Acquiring an awesome system, but how?


At this point I am making some changes to my system that may raise eyebrows as have in the past. But it's my money and my ears so here goes.
If one was to count all the makers of high end stuff and multiply by how many pieces will be included to create a system one would get the statistics of possibilities of combinations. I bet it's as high as our deficit, did I have to bring that up?
Well it mind as well be infinite because no one can even approach a fraction of all the possibilities.
I still haven't picked up an atma-sphere mp-1 preamp, so every now and then I look at the forum and see some suggestions for preamps to see if something comes up with raving reviews.
Well most of us know it's mostly synergy that makes a system excellent.
I thought the experienced goners can shed some light and offer suggestions as to what will make lasting purchases.
On my end I was amazed at how good the atma-sphere m60 sounded while it was running, now it is on hold till some things get resolved and so now I am back to the sim w-5 and it still satisfies. But I would like to do some more comparative listening, because the atmas sounded so good. I have no intentions of letting go of the atma's by the way.
I am still after the mbl sound and will be experimenting with some non-mainstream designs. I have some good ideas that will take time to bring to fruition.
But as for the reason for the thread, please share with us what systems made the biggest impressions and how one achieved them without breaking the bank?
Please include what systems sounded the best to you.
pedrillo
I have gone through many pieces of equipment over the years looking for the same thing. I had stayed away from tubes because of audiophilia nervosa but finally took the plunge. I decided on audio research and assembled the following used arc ref one, arc ph3se, classic 60 and acoustic zen adagio. Front end is vpi scoutmaster jm9 benz ruby or my mac pro through dacmagic. I listen in a small room and the sound is fabulous. It puts me in mind of the time many years ago in northern california when I heard a maggie system driven by arc playing elton john-yellow brick road. That sound was what I looked for over the years and now have.
You already have an awesome system! Is your brain really telling you otherwise? From what I can tell you already know how to do it quite well.
As my SS friends say "He went over to the dark side"...Kinda Cheneyesque...but get some tube amps. You will never go back. I have a great SS amp...very transparent...but no match for my Vac's.
I think a quicker path to audio satisfaction (maybe heaven, but I'd not count on it, as that price tag is more than I want to pay right now), is the 'same + same' power train way. Maybe to the point of the source being from the likewise maker too.

A more meandering way is merely to have the ability to be paitient or easy to satisfy (within reasonable criteria) as both aspects seem to create a more positive atmosphere. (No ppun intended).

I've heard all Levinson + Maggies... All Krell + B&W. Both used Transparent wires. Both sounded super in a good many areas. I've heard all Ayre + Wilson. Again, pretty good. Also all CJ + cones and panels... again, I could live with it I suppose. All BAT with Various speakers. All Thor with VSA. the last mix was my choice for a long while.

That changed later on.

Therein lies the real issues. One's degree of stability, desire, funding, and ego are and have been all areas of concern for myself. A few of them I can manage, other's I can not.

Personally, I enjoy each aspect of better audio, save for panel speakers. Although I even like a lot of what they can do, they simply aren't for me. Past that I like it all.

All SS for HT. All Hollow state for most music, and HS + SS AMP for other music.

In every case, as articulate and revealing a source I can listen to as is possible.

Wish I could stick to merely one method... but that's the way it is for me. I have become less picky however, finding out there are inumerable pieces being made today which are really, really good. That helps a lot.

And I found out just how far into or past, the point of diminishing returns I can afford to dwell in routinely.

Being OK with that 'point' or state of affairs winds down the chasing ones tail aspect almost 100%.

That said, Am I done? No. I'm in no hurry to add or replace anything soon though. I have no outright vacancies begging to be filled finally.
Thanks onhwy61. I agree!
I will be adding some new tweeks to my system in the near future, not that there is anything wrong with what I have now, but want to take it to a new level.
I thought I would mention some of the systems I heard in showrooms that I liked: MBL of course is tops for me(sorry to keep bringing it up again), I also liked in the past that is 3-5 years ago, piega c10, kharma, jm labs divas, dynaudio c-4, maggies 20.1. And recently I liked the magico minis and thought the verity fidelio's were amazing but that could have been the electronics and source gerrard tt and all shindo. Also thought the bolzanos were amazing!
So what am I after? I like the omni sound, and am looking forward to hearing the omni speakers that I haven't heard yet. The duevel's, mirage's, ohm's and whatever else is out there.
I will post my new contraption as soon as it's ready and sounds ok, if you don't hear from me then either my ceiling colapsed or I'm too embarassed to post.
Waiting for a shipment of bungee chords.
Just kidding. Ha, if you think I'm nuts now wait till you see the system I am hooking up here in bellevue, if only the doctors understood.
Obviously that man is crazy,
Uh hah, we don't use that kind of language here,
Well what kind of language do you use,
Now now
Well that man is very now now.
Miss those pink panther films.