Help me spend $100,000 on a new system

@skyscraper great post and fun to think about.  First of all you've built a great system (and not just saying that because of our shared good taste).  The law of diminishing returns is very real IMHO, and you'll have a tough time getting more than a few % improvement over what you have with this budget.  If you did pick up some more space a bigger Magico (A5 or S3/S5) would serve you well.  Looking outside of that line others have suggested Joseph Audio, YG and those are worth a look.  If I were upgrading my Luxman gear for my Magico's I'd be considering Accuphase, Gryphon and maybe D'Agostino.  

My initial thought was much like others, focused on the room and ensuring a dedicated listening space.  If nothing else I might collect some rare first edition vinyl.  

But I'm going to take the conversation in a different direction that no one has picked up on.  You mentioned in your original post the possibility of a Mercedes convertible.  If you have no toy/fun car today than my unequivocal vote is to buy that, paired with your current system.  

 

Donate the $100k to a reputable charity. You have a fine system, a d giving the money away to a worthy cause can give you greater pleasure than perceived improvements in sound quality to aging ears that will soon lose ability to discriminate nuances.

 

1. Find a good audio dealer in your area. 2. Pay attention to what he/she/they tell you. 3. Enjoy your new system. (remember: $100K doesn't go as far now as it did when you were young and had better hearing!)

@skyscraper 

I optimized my analog chain - VPI Avenger, VDH Grail SB (a used sonic bargain), Kuzma 4point (great price/performace, many rave reviews), Schroeder CB-L, and a few top carts.  But trying to get digital to a high level seemed financially daunting.

The top DACs like from MSB, Lampizator, Wadax, Aries Carat, were way out of my price range. The musical Playback Designs Dream DAC was my someday target, but was bummed at their subsequent price increase.  But then read the review of the Linn Klimax DSM/2 with the Organik DAC upgrade here so I purchased it for $12.5k - feels like I got a fantastic sonic bargain sonically competing with top DACs. 

@skyscraper 

Guess I’ll touch on cables as researching that can be very daunting.  
For interconnects, I choose Siltech Classic mostly from this review here where the reviewer seem surprised at how good they sounded and that they were extremely transparent.  However, subsequent Hijiri reviews especially on Agon here seem like their “million” line is a great choice and somewhat affordable.  

Not to mention when I carried my heavy Luxman amp and Magico A3’s up a flight of stairs to my listening room a couple years ago it was a near death experience.

@skyscraper 

With spinal generation my heavy lifting days are over. I’m now fighting to keep mobile so me and my wife can travel upon her retirement. Arrange for others to do the heavy lifting.

The Joseph Audio Pearl Graphene sounds great - a good choice to demo as I heard them on several occasions. At the time, they were above my price point. Last year at AXPONA I narrowed my search to the Magico A5 or the Rockport Atria. In show conditions (poor hotel room conditions often make speakers sound way below their potential) the A5 sounded clearer on the top while the Atria sounded whole but recessed. After the show, I spoke with my dealer and mentioned I loved the sound of the demo Vimberg Mino D, but it was out of my price range as the “D” was the diamond tweeter upgrade at $10k+. I love high notes (violin, bells)so my dealer negotiated the price down while I “conveniently” increased my budget so now I own them. If possible, maybe check out Vimberg as well - very positive reviews, it’s the Toyota while their sister/parent company Tidal speakers are like Lexus. Like Magico, it’s a Herculean effort to eliminate cabinet resonances

I don’t have any experience with tubes so probably will stick with SS.

Oops!  I missed this when you posted it.

I think you ought to just maybe give them a listen before you rule them out.  They really are not all that complicated and with the disposable funds you are talking about you could do yourself right in the tubular regards. And who knows?  You are seem to be looking for a change from what you are listening to presently (as good as I bet it sounds!), and a real top notch tube system might be the change you are looking for.

 

He doesn't want to deal with tubes. Another point, after choosing speakers, is whether to go with integrated or separates. Boulder 866 is about $16k, I think, and Gryphon Diablo 333 about $25k without optional dac and phono stage. DartZeel is probably even more expensive and D'Agostino Momentum would be out of reach. Some mentioned Audionet. Accuphase is about $25k, I guess, for both class A and top class AB integrated. What else..? Nagra, Soulution, Vitus. Quite a choice.

