Pianos

Ive only listened to the grand pianos, I liked them much more than the B&W nautilus 803s and the highest cdmt model. Unfortunately, I was not able to swap components on the same system to gauge the sound difference. The sonus fabers were attached to a rotel integrated amp and a denon cd player. The 803's were set up in a system with classe components. In spite of the larger price tag ofthe classe components, I liked the sound of the pianos more. Cannot say if the room made any difference. The 4B-st and the 971 grabbed my attention because Ive read numerous articles about them being "best bang for the buck" value components.
I have not given pre amps much consideration yet.
Anyone have any experiences with these components. Thanks

Clueless, actually I was thinking of others when I wrote the "speakers" line....that's why I had said "posts".... Your balance seems to be fine, however mine is always in flux!
Best, Jim

Geez Krazeeyk, nice choices right out of the gate. Maybe you should give us advise.

Heard the speakers and like them especially the base and mids. Can't say much about the match. I have experience w/ Rotel and its good bang for buck. sdcampbell seems to be the local Bryston authority and you might ask him or e-mail him.

Those Italian speakers have such la classe.

I remain,

Kraz, now you're in the treacherous realm of matching components with sonic signatures. At their price points, the Bryston and the Rotel have been well reviewed and praised by people here. If you like the sound of the Bryston, however, there is a less expensive 3bST (I doubt seriously you'd miss the little bit of extra power- tho sonically they may be more different than I assume) and a more expensive Rotel cd payer, the 991. From what I have read, the 991 is worth the extra couple of hundred bucks over the 771. There are other good choices at the same general price point, e.g., the Musical Fidelity A3.

I would not skimp on the cd player. Less money in the amp and more in the cd player is usually safer.

W/re the speakers, I hope you can get a good deal. Retail's pretty high. (I like them better than the B&W's too, so imo you're on the right track - but others would disagree, I'm sure). If you have the time, try to listen to some of the other suggestions above, e.g., Spendors, Vandersteens. I do not have either of them, but I think you'll like them too.

In addition to accurate (or pleasing if you prefer) tonality, listen to how well the speakers do at imaging (three-dimensional solid performers in real space), soundstaging (depth and width and placement of the performers in an acoustic environment), and dynamics (responses to large and tiny changes in amplitude - realistic? clean?).

Here's a suggestion: start another thread or two. Ask people in one to recommend a $5,000 system. You'd get all sorts of real world examples. In the other, if you're set on those speakers, or choose different speakers, ask people who have them what they use for amplifiers and cd player.

Take your time and have fun.

Paul