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Building on a Budget

I am into tubes and vintage SS but for a college situation I would be going with an affordable class D amp some nice bookshelf speakers and a set 9f headphones and save the $$$ for after graduation that way the inevitable accident won't be tragic.
 
An old thread revivial but WTH I'll play along.

My submission for all new / towards the high end of the stated max budget would be:

1. Schiit Jotunheim pre w/the optional passive phono module (in black of course).
2. Schiit Bifrost DAC (in black as well).
3. JBL LSR305 (MKII now I've heard) monitors (Uh yeah black here too).
4. JBL LSR310S matching subwoofer (do I have to say it again ??? LOL).

Then use what's left for some decent budget minded cables (Hosa -or- Mogami most likely).

Also,all this certainly could be bought used as well,for a substantial savings vs. buying new.

Compact so it's easy to move if needed,and I know it would sound VERY good.
So this rig would be nice enough that it would be worth taking home after graduation.

FFT ~ HTH

Bret P.
 
I bought a Creative X-fi that has RCA inputs and outputs plus a bi-directional USB interface with the computer. It serves as both a DAC and an ADC if you want to do needledrops. Good value for a combined unit, and unlike most such, doesn’t make you pay for balanced microphone inputs and preamps. $125 new from Amazon

Pioneer SP-BS22LR speakers, $100 for the pair, new from Amazon.

Kenwood C1 preamp, includes a phono preamp, a tape loop for the X-fi, and a good sound. $120 from eBay.

Adcom GFA-535, 80 wpc but more like 100, excellent sound. $120 from eBay.

That leaves money for 14-gauge copper speaker wire and cheap-but-shielded RCA interconnects off Amazon.

That is the system I’m running in my office right now. It really sounds excellent—I can’t imagine a better $500 system.

Edit: didn’t realize this was a necrothread. Oh, well.

Rick “a mix of vintage and new” Denney
 
I have been fooling around with a "mini" system in my garage. It centers around a class D amp, the S.M.S.L SA-98e. It has a volume control and an on/off button and features 160 watts per channel into 4 ohms. I have a cheap RCA 4 input switcher (from Menards) that I use to select the sources (4 total), switching between 2 FM tuners, a S.M.S.L. DAC with a jump drive player and a future turntable as soon as the weather gets nicer. The turntable will have its own phono preamp. The speakers are a nice pair of DLK/1 in walnut cabinets.

I have to tell you how impressed I am with this mini system and would be perfect for a college dorm or small bedroom system.

Link for the amp: https://www.parts-express.com/smsl-sa-98e-tda7498e--stereo-amplifier-2-x-160w--230-214
 
Small and versatile like the sprout but with FM you can pair this with an inexpensive new or used amp of your choice. I think you have o add the Bluetooth adapter.

Emotiva Audio BasX PT-100 stereo preamp/DAC/tuner

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