One word...horn.

We are born, play abit, and we die, can’t take it with us. If I were you I’d get the JBL Everest 67000. You can even use whatever upstream equipment you have for awhile to figure out next step. If 80k on speakers are abit over the top, try their K2 then. Still beryllium compression drivers.

Everyone like different sound, sure. But I’d wager that , all of us audio lovers, if given an option of whether we like our system to sound as close to the real live events we are listening, we’d mark that checkbox.

Dynamism is the key to sounding real. Horn+beryllium is one of the combo that’s closer to that than anything (to me).

 

Mike, here's what I would do if I started over in my space with all I learned over the last few years and knowing the impact it had in my room (and in my opinion that's a huge variable for your new space)

Turntable - I have a Rega P8 at the $100k system I'd go for the Rega P10 or their new Rega Naia.  I'd get the Rega Aura Phono stage.  I'd go this route because it's a good value and hard for me to screw up.  (PS: I'd also get an Audio Desk record cleaner)

Preamp/Amp I'd go tubes with ARC 6SE and 160S.   I do prefer the simplicity of solid state so I'd be more likely to go with Moon's new 891 and 861.  Note this would introduce digital to the system .  (If that's a no go I'd go Boulder)

Speakers - I'd go for the Sonus Faber Amanti G5

I'd also spend money on Isolation (HRS SXR), interconnects I like Kimber Kable and have been impressed with Nordost) and power management with Shunyata. 

The funds remaining would be on some room treatments and good glassware to drink beer and whiskey while I listen to tunes.

There's no way to purchase a complete system for someone else, best thing would be spend a little of that money to make a dedicated listening room, and I would do that with double layer drywall and green glue between the layers.  Measure the room so you don't have any excessive standing wave problems at the same frequency from all three directions.  
 

Then take what you have into that room and see how it sounds to you, if something bothers you, then you upgrade it, if nothing bothers you, then you don't buy anything.  

 

Spend some of the money to invite parents with children from your neighborhood and show them what it is to have a beautiful stereo sound, it's something that most people have never heard, you are in the Audio .01%. 

Command Performance is always a good option when visiting the DC area.  Another one close by is Deja Vu Audio.  I’ve bought from both and both have good selections, nice rooms to audition, and friendly and knowledgable staff.

I spent $100k on new windows, sidings, pavillion and pavers. If i had ro give it all up, my NAD would stay.

@skyscraper  , sorry about that--SET = single ended triode.  As opposed to push-pull.

I am not very tech minded, but here is a page from Wiki describing the SET circuit.

 

Here is Cary's latest description of the 805s

Here's a Stereophile review from '98 on the Cary 805s

 

jallan, I think I might have missed answering your post. That’s an excellent suggestion to visit Command Performance in Falls Church to listen to the Gryphon Diablo on Magico A3s. I will do it on my next trip up that way. My new house will definitely have a larger listening room so I’m thinking better speakers will be in order, if nothing more than going higher up the Magico line.

kennyc, moving up the Magico line is a possibility. I’m not familiar with YG’s so will have to look them up. I’d like to hear some other pricey speakers too and may do some traveling up to Pennsylvania to check out the Joseph Audio line there.. That’s the closest dealer for them to here in Roanoke last I looked. I’ll look into the Audionet Humbolt line you suggest as well.

marco1, I commiserate with you on how annoying constantly changing records on a turntable is. Glad someone replying here is a bit older than me. And coincidentally I just came in from my daily half mile walk, so we have something in common. Not to mention when I carried my heavy Luxman amp and Magico A3’s up a flight of stairs to my listening room a couple years ago it was a near death experience.

I don’t think I’d ever want to part with my records and CD’s though, however inconvenient they may be.

hsounds, thank you for all your suggestions. I’m adding the to the list of components to check out. Sounds like you have some nice equipment.

immatthewj, it is amazing when you hear a system like you describe. When I purchased my Dahlquist DQ10 speakers back in the seventies I went to one New York Audio Society meeting the dealer invited me to. Ill never forget the realism of the system I heard at that meeting.

I’m unfamiliar with the "SET stuff" you reference but will Google it.

