building the best system I can?

Wmbode - I recommend a good integrated amp instead of separates to maximize sonic value per dollar spent. Many great choices, of course, and that approach will also save on the number of ICs. For ICs and speaker cables, the best sonic value I have experienced is Auditorium 23.

Regarding digital sources, can you be more specific? In example, a CD player or a music server system?

I need more input.

With your budget, go with an integrated amp. You need to decide on tubes or SS. Also assume that you will want to upgrade your speakers at some point in the future.
But first tell us if you will be using a dedicated CD player or a DAC paired with streaming music or server.
If you want a CDP, there are many good finds here on Agon.

putting this system together would be sourced with a dac and cdp and music server. The use of the $5000 would be to put together a system that you could be proud of for the long term. I guess this is more of a hypothetical
question than anything else. Just thaugt it would be fun to see what you guys would do if you had $5000 to spend on audio gear. Just have fun.

Lol! I just got into all this 8 months ago and initially bought a used onkyo t..7... Something or rather and a pair of new mini monitors. It sounded good enough that I caught the bug. Since then I have bought/ upgraded quite a bit and will save you the hassle of all the upgrades. What I have now is: a used classe ssp 25 ($350), a used classe ca-150'($800), a used denon DVD 2900 ($100), a new musical fidelity v-dac II ($500 including tax and an audioquest digital coax), a new pangea p 100 upgraded external power supply for the dac ($100), two used ps audio power punch cords, one for the amp, the other for the pre-amp ($60), new 25 foot 10 gauge blue jeans cables with bananas cold welded ($105), pair of used diamond back and a pair of new g-snakes ($90 for both), and last, a pair of new studio 20's ($1500, had to pay retail as I kept upgrading and payed the difference). So not including the speakers, I have $2,100 in it. Most of it was thought out, some was bought because it just became available atthe right time, right place sort of thing. I want to still upgrade a pair of rca's, buy a pair of xlr's and two more power cords, maybe my dac later. Other than that, I'm done. This setup sounds great to me and I like it's size and simplicity. Rather than upgrade this system anymore, I'd rather just keep this the way it is and build another. Maybe vinyl with tubes?