My advice is get second hand JM Lab PS5.1. I've heard hundreds of speakers (been professionally active in audiophile gear field for a number of years) and they are probably what I'd call 'best bang for the money' (I actually don't like the expression) among all the speakers I know. Well.. they have a character. Not lot's of bass (enough for maximum 25 sq.m.room) but a very detailed and fast one. Detail and dynamics beyond what the price range of $1500 would suggest, in fact you'd have to search among much pricier speakers to find better ones in this field. Very good stereo and soundstaging. They are on the bright side of neutral and because of being so detailed (only slightly better JM Lab tweeter was used by JM Lab other manufacturers in speakers costing $50000 or more!) they can show the limitations of an amp or a source (forget bright and especially harsh sounding components) but paired with an open, smooth (!) amp (think YBA Integre or even better Sonneteer Alabaster, I'm not sure NAD c356bee is good enough I haven't heard it) and a good, warm, smooth sounding CD they can be IMO an open door to audiophile heaven :)

sam markovich wrote:

I am looking at putting together a system, my plan is a NAD c356bee integrated amp, and Marantz sa8005 cd player. I have found a Focal 807v pair used, for 450. And a wharfedale jade 3 pair demo, for 1000.
sam

I have owned several NAD amplifiers over the years from their original classic 3020 amp in the 1980s to the C326BEE and C356BEE.

I like most of them but I very much dislike the C356BEE. I don't know what is wrong with it, but it has a strange character in the bass; poor bass definition and weight. I tried it with the PSB Image T6 speakers and some Vandersteen 3A speakers, and a couple of others, and the amp just did not sound right to me (or my wife). We got rid of it. The C326BEE was MUCH better-sounding driving all of those speakers; go figure.

I suggest the Music Hall 15.3 amplifier, which is only $549 and sounds great.

sam markovich wrote:

I am looking at putting together a system, my plan is a NAD c356bee integrated amp, and Marantz sa8005 cd player. I have found a Focal 807v pair used, for 450. And a wharfedale jade 3 pair demo, for 1000.
sam

I strongly recommend the Focal speakers; especially at that price. They are a great speaker at $999, but for half that they are a steal.

With a very high sensitivity of 92 db/watt, almost any amplifier rated for 25 watts or more will be quite adequate.

I suggest that you read the Stereophile review article that was done on them.

I really wonder what would majority of listeners prefer in a blind test - a good PS 5.1 based system or a 807V one. Especially not knowing the first of the above mentioned speakers are from 90s. If you have a chance (that may be not so easy to do) audition them..