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Budget of $30K. Help me build a system

Hi all,

I just got around to unpacking my Merlin VSM-M's from a few international moves and have decided to rebuild since I sold off a lot of my gear in those moves. I have a budget of about $30k. Will be setup in a pretty small room of 14x8

What remained was an Aragon 8003 and a Lexicon MC1. Not really an ideal setup for these speakers.

I'posted in "Speakers" because I am under the impression that is the component you start with and should build around. So looking at upgrade paths I've almost decided on the following:

Master VSM-MXM (sell my VSM-M) $13,600- $2k = $11,600
Ars Sonum Filamonia SJ ESM $4,300
Bryston BDP1 $2500
Bryston BDA1 $2500
Cardas Clear ~$3000
GIK Acoustic treatments $2000
Equitech Son of Q balanced power conditioner $2500
Hi-Fi Racks Podium Reference $2000

Which brings me to $30,400k.

Am I missing anything? Any concerns with the synergy of selected components or do you think they marry well?

Problem I have is I live in a location where I am limited to what I can audition in person. So a lot of this I will be buying deaf...which is not ideal. It also limits me to what I can buy used since there isn't much of a market here and with shipping and power issues doesn't make it cost effective in most cases.

Thanks for your advice.
blueshirt
blueshirt OP
31 posts
 
Thanks all, you advice has been helpful in seeing other point of views.

Clio09, what you suggest is basically where my mindset has gone. Hold out on room treatments and power conditioner for now. A good point regarding cables. I think I might consider the Cardas Presence and take the money saved and invest in a better DAC.

Not that there is anything wrong with the Bryston BDA but a few things I have been reading lead me to believe I can improve at this 'link in the chain'. Calyx Femto, Lampinator, Aurelic to name a few.
mrvalve
1 posts
 
hello blueshirt, i own a pair of the vsm's, they will work fin in a smaller room. i'm sure that bobby p. would agree with me on that one. i have a small to medium sized room 17' x 10' and the vsm's sound wonderful. i have them paired up with an older ars filly. the pair just lets the music through. check out the ayre cx7 for a digital front end. its stand alone, but it does a fantastic job on redbook cds. great choice for cables, should be a killer system, ron
joneill
112 posts
 
Blueshirt:

Looks like you assembled a great souding sysyem and all of your ducks are in a row. I'd still give Bobby a call @factory for final tweaking.

Budget for the Cardas Clear wire geoemtry upgrade to your Master BAM. Less than $400.00 upgrade and it is truly the icing on the cake for the VSM Master.

Jim
turboglo
110 posts
 
I have Merlin Master VSM's with Master BAM and ARS-Sonum Filarmonia and Cardas cabling.

All I can say is that, set up properly, you will have a world class system that will bring you many, many hours of enjoyment. I am currently waiting on the very latest upgrade to the BAM (a re-wire using Cardas Clear wire), and I've been told by other customers that it's the icing on the cake.

The difference between VSM-mme's and the Master VSM's is very significant, btw. So I suspect that the leap from the VSM-M's to the MXM's will blow you away.

It's always preferable to be able to audition in your home exactly the system you will have. But I know that's not always possible. Since you're familiar with Merlin, and the speakers are voiced using the Filarmonia, I don't see how you can go wrong.

Bonne chance!
doggiehowser
672 posts
 
http://www.crutchfield.com/p_684CS37BA/THIEL-CS3-7-Black-ash.html?tp=185

$6950 x 2

http://www.crutchfield.com/p_684SS22BA/THIEL-USS-SmartSub-SS2-2-Black-Ash.html?tp=187

$6390 x 2

Total = 26,680

PX05 Passive Integrator -$500
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