Upgrading the Source.

If you take your present system and added a $10k plus cdp, the sound would not be even close (if you canned the Polks) to what the addition of a $3K (maybe less) pair of monitors or floorstanders would do. Speaker upgrade will give you the biggest bang for the buck.

Warren:

Just out of curiosity; have you heard the Polk LSi9's?? I ask you because if you're thinking polk sound from Circuit City, then you're off. This speakers are another beast altogether and are very, VERY good sounding speakers. If you're dissing them just because of the "Polk name" I think you might be missing the big picture. Polk is a big company with resources that small speaker manufacturers could only dream about. If they put their minds into it, they can create good things because of those resources...and that's precisely what they attempted with their LSi line.

I have listened to the LSi9s and LSi15s and let me tell you; they are a screaming bargain at the price. The LSi9s are revealing speakers, with a very natural sounding midrange, and very extended, sweet highs. By the way, they use one of the best tweeters availables, Vifa's Dual Ring Radiator Tweeter(also used in Krell speakers, AudioPhysics, and some Sonus Faber's more expensive speakers). I think pbawcutt would do fine in changing his source, and his speakers will reveal how good the new source is.

I would suggest, if you haven't, you give those speakers a listen(hint: you won't find them in Circuit City) preferably on a good rig. Try to be objective, and forget about you "not being a fan" of Polk...

If you want to read some GLOWING reviews go to:

http://www.soundstage.com/revequip/polk_lsi9.htm here Doug Schneider of Soundstage.com! reviewed the lsi9, or you can go t:

http://www.onhifi.com/product/polk_lsi15.htm
http://www.onhifi.com/product/2002_productsoftheyear.htm

where Wes Philips raves about the Lsi15s and even gave them the product of the year award for 2002.

I am not saying that Polks are poor speakers. I'm saying that they are not my cup of tea. No big deal. Those Polks are nice little speakers. Product of the year? Great. They are no Revel M20s, Nautilus 805, Jmlab Utopia Be, Harmonic Precision Caravelles and oodles more. Anyone of these speakers added to his system, will do more for the system than adding an Audio Aero Capitole. His amp wouldn't know what to do with an AA signal. That being said, after the speakers, a better source etc. etc. etc. down to ICs and power cords will sing through those speakers.

P.S. I know a Polk from a Circuit City Polk. My post, still, stands....

Well Warrenh I'll take your input with a little grain of salt. I guess I have a totally different approach to music and the gear that makes me enjoy it. I couldn't ever recommend a person using a speaker with a source that was 1/7th its price before he upgraded his source first. My CDP is less then half of what my Speakers cost me (excluding stands) , and a third of what my amp cost me. Going further with my speakers just doesn't make sense to me. I have done my own comparisons with source vs speakers and source always wins. A pair of $200 speakers will always sound better with a better source then vice versa. There have been numerous written demonstrations. The one that sticks out in my mind is the PSB Alpha speakers hooked up to a LINN CD12 and having people call it a reference system.

A speaker can not add anything missing up the chain. If it is, then it is coloring the music. I'm sure you're aware of this so I'll leave it at that.

I have done my own little tests and have also come to the conclusion that source is the foundation upon you build. Regardless of budget. I guess that is where you and I differ. And fair enough.

I almost had a chance to audition the Jmlabs you were talking about. It is funny you mentioned the Nautilus 805's because most people that I talk too that have had a chance to listen to the LSi's have said how they are totally different sounding and for the most part much further ahead then the brighter Nautilus you're talking about. Aside from the difference in tonal character the B&W are just that, B&W and most people can't honestly say they have auditioned the LSi's.

The LSi's are not a perfect speaker, then again no speaker is. The way sound is reproduced will always make it impossible. But when it comes time for the next upgrade in speakers I have a few ideas. Right now I'm more interested in timing, melody and rythem. And I'm pretty sure those are things that can be corrected by upgrading from an entry level CDP to something more upscale that will not only mate better with my current system but also my plans to build around it with a better intergrated amp and speakers down the road.

Obviously I don't know what you have, but maybe get an effective rack for that new CDP. They are key players in the rhythm section.