_will_

Thanks Mike, all good here besides the impression we're in the movie The Mist. Cheers for the advice also!

Sorry for the belated reply, thanks very much guys, that's very kind of you. I'm a bit all over the place at the moment, interstate, Melbourne, Gippsland etc. I'm in the process of getting a new house, and settling down after being in a job where I had to move every 3 years minimum, so a bit of stability will be nice! I'll definitely keep you're offers in mind when I'm locked in, thanks again.

Thanks for all the great and in depth advice everyone. Really thoughtful and helpful group of people! I’m enjoying the research so far, that’s half the fun when it comes to purchases.

Hey mate, I'm east out in Gippsland. I can go to $5k most likely, though I'm always keen to be as frugal as possible initially because I have a tendency to blow out on things. I have a few options, being a man of ill repute and an aversion to responsibility, I can do what I want and set up anywhere. Options are: 3.6x4.6 which can be a closed off area; 6.8x5.6 which is an irregular hexagon due to window placement and french doors leading into the rear yard, and is open to the kitchen on the opposite end and; 7.2x8.6. which is an open combo dining living area that also opens up to the kitchen on the left side.

Awesome, these are all really insightful and detailed responses so far. I'm taking it all in and thinking further about all the options. I'm more than happy to go second hand, especially through the sale-forums of what seems to be an honest and forthcoming community like this. In terms of staying with Audioengine, I do really enjoy my A2+ on my desktop for nearfield, and the A5+ are just in a little set up in the dining room for a few records I like to pick up here and there, but I think I'd like to try out some new directions. I'm moving into a new home and it has a few more options with rooms that I can dedicate to just sitting down and listening to some good music, hence the itch to move to a larger setup. I know that once you pop you can't stop, but I'm a naive dreamer and I'd like to lock in some stuff that I can convince myself I'll be able to keep for a long time and slowly build upon, as I'm not going to have the liquidity I have now for a while. Thanks everyone for your time, I'm about to die now because it's been so hot today.

Hey thanks, I totally get what you’re saying. In my specific case, in terms of auditioning, I’m about 2.5hrs out of Melbourne, as my closest major city, so it’s quite hard to justify to check things out unless I plan for a weekend to lock some stuff in to try out for sure. Obviously I’m a sucker like everyone else to professional and semi-professional online reviews and the supposed nitty-gritty personal perspectives of buyers as well. So far in my limited perspective, I really want floorstanders, I currently have speakers in A2+ and A5+ Audioengines on my pc and another old record player, but I’m thinking of a pair of floorstanders independent from a sub and supplementary speakers, a capable but nice looking amp (heritage like VU meters haha) like the A-S1100, and a reasonable compromise on the CD side. I hear what your saying about vinyl. I have a few records, but it’s something I haven’t delved into totally and I’m more than happy to focus of CD or DAC Spotify etc. input.

Hi everyone, I've had an account for a while but I have put off delving into the audiophile life, until now. I'm interested in some advice from some more experienced members about what direction would most benefit me, within a just bought a new home budget, taking into consideration the usual over-enthusiasm of a new hobby. So far my initial low tier idea is Yamaha basic, which I know is likely not that great, though of course very cheap. Second to that I'm interested in something more refined, though I'm not sure what I should do. I really like the Yamaha A-S1100 as a base, but in terms of speakers to add, I'm interested in brand new KEF Q950 though they were ~$1950 an hour ago at this place. I'm also interested in these JBL 580 as a used option. In terms of CD I'm looking at Yamaha S700, and for a Vinyl I'm looking at Rega Planar 1. Can i get some advice as to if I'm going in the wrong direction with any of this? Thanks for your time, Will.

Thanks a lot for that recept mate. Just took it in to another store and the guy matched it on the spot. You essentially took the haggling out of the bargain for me, which was nice for a change. Cheers again. -Will-

Where do I find these receipts? And where's the best place to go in Melbourne? EDIT: Found them