reference speakers or super amp and good speakers

If you are getting a great deal on either one and don't want to miss it then grab the deal. Otherwise, I have had "success" in my system by starting the upgrades from the source and working my way to the speakers. Every increment of improvement in gear will be heard directly through your speakers. If you are currently upgrading your system slowly piece by piece, you may not have heard the best from your speakers yet. Just my 2 cents.

Speakers, speakers, speakers. However, my own experience is, that excellent speakers leads to up-grading components. When I purchased Talon Audio speakers, I could no longer stand to listen to the less than stellar performance of my DVD player used for CD's, now an excellent transport. The same with my reciever, now an excellent pre-amp. Ditto my phono-pre, now trying my third, with a jump in price of about 3X each time. Also interconnects, phono cartridge, turn table, and so on. Not hiding the failings of your up-stream components is both extremely rewarding, and expensive.

Dave

hey kevin,
can't comment on kef speakers, never listened to them, but the cary v12, oh my!, very nice amp indeed.
i find it funny that we are both about to buy a cary v12 to use with our rogue preamps.
btw thanks for the post in my v12/pc thread