Opinions needed; which is a better choice and why?

The Audio Aero Prima you refer to at $1600 is that the new one that does not have a tubed output stage and buffer? Does that player do upsampling? I went to the VMPS web site I think, it does not appear to have any info on dealers, pricing, etc., is this a new company?
Also the Kora you mention, is that the Explorer or design 30?

That was the main reason I was starting to lean towards the pre/amp combo just to be able to have the best of both worlds a tube pre and SS amp. In your experience, are the synergy issues matching pre to amp a big pain?
I am new to Audiogon and have never bought anything from the site. Have you had good experiences buying from the site? Also do you put faith in the user ratings of sellers?

1.Associated equipment; lets just say I am completely rebuilding my system, I had tried the HT route and built a system that was unbearable in 2 channel and sold most of the equipment. I kept my CD player an old denon; which I plan to replace and my old Integrated which is now dead and a pair of Paradigm Mini monitors, which also need to go.
I have been listening to equipment nearby, but unfortunately there are not many high-end dealers in my area. I listened to the CJ CAV-50 integrated through Dynaudio Audience 122's with an EAD CD player (not sure model) which sounded great but was a little over my planned budget at the new price. I also have listed to the Bryston B60 integrated with a Rega Planet 2000 and B&W CDM 9NT, the soundstage was impressive but the setup was a little too bright for me, which I assumed was due to the B&W speakers.
I also listened to the Audio Refinement Complete Integrated, with the Complete CD player and Mirage OM5. I liked the sound but was not impressed with the speakers. So far my listening preferences tend towards a warmer sound I cannot handle a bright system at all! That is why I am thinking Tubes or Hybrid.

2. Listening room leaves a lot to be desired! I rent a 75-year-old flat that has leaded glass window everywhere. I do not have a dedicated listening area here but I will not be living hear forever. I am planning on putting the system in the living room with the back of the system facing a wall of windows. I planned on covering the windows with a large hanging rug. There will be no side walls as the living room is in between the dining room and solarium and the speakers will face the couch which will be set in front of the fire place. The ceiling is probably 11 ft with coffered corners and the room is probably 15x12. It is obviously that a system will not sound its best here but I am planning on buy a house with a dedicated listening room in the not to distant future.

3. Musical preferences; I like a wide variety of music, I like artists such as Jessie Cook, Gypsy Kings, or groups such as Tool. I enjoy Blues,Classical,Hard Rock, Bag Pipe Music, pretty much anything except for Rap music.

4 My budget is not set in stone but I would like to get as best sounding system as possible for around $3500 for source (CD or SACD), amplification, speakers. I expect other expenses for cables etc. I would like to spend more but I also would like to stay married!

Sorry to be so long winded but I hope this helps give some background info to respond to.
I would appreciate any input you can offer!

So far the advice I have received has been very helpful. I am leaning towards deciding on my speaker selection first and building my system around them. But I also believe the theory of garbage in garbage out so that makes the source the most important. Too many decisions!
I must say the most intriguing idea I have received so far is to buy a source such as a Theta Miles or Mark Levinson 39 or even an EAD (Diskmaster?), which has analog volume control and hook directly to my amp. Has anyone had success with a setup like this?
I am also starting to contemplate buying one very high level component and building my system around it, as my budget seems a little on the low side to have a truly mind blowing system.
In addition, is the Odyssey Stratos for real or is it all hype? If any of you Stratos owners out there read this, what amp would you say the Stratos' sound most resembles? I am curious since I cannot audition them and even if I home demo one I have read several places that they have a very extended break in period.
I cannot wait till Saturday; I have discovered a couple more high-end dealers in my area that I did not know existed.
Thanks again for all the advice! I will keep ya posted on my adventure into the realm of high-end audio. I told my wife she is in trouble as I think I may have been bitten by the audiophile bug.

