Your Second System

I presently have only one speaker system set up but I drive it with 3 different digital sources thru one pre-amp to three different amps for the following reasons:

1) Economy. Amp has 4 power tubes and demands on tubes is conservative. CDP is SS. Pretty good and cheap as well.

2) Drama. A tubed CDP and big mono tube amps. CDP is very dynamic. Amp has major bass balls and HF extension. Great on well recorded big peices. But you don't want to hear mediocre or poor recordings on this set up.

3) Relaxed listening, perhaps more accurate and certainly more delicate than 2) using a medium powered amp and a tubed CDP different from 2).

Now if I could just find a single CDP, and a single amp that did Economy, Drama, and Relaxed, all equally well, I'd be in audio heaven.

BTW, before CDP's I had the same problem, only then I had multiple TT's/Cartridges. Go figure! I'm just an audio schiziod. Probably wouldn't know what I want if I heard it.

I specifically design for a different style. Unless you spend vast quantities of money, it is very hard to get a system that does everything equally well. That is the way Nature requires it.

I listen to all types of music from folk, to techno, to symphonies, to heavy metal, so I have been collecting gear in order to eventually (when I have more room) have two totally separate systems. One for acoustic/vocal/jazz and one for electronic/symphonic/metal.

Some people say that you should spend all your money on one "good" system but I feel you can get more with less cost by having two carefully-put-together systems. It is a sort of distributed optimization that can give you 1+1=3 if done right. It is a fun and less costly way to have your cake and eat it too.

Arthur

In my case,I just have enough components to assemble 3 complete systems.The best gear are on my primary system .
George