What's your High End best buy/unknown components?

Just as a follow-up to what Kenl said, Ric Cummins provides fabulous customer service. I was an original purchaser of Argent Room Lenses. They arrived with a rather amateurish finish. Several years later, the Room Lenses were a big hit, and the production was much more evolved. I asked Ric if he would refinish mine, and he did so without a hitch, and even replaced a couple and paid for return shipping. Great guy! Exactly the kind of person you would like to see achieve success in this business.

HP 110 amps from star sound. Check out audiopoints.com. The site doesn't do credit to these remarkable amps. I have a big system with a dedicated acoustic treated room and had listened to great stuff from Levinson, Krell, Spectral, Pass, and many more. I was ready to buy these name brands when a friend convinced me to demo the HPs. When properly broken in these cool running seemingly low powered amps are as dynamic as anything I have heard. Very rememiscent of the tube amps. The more I play the more they have openned up and I am already way beyond being satisfied. I don't know how these guys do it and I really would like for someone else in the business to review these although I know what I am hearing and was skeptical at best at the outset. I have Revel Studios and these more power them up. Unless you need a big power rated amp to compensate for other lesser equipment than the HPs are more than enough for almost any application. My buddy is seamlessly running some big Dunleavys with these. Check audiopoints.com.

I am extremely pleased with the pure silver hand-made cables (interconnect and speaker) that I purchased from Ric Cummins 6-months ago. The "Jaden" cables were designed by Mr. Cummins, who is also the designer and manufacturer of the Rosinante Dulcinea Speaker and Argent Room Lens and Dark Matter Shelves.

Until acquiring the Jaden cables, I had tried many well known and regarded cables (Nordost Quattro Fil, Acoustic Zen Silver Reference, Siltech, Transparent, Cardas, and so forth) and was never fully satisfied. I have found the Jaden cables to be tonally balanced, highly detailed, very controlled in the bass, dynamic, smooth, and musical. I have not craved to find a better cable since. Unfortunately, the Jaden cables are not widely known, but my buddies who have auditioned these cables were thoroughly impressed and have made the switch too. I have heard the Jadens do extremely well with horn, planar, and dynamic speakers.

I am also extremely happy with my Dulcinea speakers. Because I have a rather large room, 17 X 30, with a cathedral ceiling, I am integrating the Dulcinea speakers with a REL Stentor subwoofer. The combination is sublime!

My hats off to Mr. Cummins for designing high quality products that are very thoughtful to the consumer. His products are again reasonably priced and deliver much sophistication.

Within my experience, system, etc. ;

Densen electronics, Wasatch Cable Works, Tekline power cords, Yamamura Art-Q Dampers

The Placette Passive Preamp is the best sounding preamp that I have heard regardless of price. The volume control uses nothing but the best resistors available anywhere. Most systems that have efficient speakers need only a passive preamp anyway. It only costs $1400 and has a remote control as well. If you have efficient speakers and do not have a turntable, you owe it to yourself to check out the Placette website.