This may be a little in bad form, but I am planning on going to the Audio shops just to audition equipment to see what I like and then purchase off of Audiogon. The only equipment I feel maybe a bad idea to buy off of Audiogon is speakers and CD players, but I still would purchase them as dealer demos.
Maybe my thinking is wrong here but are not speakers easily damaged in both shipping and being over driven? Also speakers are so heavy I would imagine they would be cost prohibitve to ship? I am also thinking that the drawer and laser could easily be damaged on a CD player if not shipped correctly? That is why I am am a little heasitant to purchase those components with out at least at 30 day warranty. I am just paranoid?

Yeah I know what you mean on so called high end shops, even when I find one who carries the brand I like I do not trust the salesmen. I can not tell you how many times while auditioning speakers I have caught salesman having a sub on and not mentioning it till I call them on it. Heck the other day, one had an extra set of speakers and a second amp running. I may not be an audiophile but I am not an idiot! My other favorite is when you go in to audition their lower line equipment and they say you don't want that it's garbage and steer you straight to their most expensive stuff. My question to them is, if it is garbage why do you carry it then? I do not know what those types of salesman are thinking. Even if those dealers carry what I want, I would never give them my business. Although I have to admit I had found two good dealers in TX, unfortunately I no longer live there.

Well I am narrowing it down a bit. I started auditioning yesterday with the Rogue Tempest with Vandersteen 2CEsig and a Linn Genki player and Audioquest cable and interconnects. I was a little disappointed with this combo although the sound was not unpleasent there seemed to be no soundstage and the treble was almost none existent.
I then listened with the Vandersteen's replaced with ProAc Tablette Reference 8's and the difference was night and day. The Rogue came alive and the sound stage became almost as deep as it was wide and there was much more air surronding the instruments. I guess maybe the Vandersteen's are a bad combo with the Rogue since they both are a tad bit laid back. The ProAcs sounded even more incredible with the Rogue gear when we threw into the mix a Vandersteen 2WQ sub and rolled the ProAcs off at 80 to the sub. The sound stage became massive, and the ProAcs began to sing when that little mid driver did not have to worry about bass and the sub blended in beautifully.
Then just for the hell of it I listened to the ProAc Tablette Reference 8's being driven by an all Audio Research system composed of the AR CD3, AR LS25MKII, and the VT 200MKII Monos and I was blown away! If I had an unlimited bank roll I would have bought that combo right then and there. This was my first experience with AR since I was always told their new equipment is High Rez and I tend to shy away from that since my ears are sensitive to brightness. I never bothered to audition AR equipment and man I did not know what I was missing.
I must say since I have a real world budget (although after yesterday it has gone up) and I am contemplating an LS8MKI or MKII with a Rogue 88 power amp or even the Rogue mono 120s. Has anyone tried this combo before?
Also are there any other tube componenets that sound similar to the new AR equipment, which is tending towards being analytical and having that inner detail, without that massive price tag?
Thanks,
Mike

Chelillingworth,
No my dealer only had the standard Tempest. He did have the Magnum version of the 66 and the Magnum version of the 88 but the standard 99 and monos. I will have to go back for another session. Is there really that big of a difference to justify the extra $500 for the Magnum upgrade? What is the greatest improvement that you hear with the Magnum version over the standard?
Also what speakers are your running with your Rogue equipment?

South43,
How would you describe the sound of the LS7? I have read that the sound of older AR equipment is very different from that of the latest gear. I am planning on auditioning the Meadowlark speakers unfortunately I have a two hour drive for that. I have heard many people praise their build quality and sound.
Thanks,

Since I am a newbie to the higher end of audio do you all think I should stay away from a Transport/DAC combo and go with a single box solution for my source? Am I justified in my hesistance to mess with all of that extra cabling and jitter reduction, clock locking etc. or is it worth the trouble?
I am strating to see why the source is one of the most important components! I could not believe the difference between the Linn Genki and the ARC CD3, to my ears the Linn lacked the inner detail of the ARC.

All,
Since there are such great deals out there on the Sonic Frontiers Power 1, I am leaning towards purchasing one. Anyone who has owned or demoed one of these how do they compare sonically to the ARC VT50? I understand they are much easier to bias than the ARC amps. Also anyone who owns one what preamps are you using and are you satisfied?
Thanks,
Meby