This would be an easy choice for me.
1.) Speakers: Genesis Technologies Genesis V. Originally $14,500 before Genesis went out of business, the V are gorgeous, breath-taking speakers that come with their own high-end bass amp, leaving you with much more modest needs for the treble only. Now available second-hand for about $4200 to $5000 (plus shipping or pick-up, weight in the 485 pound range).
2.) Treble amp: This is a little tougher, but what wonderful choices available now! I've listened for hours to the Genesis V with Audio Research VT-150 SE monoblocks on top ($16,000 a pair, about $7200 used), but I don't think you need that much power. Almost anything in the $2500 to $4000 range (used) by Audio Research, Classe Audio, Pass, or Mark Levinson would do nicely. Think "tubes," pure class A circuitry (such as the Pass line of amps), or solid-state that is very tube-like.
3.) Front End: Keep it simple. Go for a Wadia CD player with volume control. Does the Wadia 861 provide that? Figure about $4600 used.
That's it! No preamp, no LP, no tuner. I'd focus on the main components (and the fact that I have 1600 CDs and no LPs), knowing that I could better afford to add-on less expensive items later. Whatever was left over from this imagined $15,000 windfall, I'd spend on cables.
Now THAT would be a great system for CD playback! (for me)
1.) Speakers: Genesis Technologies Genesis V. Originally $14,500 before Genesis went out of business, the V are gorgeous, breath-taking speakers that come with their own high-end bass amp, leaving you with much more modest needs for the treble only. Now available second-hand for about $4200 to $5000 (plus shipping or pick-up, weight in the 485 pound range).
2.) Treble amp: This is a little tougher, but what wonderful choices available now! I've listened for hours to the Genesis V with Audio Research VT-150 SE monoblocks on top ($16,000 a pair, about $7200 used), but I don't think you need that much power. Almost anything in the $2500 to $4000 range (used) by Audio Research, Classe Audio, Pass, or Mark Levinson would do nicely. Think "tubes," pure class A circuitry (such as the Pass line of amps), or solid-state that is very tube-like.
3.) Front End: Keep it simple. Go for a Wadia CD player with volume control. Does the Wadia 861 provide that? Figure about $4600 used.
That's it! No preamp, no LP, no tuner. I'd focus on the main components (and the fact that I have 1600 CDs and no LPs), knowing that I could better afford to add-on less expensive items later. Whatever was left over from this imagined $15,000 windfall, I'd spend on cables.
Now THAT would be a great system for CD playback! (for me)