Yep, I have to say - now is when the fun begins. I still have a Pioneer stack (Spec) and a set of ADS 710's in the garage and I still love that setup for 70's/80's rock and roll. In my media room (converted bedroom) I have a much smaller system that I have spent about 10 years building. This is where I spend most of my time listening to music. It's the system that gives me goosebumps. I bought, sold and demoed a lot of equipment to end up where I am at now and I wont boar you with details. My point is - it's time to get out and listen. See what you like ... Horns? Softdome? Monitors? Ribbons? Towers? There is just so much to try. Your room is a big part of the equation ... I finally settled for smaller monitors on stands and I have been very happy.
As for some direction:
I will tell you this ... and this is strictly from my experience. Pick your speakers first and get as much as you can afford, making sure to match them to the room. Next, I like a tube pre and a quality solid state amp. There are many, many good combinations but it was only when I mixed tubes into the mix that I really got the satisfaction I was looking for. You dont need to spend a TON on cables but get quality interconnects and speaker cables. Try not to create any weak links ... then later on, you can play with the details if you want to deal with the time and trouble. If you really want to dial in a system to fit you ... you might want to buy and sell a little. This is a good place for that ... do your research, demo the piece and then buy used. If it doesnt work out - you can sell it and for the most part break even. Then try something else. Buying and selling might not make the best financial sense and it can be a pain, but if you play your cards right and are patient ... you will discover exactly what you like.
Good Luck ...
PS - Hang on to the L100's - they are like gold.
As for some direction:
I will tell you this ... and this is strictly from my experience. Pick your speakers first and get as much as you can afford, making sure to match them to the room. Next, I like a tube pre and a quality solid state amp. There are many, many good combinations but it was only when I mixed tubes into the mix that I really got the satisfaction I was looking for. You dont need to spend a TON on cables but get quality interconnects and speaker cables. Try not to create any weak links ... then later on, you can play with the details if you want to deal with the time and trouble. If you really want to dial in a system to fit you ... you might want to buy and sell a little. This is a good place for that ... do your research, demo the piece and then buy used. If it doesnt work out - you can sell it and for the most part break even. Then try something else. Buying and selling might not make the best financial sense and it can be a pain, but if you play your cards right and are patient ... you will discover exactly what you like.
Good Luck ...
PS - Hang on to the L100's - they are like gold.