Have a look at Stenheim speakers and a DarTzeel integrated amplifier.
Help me spend $100,000 on a new system
I’ve recently been considering moving and downsizing my home. While exploring how much I might sell my house and land for, I was shocked that I might have an excess of $100,000 after selling and buying a smaller new home with less acreage. I’m 71 years old and can’t take it with me, so I’m trying to figure out how to spend that potential resource.
One possibility would be to purchase a new stereo system with all that cash. I would like to demo a system costing that much to see what sound quality you could get for a stupendous amount like that. But I don’t have any idea what brand/model components to look at. Perhaps you could suggest components you might consider if you were setting up a system at that price point. Also how would you budget the total amount per component including wiring.
I am not interested in adding streaming or anything else I might not already have to the system. I would be open to buying separates to replace any single component such as the integrated amplifier. Maybe a separate DAC, phono stage, preamp etc. Please tell me what you would do.
Following are the components I already have to upgrade. My system consists of Magico A3 speakers, a Luxman 507uX MK2 integrated amp, a Marantz Ruby KI CD/SACD player, A VPI Classic 2 turntable with a Fatboy tonearm and a Lyra Kleos cartridge. Wiring consists of Audioquest Rocket 88 speaker cables, and VPI house brand wires that connect to the tonearm. I forget the brands of the other wires and cables, but they are of similar quality to the above.
I also have a Shunyata Hydra Denali 4000 power conditioner with a Venom power cord (I think) that I will continue to use without upgrading.
I would welcome any of your suggestions and utilize them next time I go up to Washington DC to visit dealer showrooms for demos. Thank you much.
It does sound weird to consider spending that much on a system costing over three times what I paid for my first home, so I hope I’m not sounding uppity here.
Mike
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Only suggestion I would make is on the speakers. I demoed those speakers along with the Yamaha NS5000 and Vivid Kaya 45. The Yamaha and Vivid sounded way more coherent to my ears. I ended up with the NS5000. The Vivid speakers are rather unique and a good way to spend a lot of money if you went up the lineup. If I get a job in the next few weeks, I am going to spend money on 1 more audio item that I do not need. I am looking to get either the PlayBack Designs Dream DAC or the KRELL KSA-i400 amp (need to trade in a CODA #16 amp for the KRELL). The DAC is likely the better choice because my #16 is already great to my ears. Both of these items were in my original audio master plan, but I would be wasting money because what I have now is very good. I expect to waste the money,
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As a general idea, I would first replace the amp and cables. If you like your speakers enough to keep them for a long time. If not, then you will have to build the whole new system. Not necessarily $100k system, especially if you buy some of the components and cables used. But again, first you have to decide about the speakers in the room they are going to be in. Do you only consider SS amplification or are open to tubes as well ? But I have no idea how Magico perform with tube electronics so it's not a suggestion. |
Mike skyscraperYou are welcome. I wish I would take my own advice or be able to overcome indecision! I would like to do what you are doing. @tomic601 referred to speakers with equalization, and since he (and I) are Vandersteen owners (and he’s the relative expert) maybe he was talking about the Quatro CT, which have built-in powered woofers with their own equalization. Very easy to tune to your room, and easy to drive because the amp only drives the midrange and tweeters. Cheers. |
laoman, will do. Thanks. mapman, spending money just because I can may not be the wisest way to go, but letting it sit in a bank account might be even less wise. At this point I’m just exploring options for best utilizing that possibly available cash to best enjoy the remaining years I’ve got left. And among other things I do love a good sound system, so I’m considering that possibility as a luxury I unexpectedly may be able to afford. Andrew, I’ll look those components up. Thank you. knock1, things might look a bit differently to you when you hit your seventies. If you’ve potentially got the money to spare, why not spend it on the things that give you the most enjoyment for the time you’ve got left to enjoy them. ghdprentice, sorry, no streaming, gaming, or cell phones for that matter. I’m guessing if I spend $100,000 on equipment none of my current components would be up to snuff. I really need to listen to higher end equipment to see how much better it would sound compared to my current set up to see if it's worth pursuing. I will look into the brand equipment you mentioned. Thanks. Initm, appreciate your suggestions and will look into them. audioman58. if I decide to go this upgrade route I will contact you. Thanks for offering your assistance. tomic601, nice to hear from you. What exactly would be a transducer? Your a bit over my head there even after I googled that term. What monoblocks might you recommend. I hate to admit it but your statement about " having monoblocks and speakers with 11 bands of EQ below 120hz" was lost on me too. Could you explain what you mean to me, a lay person on these matters. Thanks. Upgrading to a better Lyra Kleos makes perfect sense. And yes the Fatboy tonarm does have that upgrade you mentioned, I was thinking a better turntable could be in order however in a $100.000 system. bigtwin, I’ll check out that video you suggested. Thanks all, Mike P.S.: I’ll reply to the three posts that came in while I was typing the above replies tomorrow, as it’s getting kind of late here. . |
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