The most important word of advise?

Hiiiii Billl & what' your story???
We're here for you buddy.

You've just crossed the line
Welcome to the club

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You know what they say.......
" do not get high on your own supply "

If the wimpy looking plain-jane model sounds better, allow your ears to rule your eyes.

Take forum recommendation and opinion with a huge grain of salt. I see more wrong info in forums then right. I would hate to be new to this hobby so much disinformation makes it hard to get real useful info since far more chaff than wheat. A audio forum consists of people with many different levels of experience but it seems many put as much stock in posts by newbies as experts. So allot of advice is coming from folks with little experience.

JohnK's advice is sound (pun intended). Buy Vandersteens or Quads, and similar everyman audio stuff, and get a grip on what folks are talking about. I sold audio stuff for years and only had one customer who I thought shopped intelligently. He came in with three or four of his favorite recordings and asked to hear them on equipment that he could afford. I gave him the demo room for the afternoon. He left without buying anything that day, and I always wondered what he eventually decided.