Recommendations for Amp/speaker combo for $10,000


Looking for advice on an amp, pre amp, speaker combination for $10,000. Would like to try tube amps. Music only system. Listen to classical (symphonic, chamber), opera and jazz. Room size is 16' x 18'. Will use various digital and analogue sources.
tjm1964
Not knowing much about your room or tastes, if I were about to spend 10k it would be something like,

Ayre integrated with aerial 7t's
Or, Ayre separates with Nola contenders, vandy's, possibly aerial 7b (I love mine but given how long they've been around you may not be comfortable with the likely age of the speakers you'd be buying).

If I could stretch a bit I'd do 7t or 9's with Ayre separates.
Try the Bob Carver Cherry 180 (200 watt) tube mono blocks with built in volume control and Magnaplanar 1.7 or Reference 3A MM DeCapo. Transparency, truth of timbre, incredible soundstage/imaging, dynamics, life-like sound. You won't get ultimate bass extension with these speakers though. You'll need subwoofer for that.
Tannoy DC10T floorstanding speakers with 300B SET amp, e.g., Wavelength Cardinal. Recommend you buy the speakers new or demo, and look for a used pair of Cardinal X2 monoblocks.
I recommend the Philharmonic 2s with a Mackintosh 275 amp. The Phils are the most transparent speaker that I have heard. They could really convince me that the instruments are in front of me on stage. The Philharmonic 3 has a bit more bass but is less efficient which would be a factor in choosing a tube amp. With the Philharmonic 3s you would want to consider getting two tube amps in monoblock form used.

Bob
Perhaps take a listen to DeVore 0/93's. You could do either the LM 211IA which use EL34's, or their KT88 amp. That model # escapes me. Either of these amps with the 0/93's will have you south of 10K. These are tube integrateds, and are IMHO, good bang for the buck. I am a happy owner of 0/96's, and a 211IA, but use them in different systems. DeVore/LM have been paired at quite a few recent shows, so I suspect a listening opportunity may be pretty easy. If you choose a speaker this efficient, you will have a wide range of tube amps to choose from.