I should start with speakers. This I know. I’d like to establish a new system.

@knotscott 

+1 Yep, look at contemporary speakers. 

I would review Stereophile, The Absolute Sound, and HiFi+ recommended component issues. Concentrate on descriptions that strike you as your liking in sound quality. 

Then get on the road. Make appointments with a couple dealers in advance to audition the best fit two or three. Find the one with the emotional connection. Not just that has the most detail and best slam.

@toontrader Two different worlds, but each intrigue me.

Yes. I’d suggest trying to decide if you want to go the A) higher efficiency speaker and lower power amp route. Or, B) the lower efficiency speaker and higher power amplifier route. Each path provides its own journey and type of sound. Each of these types of systems can provide a very different presentation and experience.

If you are comparing any new to used components, you can ask dealers if they have customers in your region who could show and share their systems - with the speakers or components you are looking at. Sometimes this can work out nicely. I’ve done some 2-day overnighters to go see and listen to other peoples systems. This can be helpful to get ideas of what YOU like. Traveling to a good audio show can be a real eyes and ears opener too. Take your time if you can, it will pay off and prevent major do-overs later on. 

This is exactly the type of discussion and feedback I was hoping for. Hilde45, Thanks for the process notes as well as thoughts from larryi and knotscot. All helpful. Brick and mortar showrooms are hard to find outside of larger metropolitan areas, so I’m trying to first gain insight through verbal discussion and feedback before setting off on my quest during a renovation of my future home and listening room.

History - my first foray into the audio hobby began in the 80’s with Vandersteen 2s, then 2Cs along with Stan Warren’s ugly little Superphon Revalation preamp (replaced by ARC SP9) and Adcom GFA-555 amplifier. My last system in 2005 was based on Thiel CS6es driven by a pair of VTL MB450s. Not sure of the other elements of that final system as I seemed to have been continually moving pieces in and out at the time.

I look forward to enjoying the music again now that I’ve retired with time to focus anew on a most pleasant pastime.

I like the idea of traveling to audio shows. I’ll need to keep an eye out for where and when can work for me. And yes, I’ll need to take my time. I was getting a bit antsy once I restarted my journey. Reading reviews and discussions herein along with the vast array of products gets me a bit worked up. I can be too impulsive. After all, the hunt is fun.

Choosing a speaker first may be a good direction to take, however making that choice should and really must involve some serious auditioning. If it were me attempting to make my speaker choice FIRST, and assuming that I discovered a set of loudspeakers that really "rang my bell" (assuming that the audition involved some music and recordings that I enjoy and am familiar with), after the audition, I would make careful note as to the exact components used in the audition. Next, I would attempt to locate another knowledgeable brick and mortar dealer that has the same speakers but is recommending different system components to drive them.

This approach gives a person an opportunity to determine how those speakers perform with a different set of variants. If you come away from audition two, with a satisfactory conclusion, than there is better than a 50/50 chance that you will truly be satisfied with the purchase. Especially if you choose your components as a 
"post facto" approach, and of course, select components by reputation and hopefully, by audition.

Frankly I have found over the past 30 years or so of working with a wide range of audio reproduction components at all price levels, that most people I have run into tend to do their selection process in reverse to what you are planning. Honestly, I can't authoratively say either approach is the best road to take.

One thing I can inequitably say and recommend to you, is to "stay away from audio shows as a definitive way of making component selections".. Frankly, I haven't heard an audio demonstration since the late 50's at a major audio show, that really" rocked my boat" and has stuck in my mind all of these years. 

I noticed HARBETH as a recommendation. HARBETH is very high on my list of top speaker choices, but - - - I consider HARBETH a musician's speaker. Classical and Jazz sound incredibly realistic, (depending on room setup) They are not necessarily the most likeable choice for a person who has musical tastes in the direction of "ROCK", FUNK"; ABSTRACT MODERNISTIC SOUNDS, etc.. Especially to a person who prefers disproportionate, over driven bass reproduction.

There are a lot of fine speakers out there depending on taste. {Choose wisely grasshopper")