Set Ups: Set Ups: One for the ages!

[Sam-Fi]

Ok, as a fairly new member of Head-fi I have spent some hours over the last few months trying to devise a setup for myself. To put it bluntly I am not one to go out and buy the first thing I see, I would like to create myself a setup and keep it. Not have to tweak it or worry about it. I would like to build it as a project (assembling various components) over a period of time and then *gasp* listen to it! Devote many hours to listening to it that is.
As a college student, thus on a tight budget, I would like to assemble a respectable setup and keep it. Basically I am asking for your advice on a headphone and amp, cables, etc. That would give me a great! Bang for the buck system. One that I could be happy and content with for a very long time.
I look to headphones for, yes, their great bang for the buck as opposed to a speaker hi-fi system that would be very unaffordable.

Some details:
I would use it for home listening (forget portability - if it comes as a bonus that’s great - if not - that’s dandy)
I want a good bang for the buck system
I want a headphone amp and cables that are a "match made in heaven" and a good value too.
As a source I am using my computer (HP) with an option as an optical out (so you may need to throw in a DAC recommendation) though it has a sound codec that seems to be able to support hi-res flac files so I am not sure that is nessa.
I have all my good albums burned to flac on my HP but I would consider a CD or SACD player as an option.
Important: Music I listen to most: Classical - Rap/Hip-hop - Jazz - Country (wilco, ryan adams, etc) - Electronic Indy Rock (Minus the Bear, etc)
Used is cool
Emphasis goes on clarity - great sound scope - strong but not overpowering detail - I want to be able to hear separate timbres by the stroking of the instrument and the reverberation of the sound - but not the things that will distract from the performance.


To sum it up I present to you a great problem give me a setup to cherish as a good price I am setting the budget to ($1500-2500) Go wild everyone.

I sort of feel I set up the impossible. I hope I can get great knowledgeable help on this maybe your favorite setups would be a good start?

[Uncle Erik]

Um, you can get a pretty decent speaker setup for $1,500-$2,500. Have you looked around Audiogon? Planars might be a great match for you. A pair o Magnepan 1.6QRs used runs around $1,000. You can also find used Quad ESL-63 speakers for $1,000-$1,500. I got my Quads for $650. There are other bargains, too. You can even get a new pair of Magnepan MMGs for $600. Used amps are plentiful and affordable, too. So if you can do speakers, you might want to go that route. You do have enough money.

As for headphones... your options are pretty wide open. I like the Sennheiser HD-600 as an all-around headphone. They're in your budget. Amps can go many ways, but look at used ones here. Your money will go a lot further.

Skip the cables. I can't hear a difference. Just look for good construction and spend your money elsewhere.

You might also want to look at some of the less expensive vinyl rigs. You'll find a lot of music you listen to and they're a terrific source.

[RushNerd]

Originally Posted by Uncle Erik

You might also want to look at some of the less expensive vinyl rigs. You'll find a lot of music you listen to and they're a terrific source.

^^ words of wisdom.

[xkRoWx]

Woah, $2,500 and you call that a "tight budget"? I can get my dream gear for $2,500 (well, for a college student anyways)!

If I have $1,500 to spend on a set-up, I'd go for the Audio-gd Compass (with all three opamps to roll with) and a pair or two reference grade headphones, like Grado's RS-1 (or a pair of used GS-1000), AKG K701 or the Sennheiser HD650 and call it a day.

[Towert7]

Sam, only you can decide what is the best rig for what you want.

Different people prefer different presentations of the music, which I'm sure you know. What I consider to be perfect for me you may find boring, or flat out awful sounding.

Because of this, I will not directly recommend a system FOR YOU, but I will state the system that kept me VERY happy through college.

It was a Sennheiser HD650, ~350$
HeadAmp GS-1 headphone amplifier, ~900$, or less used.
MHDT labs NOS DAC, such as the Paradisea+ or Havana (with a good WE396A vintage tube). ~550 - 800$, depending on which one. Tube ~20-30$.
Cables were nothing special, just ones that were built good.

That setup sounded wonderful to me. Smooth as butter. All of the other headphones (~350-700$) I tried were merely different presentations, not what I would call an upgrade. That kept me happy for a couple of years, which was shocking. I finally upgraded to the HE60, and that was a very impressive upgrade (showed me just how good the amp and dac really were!).

This is in your budget, so I say consider it. It sure had it's unique sound signature, with the most luscious mids I've yet to hear.

Heck, 350+700(used)+550 is just 1600$, which could leave you 900$ for a nice little speaker setup since you will already have a DAC.