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I won the lottery, and am now looking for my dream system. But, my dream still has a budget - 100k USD, since it was only a small lottery ;-)This budget does not include cabling, power conditioners,etc - it is striclty for TT, digital source, pre, amp(s) and speakers.
So, these are the 3.5 questions I would like you to answer so that you can help me live my dream:
What is your dream system?
Why did you choose these particular components?
What shortcomings/compromises do you forsee in this system (if any) and why do you feel ok with making them?
Now I just neeed to find that winning ticket when I wake up....
Follow Ups:
http://cgi.ebay.com/VITAGE-RECORD-PLAYER_W0QQitemZ200090721675QQcategoryZ932QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItemUse the remaining $999,999.01 (less shipping) to hear one or two live performances.
Make that $99,999.01.
Lately I've dreamed of ditching clutter of the separate preamp, monoblock amps, etc in favor of a stereo integrated amplifier, probably a 300b single-ended, such as the one offered by Triode Corporation (around $2K)Also tempted to get rid of the turntable and LPs because much of the newer music I like isn't available in that format, or it's much pricier than the CD. Digitize the rest and upload onto music server.
CDs likewise, rip and upload. I really like the idea of perfect rips being streamed from computer memory rather than on-the-fly from an optical transport. To this, I might concede one extra box or two in the form of a USB DAC.
Exactly what the music server should be, I haven't decided. iTunes is an obvious choice, but I feel I want something that seems more appliancelike and less like a computer. But at the same time, something that lets me upgrade and backup the hard drives without any proprietary crap.
Speakers: Maybe Avantgarde Duos, maybe some back-loaded horn setup based on Fostex or Lowther drivers.
Okay, if I have to keep a turntable, maybe a newer Sondek--or even a Rega P3 in green. P3? Yes, because of it's nice sonics and unfussy nature. Something about the very massive school of turntable design just doesn't excite me.
This system isn't about being the "ultimate" at anything, except for delivering my music the way I want it, and I want big, easygoing sonics that can rock, but none of this phony hyperdetailed stuff which I find so tiring.
What is your dream system? All Audio Note (UK): Dac, Transport, Turn Table etc., Pre-amp, Power amp., cables, speakers.Why did you choose these particular components? Best sound
What shortcomings/compromises do you forsee in this system (if any)? $100K will only buy a middle-of-the-line system, not the best.
Why do you feel ok with making them? Because it is the best sound I can get for $100K.
I've got reservations about Audio Note UK because their prices seem to be arbitrarily high.The past couple of times I've heard their stuff at a show (the last time being RMAF 06) I heard some pretty good sonics, and, thinking I was being generous at the last encounter, guessed that the speakers I was hearing were $4K, tops, and only because the wood finish looked especially fancy. Boy, was I surprised to find the speakers priced at 10x my estimated price: I realize that some audiophiles won't take a product seriously if it's priced too low, but still!
No one ever suspects my pedestrian Audio Note AN-J/Spx are about $10K. Most guesses range from a few hundred to a couple thousand tops :P Yes, AN prices (UK and Japan) are extremely nutty. They charged $2,000 for some thick clear lacquer finish which is suppose to improve the sound. AN people usually are the type to subscribe to the belief that more money equals better (though I admit this is often the case).
It is surprising that the original poster specified AN UK. It is widely accepted that AN Japan is a superior product. What makes AN products so costly is obsessive attention to detail. AN Japan is regarded as the manufacturer of choice for this reason.
I know AN Japan's handicraftsmen is top notch. But then again, they "manufacturer" ridiculously priced cables that appear no harder to make then Belden bulk wire.I've always found AN (UK and Japan) electronics justifiably priced, even if they are on the expensive side. In other words, I can see why one would justify paying a premium for their design, component, and build quality. Some of their other product offerings, however ...
I have had the opportunity to hear both the Kondo and Audionote (uk) gear, and in the case of linestages, comparable models at the same dealership. Both sound good, but they do not sound the same (uk linestage sounded a touch more romantic). I don't think it is "widely accepted" by those who know the gear that one is superior to the other. The construction and quality of parts of both are terrific.I heard that after the split, Audionote (uk) got the proprietary gear for drawing the wire and making the transformers. I don't know if this is true, but for a while, the Kondo stuff was being made with off-the-shelf (Tango?) transformers. The Tango transformers may have been an ideal fit, but I suspect it was more a matter of what was available.