12many, I will be stating from scratch room wise if I sell my home. If I don’t I’m perfectly happy with the equipment and room I’ve got.

macg19, I’ll reread laoman post. I must have misread it. I’ll look into the equipment you mention you’re using too. Thanks for the heads up.

Mike

@skyscraper

The obvious component update would be your speakers. What’s your room size? - want to make sure you choose the right size speaker.

When choosing my first high-end system, After deep research, I demoed to the best speakers I could find at dealers and audio shows. Speakers that consistently resonated with me were Magicos and YG. I’ve demoed the Magico A3 but it was much lighter sounding likely due to smaller drivers. Perhaps if you like Magico then move up their product line. The S3 got a recent update so when I heard them they sounded better than the S5, sounded more like their M level speakers.

For electronics, the Audionet Humboldt is my budget choice whose sonics competes with the very best.

OP - I’m a few years older than you but did something similar in one way but possibly different from what you’re planning in another. First off, I sold all of my “big dedicated room expensive stuff” including my turntable. Not because I didn’t like it or had the money to do even more, but because I enjoy and now have plenty of time exploring something new and different in audio. I then set up a smaller, dedicated listening area where I do nothing but stream. Quite frankly I finally just got tired of the ritual of playing records. Plus I’ve found that digital these days is pretty darn good and considering your loss of hearing as you age, is more than good enough at this point in life. Also after listening to (and playing) music for more than 60 years, I’m learning so much more about music then I ever had the time or ability to devote to before. Now I have a much smaller club like studio atmosphere where every thing is in easy reach of my listening position. My daily exercise is hiking with my dog, not changing records. Finally, in my smaller, more intimate listening area, I can reduce the size, weight and cost of my speakers (and certain other electronics) and still have at least the same but mostly better results. Plus the big screen is still around for the grandkids who could care less if my DAC sounds as good as what I used to have.

Hey, You have really nice components. I would upgrade a couple of things like your speaker cables. I like Cardas, but try before you buy. Make sure your cartridge is setup correctly in the VPI. I would go with a tube preamp like a VAC or an Audio Research Ref 6se. Make sure it is SE version. It will work better with SS amp.  You can use the amp in your Luxman  integrated or go to the Luxman M10X amp.  The most important thing before you swap any equipment in your new place is treat the room. Probably $20k or less. Acoustic Fields. This will make a Bluetooth speaker sound amazing. Maybe, just maybe the room treatments are all you need. I am not a fan of Mark Levinson preamps. They convert all to digital even the phono. Total of everything above is about $80k. Maybe you get a couple subs and have them setup properly in the room. The best thing about the system above is you can listen at very low volume with full dynamics. I have Ref 2se with a Luxman M10X and Revel Studio2 speakers and two JL Audio F110 subs with the external JL Audio CR1 crossover. I can listen to my system on volume 1 out of 100. At 5 out of 100 I have full range of sound. My speakers are not efficient. Maybe 86db at 3.78 ohms. Similar to your speakers. I hope this helps. 

but do know some sound more three dimensional, almost in person live

@skyscraper , if I had the financial where with all, this would be my goal also.

As it is, I know my limitations, and for that reason have never tried to listen to anything that I knew I couldn't have.  I am not saying that logic is good for everyone, but I know myself, so I know that hearing something that was approaching The Holy Grail would not be good for me.

Earlier in this thread I alluded to a work friend of mine who, going on 30 years ago, bought a pair of Cary 805s and some other gear.  I never went over to his place to listen to the system that he bought because I felt the need to be happy with what I had at the time.  But what he was always telling me was that "It is like being there."

And that is what I have always heard about the SET stuff, particularly the higher powered SET stuff, and for that reason, if I could afford to buy it, I think I would want to find a way to hear it in action.

On another note, getting into the later '90s, after I had made a few equipment upgrades, I bought some NOS tubes to retube the new stuff with from Andy at Vintage Tubes.  In the course of a few conversations via telephone, we wound  up discussing gear.  I remember him speaking almost orgasmically about what 200 watts of pure class A push pull power sounded like.  I remember him using the term "liquid fire" somewhere in that conversation.   Tht would also be something I would like to hear if I could afford to buy it.

@mahgister I always enjoy your posts and find them insightful.

