Best system for ROMANCE

First and foremost, I would focus upon finding a speaker that really does it for you and be prepared if necessary to budget the greater portion of your resources toward that aim. Since you are looking for suggestions, my clear recommendation is the Obelisk speaker by Shahinian Acoustics. It is a beautifully made little poly/omnidirectional speaker that I have found is truly excellent with classical music. Indeed, I have come across no other speaker so unobtrusive that can deliver on such a large scale. Here's what one reviewer writes: "They really come into their own with well recorded acoustical jazz and classical music--the penchant of their designer. Shahinian knows well and loves the sound of the concert hall and knows how to produce speakers that evoke the beauty, bloom, and emotional sweep of live music." Another of the real pluses about the Obelisk is that unlike typical/conventional speaker designs, you can position yourself BETWEEN them and even BEHIND them, and the resultant experience is merely a pleasing, but respectively different perspective on the same performance. Hence, instead of being limited strictly to a very limited "sweet spot," whereby you experience the concert from the audience's perspective, you can in addition, experience it from an on-stage/right in the middle of the orchestra perspective, and even from a backstage/behind the orchestra perspective! And guess what? Shahinian outfits his Obelisks with casters, not spikes---so let's say the mood should strike that you feel like fantasizing that you are "getting it on," as you say, center stage, surrounded by your favorite orchestra, in the midst of your favorite orchestral passage, you just simply and easily wheel those Obelisks out and place them so that you are right smack in between them (wherever that might happen to be), and VOILA! Please do check them out at Shahinian's website at: http://www.shahinianacoustics.com/ for a lot more info, and photos. For what it's worth---and I'm not talking about merely the getting it on scene, but wherever they've been placed, they're one of very few speakers I have known women to actually REMARK that they really like. I have had mine pretty much for the entire 21 years that I've been married (yes, they are still making the same speaker, but with internal upgrades that reflect the state of current technology) and though many speakers have since come and gone, my wife simply will not let me sell the Obelisks. They may go out of use now and then, replaced by something new, but to this day, every time they are put back into a system and my wife hears them once again, she inevitably says the same thing, "Now THAT'S the sound I like...why can't you find new speakers that sound like that?" So much for the issue of your speakers.------------- Now, I'll try to make the rest of my comments short. Speaking in general terms, my experience has been that women love the sound of tubes and abhor solid state. As such, I concur with Trelja with respect to the choice of a Jolida integrated tube amp. And doesn't the name, "Jolida" just sound like it's the right choice for this application? Given the price of the Obelisks, you may wish to go with their JD 202A model, at $750 list. Here's what one reviewer had to say about this unit, "For nary the cost of a bad weekend in Vegas (aren't they all?), the wonders of a honey-smooth tube toy can be yours." You can check out their website at: http://www.newtube.com/jolida.html. At their price points, I am sure you will find the Jolida products quite aesthetically pleasing as well.------------- Now on to your front end. Of course, vinyl IS the coolest, but I agree with one prior writer's observation and can't imagine that anyone would want to have to deal with the changing of LPs when they are in the midst of getting it on. My recommendation therefore (in consideration of course to your budget) is that you forego at this point, the notion of going for any of these high/mid-priced CD players. Such is clearly not necessary, particularly in these uncertain digital format times. Instead, you'll find you can pick yourself up a brand new Pioneer DVD player, like the 525 model, for a song---say around $200 on the web. Use this as your transport, coupled with MSB's Link DAC lll and for about $500, you will have yourself a digital front end that would have cost you ten times that, just a couple of years back. A CLEAR bonus you get with this combo is that you can play DVD audio disks---and though there is admittedly a very limited selection available right now, there are indeed a few really good ones out there and you will no doubt be amazed at how much additional pleasure this format has to offer over conventional CDs.------------------------------------------ This of course won't leave you with all that much left over from your $4000 budget for accessories, but thankfully, you WILL be able to afford the excellent value interconnects and speaker cables put out by Mapleshade and/or DH Labs----Finally, as for the choice of WINE and all of the to-be-expected come-ons, I'll be leaving the cute/erudite comments to the bon vivant/Rico Suave crew. Rather, I'd suggest what would be infinitely tres cool is if you would get someone you really like to take you to Napa or Paris and that you make it a point to bring home some of those wines you have particularly enjoyed along the way. Good luck!

Cindy, if you know high end audio well enough to discriminate among the systems suggested, you clearly are not "new at this". Somehow I don't think we have to worry about you're being at the mercy of a high end dealer on either coast. I wish you had posted your pedigree before I took you seriously.

Cindy, Faml24 makes a lot of good points. However, please go with the Jolida 302B, as opposed to the 202B. While I really am a big fan of the 202, it is very limited in its abilities. The 302 has MUCH larger transformers. Transformers are the most expensive/important part of a tube amp. And they determine power, bass response, ability to drive loudspeakers, and so much MORE. The 302B will be more future proof. You will be able to drive most speakers with it. With the 202, you are fairly limited. While I always tell people to replace the tubes and power cord, I am only suggesting you switch the power cord. The stock Chinese tubes are slow, heavy, syrupy, and most of all ROMANTIC. You will absolutely love them. Good Luck with everything.

Hi Cindy, You can try Sound by Singer, Stereo Exchange, Park Ave Audio, Lyric HiFi and Harveys' in that order.If you run into "ATTITUDE", don't forget that you are a serious customer interested in a high quality system and you are going to compare systems at a few good shops before making a decision. Pressure and impulse can get to even the most experienced buyer, so good luck. Let us know how it turns out.

If you're still in NYC and looking to audition, stop by Innovative Audio as well. They can be a little more pricy than the ones mentioned above, but I have found them to be the kindest, most accomodating, and knowledgable of the lot - and they've got some really fine equipment to boot. If you've got the time and the interest, they'll set you up, bring sodas, and swap out equipment for you all day long. They treated me right fine, and I'm just a youngster who showed up in jeans and a t-shirt. I've had mixed luck (and bought equipment) from almost all of the above--mostly luck of the draw regarding who gloms onto you when you walk in the door. I suspect you'll be fine, though...