$50k - $80k Budget…Opinions please.


Long story short, I sold my beloved 2-channel to reduce family debt. In about a year-ish, I’ll be in a position to rebuild with a hefty budget. I loved my Harbeth + Pass Labs combo. My REL sub died before I really got to integrate it, so opinions wanted there as well. I fully understand the diminishing margin of returns when moving into some arenas, but that’s ok, opinions are strongly encouraged.

I listen to a lot of Miles Davis/Coltrane, Radiohead, Tool, Pearl Jam, Brent Cobb. I’ve often preferred “organic” or neutral, not sure how technical that is.

toddcowles

think preferences thru before reviewing specific equipment:

1. tubes or SS: TUBES,

both preamp and amp, or integrated. 

2.  speakers: EFFICIENT, to keep power need down, heat down, size down, increase flexibility of placement, remember line of sight of any remote beam.

3. type of drivers:

Horns and Big Woofer, no ports;

no horns, lots/enough bass, no ports;

no horns, no ports, stereo pair of subs.

f. Features: many or purist. i.e. Stereo/Mono; Remote Balance; fletcher munson 'loudness' eq for very low listening; some defeatable tone controls; tape loop; dual output

g. Vintage or New or mix.

h. Phono, a big category, keep options and future options, and flexible gain/flexible impedance in mind. SS or Tubes? TUBES

i. Turntable: DD or belt or idler? Plinth size to fit Long Arm

j. Tonearms: Single, Two, Three {MC, MM, Mono ready to go back and forth in any listening session

Here's what I'd consider

Speakers: SF Olympica Nova 5 (~$20k)

Amplification: Moon 860Av2 (~$20k)

Preamp/Network combo: Moon 390 (~7k)..the new 791 (~$16k) could be interesting

Roon Nucleus with internal hard drive (~$2k)

If desired turntable with isolation platform (e.g. Rega P8 {~$5}  with HRS platform {$1,5k})

Speaker cables ($2k), interconnects ($2K) and power cables with power distributer ($3k) with circuit guard (Shunyata power, Nordost/Transparent/Kimber speaker cables & interconnects)

Audio rack (~$2k)

Stressless Recliner ($3k)

But that's me...

 

With that budget you should be able to go digital only and rival many analog systems.

I’d spend most of my time and budget on the finest pair of speakers that floats my boat and works with my room and whatever treatments it will have. Then would pursue proper amplification for them with the features you want. It’s too subjective and proprietary to your situation to make specific recommendations, but odds are good it’ll be brands that the main stream aren’t overly familiar with. I'm partial to good tube electronics and/or tube/SS hybrid bi-amp situations, and great midrange with clarity and convincing soundstage...your tastes may vary, but there's no reason to settle for anything you don't love. 

Select music sources and cabling that will play well with the speakers and amplification, and that you’ll be happy using.

You’re smart to be planning in advance.