@skyscraper Congrats. It is hard for others to build your system because it depends on the type of sound you like and the music you listen to. Big money can be spent on a system that does not pair well with your music style or taste for sound profile.  There is great advice in this thread. I would spend some on improving your room both the acoustics and just to make it a place you really enjoy being. I am fighting my room right now even though I have spent a good bit of money on components.  My next spend will be on room treatment. Plus, for me, part of the enjoyment is being in a clean, comforting, relaxing space.

I would not start from scratch, but swap out a few things. I would also hold some money back for upgrades down the road to improve the sound or mix it up. I also encourage you to try streaming. It opens up such a vast amount of new tracks, again, part of the fun at least for me.

Good luck and keep us posted on your progress.

Mike, to clarify, laoman wasn't recommending the Parasound JC3 phono stage, quite the opposite.

Personally, I use the Goldnote PH10 with their PSU 10 linear power supply which I think is very good for around $3K and will run pretty much any MC/MM cart. It has balanced XLR outputs which I was only recently able to utilize with my new BAT VK 3500 and the difference between RCA and XLR was significant (I a/b tested exactly the same brand/model of cable in both RCA and XLR).

 

FWIW I have been told by several high-end audio dealers that I would have to spend roughly double to beat the Goldnote. Others here may have a different opinion of course.

ronres, it’s hard to state conceptually what I’d like to accomplish. What I can do is listen to some of the higher priced equipment some of you are suggesting and then figure out how and why it is sounding better or not. then figure out if the improvement in sound is worth the financial outlay. I haven’t heard a lot of higher end systems, but do know some sound more three dimensional, almost in person live and that’s a direction to move towards. Dealing with room size, design and acoustics will push me in that direction as well as buying better recorded CD’s and records.

Thanks for your thoughtful reply.

bobby phischer, I’ll look into the brands you recommend. I did start my audi0phile journey with JBL speakers, their original (now reissued) Century 100’s if I’m remembering the model correctly

laoman, I’ll look up the Parasound JC3 phono stage you recommend. Thanks.

macg19. I’ll definitely pursue synergistic equipment as a number of you have suggested, and can hopefully avoid expensive mistakes by asking advice and careful research.

inna, some more excellent advice from you, thanks. I usually avoid used, but it’s hard to imagine how cables could be misused, so probably a safe bet there outside of possibly getting fakes. $25 -$40,00 sounds like a pretty good price range for speakers to demo. I agree with your idea of seeking brand names with a good track record, especially thosr that have been around a while, and not too esoteric.

mapman, I’ll look up those MBL Omnis, as well as the KEF’s and Ohms you mentioned. Thanks

terry9, I love DIY, but am afraid of getting in over my head with audio gear, and auto mechanics for that matter. I wish they taught those subjects when I was school age. I will hang onto to those cables as you suggested earlier.

crustycool, I’ll check ino omnidirectional and dipole speakers as you suggest. Any particular models you might recommend looking into? I would like a bigger room next time than my current 14 x 28 with 12/12 pitch cathedral ceilings, so yours is a good idea in that regard.

loomisjohnson, at 71 I’m also not into the saving for the future approach either, or avoiding risk taking. At age 71 the future is now, so why not go for it. A high end DAC sounds like a good idea. Any suggestions in that regard. 

Again, thanks all for every ones replies,

Mike

 

Hi Mike,

What an exciting project!

Since you already have an elaborate system, I assume you have a good understanding of the kind of sound you like for the kind of music you listen to.

Perhaps you could triangulate from the sound of your current system. If you could imagine your system doing something different or sounding a different way, how would you like to improve it? How would you describe what it is not doing that you would like to do? How do you imagine improving its sound in concept?

I'd go with some Japanese "minimalist" audiophile style, like JBL Paragon and Shindo gear etc ...

Thx @laoman I decided to stop at 2 fairytales 

"Phono stage is also easy Parasound JC3+ phono. $2200 don’t laugh for this system it will be perfect. It beats phono’s I heard for quadruple the price."
If your ears are made of tin then this is possibly true.

Lot’s of great advice here, including maybe save half for a rainy day or an impromptu adventure.

This is not good advice, IMHO.

Assuming 7% taxes we have 15k left for vinyl. This is easy your cartridge will be an Hana Umami Red for 3950… you won’t beat it unless you spend over 10-20k and it will barely be beat! It’s my favorite cartridge.

