Vintage speaker upgrade suggestions?

Alo, my apologies! I kind of hit the nail on the head with my college dorm room crack...I didn't realize that you were actually a struggling college student! Your taste in music threw me off. Kudos to you for your taste in music, and your attempt to get the most value for your dollar, and not just strapping on an MP-3 player with cheap-ass headphones! I also didn't realize that you had your gear checked out...many people don't even bother.

So, what are you using for a source? Is your system in a dorm or other small room? How loudly do you like to listen? What is your other receiver? How do you budget your purchases...do you currently have any cash to burn now? Have you decided on speakers for your next purchase?

Again, my apologies

At home, we're running a Sony SACD player w/ a DA3ES driving the Bose 401's. At school, in the dorm room I'm running the Marantz/Mission combo and my source being an archaic JVC cd player and the headphone out of my Powerbook. Basically, I'm stuck with the Missions until me and my roommates move to a bigger house, so I was wondering if the A70's were worth the pickup and could possibly be used instead of the 401's at home.

As for budgeting my purchases, if it seems reasonable, I make it. Right now, my summer cash is running a little thin so I'm looking for really cheap stuff. Come end of summer, I might throw down for some B&W 601's (then agan they may not be worth it). I guess to go in the other direction, I'm trying to resist picking up a more modern 5 disc CD changer. I'm not really sure which of the slightly older models I should be interested in. Especially since all that seems to pop up is Technics, Sony and sometimes Pioneer (I'm not missing something am I?). If anyone has any hints or suggestions as to if any slightly older CD player is worth a pickup... I'm also looking to pick up a record player as another source, but that's another story...

Anyway, my mode of buying is to shop craigslist.org for items that people seem to have forgotten the value for or are trying to get rid of. I highly recommend this for anyone who likes picking up good finds or needs to spare some money.

FWIW i think what you're doing is great. right now i'm listening to a pair of modified/upgraded hartley bookshelf speakers that i bought at the local habitat for humanity resale store for $24. with upgraded tweeters and crossovers from hartley (plus a few enhancements of my own), they sound GREAT to my ears, especially with acoustic music and jazz in particular. they have a very clear midrange with great presence and detail, smooth yet fairly detailed high end. about $200 plus my labor in them total, and i'm pretty sure that i would have to spend about $1500 to top them (which is about how much my previous pair of speakers cost), given their strengths. i have at this point sold off nearly all of a previous ~12K system, and have almost all vintage equipment. i graduated from college in '89, earn 6 figures, and couldn't be happier with my stereo system. my main advice would be to stay off the audio merry-go-round/vortex of expenditure/resale/expenditure/resale, be happy with less, choose quality vintage equipment carefully AFTER having done your proverbial homework (no pun intended), and above all enjoy the music! you might want to look at some of the later entries in the "building high-end tables cheap" chat thread for some of jean's experience with/opinions of vintage equipment. the man knows his s#!t.

quick follow-up: using my "new" refurbished/modified vintage lenco l-75 turntable with high quality arm and cartridge (admittedly not vintage), feeding a vintage sony ta-e88 professional preamp (stellar phono stage) and 3130f amplifier (both with all original capacitors--for now) and the aforementioned speakers, with good quality modern cabling all around (IC between preamp and amp cost more than either). listening to the classic records reissue of the famous dylan '66 "royal albert hall" concert, and in the lead-up to "like a rolling stone" i could hear clearly FOR THE FIRST time dylan say to the band "play it fu@#ing loud!" i love this hobby! i think i'll buy a SACD player after all.