Speakers

Some to many will disagree with my approach below.

But with what you are saying, I think perhaps the best speaker upgrade you can do for yourself is to consider purchasing a new amp first. Using your words, a super nice amp.

Face it, if you know such super nice amps exist and if you think you can at all afford one, you know you'll probably buy one someday soon anyway so why not focus on that now?

I mention that because I am in the camp of those few who the amplifier is the key to any system. Whether good or bad. I also believe in the addage:

"An excellent amplifier can make mediocre speakers sound almost excellent. But an excellent pair of speakers with a mediocre amplifier will never sound better than mediocre."

If that is true, and I believe it is, I would therefore recommned looking at the amp first, see what sonic improvements it provides your current system. Then focus on new/used speakers to match that new amp.

I believe with this approach, you may also save yourself from a few unnecessary upgrades along the way. And that hopefully translates to better sonics, a faster path to getting where you envision being with your system, and hopefully spending less money getting there.

-IMO

Yes, I partially agree with Tok20000. And that is one reason why you should focus on the amp first.

Unless of course he is disagreeing with the addage:

"An excellent amplifier can make mediocre speakers sound almost excellent. But an excellent pair of speakers with a mediocre amplifier will never sound better than mediocre."

If Tok20000 disagrees with this addage, then I must disagree with his assessment.

-IMO

Tok20000, as I indicated earlier, I realize not many agree with the position I take. But, in my opinion, your argument does not necessarily do more to substantiate your position than it does to substantiate my position.

Why? Because in the course of outlining your argument and subsequent illustrations you are presupposing that the owner will simply roll the dice or crapshoot at selecting the correct speaker for that 'world class amp'.

And it simply doesn't make sense for one to so diligently seek out that 'world class amp' and then not do likewise for the right speaker to match that right amp. Or perhaps you were implying that I was suggesting such a crapshoot for speakers. Which I was not.

We simply have different approaches toward accomplishing some goal here of which may or may not be too dissimilar.

But would you at least agree that there are fewer 'world class amps' available than there are 'world class speakers'? Or, at the very least, would you agree that there are less amplifier manufacturers and models that there are speaker manufacturers and models?

I believe the answer to both questions is absolutely.

But for the sake of this thread and my position, I believe it better to settle on the amp first even if for no other reason than for availability alone.

If there are fewer 'world class' amps worth owning than there are 'world class' speakers worth owning, then finding the 'right' amp is already just little more like searching for the proverbial needle in a haystack. Because fewer exist and also because of the compatibility issues you mentioned previously.

Acquiring the right 'world class' speakers first limits the probability of finding the right 'world class' amplifier has just potentially been brought down to the point where looking for a needle in a haystack is no longer proverbial. It may entirely be factual and actual. Again, because fewer exist and also because of the compatibility issues you mentioned previously.

That is only one reason why, as I stated earlier that, I believe purchasing the right speakers first can possibly lead to:
o greater compromises in sonics now and in the future.
o more upgrades due to greater likelihood of incompatibilities and subsequent compromises.
o if more upgrades, then potentially more money and frustration.
o lesser probability of acquiring what could otherwise be a 'world class' sounding system.

In summary, I would think my approach to be the more stream-lined approach toward reaching the mark. If for no other reason, the law of probabilities would most likely weigh in on my side.

But then again, I could be wrong.

Nice chatting with you, and

As always, -IMO