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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

 

 

skyscraper

Showing 6 responses by inna

inna
7,132 posts
 

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.

inna
7,132 posts
 

skysraper, there really are almost infinite possibilities, and $100k can buy truly excellent sound. Choose your speakers first, something that you wouldn’t want to replace for the next 20 years. Take your time with that. The rest will be easier if not easy. I would probably audition $25k-$40k new speakers with good SS amplification. This is quite a range, I know. The brand you get should have a high reputation in terms of warranty and repair work after the warranty expires. You don’t want any problems with this. I would buy all the cables demo or used unless you must have something particular that is impossible to find. Great cables and cords are usually outrageously overpriced. Frankly, I don’t know what I myself would choose at this level, the biggest challenge would be to find those near perfect speakers for many years to come.

inna
7,132 posts
 

He doesn't want to deal with tubes. Another point, after choosing speakers, is whether to go with integrated or separates. Boulder 866 is about $16k, I think, and Gryphon Diablo 333 about $25k without optional dac and phono stage. DartZeel is probably even more expensive and D'Agostino Momentum would be out of reach. Some mentioned Audionet. Accuphase is about $25k, I guess, for both class A and top class AB integrated. What else..? Nagra, Soulution, Vitus. Quite a choice.

inna
7,132 posts
 

Mike, Diablo 333 is a new Gryphon integrated. The previous Diablo 300's DAC and phono stage were both considered excellent. Gryphon is really worth auditioning, especially if you like clarity and power. This is a very solid and reputable brand.

inna
7,132 posts
 

I can tell why not. Because the man has a different idea. He invited us to participate in his idea, not to suggest other possible ways of money management.

inna
7,132 posts
 

Gryphon also makes speakers, though they are less known than their electronics.

Yeah, you meant Diablo 300.

If possible, you might be interested in auditioning Kharma and Lansche speakers. They are different from Magico and Wilson. I think, their entry level speakers start at about $25k. Lansches do need plasma tweeters to be replaced from time to time, which is inconvenient and not inexpensive, unless they managed to overcome this shortcoming. But the sound of that tweeter..

 

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