"I have heard of Krell, Ayre and Bryston, is that what I should be looking for?"
Those brands offer very different types of sound, especially Ayre compared with the other 2. What kind of sound do you like? The warm, lush, silky, romantic? Or the cooler, clean, dynamic, extra-detailed, slamming, rockin' kind? Not that those are all necessarily opposites, but things tend to group that way.
What are your musical tastes?
If you're willing to put down MC601 kind of coin and am looking to Sonus Faber for speakers, I suggest you aim higher at Elipsas, Amatis, or Guarneris. How big is your room?
Those brands offer very different types of sound, especially Ayre compared with the other 2. What kind of sound do you like? The warm, lush, silky, romantic? Or the cooler, clean, dynamic, extra-detailed, slamming, rockin' kind? Not that those are all necessarily opposites, but things tend to group that way.
What are your musical tastes?
If you're willing to put down MC601 kind of coin and am looking to Sonus Faber for speakers, I suggest you aim higher at Elipsas, Amatis, or Guarneris. How big is your room?