$50k - $80k Budget…Opinions please.

ghdprentice,

sorry to tell you that you don't know what you're talking about just because the system costs $160,000 doesn't mean it's going to sound better than an $80,000 system depends how good your ear is and how good the equipment is I've heard systems for $80,000 that absolutely blew away systems for $200,000 It's not just about money in fact I heard a million dollar system that I thought sounded bright and edgy it was terrible money doesn't always buy the best sound, and most of the time with the law of diminishing returns people that spend crazy amounts of money are being ripped off anyways but if you got more money than brains that's what you do lol

@op Try to hear a pair of Wilson Sabrina X's with some quality amplification and source (CD/Streaming/analogue of your choice) as a starting point.

If organic is your criterion but you need power for the kind of music you listen to, probably a transistor power amp that is at least partly biased into class A.

Budget for room treatment if the room is not already sorted.

Only suggestions as possible starting points because the possibilities are endless.

Room and system synergy are the main items to work on. If you don’t have a good dedicated room that you can place your speakers say 10’ out into the room if you need to and it’s treated, don’t waste your money. If you have to place your speakers up against the walls and next to furniture because of the WAF, nothing will sound their best. Buy the appropriate speakers that fit your room, then buy the amp(s) that will make your speakers sound their best.

I have gone to dozens of audio shows (ces, rmaf, Tampa, northwest audio to name a few) and there have been probably 100+ rooms with hundreds of thousands of $$$$ of gear that sounded like sh$t mainly because the wrong setup for the room.

But I also think you build a system with the correct synergy with the room and all the system components, the more money you spend will get you better sq, until the difference in sq isn’t worth the much more $$$$ you will be spending to achieve it.

While most of us have unique opinions, Miles Davis sounds like he is standing in front of me on my system. The room, I place the system in the corner but the walls are broken up with irregularities and lots of absorbing features, curtains, etc, and the back two walls broken up as well. The result is zero secondary reflections, one perfect spot with full 3d definition. 
in this strange room, Project turntable, McIntosh phono preamp, VTL 5.5, VTL S200, custom cables, feeding Totem Acoustic Element Metal speakers with Thunder Sub II as I listen to organ music and like the solid low end.  
My previous system was Quad 63ESL’s, Vandersteen's, driven by Mark Levinson and was fabulous with isolating vocalists.  My current system does the same, and my opinion is the room treatment is so critical to eliminate secondary reflections. 
One disappointment in searching is many high end dealers have crappy listening set ups. I wish the best for you, may your ears be blessed.

For $80k I’d do Magnepan 3.7i with 1k GR-Research crossover upgrade. Bryston 28b cubed monoblocks with Audio Magic Masterpiece fuses. Chord DAVE DAC with silver lvl 2 Farad power upgrade, and Chord Mscaler with dual Shunyata Omega 75 ohm BNC cables. Mutec REF 10SE120 Master Clock with 2 Shunyata Omega word clock cables to Aurender W20SE Network Player, and Jay’s Audio CDT3-MK3 CD transport. Shunyata Everest and Omega power cables to power everything. Cardas Clear Beyond XLR’s and Speaker Cables. SR Master fuses in Word Clock, Streamer, and CD. 80k ultimate system imo.