System building; a meditation

My brands:
VPI
Pro-ject
Puffin
Schiit
PS Audio
Prima Luna
Marantz
Parasound Halo
Rythmick
PBN audio
And these are the main components, not two of the same brand. Weird, right?

@baylinor- I think I follow suit in that each component is from a different manufacturer.
@bdp24- I learned to listen on the old Quad circa 1974, and though I eventually added ribbon tweeters (Decca, later, Sequerra) and a sub (Swedish as I recall, there weren’t as many in the pre-home theatre days), could not get it cohere. The midrange of the original Quad is unbeatable, but its limitations as an overall speaker are significant; my same 1974 pair (built I think in 1973) was restored and runs in a vintage system with a pair of restored Quad IIs using GEC KT 66s.
Oddly, despite my penchant for electrostatics (I had the Crosby- modded 63 next), I made the transition to horns or at least horn style with ease via the Avantgarde (which doesn’t use a compression driver and has a hybrid dynamic speaker bass module with plate amp-- not a "true" horn system in absolutist terms). But the midrange, direct wired to the Lamm ML2 is a thing of beauty. I supplement with 15 inch subs and DSP on a parallel system, and with the current crop of cartridges, have not had it better.
The Quad was and is quite forgiving, and will tolerate a certain amount of noise from associated components without flinching-stuff that the AvG SET system would show up as annoying.
If I have a point at all, it’s that it is not an unnatural transition- from stat to horn; the problem I foresee, if I go deep, is all the separate components that make up a true horn system combined with an intelligent selection of range and crossover units that don’t do violence to the signal.
My next journey is intended to explore antiquarian horns to see if multi-driver horns with SET and appropriate horn woofing sounds like real music to me. But that is my ’schtick," not necessary a path that I am urging anyone to follow.
I did write a piece about Quad and the original speaker shortly after the 60th anniversary; I think it is a speaker worth hearing, not only for how far we haven’t come in some ways, but how far we have. It’s a classic for what it does well- a seemingly transparent window on the sound from a distant perspective that is balanced if you sit in a fairly narrow sweet spot, will not play loud as in LOUD, but can convey dynamics effectively because it has a very dialed in immediacy within its range, loudness capabilities and scale. A double pair with all the associated paraphernalia would be much fun, though I have never done that.
There is always a "quest" in these stories, no?

I’m of the view as a matter of priority, of which I have come to this conclusion as to what is in a matter of importance prioritized:

1. Speakers
2. TT/ DAC
3. Amp/ Power-pre
4. Cables
5. Power conditioning 

I would strongly suggest to anyone in the weighting process that the speakers you get will have the most impact to the sound you hear. For that reason I would suggest that be your first decision. Great speakers that you love will always generally sound pretty damn good with not so great electronics. Second to that your playback device I believe is biggest flavoring aspect to the system. I’m the case of vinyl, the turntable/phono amp will clearly add or detract a high degree of the sound. A great DAC will be a far bigger impact over an amp. And lastly power should be suited to drive what you’re pairing it with. Obviously a 12 watt amp will not work so well with 82 db speakers but could well work with 94 db units. 
Like capacitors, cables and speaker wires can add or detract to the overall sound, but I wouldn’t put those at the top or even near the top. They are like seasoning; some like spicy some less spicy. It shouldn’t be the main meal but the enhancement. No spice will turn chicken into steak. 
Start with great speakers like a Stenheim and take it from there. No great amp will ever make a mediocre speaker sound great. Better maybe, but not great. 

Let’s pretend that equipment is the lessor part of the whole enchilada…
In that case I would be spruiking Dirac, or other EQ and room compensation schemes.

At some point having an SO can be worthwhile, or at least a more costly upgrade than the audio… So the concept off “the ideal room” may vary between people sharing the house/home.

I got my gear pre-SO(s), and have always had a hard time getting it into the living space. Maybe lessor quality speakers, or a newer model, would help? But, as the tautology goes… “it is what it is.”

If one ready has an SO, then it is probably worth engaging them early in the process.

The last unit (AVR - which is on the way), had the SO saying, “at least it doesn’t look bad.” ;)

@patrickdowns

Hi. I have bookmarked and PDF'd the article which details the build you did of your listening room in your barn and have re-read it many times. Amazing room and system -- to die for. I recall it's in the PNW where I am, and if you welcome visitors, count me in!

Your advice is excellent, so all I need now is more money and younger ears. Cheers.

hi Patrick, many thanks for the kind words. nice to meet you.

that article was the starting point and since i wrote that in 2004, i have learned a great deal, been humbled time and again, and received lots of great feedback. finally in 2015, 11 years after starting, i was able to really finish the room tuning process. since then i have just been enjoying it. but i loved the whole process of building and learning. a once in a lifetime thing.

you would be most welcome to visit any time. please PM me and we can figure out a good time.