or do you chill. find one you like (maybe not love), and slowly keep looking/listening. trying a new IC every now and then. is it always a work in progress?
....pretty much.
It's impossible to try everything out there now available. By the time you get done, more will be out! And you'll have forgotten who's who, and what's what.
A while back I decided on trying 8 or 10 ICs. Like yourself, in my budgeted amounts. Took six or seven months overall. Half a year of listening to the same CD's over and over again was stuppifying. I settled on one pair. Shortly after that I got some on loan and some others I was told were super!.... Either of those last ones could well have been my choice had they arrived earlier. They didn't though. One of those sets I got later on and still have. one pair I sold off and would like to have it's step up sibling now.
But then too, pieces in the rig had changed as well. usually for me, as I tend to maintain a certain sonic appeal yet attempt to increase or improve upon it's basic elements, when pieces change cables usually have to as well.
When I get to the end of the initial run of prospects, I select the best one of that group. If all have been so so which doesn't happen too much IME, I'll keep looking.... keeping likely the best so far.
it's a work in progress indeed. Continually evolving. It is important to keep it fun though. As funds, temperance, and desires go. Just remeber to relax. Perfect ain't out there in an imperfect world.
Thus far, and this is just my theme perhaps, considering you're set on components for a while, I feel one should begin with a pretty good set of speaker wires first.
Then add a really neutral IC like the Cardas Neutral IC OR ??? I put in a pair of them as source and mains in my first trials, and would have no problem going that way again.
Next address power cords for the front end and back end of the system. If a pre is used you can throw $$$ at it later.
Next do the upstream signal ICs.
Lastly, do the main ICs.
If you keep the rig pretty resolving along the way whenever you make a change, upstream or down, either by improving racks, stands, isolation, power line accessories, room treatments, etc., you'll hear each change indeed.
But again, that's just me. one can do whatever whenever, most likely and still get there. The trick I suppose is keeping the stereo listenable and enjoyable. And do listen to it frequently. Otherwise, it becomes a work in eternal progress and not a fun past time any more.
Good luck.
