Hi Sd; despite what Sluggo suggests, I've never considered HQ audio a "race"-- it's a personal quest for HQ audio to me; and I've bought both new and used. D99 and Trelja(above) have pretty good lists. I'd just add Sonic Frontiers SFL-1 pre-amp-- a near classic IMO, Adcom's 600/700 DACs (used), and yes, Vandersteen 2Ce speakers. Cheers. Craig.
Best of value-based systems
As a long-time audio enthusiast, I have watched with interest as the hobby has evolved from a budget-driven search for the best sound, to a hobby that seems increasingly driven by how much expendable income one has. No offense meant to the younger 'philes with lots of techno-money, but simply buying expensive gear isn't what the audio hobby is all about. Most of my system has been assembled from used equipment, with a strong emphasis on VALUE for the dollar. Hence, I have largely eschewed "audio jewelry". I'd be very interested in hearing from others who have built systems on the concept of most "bang for the buck". What components do you think provide the maximum quality/audio return for the dollar?