Broad, I posted a similar query back in 2006- having been a Quad listener (old Quads, aka '57's, and then Crosby Quads) since the early seventies, with a variety of tube gear and vinyl only.
I made the leap to horns, which is not as strange as it may seem. I wanted more dynamics than electrostats (at least of the Quad variety) could give me, along with the open, unboxed quality I typically associated with planars.
My choice- and I'm certainly not urging you to go that way- was an Avantgarde Duo, which is persnickity in the extreme in terms of set-up and associated gear. The extreme sensitivity of the speaker makes any level of noise or grunge in the system readily apparent and if not properly set up the speaker will not show its best face (mine are hardly shrill or strident). On the other hand, you can use low wattage, SET type tube amps (I use the Lamm) to good effect.
It has taken me some time to get my system to perform at its present level, but I'm delighted with it. I don't listen at crazy db levels, but the system can deliver that 'jump' factor when necessary. It is also remarkably lucid and unmechanical sounding. Granted, this has as much to do with the associated gear, but it is certainly an approach worth researching. You could do a used pair of this type of hybrid horn (it has an active sub) for a not unreasonable amount of money and there are any variety of low powered tube amps, ranging from DIY to used to new that might fit your budget. Since I'm all vinyl, all the time on this system, I can't speak to how well they would work with 'untamed' digital. Perhaps you could consider changes in source, but I'm not really the guy to help you on CD, DAC and the like.
Be interested to see what else folks here come up with.
I made the leap to horns, which is not as strange as it may seem. I wanted more dynamics than electrostats (at least of the Quad variety) could give me, along with the open, unboxed quality I typically associated with planars.
My choice- and I'm certainly not urging you to go that way- was an Avantgarde Duo, which is persnickity in the extreme in terms of set-up and associated gear. The extreme sensitivity of the speaker makes any level of noise or grunge in the system readily apparent and if not properly set up the speaker will not show its best face (mine are hardly shrill or strident). On the other hand, you can use low wattage, SET type tube amps (I use the Lamm) to good effect.
It has taken me some time to get my system to perform at its present level, but I'm delighted with it. I don't listen at crazy db levels, but the system can deliver that 'jump' factor when necessary. It is also remarkably lucid and unmechanical sounding. Granted, this has as much to do with the associated gear, but it is certainly an approach worth researching. You could do a used pair of this type of hybrid horn (it has an active sub) for a not unreasonable amount of money and there are any variety of low powered tube amps, ranging from DIY to used to new that might fit your budget. Since I'm all vinyl, all the time on this system, I can't speak to how well they would work with 'untamed' digital. Perhaps you could consider changes in source, but I'm not really the guy to help you on CD, DAC and the like.
Be interested to see what else folks here come up with.