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An upgrade a long time overdue

I am thinking its time for some upgrades - like the whole system.  But its been so many years, and Boards like this have become so helpful and accessible, I am turning to the Pros as it were to seek some varied and hopefully passionate advice.  

Disclaimer - I tend to buy used as I have tastes that appreciate the A/B-class but have a D-class budget, so something that used to be $8,000 new that can be gotten for say $2200 now is right on the mark.  Of course it must still be relevant and likely remain so for the next couple of years.  But age doesnt matter otherwise....

I am currently running a bryston 2B (which itself was an upgrade from a Myryad T40), with a Cal Audio dac and dynaudio countour 1.8 floor-standing speakers.  this is the guts - i use a sony blue-ray player for the occasional movie, but mostly listening to music (which is all over the place, jazz, rock, opera, classical, etc, and more recently, the dreaded Pandora channeled through the phone and a input jack)

What research I have been able to do leads me to consider opening up the sound stage with something more mixed, like a conrad johnson pv14L as pre- and the ayre v5xe, and coming forward in the age of digital, considering something like the oppo 105 but i was also thinking the nad m50 / m52 combo instead of the oppo..........and lastly all this heard through (I'm thinking) vienna accoustics beethoven baby grands

so maybe the whole thing comes in at 8k - 10k?  can I achieve 80% - 90% of this for 5k? or less even?  Is my mixology fraught with disaster?  am I missing something obvious?  

i dont know what I dont know here so please weigh in 

thanks for your consideration and insights
jammer66
lowrider57's avatar
lowrider57
5,417 posts
 
Agree that a good DAC is the first step, but before you commit to it, tell us if you are interested in streaming or computer audio. There are some fine streamer/DAC units available that can access Tidal and there are also music servers.
Oppo now offers a DAC & Network Streamer.
jammer66 OP
10 posts
 
I dont think I want to introduce a computer and computer based feeds to this.  Looking forward arent we headed more to a wireless and cloud based environment?  Streaming (a la Pandora or Spotify, currently sourced through the android phone) or the occasional movie (eg netflix, etc....and there is a roku-cable box-Sony blu ray player combo with the tv that feeds into the amp aux) is more like it.  

I should listen to my cd collection more - but they are mostly representative of the older sampling methods so somewhat obsolete/incomplete.  They are elevated by the Cal Audio CL-10 I am using now.  

So the digital upgrade is all about upping the game from the CL-10 and Sony players 

BTW - I have a second set up thats runs the NAD 3020, and Mirage 490 speakers, that I think will go.  And keeping the 2B and contours 1.8 for that second system, with the CL-10.  
jammer66 OP
10 posts
 
apologies btw...all along I've been referring to the Bryston as the 2B....I'm own the B60R....but demoing a friends 2B....well you get the idea...anyway its embarrassing .... 
lowrider57's avatar
lowrider57
5,417 posts
 
I should listen to my cd collection more - but they are mostly representative of the older sampling methods so somewhat obsolete/incomplete. 

This is the area where you can benefit most from an upgrade. Modern digital technology has improved the old Redbook format by leaps and bounds. A high quality DAC mated with a transport, such as Cambridge or PS Audio, now reveals detail in CD's never before possible. There are so many threads now stating how members are enjoying the sonics coming from those silver disks.

If you have a large CD collection, then maybe you should head in this direction.
Multibit DACs are able to process 16/44 Redbook in its native form and the result is a more natural, realistic sound from digital.
DSD capabile DACs can process SACD and hires files resulting in excellent SQ.





gdnrbob
4,447 posts
 
I am in thrall with streaming music, at the moment.
So much is changing that I am hesitant to invest in an ultimate solution, so I opt for what gives me the best reproduction for the least amount of money. Hence, the Ayre Codex. 
I use it between a Bluesound Node and my preamp. I can't find anything else for the money that gives me the flexibility and sound quality.
B
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