any advice appreciated


Hello all. I've learned a lot from this forum. This is my first post, but I've been reading for a while. I'm about to set up my first real stereo system and I'd like your advice on the direction I'm going.

I have a budget of about $1700 for startup. I want a 2.0 system. I listen to listen to blues, rock, folk, motown, and some jazz. My living room is approx 25'x35' with 13' ceilings. I listen at moderate levels.

I'm about to pull the trigger and buy:

1. A used pair of Vienna Acoustic Mozart speakers ($1200)
2. A barely used NAD C 325 BEE amp. ($325)
3. A CD player yet to be determined. ($200)

My preferences tend to be toward warm rich tones. Anybody think I'm on the wrong path here? I'm in an area of the country that prohibits me from driving to my local retailer for a demo.

Any advice appreciated.

Thanks.
drew151
Drew,

I think you are on the right track with most of the budget into the speakers you like. You may find 50 watts of power is a bit light given you have a large room, however, that can be left for a future upgrade...
Agree with above post.You are on the right track.As time goes on and money permits you can pressurize that space a bit more.Those components are fine,good luck,Bob
At your stated budget, the NAD is a good choice. You might consider spending a little more on the CD player and a little less on the speakers. A $200 CD player will not get you very near to what the NAD and a $1200 speaker can do. There are no makeup calls on the musical signal once it leaves the source. Good listening!
I will definitely be upgrading components as I move further into the hobby.

A few more questions:

ON THE SPEAKERS: I chose the Vienna's because it is one of the few speakers I've had a chance to spend any time listening to. My local Best Buy has a Magnolia section and I spent about an hour listening to the Viennas vs. Martin Logans. I preferred the Viennas for their smooth warm tones. Maybe a bit less crisp than the Martin Logans. Will the Vienna Acoustic Mozarts be too small for a room as big as mine? The demo room I listened in was much smaller. Are the Harlechs really better than the Mozarts? I feel like I'm getting a pretty good deal on the Mozarts, plus I've heard them before.

ON THE AMP: The NAD is obviously a compromise. I chose it because there is one conveniently available to me at a reasonable price. The reviews look good online, and it is relatively inexpensive. It also should not be hard to sell once I have another $1000-$1500 to spend on a good amp. Does anyone have a better recommendation on an integrated amp that would suit my needs better? I just need something to get me by for 6 months or so.

ON THE CD PLAYER: I'm on the tail end of my budget here. Don't have much bread to work with. Any recommendations would be appreciated. Again I'm just looking for a transitional unit. Something to tide me over until I can squirrel away money that my wife won't mind me spending. I could use a decent DVD player. Is it sacrilege to play CDs through a DVD player?

Again thanks for all your input. There are so many angles to consider, it's a bit overwhelming.
I think that will be a great system. You will need to nearfield listen in that large room. The Mozart is a great speaker, I have a pair in a second system. If you have an Ipod, use that instead of a cd player for now and save for a USB dac.