i am not an electrical engineering expert. any recommendations on a receiver, speakers, and set-up that will play rock music well on my home stereo for a couple thousand bucks or less? i especially like to hear some good drums

to learn this stuff, here's what i did once:

i went into Pro Musica, which is a really over-the-top stereo equipment shop down on clark st. in chicago, and pretended to be a really rich and ignorant Lincoln Park audiophile. i went into a little room with a guy and told him that "my dad owes me a really nice birthday present this year, and i told him it would be a lot, but he gave in."

"how much is your idea of a lot?" the salesman asked.

"about 25 grand," i said.

"we can work with that," he said, and promptly took me downstairs to the "let's treat this customer seriously" stereo section.

playing the ignorant part really helped, because it meant (to him) that i didn't know the difference between tube and solidstate equipment, so he hooked up both, and i listened to the differences. also, he hooked up a Naim system, which i personally wouldn't waste money on (even if i had it), to some Electrostatic speakers, and later plugged in some sub-woofers, and also showed me the difference between a cd player that cost $2,500 and one that cost $4,000. there was a difference...but it sure as hell wasn't worth that kind of money.

i brought along 3 cds--one excellent recording ("the blackened air"), one "decent" recording (i forget), and then one pretty bad recording ("master of reality"), for purposes of comparison. to best play the part of the young ignoramus, i left my records at home, which i wish i had brought, but, whatever.

the salesman has a lot to do with shaping your opinion of the sound, if you really ARE ignorant. he told me that it was "obvious" that "the blackened air" had been digitally recorded, because "it's kind of grainy". it was hard to keep a straight face, but i managed. what was obvious to me what that he just wanted to present the "fact" that it was the recording that was flawed, not the equipment.

later on, he pulled out a cd which he said he wanted to play "just for kicks". he was trying to conceal it, but i was looking for it, and i noticed a "Naim" logo on it...of course, every track had been engineered, mixed, and mastered to sound as good as possible...ON THAT SYSTEM ONLY. and it sounded more fantastic than anything else i brought--that's the point. it makes everything else sound like shit. and i think that's abominably deceptive, but...that's the way it goes.

at all events, the reason why i went there, and did this, and spent two hours listening to the same three tracks, was because i wanted a good point of reference. it's easy to go to a lower-end hi-fi shop and pick out a relatively cheap stereo system that will sound good once you know the little tricks. i would advise to spend more on your receiver, and get your other components a little more cheaply. don't get a shit turntable,
though--cheaper companies can go out of business and pretty soon you're reduced to buying a radio shack replacement stylus. and, setting up the speakers at proper angles to where you mainly sit while listening to records is a HUGE part of getting a better sound. my stereo system is the worst one i've ever owned--but i still get better sound out of it than some of my friends' more expensive systems, just because i set the speakers up "right". but in the end, it's all subjective, just like musical taste.

sorry for not recommending brand names or anything, i personally would choose whichever brand was the best quality for your budget.

hope this helps to some degree...

regards, jet.

I use a basic 3-cd changer/2-cassette deck/AM/FM radio unit I bought at Price Club about 5 years ago. Just recently I was bicycling down a street and a yard sale was ending, and this guy was throwing out this ancient Sears Turntable/cassette/radio combination, along with these 3-foot tall speaker cabinets, so I grabbed them. The turntable didn't work too well so I junked it, but I took the speakers and hooked them up to the system I'm running right now... but the three foot tall cases only hold a single speaker each, which are probably only about 8 inches wide.

Needless to say, I don't know much about audio electronics, so it's kind of ironic that I'm even on this forum in the first place; therefore I am not able to give you any recommendations. Still, what I have works well enough for me, in any case.

that shit about pro musica is pretty funny

that place is hilarious

i have also heard that 'fabulous' naim setup and was repulsed just as you were, sir

in the chicago area, i can recommend audio consultants for most things

good place, not especially snobby, real tolerant of people assembling systems on a budget

scott at audio consultants in evanston is already pretty familiar w/nina nastasia, as 'dogs' is the main thing i play when i have to try something out

a couple thousand dollars will buy you some ok stuff if you buy used--ac has lots of used stuff at all their stores

before i spent way too much money on my stereo, i had an arcam integrated amp that i liked just fine

i still have my arcam cd player

it's pretty decent stuff--they have expensive stuff and less expensive stuff. the 'alpha' line was the less expensive line when i bought my things. i preferred arcam to NAD and rotel and those guys.

for speakers, you should probably deal with bookshelfs, as you won't be able to get good big speakers

the cheapest b+w speakers are the 300 series, which may or may not be any good

the 600 series is pretty all right--actually, you might be able to get largish 600-series b+ws for not too much

i have some mission bookshelfs that i've always liked, and they were not expensive at all

the lowest-grade music hall turntables are still pretty good

check out audiogon.com to get an idea of used prices--i've bought and sold on audiogon w/success

I had the B&W 300 series, upgraded to the 600. Don't have alot of cash and am very happy with my choice. Running a late 70s sony solid state amp that I stole from my parents. Not bad, not bad at all.

i also have a late seventies solid state amp/tuner that i stole from my parents (yamaha natural sound) and i have to say that in my expirience it's a really cheap way to get decent sound. i, being a college student, can't afford a mcintosh tube amp or raja turntable. and until i can i'll stick with my pl-518. i'd rather keep my cheap, o.k. sounding equipment than spend thousands on equipment that is mediocre by audiophile standards. besides, it doesn't really make sense to listen to crass or the birthday party on a $5,000 turntable.

NAD.

for your needs, i would most certainly go with Cambridge Soundworks speakers. best price/performance ratio for home stereo. hifi.com. i sound like an ad. adios.

I concur on the B&W speakers; they are hands down the best sound for the money. There is also a Scottish company named Linn Audio that makes the best home subwoofer around. As for the receiver, I can't say. I hate the one I bought. I’ve heard good things about Mark Levinson.