Help me spend $100,000 on a new system


I’ve recently been considering moving and downsizing my home. While exploring how much I might sell my house and land for, I was shocked that I might have an excess of $100,000 after selling and buying a smaller new home with less acreage. I’m 71 years old and can’t take it with me, so I’m trying to figure out how to spend that potential resource.

One possibility would be to purchase a new stereo system with all that cash. I would like to demo a system costing that much to see what sound quality you could get for a stupendous amount like that. But I don’t have any idea what brand/model components to look at. Perhaps you could suggest components you might consider if you were setting up a system at that price point. Also how would you budget the total amount per component including wiring.

I am not interested in adding streaming or anything else I might not already have to the system. I would be open to buying separates to replace any single component such as the integrated amplifier. Maybe a separate DAC, phono stage, preamp etc. Please tell me what you would do.

Following are the components I already have to upgrade. My system consists of Magico A3 speakers, a Luxman 507uX MK2 integrated amp, a Marantz Ruby KI CD/SACD player, A VPI Classic 2 turntable with a Fatboy tonearm and a Lyra Kleos cartridge. Wiring consists of Audioquest Rocket 88 speaker cables, and VPI house brand wires that connect to the tonearm. I forget the brands of the other wires and cables, but they are of similar quality to the above.

I also have a Shunyata Hydra Denali 4000 power conditioner with a Venom power cord (I think) that I will continue to use without upgrading.

I would welcome any of your suggestions and utilize them next time I go up to Washington DC to visit dealer showrooms for demos. Thank you much.

It does sound weird to consider spending that much on a system costing over three times what I paid for my first home, so I hope I’m not sounding uppity here.

Mike

 

 

skyscraper

mdalton, I'm looking forward to checking out your friends store next time I'm down that way. 

lancelock- thanks for the offer to check out your system. That would be fun if I drive up to the DC area to check out some new equipment. 

As a retired audio consultant, and have spent lots of people’s money, I am with the statement by ronres which is, only you can know what " sound ", what " characteristics " of recorded music, you are looking for. Plus, especially with that much money, the room size, speaker / listening seat location, and the acoustical design of the listening room / area, can make or break the expenditure. This is, imo, all premature. Get the room 1st ( house ). I mean no offense. Enjoy the journey....My best, MrD.

Well …. I’ve spent about $35K, … with the OTL rebuild, now maybe closer to $40K over 50 years and while there are systems that sound as good, I haven’t heard one that sounds better.

And this stuff is so subjective: what sounds good to me may sound like crap to you.

So … I can’t help you, as I have a different philosophical approach to getting to where I want to go.


But I will second the comments of some of the others here: buy the house, dedicate a room, treat the room and put your current gear in and see how it sounds. Don’t let FOMO run your life: you may find that your current setup in a proper room is just fine.

Also, at our ages, do you really want to complicate your life with more stuff? I’d use that money to see the world.

Good luck.

theaudioatticvinylsundays.com

Wise post! thanks unreceivedogma...

😊

Well …. I’ve spent about $35K, … with the OTL rebuild, now maybe closer to $40K over 50 years and while there are systems that sound as good, I haven’t heard one that sounds better.

And this stuff is so subjective: what sounds good to me may sound like crap to you.

So … I can’t help you, as I have a different philosophical approach to getting to where I want to go.


But I will second the comments of some of the others here: buy the house, dedicate a room, treat the room and put your current gear in and see how it sounds. Don’t let FOMO run your life: you may find that your current setup in a proper room is just fine.

Also, at our ages, do you really want to complicate your life with more stuff? I’d use that money to see the world.

Good luck.

theaudioatticvinylsundays.com

do things gradually so you can appreciate the changes. Why would you want to spend $100,000 and have like eight boxes of stuff and then you put them all together and maybe it’ll sound OK but you’ll never know what does what in terms of a contribution.

In short a really really bad idea.

Would you take a helicopter ride up to the top of Kilimanjaro if you could? Seems to me it’s all about the journey and not the destination. Why do you want to change the process?

 

“Crap tube Cary mid-fi” - unbelievably uninformed and clueless prejudice towards an iconic American brand that continues to produce outstanding products at reasonable prices

 

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“….I highly recommend getting rid of the cumbersome CDs when streaming…..”

Cumbersome CDs? Good lord, their raison d’etre is convenience.

I must be getting old. Like, really old. 

Maxwave, I’m still in the considering options phase and have not sold my house as of yet. I’ve been seriously considering becoming an expatriate, except that moving all my stuff to another country and dealing with buying a home, visas and the like is a pretty tall order for a 72 year old. So I’m standing pat at the moment in my current situation, without an extra 100 grand to throw around. Thanks for asking, though.

Mike

To be takeen in considaration at 72 : health care services ; good neibourghood,( friends nearby, safety  ) fiscal laws , etc . A major decision , for sure .

Anyway , good luck .