help with choosing next upgrade

nduitch
nduitch Posts: 316
edited May 2009 in 2 Channel Audio
I'm a college student with about 500$ to spend. What do you think I should be the next logical purchase?

Currently I have been upgrading my 1A's with sonicaps and solens, disconnected the dimensional tweeter and ordered the rdo 194's. I have a carver receiver that was a hand me down from my uncle. I believe it is 150wpc into 8 ohms. I was thinking an amp should be next, but not sure what to get.
Post edited by nduitch on
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  • gdb
    gdb Posts: 6,012
    edited May 2009
    Can your reciever do pre-out ?? If not you'll need a pre & an amp. I'm not sure that you could get both for $500.00 but, I'd suggest a C1 & TFM-35. My C-11 & TFM-35 sound very good driving SDAs! (C-11 is a black C-1):)
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  • danger boy
    danger boy Posts: 15,722
    edited May 2009
    spend it on pizza and beer. :p


    yeah if your receiver has pre outs.. get an amp for those speakers.
    PolkFest 2012, who's going>?
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  • george daniel
    george daniel Posts: 12,096
    edited May 2009
    tube integreted
    JC approves....he told me so. (F-1 nut)
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  • Polkitup2
    Polkitup2 Posts: 1,622
    edited May 2009
    danger boy wrote: »
    spend it on pizza and beer. :p


    yeah if your receiver has pre outs.. get an amp for those speakers.

    And co-eds! - or maybe spend it on a decent source like a used Denon 3910 and get into SACD.
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  • lakesailor
    lakesailor Posts: 319
    edited May 2009
    What do you spend most of your time listening to as a source and what type of music do you like ?
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  • nduitch
    nduitch Posts: 316
    edited May 2009
    lakesailor wrote: »
    What do you spend most of your time listening to as a source and what type of music do you like ?

    I play saxophone, so I mostly listen to jazz music. So I'm pretty crital to how that instrument sounds. I recently acquired a thorens tt from one of my professors. It has a 30 dollar Audio technica cartridge, looking to upgrade that too. Vinyl has not been the majority of my listening yet because I don't have as much material and I haven't found a good way to clean them to get the popping sounds out. And that cartridge just doesn't sound very good.

    To the other question above about my receiver having a pre out, yes it does.
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  • markmarc
    markmarc Posts: 2,309
    edited May 2009
    Start by upgrading the cartridge, spending $100 will add some much needed detail.

    With the remaining $400, I'd search for a used int. amp with phono. Or go with an Adcom pre and amp, say the GFP-555 in combo with the GFA-545 amp. Then sell the Carver and start building up the savings for a cdp and DAC.

    Or, as suggested above, if the Carver receiver has pre outs, find a nice used amp, say Audio Research, Aragon, etc..
    Review Site_ (((AudioPursuit)))
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    Amplifiers: Parasound Halo P6 pre, Vista Audio i34, Peachtree amp500, Adcom GFP-565 GFA-535ii, 545ii, 555ii
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  • fbm211
    fbm211 Posts: 1,488
    edited May 2009
    There is a nice AT-440MLa for sale at audiogoN right now.....Link>> http://www.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?anlgcart&1248889882&/Audio-Technica-AT-440MLa
    SDA-2BTL with custom IC
    Adcom 565 monoblocks--Monarchy Audio M-10 preamp
    Theta Data Basic Transport--Stello DA100 Signature DAC--Camelot Dragon Pro2 MK III
    Harman Kardon T-55c TT
    DH Labs Q-10 Signature Speaker Cables With Furez silver plated copper bananas
    Revelation Audio Labs Prophecy Cryo-Silver Reference AES/EBU
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  • fbm211
    fbm211 Posts: 1,488
    edited May 2009
    Before I do..Just kidding.Im holding out for a AT OC9-MKII
    SDA-2BTL with custom IC
    Adcom 565 monoblocks--Monarchy Audio M-10 preamp
    Theta Data Basic Transport--Stello DA100 Signature DAC--Camelot Dragon Pro2 MK III
    Harman Kardon T-55c TT
    DH Labs Q-10 Signature Speaker Cables With Furez silver plated copper bananas
    Revelation Audio Labs Prophecy Cryo-Silver Reference AES/EBU
    Revelation Audio Labs Prophecy Cryo-Silver i2s digital cable
    4 Furutech FP-314Ag with FI-11cu Plugs/FI-11AG IECs--- Power Cords
    DH LABS REVELATIONS ICs-amps
    Revelation Audio Labs Paradise cryo-silver ICs-Source to pre
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  • cnh
    cnh Posts: 13,284
    edited May 2009
    Audiogon good place to look. Can that Carver receiver do 4 ohms and if so what is it rated...because maybe you're OK now. Don't know enough about Carvers; but they can put out some WATTAGE!

    Upgrade your phono Cartridge!

    What are you using as a source CDP/SACD? That's a consideration. 500 could get you something quite good on the 'used' market!

    cnh
    Currently orbiting Bowie's Blackstar.!

    Polk Lsi-7s, Def Tech 8" sub, HK 3490, HK HD 990 (CDP/DAC), AKG Q701s
    [sig. changed on a monthly basis as I rotate in and out of my stash]
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  • nduitch
    nduitch Posts: 316
    edited May 2009
    what about a rotel rb-911? I'm trying to get it for 300 bucks, he is asking 400.
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  • cnh
    cnh Posts: 13,284
    edited May 2009
    What is an rb-911? I can't find that on Rotel's site. It would seem to be a 2 channel power amp of some kind

    Do you mean an RB-991? Because yeah, that's a nice 200 watt/channel amp! Definitely worth it in that range!

    cnh
    Currently orbiting Bowie's Blackstar.!

    Polk Lsi-7s, Def Tech 8" sub, HK 3490, HK HD 990 (CDP/DAC), AKG Q701s
    [sig. changed on a monthly basis as I rotate in and out of my stash]
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  • Poee7R
    Poee7R Posts: 904
    edited May 2009
    george daniel wrote: »
    tube integreted

    +1892329643


    Dave
    Once again we meet at last.
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  • nduitch
    nduitch Posts: 316
    edited May 2009
    Sorry 991 rotel.
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