Assuming a budget of $10K-$15K, I might put nearly everything into a pair of JansZen Valentina A8 active speakers. Plus as little as $550 for a Bluesound Node (the source) and < $100 for cables. Then trade up from the Node later (to Bryston/Cambridge Edge/Exasound). That's assuming I lived within reasonable driving distance of the JansZen shop in Ohio (otherwise, I'd be reluctant to put all my component eggs into their basket).
But suppose a $5K budget instead, as a more reasonable entry point for a "high end" clean slate system. Assume we're going for digital not vinyl. Then very roughly:
1. 60% for speakers (because they make a bigger difference than anything else and are a little harder to trade up due to size/weight);
2. ~10% for a streamer/DAC (such as the Bluesound Node);
3. 30% for an integrated amp (maybe Peachtree or Cambridge Audio);
4. very little on cables (Bluejeans Cable for speaker wire; for everything else, just use what comes in the boxes with your components for now.)
For half that budget, you could build around a pair of KEF LS50 active speakers ~$1250) plus < $1K for everything else, with change back.
But suppose a $5K budget instead, as a more reasonable entry point for a "high end" clean slate system. Assume we're going for digital not vinyl. Then very roughly:
1. 60% for speakers (because they make a bigger difference than anything else and are a little harder to trade up due to size/weight);
2. ~10% for a streamer/DAC (such as the Bluesound Node);
3. 30% for an integrated amp (maybe Peachtree or Cambridge Audio);
4. very little on cables (Bluejeans Cable for speaker wire; for everything else, just use what comes in the boxes with your components for now.)
For half that budget, you could build around a pair of KEF LS50 active speakers ~$1250) plus < $1K for everything else, with change back.