What is your "dream" system...realistic, may one day own?

So, something big?

 

System-building is somewhere between a second job and a lifestyle for me, so I’m not sure I’d ever call myself, “lucky to already be at that point.” I’d miss the wandering, the wondering, the dreaming, the researching, the learning, the chasing, the scheming, the living on pins and needles wondering whether it’s still gonna be for sale when I get paid next Friday?! Oh, audio.

My current system is anchored by four-way completely horn-loaded speakers, which are quad-amped (mainly by SET amplifiers) and managed by an external digital crossover. Having struggled mightily to get here, I can’t imagine ever looking to retreat. So, I envision refinements of the concept more than I pine for what I’d really like if only I had a ton of money and good taste.

Five things I’d like to look into:

• At the moment, I’m probably at 150% of what my tiny listening space should ever have been asked to accommodate. So, I think I’m destined to scale up. My dream would be to find an old barn in upstate NY and install an “unlimited class” horn system comprised of Western Electric or RCA theater gear.

• I’d like to experiment with some of the more exotic Japanese horn drivers. I don’t know what I’d find, and I’m terrified of the cost. Still, I’m curious and imagine myself making this move eventually.

• I’d like to get familiar with some of the less-common triodes like the 71A, the 10, the 50, maybe others. I see this move as a 2020 possibility.

• One of these years, I’d like to start living up to my yearly New Year’s resolution of “never buying another tube amp again”—limiting myself instead to building precisely what I need.

• I’d like to move closer to tape and further from vinyl. (The vinyl “ritual” makes me uptight and nervous, and five cats don’t help the anxiety.) This move is underway.

 

I'll try to get close to this set-up ( a level or two down)

New Audio Note R2R DAC - Fifth Element MaSC DAC CDT-Six / Force Red Book CD Transport TT-Three turntable / ARM-Three/II IOI Moving Coil cartridge / AN-S9 SUT M9 Phono preamplifier ONGAKU Kensei stereo 211 SET power amplifier AN-E SEC Signature loudspeakers



My new TT3 and Arm-Three are there so getting there.

 

and old.......

 

Dream turntable is the VPI HW-40, but I know realistically I'm never getting that. So my realistic dream turntable is a MoFi UltraDeck.

 

Pretty happy as it is. A pair of higher end ATC is a long term plan (SMC50/100/150 depending on funds and what the emerges on the second hand market).
A Threshold S500 is a goal as well.

 

Being fairly new to the audio 2.0 hobby (1+ year), I've acquired a bit of gear and records that I've enjoyed this past year. I've also learned a lot from many of you on this forum, so thank you for sharing your audio wisdom. Speaking of "dream" system, I'm a few years away from it. Achievable dream? Absolutely! One college kid done, just one more to go. Nothing exotic here, but system balance in mind:

Technics SL1200G
MC Cart: TBD
Herron VTPH-2A
Yamaha A-S3200
Harbeth C7ES-3
Custom made solid wood credenza

I'll convert our combo theater/music room to full time audio room once second kid is out to college. Been a HT guy for many years, and built the dedicated theater 8 years ago. We have enjoyed our time in there watching movies, but yeah, I envision a solid audio room in the near future. Thankfully, my wife enjoys music - after all - she introduced me to records.

Enjoying my audio journey! Good luck with yours.

 

I'm happy with my Rega Saturn cd player, wished it was a Saturn-r, I would add a pair of Harbeth 30.1's and a Raven Integrated amp. I'm dreaming of something that I might be able to afford.

 

I've heard systems that impressed on Youtube, this was definitely not one of them. Maybe a better song instead of a dirge like that, IMO. Is it the angle or are the speakers behind the equipmant?

 

That’s almost always changing to some extent. I’m pretty happy and haven’t changed much in about 5 years now. My trouble is I’m fairly convinced to find something better than what I have would take a massive leap up in cost.

I would love to own some of these Sonos Fabre Amanti Futura. They are probably the very best I ever heard that I spent real time with.. but they are completely out of my price range.

I also would love to try a pair of Focal Sopra.

 

I decided this year to put together my forever system. This is what I have got
Michelle Orbe se ( have owned for years )
Origin Live Illustrious arm
Koetsu Rosewood signature
Luxman D-05u
Cayin CS-845A
Zingali Twenty Evo 1.2
Townsend isola cables
Just need to get a phono stage and I am about done.

 

Yes the sound of the video is rubbish - fortunately I don't base these things on camera phone microphone pickups. Musical taste varies.

I have no problem with Youn Sun Nah or this genre of music.


I would have played her track Momentum Magico myself.

YouTube

 

@fuse999

I missed the word dirge. I missed the funny on my first read. Well done sir. Well done.

 

That is the song I would have used as well. Much more engaging and dynamic. Thanks for the introduction to her, I will be checking her out.

 

Would really like to own a Braun turntable, powered by a hand-built bottlehead or similar tube preamp fed into a Pioneer SX-990 or Harman Kardon 790 twin mono block receiver. I'd also have a secondary turntable that was all solid state, no tube pre. Technics SL-1700 (already own) or perhaps a modded 1200 mkII with an auto lift, damper, etc. I eventually want to get into reel to reel, I really like old Teac and Akai decks from the 70s. For cassettes which I own a lot of, probably a late 70s Pioneer unit. Something silver faced and wood veneered. As far as speakers, Probably something vintage, probably mid sized, thinking JBL-100 or Klipsch Heresy sized. Not really a far fetched setup, I could probably do the whole thing for under $5,000 if I hunted for deals and did some refurb work myself.

 

VPI prime signature walnut with high end mc cart, Ps audio Stella phono, naim uniti atom (Streaming only) , prima Luna 400 integrated, Dual rel subs, dynaudio sp 40s, nucleus plus roon server

 

Meadowlark Audio Homepage

Go to product line=>Ibis/Crusher/Subisis

Speaker cables? Analog Interconnects? What are those?

This is the future, now.

 

All I really want or need is a really sweet set of powered Bluetooth speakers. I'd be set.

 

Just bought a used Parasound A31 and I love it, you will enjoy the A21.

 

Six digits.

 

I would probably go smaller. Maybe small Harbeths, Proac Tablettes, or smaller ATCs and something like a Rega Elex. I would hang onto my VN150 but get an Ortofon 2m black stylus to swap out with my bronze.

 

5.1 is as far as I will go as I do not want to have more "boxes" in my lounge. Happy with my speakers (B&W) and power amps (Parasounds) as well as my sources (CAmbridge Audio CXN V2 streamer and Oppo 203 blu ray). So a stereo pre-amp with AV bypass and a better AV processor would be the last touches

 

Same system, only my slave can take a break from fanning me with a large palm branch and feeding me grapes, to edit my tags for me...

 

I am very happy with my system and my room, which I would like, if possible, would be new ears!

 

I would like to warn you, with the right loudspeaker, it will be a path of no return!