It may be someone’s favorite cart but it can be beat for the same money, never mind 10-20K. (Not a Hana hater - I enjoyed the $1200 Hana ML for a year or so and sold it for $700)

and neither is this...

Turntable I would get a Rega planar 10 for $6345. You won’t beat that beast unless you spend over 25-100k.

Your current VPI/Lyra is likely equal or better.

My dealer who sells Million dollar systems and sells Rega and Clearaudio would not let me buy the in-stock P10. He told me to wait a few weeks and get a ClearAudio for $2500 less, which I did. Conversely, the Technics SL-1000RE at $20K is likely one of the best in that proposed price range that eclipses the P10 and my CA, (Just one example)

Also, be open to tube and SS amplification. I made the mistake of being stuck on tubes and bought speakers that didn't play well with a $17K tube amp. A $12K SS integrated made the speakers work as they should. Synergy is key, and my mistakes were expensive.  

skysraper, there really are almost infinite possibilities, and $100k can buy truly excellent sound. Choose your speakers first, something that you wouldn’t want to replace for the next 20 years. Take your time with that. The rest will be easier if not easy. I would probably audition $25k-$40k new speakers with good SS amplification. This is quite a range, I know. The brand you get should have a high reputation in terms of warranty and repair work after the warranty expires. You don’t want any problems with this. I would buy all the cables demo or used unless you must have something particular that is impossible to find. Great cables and cords are usually outrageously overpriced. Frankly, I don’t know what I myself would choose at this level, the biggest challenge would be to find those near perfect speakers for many years to come.

At this point I’m really only wanting to hear what $100.000 can buy and sound like.

It’s probably a fair assumption that anything reputable you buy for that money should be very good, in which case the end results will be determined largely by personal preferences (everyone is different here) and how well executed the system is end-to-end, including room, no matter what path is chosen.

Main thing is to enjoy what you are doing at all times, both along teh ride and once you reach the destination.

Were it me making that investment, I would be probably be seeking to have a large room that would be amenable to a nice pair of mbl omnis and go from there.

In lieu of just the right room needed for best results from full omnis like the mbl, I’d probably either stick with my large Ohms, or might consider splurging on a pair of KEF meta blade 1 or 2s. I might even settle for a pair of KEF Reference 3 meta for ~ $15K and optimize for those upstream. This is actually something currently on my radar screen, but so far I can’t justify the additional investment and overhead of another pair of fairly large and heavy speakers. I’ve actually downsized in recent years and when I compare what I have to that ideal, I find I am in a very good place for a lot less cost and operational overhead.

Cheers and good luck!

mapman, I fortunately know how to build, having built my current 3000 square foot home myself, and should be able to buy a house that will either suit any equipment I might demo and really like, or can be modified to do so. That’s kind of backwards from buying equipment to suit a given room, but fortunately easy pickings having some carpentry skills.

At this point I’m really only wanting to hear what $100.000 can buy and sound like. I could head in a completely different direction, as I am happy with my current system and home, albeit it's way bigger than I need with my wife having passed, and ten acres is a lot to keep up anymore, making me consider downsizing.

terry9, I’d especially like to read that Absolute Sound article on room construction. If anyone knows what issue of Absolute Sound it was in that would helpful.

Ron, thanks for your recommendation on your Rockport Avoirs. I’ll look into them.

Mike

Sounds like you might be pretty good with your hands. Consider DIY - much higher performance, much more fun.

@skyscraper 

I would say to that your amplifier choice will depend alot on what speakers you decide on. I have Rockport Avior ii speakers and would highly recommend an audition. Good luck with your search and have fun! 
 

Regards 

Ron 

My suggestion is "hang onto those cables." Cables are the least bang for buck and tend to be system-specific. Make any new cables show their superiority in your new system at your convenience. IMO

As for the room, there was a feature about 4 years ago in Absolute Sound or Stereophile on construction technique, which I mostly followed. Also, dimensions matter, down to the fraction of an inch.

There's all kinds of snake oil about dimensions from the usual suspects, very definitely including equipment manufacturers. But the real deal has ben done by the famous acoustician Cox, at the University of Salford (UK). His results are available there - basically, he says that 80% of rooms are bad, 18% are OK, and 2% are good. I built according to his specs, and the results are excellent. I now have the best room I've ever heard.

