$35K to spend, how will you build a system?


Never in any stereo system arrangement have I or anyone I know, ever initially proportioned out the money for the whole enchilada. We just bought this or that. We began somewhere and finished it all later on. Somehow.

Or, the proposition ‘finished’ became a moving target and the trek wandered about here and there, as the effort continued past the intentioned budget. Some steps were sideways, some allowed for definite improvements. Some moves took us a step backwards or merely into a different perspective.

All of the moves provided one benefit everytime, experience.

Experiences are what is being asked for in this topic.

Then one day, suddenly, buckets of duckets land in your yard and you want serious sounds? .

Here’s the question…

If you had it to do all over again, what do you put into a home audio system if you have $35,000.00 to spend?

Regardless the format, tubes, Solid state, mega watts or flea powered doesn’t matter. Its your rig and your money.

The destination is a rig with copius amounts of Acquired Illusionary Reality (AIR) in short, an involving alluringmost respectable, , “man I really hate to turn this thing off”, stereo system.

Because invariably someone will ask, so For the truly anal, the room is not in a mansion, has no dedicated power lnies, and is of moderate size 14 to 17ft wide, 18 to 23ft. long, 8.5ft. ceilings. Acoustically untreated. Closed off, or opened onto other areas, you make that call.

How do you feel you’ll spread the dough around immediately?

Address all four areas? Maybe attend to only amps and speakers, then later look towards other parts of the affair?

Example 1:
Find someone who already has a stellar sounding system, rent a room, and buy the new entry level Tesla..

Example 2
Buy new amp and speakers along with better than average cabling and isolation, just on a smaller scale.

Example 3
Spend it all in thirds, source, power, and speakers obtaining the best value possible, new or as re-sold because everything matters.

Example 4
By new SOTA speakers that you can find with the whole wad! Steal everything else.

What is your approach with $35K burning a hole in your pocket to acquire great sound? Can it even be done in 2017 with such a budget?

blindjim

Saw PF do Dark Side in ’73 at Jacksonville Coliseum across from Gator bowl. Best light and sound in a show I’ve seen then or since.
They played DSOM front to back… then jammed for another 40 mins or so.

Best part of the show?
$6 tickets

Late ’76 saw them do Animals in Paris France at a soccer stadium. They floated a huge Pig blimp over the field. This show wasn’t near the one done inside at Jax, but it was decent.
Tickets? Not sure but about 40 or 50 Francs or around $10.

I recall Atom Heart Mother as the first PF album I heard.
Obscured by clouds came next.

DSOM sold me on PF.
Still, I’d not drop $200 or more on a Master tape copy. Maybe.

As for another system idea:
7000.00 Aourender A10
7500.00 PSA BK 250 2ch hybrid amp
10000.00 Harbeth 30.2
5000.00 Rel sub
4000.00 NOS tubes, Cables & PCs
2000.00 cord 1800w conditioning
DIY amp stand or platform

Hello Everyone....  I'm Charles, and it's been a while since I lasted posted at Audiogon.


$35K System, how would I build it??


Speaker System:  Vandersteen Quatro Wood CT (Used) (Hopefully I find a pair in Rosewood/Mahogany) -- $8,000.00


Power Amplifier:  Bryston 2B-LP PRO (Used)(2 2B-LP PRO's Bridged To Mono -- 200 Watts (Each Amplifier)) -- $3,500.00


Preamplifier:  Bryston BP-25 -- $1,800.00


Phono Preamplifier: -- Simaudio MOON Neo 310 (New) -- $1,800.00


Turntable/Arm System:  VPI Scout Prime w/JMW Memorial Tone Arm (Black)(New) -- $4,000.00


Phono Cartridge:  Dnyavector XX-2 Moving Coil Cartridge (New) -- $2,000.00


Music Player/Streamer:  Aurender A-10 (Used) -- $4,400.00


Record Cleaning Machine/Dryer:  KL Audio CLN LP200 Ultrasonic Record Cleaning Machine/Dryer (New) -- $4,800.00


Power Conditioner:  PS Audio Power Plant P3 (New) -- $1,500.00


Interconnect/Speaker Cables:  Brand To Be Determined (TBD) +/- $3,000.00


Total System Price -- $34,800.00


--Charles--






Charles > Record Cleaning Machine/Dryer: KL Audio CLN LP200 Ultrasonic Record Cleaning Machine/Dryer (New) -- $4,800.00
Power Conditioner: PS Audio Power Plant P3 (New) -- $1,500.00

Blindjim > hello Charles. Welcome back.
Nice job! Both sides of the coin too. Cool.
And under budget. Balance on LP gift certificate Mr. Sayjack. lol

Really? Record cleaning devices cost that much? Whoa. Whoa. Wow. I must rethink just what I’ve saving not having a TT!!! Whoa. Never bothered seeing the accessory list for TTs like cleaning gear. Man!

I knew something about cartridge cost, arms, platforms, phono preamps, etc.. nada on cleaning, straightening, flattening, etc. amazing.

So far, I’ve not heard an ‘active’ power line conditioner I’ve liked, or which has not adversely affected the sound quality. But, that is just me. I do enjoy the ‘passive’ conds effects ore.

I like the literal exercise.

Here is precisely the system I would build, using used equipment where you could find it (you'd have to, otherwise the new prices would be +$20k) .  I would target a super highly efficient speaker with a ton of dynamic punch that allowed top SET mono amps to shine.  I had to dump my whole analog front-end and album collection to come in just under $35K, which I would do in a heartbeat for this digital front end to hit this budget.

  • Preamp = Atma-Sphere MP-1 3.3  $9000  (used)
  • Amps = Thoress 845 SET monos  $4500  (used)
  • Music Server = Sonore UltraRendu $875
  • dac =  Schiit Yggy $2300 
  • USB Regen = Uptone ISO Regen $325
  • USB cables (2) Rendu to IsoRegen to DAC = 2 Uptone USPCB A>B Adapters $70 
  • Linear Power for Ultrarendu and Iso Regen (2) = 2 Uptone UltraCap™ LPS-1 $800
  • Balanced power conditioner = Equi-Core 300 $799 
  • Speakers = Zu Druid 6 $10000 
  • Interconnects (2 pairs) = Audience SX $1900  (used)
  • Speaker cables = Audience SX $1200  (used)
  • Power cables (4) = 4 Shunyata Black Mambas $2000  (used)
  • iPad $450  (used)
  • Lifetime Roon $499 
Total $34718
Remaining $282 (spend on vibrapods and Tidal monthly fees until gone)

Truth be told, I actually made/would make a couple upgrades from here, but that would have put me over the $35K by a grand or two.  I would have gone upline on the Equi-Core to the 1800 or higher (looking now) and spent more on linear power supplies, maybe.  But I could live with what I listed for sure.  One could argue that I could/should save a few $ on an under-$10k-used set of Zu Definition 4s and get as good/better performance than the yet-to-be-released Zu Druid 6s, but my space is small and I think I could get a better total quality from the new smaller Druid 6s in my space.  

Shoot your arrows at all of it...welcome the feedback.