$50k - $80k Budget…Opinions please.

@jjss49 ignore what?

do you have reading issues?

there was not one actionable piece of advice from me in this post. I made observations, that were pretty freaking objective.

I am sorry about your unhappiness that you have to take out on other people.

@pindac 

Yes, definitely. Carefully chosen requires footwork, listening skills, reading, exposure to different systems, etc. I think each of us with many decades of experience have chosen slightly different paths to be able to evaluate equipment and systems. So, for me, I have listened to different systems for 50 years, read virtually every copy of The Absolute Sound and Stereophile over that time. Through thousands of hours discovered my own values (modified greatly with the knowledge I gained over that time) and am able to judge sound quality of equipment and the synergy they are likely to bring. 
 

This is a pursuit of passion where the time spent is enjoyable and in the long run incredibly satisfying. The great thing is, at the end of each learning / investment cycle one has a testament to what you have achieved.

Just went through the same exercise over the past few years and ended up with Focal Sopra2's each  paired with with REL S812's using baseline blue high level cable, Esoteric F-05 integrated, Esoteric K03xd, VPI Signature 21 w/ Fatboy arm, Soundsmith Paua MkII, Bob's Devices Sky 20 SUT fronting the F-05 on board phono stage, Bryston BHA-1 headphone amp, Grado PS2000e cans and a mixture of Wireworld, Nordost Shunyata and Kardas cables. Also a Miles fan, jazz/classical. Current MSRP on the above around $83K.

@95dyna It is good to see your timeline 'over the past few years', that is a good advisory. It would be good to hear of, how much foot work you put in, prior to committing to a device to be purchased.

It is also good to see your List of Interface Umbilical's. How the devices are interconnected is a critical consideration. My experiences are set in stone, this area is an evolving and ongoing trial, there is always room to extract a little more that is in line with a end users unique preferences for a sonics presentation. I have heard good things about Wireworld and will be trying out a Cable and loaning it out for further assessment in the not too distant future.

The OP will be well advised if they take up on the suggestion that a parallel experience worthwhile of encountering is to learn how changing the Umbilical Interfaces can effect the overall sonic of the system being built and that a Budget to be solely dedicated to this is best proportioned in as an early in the ventures considerations.

Footwork and Experiences $???? - Devices $?? ??? - Interface Umbilical's (Interconnects + Power) $???'s - ????'s - Supporting Structures $???'s - ????'s 

It is not too difficult to spend into the $100's and even into the $1000's creating Electrical and Mechanical Interfaces.

@ghdprentice The experience is a passion, I come to learn this many years past. I also found I was quite happy to participate in this passion with likeminded individuals, which resulted in myself developing a social side to the hobby. I am today with a numerous amounts of home visits behind me and vice - versa. I have supported many events put on for enthusiasts only (demo's being non commercial) and I am a member of a Local HiFi Group, where I met two of the founders at a forum event 200 miles away from my home, it is this group that is my most enjoyed part of HiFi over recent years, there is humour, food and there have been really good meetings put on with a opportunity to encounter selection of New Devices being made available regularly as Home Demo' Loans from a member, who is a proprietor of a HiFi Company, then there is the New Acquisitions made by Group Members and then the trickle of DIY Builds. The Group has a resident Two Generation Valve Collector, who has inherited collections from within the family, (this individual kindly loans selections of Pairs and Quad Matched Valves for Tube Rolling Experiences), who would not want to be present at a day when this is occurring. Nearly all valves in my devices today are selected as a result of this kind offer, other Group members share the same outcome as my own in relation to chosen Valves.  

@toddcowles lots of envy of your stated budget in the comments as usual, ignore that and spend what you want. The best advice as a few wise souls have mentioned comes from your original post - Harbeth and Pass is what you had and liked, the safest bet is to stick with that combo. Extrapolating from that combo’s sonic profile, if you want vinyl playback get a Linn LP12 TT and Lampizator phonostage, and if you want digital playback get an Aurender server and Lampizator DAC.

A left-field choice for something with fewer boxes would be to get the new Gryphon 333 integrated with DAC and phonostage options and their new EOS speakers. All you’d need is the TT and the Aurender and a loom of Gryphon cables and you’d have a balls-to-the-wall system for about $80K.

I mention this combo because I heard those EOS speakers with my Diablo 300 and its DAC fed by an Aurender with a loom of Gryphon cables, and the sonic fireworks had drool coming out of my mouth. Particularly noteworthy tracks were AC/DC’s "It’s A Long Way to the Top if You Wanna Rock ’n Roll" and Leonard Cohen’s "The Night of Santiago". The combo makes poor recordings listenable and good recordings great.

If you have a good Gryphon dealer in your area you’d be able to demo the whole system as any good Gryphon dealer will also carry either Aurender or Lumin, and most likely Linn or something similar.