Here's a challenge:a class A sound system for less

Give me digital room correction below 100hz and any good monitor (Maggie, Ohm, Merlin TSM, etc., etc.) over the mega-bucks loudspeaker of your choice. With a pair of good subwoofers, you're looking at $2.5K to $5K for your full range loudspeaker system. In many rooms - certainly including my current one - bass response will be just as deep, just as clean, and much, much smoother at a fraction of the cost. Choose your monitor carefully, and the differences over the rest of the frequency spectrum (with the exception of max SPL if you need to go there) -IMHO- will be dwarfed by the improvement in the bass.

Just MHO.

Marty

For sheer musical enjoyment, and forsaking the "last octave" pursuit, this is the system I'd put together:

All used equipment:
Jean Marie Reynaud Offrandes - ~$2,500
Jean Marie Reynaud Magic Stands - $250
Audiomat Opera integrated - $3,000
K & K Audio Phono Stage SE - $1,500
Townshend Rock Reference turntable w/ Excalibur tonearm - $3,500
GARROTT P77i with MicroScanner II stylus( the classic is back! ) - $500

Ok, Ok, I went over by $1,500 and didn't even get cables. Tough call where to shave money, I guess it would have to be on the Townshend. But, damn that really is a reference level component.

I'm gonna have to put some more thought into this to make the $10k limit.

For sheer musical enjoyment, and forsaking the "last octave" pursuit, this is the system I'd put together:

All used equipment:
Jean Marie Reynaud Offrandes - ~$2,500
Jean Marie Reynaud Magic Stands - $250
Audiomat Opera integrated - $3,000
K & K Audio Phono Stage SE - $1,500
Townshend Rock Reference turntable w/ Excalibur tonearm - $3,500
GARROTT P77i with MicroScanner II stylus(the classic is back!) - $500

Ok, Ok, I went over by $1,500 and didn't even get cables. Tough call where to shave money, I guess it would have to be on the Townshend. But, damn that really is a reference level component.

I'm gonna have to put some more thought into this to make the $10k limit.

All used:

Cary Cinema 5 - $2800
Cary Cinema 11 - $1800
Gallo Ref 3 - $1800
Mapleshade bases for Ref 3- $800
Linn LP-12 CFiber SC & AB, Ittok II - $1400
Ortofon Kontrapunkt B - $1000 from Japan
Whest PS.20 - $1000
Anthem CD-1 - $650

Total $11,250

Zone 2:
Galante Rhapsody - $1000
Anthem AMP-1 - $400.

Both sound wonderful to me. Main area very detailed, zone 2 has that organic tube sound.

I can't see spending substantially more unless I built a dedicated listening room. The room is the limiting factor for 95% of us in my mind.

Nsgarch,
Thank you for the compliments.
It's hard to put into words the sound this system is producing.
What I am experiencing is; what feels like so much a live sound especially at low volumes in which I am hearing lots of depth as though there is no back wall, instruments sound like they blossom, lots of separation, instruments sound so natural, full sounding bass yet distinct and accurate, delicate and high resolution.
My system never sounded this good and it was already a very good system.
I am awaiting my audiophile friends to confirm this.