Throwing 2 High End brands together will not automatically equal success. Thoughts?

In all honesty the mix and match strategy was the only way fifty years ago. As true high end equipment was being developed for the very first time. For instant, Pass developed the Threshold line of amplifiers and other garage entrepreneurs created true assaults on the best possible components. But typically they only did not thing exceptionally well. Threshold known for amps, Audio Research preamps, Nakamichi (yes, I know, not American) tape decks. You simply had to mix and match.  So that was what everyone did. 

It has only been more recently, with larger companies and larger research and development teams could a company present multiple cutting edge components with the same house sound. 

So, the strategy remains. Sometimes it is probably the best way, sometimes not. 

@audiotroy 

Thanks for your comment. Great perspective. 

@audiotroy 

Good comment.

Now I can’t prove this. But I have a theory about 2).... offsetting components is not quite as effective as 1). 

First, I completely agree that 2) can be done, and should be. I have heard it... you know Benchmark DAC with PS Audio preamp ... cold detailed / warmer and more forgiving. Like that. However my feeling is this can be a sub-optimal solution compared to 1).

So, let’s just consider a trebly detailed front end and a warm next component and a trebly next component... etc. It seems each is subtractive and at the end you have a well balanced less.

So, finding the perfect house sound to your liking is best and using all the same components. I found as I slowly assembled my system, which is now all ARC that each piece seemed to be more synergistic. I think because they were all reinforcive. The same sound qualities from one to the next. Of course all companies do not have exactly the same sound across all components. But many good ones do. 

As I say, I can’t prove it. I’m really not sure how you could... but working in high end audio sales you might be exposed to evidence. 

Randomly throwing two high end brands together is irresponsible and very unlikely to be cost effective. Different house sounds are very different, and often not complimentary. The only point to going to a dealer is to gain knowledge and guidance in your choice of components. Not helping you make a synergistic choice is unconscionable.