I really tried my best to get components which were "balanced" with one too much better or worse than the other. This from price, reading a zillion posts and reviews.
I’m not sure how much of a “value” it was but the one thing I got wrong was my cart (relative to the rest of my system). Going from a Dynavector 20x2 to a VDH Crimson (got it used here so it really was a great value) put the biggest smile on my face. I improved the sound by at least 40% - maybe more.
Just moved in so once I receive my rug and curtains I'm going to measure my room for the first time and treat it as much as I can (that's the short version).