Recommendations for HiFi Listening Room

Speakers: Vandersteen Quatro CT with built-in subwoofers and tunable bass response

review Quatro CT

or Larsen Model 9 (wall of sound)

Larsen 9 review

Ayre AX-5/Twenty Integrated -- great match with Vandersteen (you can get it configured so that you don’t need the hi-pass crossovers)

AX-5 Twenty link

Or maybe the Aesthetix Mimas integrated (tube preamp stage), also a great match for the Vandersteens, and their internal DAC card is supposed to be excellent and a great value.They will also configure it so it doesn’t need the hi-pass crossovers. The also have an internal phono card option, and it's said to be good.

review Aesthetix Mimas

AND-- totally agree about spending $$ and effort to tune the sonics of the room.

Speakers: Vandersteen Quatro CT with built-in subwoofers and tunable bass response

review Quatro CT

or Triangle Signature Deltas

Triangle Signature Delta loudspeaker | Stereophile.com

You can do a lot better than what the dealer suggested.

As per others, the first thing to do is to find two or three brands of speakers that you really like, which may require a bit of travel, but it will be worth it.

Once the speakers are set, you work back from there.

+2 for Vandersteen Quatro's.

+1 for Magnepan

Don't forget Sound Lab, if you like planar speakers.

I would like to add my 2 cents/piece of advice-

When I started out in the 80's, there were lots of dealers in the NY area and I could listen to lots of speakers/systems. I had to put all this on hold, as I was trying to make a career (yup, in Gardening/Horticulture- not the most lucrative of fields).

When I finally got some discretionary income, I remembered the Vandersteen's and how great they sounded (Mind you, this was the Model 2). I was pleased that he was still in business, and even came out with newer models.

I got a pair of 3a sigs, which were great, but lucked into a pair of Treo's. The difference was significant-more refined would be the best descriptor. If I had the more physical space to house them, I would get the Quatro's in a heart beat. But, I make do with the Treo's and Sub 3's.

So, long story short, I hope you can find time to audition as many speakers as possible so that you encounter a speaker that engages you-much like the Vandersteen's do for me. Once you get the speaker down, the remaining equipment (and, if necessary room correction) will be a breeze.

Bob

Instead of the McIntosh, I'd go with the Anthem STR Integrated and jump to the 5F Persona