Where Do I Go from Here?

@czarivey 😁

I've only had a real earring once and it was only for a few hours. Too many beers one night in college.  Lol. 

@ltmandella I have the stereo going for a couple of hours every night while I work out. My listening room is adjacent to the exercise room. I don't play it loud. Along with the ringing, my ears are real sensitive to loud noises. People talking loudly or my 5 year old granddaughter squealing, for example. I can't hear well in a loud croud. 

I've tried going off caffeine. Didn't help. Just gave me a headache. 

I would look in the 10-20K range. I can't imagine picking a 50K speaker correctly without a home demo, you would always wonder "what if" about the other speakers. 
https://speakerchoices.com/?pricemin=10000&pricemax=20000

If you’re dead set on replacing the speakers, there are lots of great choices in the 20-50k range. Borresen, Magico, Perlisten, TAD, Elac, high end Sonus Faber, B&W 801/2 d4, Dynaudio confidence line.

Were it me? I’d get a pair of Perlisten s7t’s for 20k and save the extra 30k.

*G*  Sanity is so subjective...

+1@maxwaive Room treatment may yield a far better outcome. 

@sls883

How many hours per day, how many days per week, and how loudly do you listen?

I had what I felt was severe tinnitus.  Then I took a one month break from listening.  Shocked the hell out of me: the tinnitus is now 90% gone.

So, now I listen at lower volume and less hours daily and the tinnitus has not yet returned...

@sls883, you've made me to write a joke about 

What kind of gifts audiophiles get after they turn 60+?

Earrings!

Good luck in landing where you want to be. you have a very nice system. I spent somewhere around your budget, not too long ago on Sonos  Faber Il Cremonese Speakers and have been very pleased. But as others have said, for that kind of money there is a big universe of very competent, well-made speakers. While hearing them in your room is certainly ideal, auditioning speakers in the dealers showroom is still helpful. I am also a big fan of Revel And I suspect those are doing a good job for you now.

I will echo (pun intended) A previous comment about room treatments. Coincidentally, I just got finished with a room treatment project in my listening room today. Frankly, I was skeptical of how much I would gain. I am pleasantly surprised. I didn’t think I had a bad room but the difference is quite significant and well worth the money. I have auditioned a number of tweaks, such as filters, audiophile switches, etc., and just have not heard enough difference, to my ears, to justify the money. So the improvement from the room treatments was greater than expected, and the cost, of course, would be far less than you sre talking about spending for speakers. Something to consider.
 

Good luck!
 

As always some great questions and suggestions here.  I agree with others I wouldn't spend anywhere near that kinda cash without in home audition with your. own gear and environment. Maybe buy used and compare head to head with existing units and sell the ones you dont like.   You could roll through several pair of great speakers used with that kind of budget. 

J…Looking at your system, very nice!

changing the main speakers might have a domino effect resulting in changing the Center to match the mains and then the subs. 
 

So…to justify the upgrade (forget money for a second) can you articulate issues you’ve having with your current setup? What’s missing?

I can tell you what sticks out to me: McIntosh amps with Theta preamp…I’m a big proponent of same brand preamp and amp combos to achieve maximum synergy but I’ve done it with mix n match as well. May be try a mcintosh tube preamp?

Speakers don’t stick out much as potential culprit for anything 
 

Room acoustic treatment is half the sound.

Go for a professionnal  if it is not already done

Just enjoy more music. Although I'm not a fan of McIntosh and since you love your new Bricasti pieces (ok I'm a bit envious) maybe consider a Bricasti amp. That's the route I would pursue.

I sometimes question the sanity of that

I can relate to that.

Don't spend your money.....enjoy what you have......what would happen if something came up and you didn't have enough. Enjoy the music..your system is fine.

I am pretty much always in the "if you have speakers you love stick with them" camp. I say stick with the Revels and enjoy your retirement!

How is your hearing?  I'm 62 and my ears ring like crazy.  My hearing is ok according to an audiologist (slightly rolled off upper frequencies like you would expect) but they can't do anything about the ringing.  I've probably dropped about $45k in the past year, or so.  I sometimes question the sanity of that with my hearing being the way that it is....

I would attend a few audio shows. I would NOT be in any hurry to buy speakers since you have really good ones now. I am sure if you find the speaker that you really like, you would be in a position to order them at the show. If I were spending that kind of money I would do that or plan a trip to the nearest city that has reputable dealers carrying brands you are drawn to and then audition in between hitting the sights of the city.

I am pleased with my Audiovector R6 Arreté  : AMT  tweeter

The possibilities are vast, so what specific improvements would you be looking for?  At that price level I’d hit an audio show or two (even if it requires a flight) to hear several contenders that interest you to see which ones really “do it” for you. 

McIntosh gears are ´´ warm ´´

Maybe , a ´´ fast ´´ and ´´ foward ´´ speaker would be a good match , before looking to a specific brand .

Furthermore for home theater

Dear M-DB,

Thank you for your thoughtful response. The nearest Rockport dealer is 250 miles away, and he doesn't make house calls for such a distance. There is a local Magico dealer, but, again, he has expressed similar unwillingness to provide a home demonstration. The same attitude has been conveyed by his local competitor, who is the Estelon dealer here.

I think that I shall ultimately have to (a) do my homework and (b) pray. This is, I suspect, what most audiophiles are reduced to doing these days when deciding on new speakers.

With that budget and before you sell those difficult to outperform Studio's, I would insist on an in home comparative audition.  

As consumers we simply do not have the years of variety listening ability and experience that some audio professionals possess.

When I was at this point I was replacing Paradigm Studio 100's with Avalon Acoustics Eidolons. The comparative audition was so reveling even my family could hear the stunning improvement in cohesiveness and all around musicality at all listening levels within the first few notes. 

This also had the added benefit of easily avoiding the remorseful financial outlay.

Don't miss your yearly cardiology checkups. All the best.