Well, if I had came across an unexpected windfall of money right now, and if I wanted to upgrade my audio system, then as much as I would like to upgrade my speaker system, I would just let my speaker system be right now and upgrade my amplification and get a "state of the art" audio rig instead (and this is assuming that I will have either a Sony DVP-S9000ES or the newer Sony DVP-NS999ES in place by the time I perform this ULTIMATE system upgrade). And the following upgrades would be:
(01). Upgrade my amplification system. I would upgrade from my current Adcom GFA-545 MkII/GFP-750 combination to either a Bryston 4B-SST/BP-25, or get me a used Krell Power Amplifier and Preamplifier, and then upgrade the cables from my current MITerminator 2 and 3 Interconnects and Speaker Cables and get the MIT Oracle (either V1.1 or V2) Cables (both, the interconnects and speaker cables) instead.
AND THEN
(02). I would go out and get me a killer analog rig. And it would consist of a VPI TNT Mk V combined with either a JMW Memorial 12 or a Graham 2.2 Tonearm, mount me a Grado Reference Statement at the end of it, and then run it through an AcousTech PH-1 Phono Stage.
I would keep the rest of my system intact the way it is right now, and then later on, when my budget recovers, I would upgrade the speaker system either Thiel's latest $2,500.00 Speaker System and then combine it with Thiel's Subwoofer or upgrade to a pair of Ariel Acoustics 10 T's. Do those few little things, and I'll be a happy camper for an AWFULLY long time.
That's what I would do if I came across an unexpected windfall of money.
--Charles--
(01). Upgrade my amplification system. I would upgrade from my current Adcom GFA-545 MkII/GFP-750 combination to either a Bryston 4B-SST/BP-25, or get me a used Krell Power Amplifier and Preamplifier, and then upgrade the cables from my current MITerminator 2 and 3 Interconnects and Speaker Cables and get the MIT Oracle (either V1.1 or V2) Cables (both, the interconnects and speaker cables) instead.
AND THEN
(02). I would go out and get me a killer analog rig. And it would consist of a VPI TNT Mk V combined with either a JMW Memorial 12 or a Graham 2.2 Tonearm, mount me a Grado Reference Statement at the end of it, and then run it through an AcousTech PH-1 Phono Stage.
I would keep the rest of my system intact the way it is right now, and then later on, when my budget recovers, I would upgrade the speaker system either Thiel's latest $2,500.00 Speaker System and then combine it with Thiel's Subwoofer or upgrade to a pair of Ariel Acoustics 10 T's. Do those few little things, and I'll be a happy camper for an AWFULLY long time.
That's what I would do if I came across an unexpected windfall of money.
--Charles--