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Recommended one make systems?

Man, do I love music! I am so thankful to have grown up in the South were just about everyone plays an instrument or sings. Being a part of those Saturday evening pack porch picking sessions, Sunday morning worship services, riverbank practice sessions...whatever....really ingrained a deep reverence and appreciation of music. Anyway, on to adulthood and only having time to myself late in the evenings to enjoy music. My present system just does not have the presence that live music has. But, then again, does anything?

What one make system really makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up? What gets your toes tapping? What stirs your soul? I've read tons of reviews from noted reviewers, but how do these one make systems compare in real life? I think I would like to try the Quad 909/99 CD-P2, Krell 400xi/SACD Standard, NAD M3/M5, NAIM NAIT 5i/CD5i, Ayre AX-7e/CX-7e or maybe even the Cambridge 840A/840C. Which systems have I missed that are head and shoulders above these? Granted, these would have to be used to fit my budget, but I am a patient man.
My present speakers are Quad 21L's, which may need replacing to bring out the beauty of these systems. Care to share your thoughts?

Thanks!
6stringsling
marakanetz's avatar
marakanetz
5,473 posts
 
There are many brands make one system but I don't like those.

The mentioned above systems in the original post do not have neither turntable nor speakers so the only brand that does every component is probably B&O which is priced too high and sounds too "low".

Passing on speakers and vinyl I'd stay with McCormack components.
kr4's avatar
kr4
3,659 posts
 
There's no magic in one-brand systems unless they have a unique feature that links them. The only one I can think of that does that from source to speaker is Meridian.

Kal
jax2
3,031 posts
 
What an odd question. Why are you inclined to stick with one brand throughout? I'd agree that there are no magic brands that go from front to back. Among those that come close, I'd point to Cary, but you would have to look for a used pair of the speakers Dennis Had designed and marketed under the Cary name (they come up occasionally here--currently a pair available here), or settle on a used pair of Soliloquy's which he also had some hand in the design of.

I don't know that a jack-of-all-trades brand is the best way to go though. If you look at the various systems here among those who are passionate about the hobby as well, have been involved in it for many years, and having invested plenty of time and money, you will not find any such one-brand system among them...at least none that I've ever seen.

Marco
18239278861
1 posts
 
There is a simple answer to your ?
SHINDO
From source to speakers,will give your goosebumps goosebumps.
osgorth
109 posts
 
There are many brands that come to mind. Obviously keeping within the same brand can have benefits. For one thing, components are most likely to match eachother well, and they have often been voiced together. Then there's the design aspect of it of course!

Brands that come to mind that work very well together include MBL, Audio Research, Accustic Arts, Accuphase, McIntosh, Linn, Naim, Musical Fidelity, Krell, Marantz, Nagra and probably a lot more! Those are just ones I've heard.
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