Good luck. YMMV

If you are advertising spending $100k there is a good chance there are a few dealers or other high end industry affiliated folks around here licking their chops and offering “unbiased” advice. So be aware of that.

Also the people advising to not change anything until you know what you have in a new house and room are absolutely correct. You can’t know how anything will in fact sound there until you are there and listening. Anything is possible including ending up with your dream system for a lot less. Make one change at a time and the room and it’s acoustics will likely be a big one up front that does not change again.

I am also older and approaching retirement. I want the best sound and a system that is physically manageable. That means smaller and simpler is better. That’s just me but worth considering. Would you really want to deal with a large heavy bulky and hard to manipulate bunch of gear at this point that $100k could easily buy? Good things can come in smaller packages. Just something to consider perhaps.

@curiousjim A5 had light bass still it won’t be a big improvement 

ddgtt, thanks for your equipment suggestions. I will look into each. Do you really think the current VPI Classic 2 turntable will cut the mustard in a hundred thousand dollar system? When I was asking advice about getting my current Kleos Lyra cartridge a lot of folks criticized the VPI Classics. I still like it in my current system, but I’m hardly an expert in this type of thing, just a partially educated consumer. Thanks,

Mike.

Let me suggest an audio system that is tried and true and will give you amazing realism and involvement!

Vivid Audio Giya G3s2 - $43,000; Audionet WATT integrated amplifier with built-in phono stage - $21,100; Mola Mola Tambaqui DAC - $13,500; Kubala-Sosna Sensation Cables (spkr, IC) - aprox $14,900; Kubala-Sosna Emotion S/PDIF cable - aprox $1,800:  Total cost - $94,300.

Continue to use your Marantz CD/SACD player for playing SACDs and run a digital cable out to the new DAC for standard CD. Continue to use your existing VPI turntable. The total cost gives you extra money if any of the cables need to be longer than standard cables (2.5 m for spkr cable, 1.0 m for IC and Digital cable) and if you want to get upgraded power cables (2.0m Sensation is $2,350 each).

This is a system that will keep you excited to listen to everyday!

 

yysantabarbara- thank you for your suggestions. I’ll look up each of them.

Inna, nice to hear from you again. I’m not sure what I plan to do yet. But I would like to listen to a system at a show or dealer showroom that would add up to approximately $100,000 in equipment and hear what it sounds like. That’s an awful lot of money to spend. Since the law of diminishing returns applies to stereo equipment as you spend more, I’d like to hear what I could expect get with with that large a sum. I had planned to keep my current set up permanently. But this is essentially found money so I can spend it freely if I think the sound is that much better. Maybe it won’t be significantly better at that price point, who knows?

I don’t have any experience with tubes so probably will stick with SS. I also need to figure out how to allocate the funds. I used percentage of funds per component suggested by PS Audio’s founder last time around.

joeyv- i do like doing research so it will be fun, not a headache to do so. Maybe one or more of my current components could make the cut into a $100,000 system, but I’m guessing not. I could be easily wrong though, having never listened to any equipment in that price range.

mdalton, sorry I missed the Capitol Audio Show such a short time ago. I will look up the equipment you mentioned and hopefully find that same room at whatever show I do get to go to.

yoyoyaya, I’ll check out the Esoteric CD player you suggest. Any specific turntables or cables that might fight my budget?

ronboco, the Gryphon Diablo 300 has had some good reviews and might be a good choice. Knowing my bottom line, how much do you think I should budget for a new amp.

asvjerry, I’ll do my be to spend the money the taxman leaves wisely.

deep_333, you could very well be right about $100,000 of equipment not sounding much better. I’d like to take a listen though to some suggested components and determine that for myself, hence this thread. I heard a very nice system, better than mine, at the house of the dealer who set up my new VPI Fatboy tonearm and Lyra Kleos cartridge, but have no idea how much that system cost.

brewerslaw, thanks for the produdt brand suggestions.

kerrybh, I will check out the Magico S5 you suggested and the DAC you like. Thank you for addressing my6 initial questions directly. I appreciate that.

retiredfarmer, our outlook is similar and appreciated.. The family will get all the equipment, house, and everything else when I go, so why not reap the benefits of a lifetime of hard work myself first. I will check out your suggestions too. Thanks.

