Help with upgrade bug...


First time posting.   I've had this fairly satisfying system for some time now and am looking at upgrading to a higher end set of speakers.  Looking for a wider, deeper stage and possibly more involving presentation.  Listen to a lot of female vocals and acoustic music -- using XRCD and SACD, primarily.   

Oppo BDP 105
Benchmark DAC3 HGC (headphone or occasional Ipod/Mac duties)
Plinius 9200 integrated
Totem Acoustic Forest
Kimber Hero/8TC and Shunyata power cords
Monster HTS3600

Room is about 15x11 feet.   8 ft ceiling.   Current speakers are along the shorter wall, about 2 feet out, 6 feet apart.   

Budget probably around $5k, give or take (used or new).   I've been somewhat partial to standmounts but would not be totally opposed to another set of floor standers.   The low end extension of my Forests are for the most part, enough for my ears with the music I listen to.   If I do get standmounts, I wouldn't be totally opposed to adding a sub later on (although integrating them would be a different discussion altogether).  

I've looked considerably at the Dynaudio Confidence C1 (Platinum), Contour 20 or Special 40 (given I've heard good things about Plinius and Dynaudio synergy).   I've also considered the Joseph Audio Pulsars.   Unfortunately, demo possibilities are limited.  

Thanks! 

128x128benj273
05-29-2020 2:10pm
Based on your experience, do you think the sonic improvements would translate to a much better staging/imaging/depth overall?  


No question about it. Image clarity will improve substantially due to significantly lower noise floor. This will result in better image depth and size. Bass will deepen and be more controlled.


Great to hear.   I'm seriously going to consider this actually.   The TAS review on this "Truth modification" for the 105 was eye-opening.


I appreciate all the input so far. 

If this was your system, what would you upgrade first?  What would give you the biggest sonic improvements if you could do just one thing now? 

(Not listed according to preference)

1. Power setup (e.g. Get rid of Monster, PS Audio Power Regenerator, etc)
2. Upgrade CD (e.g. Modwright 105 modification or change altogether)
3. Upgrade speakers (e.g. Confidence C1)
4. Changes to room (e.g. speaker location, room treatments)

Thanks again! 
No experience with the others but the Pulsars are one of my favorites.
Used they go $3-$4k. Also very resellable down the line.
Give the stand mounted Tannoy Legacy Eatons a try. They throw a deep, wide soundstage, holographic even...and they are revealing, yet warm & non fatiguing. They are an efficient speaker and do very well with both tubed and class A gear. They excel at acoustic music. You will not need a sub with these, as they have 10 inch concentric drivers. They can also be tailored to your taste with bungs for both front facing bass ports as well as a unique high frequency level control panel. They can be biwired as well as grounded, as they have 5 binding posts. You will need relatively hard to locate low and wide stance stands for these. Atacama makes them. I’m very happy with my Tannoys and run them with a Sugden signature A21se class A single ended integrated. A perfect match for these speakers in my opinion. Listening space is a well furnished 15 x 12 area of a larger actual room of 25 x15 ft......7 foot ceiling. The room has zero room treatments, is well furnished with, what I’d describe as, equal reflective and absorbing materials. They are about 7 feet apart and about 12 to 14 inches from front wall with moderate toe in. Listening position about 7.5 feet away. The soundstage width and depth is incredible, with sounds emanating well beyond the speakers, seemingly coming from beyond the room boundaries. The inner detail is immense, due in part (in my opinion) to the both the speaker design and the class A topology of the amplifier. Using all Audioquest power enhancers, Niagara, thunder, X3, Z3, and copper outlet. Speaker cables are QED silver Anniversary xt bi wire. Marantz HD-cd1 utilized as a transport and a musical fidelity v90 dac. To me, the best set up I ever had. Future dac will be the Border patrol, but for now the v90 doing an admirable job.
On analog duty is a Pro-ject classic sb TT with Hana EL moving coil with Alnico magnets, a Tavish design classic Tubed phono stage with jensen step up transformer, a vintage Aiwa f770 3 head cassette deck, and my cambridge audio t500 tuner. Turntable sitting on an apollo wall mounted dedicated shelf. The wall is concrete, studs/drywall. Floor of listening room is carpet over concrete. Maybe too much info, but trying to give you an idea of what I’m listening to.