I did and he responded already, though bookshelves are hard to find.
I think the advice I have seen here is already sinking in — I need to rethink power and speakers, both. Obviously, power is another thread altogether and I know I can just search those threads to find advice. So far, I’m seeing Schiit and Peachtree as two good, reasonable options (where reasonable is $2k or less for power).
If truth be fully disclosed, I am also needing to think about the source of my music — a lot is streaming or ripped from disc at rates that would make folks “tsk tsk” me (which I would deserve). So there’s that piece.
Overall, what I have been trying to do is to reinvigorate my listening equipment without being sucked into a rabbit hole — either with money or with all the technical ins-and-outs. I can learn what the language means and try to educate myself, and of course I have been going to listen, but at the end of the day I need to make a reasonable guess and get things upgraded. But with kids still in the house and older parents (and an academic department to run), I lack the time to become a fully invested audio hobbyist.
The advice here has been great and I appreciate nudges in a better and more informed direction.