jomonhifi, I just got back from Florida visiting family Monday. Next visit there it wouldn’t be too hard to go a little farther south to Miami. Thanks for the suggestion.

mahgister- appreciate the need to study up and thoroughly plan. Appreciate your suggestions. At this point I’m only trying to gat a ballpark idea of what this kind of money can by to determine if it’s worth pursuing. Next up is doing the things you suggest all of which sound quite reasonable.

overthemoon, thanks for your specific suggestions.

pennfootball71- thank you for addressing my initial question exactly with definite suggestions to check out. I do appreciate that and will look into each component.

curiousjim. Will do

hilde45, I’ll look up Audio Note as you suggest.

Thank you all again for your input. Hope i addressed everyone.

Mike

i don't really get all the folks tsk-tsking  and discouraging you from spending your own hundred grand. that said, if the objective is to improve your system (as opposed to merely wanting to purchase new gear for its own sake), i'm with the fix-the-room-first crowd--you'll get much more significant improvement from sound treatments etc. than from, say, upgrading your turntable. after that, i would also advise getting a high end dac and a streamer (either separates or a combo). you might also explore adding a sub to your magicos--even though the magicos extend very low you might hear a more dynamic, spacious presentation--worth a trial.

I think the biggest return on additional investment will come from getting speakers with an entirely different approach to sound presentation, like an omnidirectional speaker or dipole, but only if your new residence accomodates such a speaker.  You need something like an 18' x 30' room, with a solid wall  for balanced reflection.  Then, I would look at German Physiks Borderland IV, about a third of your budget.  Your existing amp will drive it but if you want to really go for it, try a pair of McIntosh MC-3500/II monoblocks.  People here love the Atma-Sphere MP 3.3 preamp.  Does anyone need more than a Technics 1210GR?  

I will throw in a further two cents. I would keep your Magicos if you like them. If you’re downsizing your house, you may not benefit from a larger speaker in a smaller room. Much as you like your Luxman, I think you could improve your electronics. At the Capital Audio Fest, the Command Performance room featured the new Gryphon integrated amp running your speakers, and the sound was glorious. The Gryphon has more oomph than your Luxman. Your location is great in that you can easily visit Command Performance in Falls Church, and can directly compare the Gryphon vs the Luxman on the A3’s in the store, as they are a dealer for all. I’d give Jeff a call there. They also carry Doshi, so if you wanted to compare top tube equipment, you can do so. 
 

The second recommendation would be to look at power management. Command Performance carries Audioquest, and investing in one of their Niagara systems with new power cords might be worthwhile. As you like Audioquest (I have the Gibraltar with DBS speaker cable myself), you might up your game there in both speaker cable and interconnects.

Finally, I agree that you should check out streaming. It’s been a game changer for me. Aurender makes streamer/Dac combos that are really great with an easy to use software control on an iPad. Command Performance is a dealer there, too.

 

 The above changes could be $50-60K, allowing you to use the rest for a number of Wagyu beef dinners with great wine. Jeff could also consult with you regarding your room.  Good luck! (Jeff is the owner)

Hi Mike:

I'm presently working on prototype audio cabinets as I've started a bespoke furniture company after 40 years in insurance. I've been making fine furniture for over 33 years. My firm's initial niche is for those wanting beautiful furniture that accommodates the need for air flow from components, incorporating the client's desired isolation devices [as appropriate] while housing an audiophile system for the "living room". Others have mentioned downsizing to me as I've explored such a need and there may be times where a change in one's abode deletes the [previous] primary listening area in a "man cave".

 

Reach out to me if you are in such circumstances and would like to explore options.

 

Steven Harrison

Madrone Timbre Woodworks

steven@madronetimbre.com

Silly you. Not spending more -  the dollar has been devalued.

I'm with you when it comes to avoiding a streamer, as I've experienced enough format changes in my lifetime (vinyl to tape to CD to HDCD to SACD).

@mitchagain  , I am also a member of that club.

+1 @carlsbad2 

Very wise.  My audio purchases in no way affect investments or impact any thinking on that front.  The only way to fly.

@skyscraper 

Best advice is seen above several times.  Get all your property movements completed.  Hook up the gear you have. Treat the room.  Then and only then figure out what may need to be upgraded after the dust has settled.