I was always a bit of skeptical of AN gear ... at least, their stuff that I could afford never really blew me away.Then I heard an Audio Note system including AN Japan Gaku-On parallel 211 monos. Holy moly. Closest thing to a religious experience I've had in audio. Simply perfect, with the exception of slight cone breakup audible at higher levels due to the Snell-style speakers. Kept at ~75-85dB, the sound is seemingly perfect. I remember the experience in pictures, colors, and shapes ... and if I were incomprehensibly rich, I think I could justify the multi-$100k expense.
I`m in Japan on vacation and visiting the in-laws. Having some extra time, I decided to try to hear some Kondo (i.e. Audio Note Japan) equipment to see what the fuss was all about. My wife called Kondo`s office (I don`t speak Japanese) and was surprised to find out that that Kondo actually doesn`t have any dealers in Japan. The president of Kondo (can`t recall his name right now) actually invited us over to their listening room to listen. He was extremely courteous and hospitable; offering us coffee and conversing with us about audiophiles in Japan, WAF in Japan (unfortunately Japanese audiophiles have the same problems), and the construction of Kondo equipment (100% by hand, including hand-wound silver transformers). We ended up listening to the new yet unreleased turntable and arm with the new IO-M (?) cartridge running through the new M-1000 II preamp (he said that they had just shipped the first batch) to the Ongaku amplifier and some Kondo speakers (I think they were Ruthys). The sound was pretty incredible. It was as if a veil was lifted on the music. Every detail could be heard, but not in a hi-fi`ish kind of way. The sound was extremely natural and life-like. Female voice and acoustic instruments were so realistic, it was almost scary! And this was with the volume at VERY conservative levels. The equipment disappeared, leaving just the music. Definitely my dream system if I had $200K plus to spend!
I bet there are some pretty good professional sound recording studios that don't have 100K tied up in equipment. Perspective gets lost when you have lots of money I suppose.
don't get sucked in or be a fool- your dream should include future financial planning and seeking independence. Then you can enjoy your music into the future without worries.
exquisite corpse
1.
life is but a dream
life is but a dream
life is but a dream
life is but a dream
life is but a dream
life is but a dream
life is but a dream
life is but a dream
life is but a dream
life is but a dream
...his buying some vintage gear that will hold its value and appeciate over time? Vintage tube gear by McIntosh, Marantz, Fisher, Fairchild, and many others is out there. My JBL L300 speakers cost me not a lot of loot used 5 years ago. They would earn me $2,500 in profit today above my purchase cost when I sell them. Vintage Patrician 800, Hartsfields, and other speakers come to mind that sound great and will only appreciate in their value. Did he mention a tt? A used VPI Aries model one would be on my short list. In the end it is up to the guy what he buys. He can spend ~$10 to 15K and get a good sounding vintage system, or he can can spend $100K and watch his money vanish as the new gear goes down in value by about 1/2 in the first year. BTW, I do not think he did too badly if his first check is for over $100K. He can spend less than half of that and buy one heck of a system. If I were him a new alarm on the home and some well trained and loyal guard dogs might be a good idea. A new unlisted phone number is also in order as he will soon have first contact with "relatives" he never met prior to this eager to ask for financial help. :) New subscriptions to Money Magazine, Kiplingers's, Forbes and others similar is in order as he learns how not to put all his investments into a single stock. He will learn the word diversity for his investment portfolio is a good thing. Congrats BTW on your win! John
You missed that key line in my original post - this is about a dream system.Spend your $100,000 and have fun doing it.
What happens to a dream deferred?Does it dry up
Like a raisin in the sun?Or fester like a sore--
And then run?Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or crust and sugar over--
like a syrupy sweet?Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load.Or does it explode?
For a small to medium sized room, I'd get:
Merlin VSM-MXe .
Art Audio Jota BX monoblocks
Accuphase DP-800 transport & DC-801 DAC
Supratek Grange preamp
Thorens TD 124 on a super plinthReason: I have a lesser system of similar components (minus vinyl since I quit analog :P), and I've got absolutely no desire to buy any more audio gear if that says anything :) I imagine the above system would sound amazing.
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