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looking for upgrade suggestions - 12,000 to spend

I am looking to upgrade my current system. I have $12,000 to spend BUT don't know what the most substatial/practical upgrade would be for the $$$.

Rowland model 10 amp
Rowland synergy I pre-amp
Levinson #39 cd player
Dunlavy SC-IV speakers
synergistic des. ref and FIM cables/power cords
2 ASC 16" tube traps - in the corners behind speakers
room size 12.5 ft wide X 18 feet long X 8.5 ft tall

I was thinking new speakers (Avalon, eggleston, kharma,talon,dunlavy)OR using the #39 as a trasnport and getting a DAC??

Can anybody make some suggestions OR point me in the right direction??
Thanks - Chris
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mikeam
122 posts
 
Buy a pair of Legacy Audio Whipsers, may cost a hair more than 12K, but you will never look back. I owned the talon Khours (NOT the X version) and they are notanywhere close to the Whispers. The Whispers are more like live musinc than ANY and ALL the other high end (speakers costing sometimes more than 6X as much as the Whispers) speakers I have ever heard.

Mike
praudio
39 posts
 
Do not sell your speakers.I am 100% with Ehider...mod it.
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drubin
3,274 posts
 
To start, I would use the No. 39 as a transport and add a DAC, such as the Dodson. I did just that myself and I feel it is a big step up. After you do that, explore the TacT RCS to work on the room. The Dodson (or other high quality outboard DAC) will outperform the TacT's DA module, which is why I suggest you do the DAC upgrade before adding the room correction, but you could reverse the order. Unfortunately, you cannot insert the TacT or similar device between the transport and DA sections of the No. 39. -Dan
gladstone
296 posts
 
Get rid of the Dunlavys. You can buy far fine speakers. Eidolon, Magnepan 20.1, etc.
audioguy123
40 posts
 
Don't sell the speakers and DO NOT modify them. While the changes suggested in a previous post (tweeter, X-Over,etc) will certainly change the Dunlavy's, the kind of improvement you MAY get (or just as likely, screwing up the sound) will be miniscule in comparison to fixing the room (Tact or SigTech).

I also agree with the idea of buying a good turntable and lots of used records. For $12,000 you can buy a great used TNT or Basis with arm and cartridge and a LOT of LP's.
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