Regards,

barts

 

Transducers are the magical devices that change one kind of energy to another…. in your case the two most important are the phono cartridge and speakers. I was hinting at a Lyra Etna… or better… For speakers as Patrick said, i advise an unfair advantage when speaker designer build a purpose built amplifier / amplifier ecosystem : in your budget the Vandersteen Quattro CT / M5 high pass amplifiers…. but like i said, lots of choices out there…. You got great advice on HRS isolation……  

When it comes to conventional NFL wisdom, it's easier to get worse than it is to get better when you change quarterbacks. So, with that in mind, I'd keep your current system and see how it sounds in your new home. If it sounds better, then problem solved. If it's the same or worse, then I'd jump on the upgrade train; but, I'd start slow with things like cable upgrades or upgrading the component that you consider to be the weakest link. My most recent upgrade involved adding a CD transport that outputs I2S, and my return on investment was huge!

I'm with you when it comes to avoiding a streamer, as I've experienced enough format changes in my lifetime (vinyl to tape to CD to HDCD to SACD).

Congratulations! This is a fun opportunity. My take on this is that you are the most eligible candidate I have ever seen to go to an Audio Show. That is the only way you can see and hear a broad range of equipment without visiting a dozen or more showrooms. AXPONA (Chicago) happens April 12th through the 14th and they are giving a discount to early ticket buyers. I recommend going for the Gold Pass where you get access to a special lounge where you can rest and meet other well heeled audiophiles. I met my bestie audio buddy at the 2018 AXPONA and I ended up buying my beloved Thiel speakers from him.

I hate to tell you this but $100K is really not that much money when it comes to buying a new audio system. You could blow that on cables and power conditioning. You will see dozens of speakers that will cost most or all of your upgrade budget so you will have to be careful and strategic in getting the most for your buck.

I'm also going to make a few general gear recommendations based on my direct experience. I'm going to assume that you will have a pretty good idea about your room before you start buying new gear.

1. Focus on the speakers first. If you find a pair of speakers that you really like then you can decide on the amplification. Your current integrated amp is no slouch. However, if you fall in love with a pair of high sensitivity horn speakers then you would likely want to go with a lower wattage amp (tubes probably) that would be a good match for them. Conversely, if you decide on a pair of low sensitivity speakers with a difficult impedance curve then you will want a beefy amp to drive them.

2. Regarding digital gear, I have a KI Ruby SACD player, Berkeley Reference 2 MQA DAC, a Tubadour IV DAC, and a Jay's audio CD3 MK3 transport. I'm going to be honest and tell you that there isn't a lot of difference between the Jay's/Berkeley combo and the KI Ruby. I think most audiophiles would have difficulty identifying them in a blind test. If I were in your position I would focus on the speakers and amplification and keep your Marantz player unless you really desire a separate transport and DAC. BTW, I absolutely love my Jay's Audio transport and Berkeley DAC - they are beautiful pieces of gear and a joy to operate. I don't care if they don't blow away my KI Ruby in sound quality. They are fun to own.

3. Once you have become familiar with what's available you will be in a much better position to explore the option of buying used gear. This is the golden age for high end used audio and you can make your budget go a lot farther. There are so may choices that it takes some diligence but it's worth the reward.

I am 68, retired, and in the position that I could spend a fair bit of cash upgrading my system. I am running Thiel CS6 speakers, Krell KSA 300S amp, and a KRC-2 preamp. My core system is late 90's vintage; about 25 years old. I've been to three audio shows and I have come to the conclusion that it's going to cost me a whopping expenditure to better my system. Most of the systems I have heard sound fine but they aren't better than what I have. In several cases I have heard six-figure systems that clearly weren't as good as mine. I've heard several where the cables and power conditioners cost more than my entire system and they didn't impress me. A few have stood out, particularly MBL 101 E MKII speakers, but they are $80K. I could afford them if I really wanted them but I just can't justify spending the money.

As one geezer to another - have fun and don't be in a hurry. The process can be a lot of fun.

Mike,

Just travel, travel and travel. You have a great system already. If you are not happy with your beautiful system, it's just mean 1 thing, your hearing is jacked up already! Just invest on a great hearing aid then travel!