Help With Setup! Lost at Sea for 2.0 System, Multi source digital + Phono eventually

Hi All,

Skip below if you want to get to the components I’m interested but first I’ll give a background for what my sound tastes, current setup are, and where my interests are with equipment...hopefully you’ll stick with me....Its a little wordy haha:

I’ll preface saying Im not sure if this is categorized appropriately, but I’m sort of ping ponging around with different possible setups for what Im looking to accomplish and importantly what might pair well.

I’ve up until now been exclusively headphone focused. Mix of Solid state amps/dacs (Schiit Jot via XLR out to lift veil on HD650s and add even more punch to Fostex th-x00), and tube (Wa7 amp + dac to give a bit of heat to my Aeon FLow closed + Grado’s). I also have Marantz CD5005. I’m content for now with the CD5005 as a transport , though the dac isnt something I use ever. Enjoy smooth sound sometimes with warmth but also very much find myself wowed by wide soundstage and airy clarity/crispness with quality bass. HD800’s I adored for high quality recordings...OTHER than that ~13khz issue making them tiring. Now, onto loudspeaker issue at hand…

I’m looking at making a pretty adaptable...mid-hi-fi(not sure where this lands) 2.0 setup that is fully balanced and that can do the following:

1. Stream from Tidal, possibly eventually amazon if they round out hi bitrate streaming options. MQA desired but optional.
2. Stream from HDD. May end up being NAS over time but to start with would be HDD directly into a source
3. Continue to use my CD5005 for discs
4. Hook up to TV i/o box via optical to use for movies (2nd lowest priority here, though)
5. Eventually replace cartridge on my vintage Denon TT (lowest priority but something I’d like to add in a year or so)

So far I’ve listened to LS 50s, and SVS ultra bookshelf. Listening rooms were particular such that i couldn’t 1. A/B the LS50’s and SVS (different Hi fi stores), 2. Couldn’t test listening from a wide angle position to hear how the stereo image tracks and 3. simply could not do specific tests for these loudspeakers with electronics i’m interested in. I loved LS 50’s most, though the SVS were very close for me. Both beautiful but my sense is due to the concentric drivers the KEF’s would sound best from multiple positions. Is that a fair assessment worth making or likely not as noticeable as marketed. Also my space is multipurpose so multi position is important AND i will only be able to space these speakers on stands maybe...1.5 feet from a wall.

Component Stack Options:

Power:

1. CA 851W
2. Parasound A21.

Digital: (im doing general digital since some of these provide more/fewer functions I need than others):

1. PS Audio Stellar GC Preamp/Dac + Bluesound Node 2i (streaming and the preamp allows phono)
2. 851N (dac + streaming + preamp in one but I’d have to swap out or add another Preamp to the chain once I want phono and unclear if at that point the 851n is overkill as just dac + streamer after adding to the chain)
3. Bluesound Node 2i + SPDIF Switch (nothing high end though so not bit-perfect...I know it’s not ideal idk how much an issue?) + Schiit Bifrost 2 Multibit (does that fix bit imperfection? Unclear on where in chain bit-imperfection can/cant be resolved)

In general I cant make up my mind because:

1. Is there any function in these pieces of equipment you’d say is an obvious outlier and a performance bottleneck? is 851 a great streamer + Dac but bad preamp (dig only at that)? Is Bifrost 2 Multibit good enough of a dac to use as a standin separate with the rest of these options until i decide to level up?
2. Any big concerns i should have about matching here? Am I leaning too far on cold end of things given I favor the LS 5os and SVS ultra? Is the Stellar GC particularly cold or just somewhat neutral? I sometimes read conflicting opinions on that one.
3. How much do i need to be worried about degradation with spdif switches, or furthermore with XLR splitter/switch if i want to take XLR from preamp to both power Amp and my Headphone amp? I’ll never in my mind do any kind of measuring just for the sake of knowing if better/worse. I ultimately want to hear magic, however it happens. thats all I care about.
4. I’m in a condo so not cranking up listening levels insanely loud. moderate to low volume with quality dynamics is key. Any warning signs there?

If you’ve stuck with me and can give any good advice for a budding stereo system novice like myself I really appreciate your patience and expertise. Thanks!