What would YOU pick?

[jaxvon]

Alright. While I realize this site is about being practical and getting the most quality for your bucks, sometimes I think it's really fun to drool over the ultra-high-end stuff and think about what it would be like to have. I'm going to assume that you have no reason to save money or look for a bargain. I'm also going to assume that your room is custom made for music listening and is acoustically awesome. I'm also going to stay away from tube amps because they aren't true audio reproduction, but rather just distortion that people hear as enhancement. Lastly, no horns. That said...

What would YOU pick?
Assume the Reference model(s) for each brand.


Speakers

Soundlabs
Martin Logan
Wilson Audio
Wisdom Audio
Acoustic Reality
Magnepan
Quad
German Physiks
California Audio Technology
Bang & Olufsen
Swans Audio
MBL
Dynaudio
B&W


Amps/Preamps

Boulder
Krell
Blue Circle
Bryston
FM Acoustics
Metaxas
Jeff Rowland
Mark Levinson
Halcro


Not going to even touch CD Players/Transports right now.

Ok, fine. Let's go Michigan Style:

Wadia


That's all for now. I'll think of more some other time. Personally, Boulder is my holy grail for front end stuff. It's...so awesome.

Oh yeah, I forgot about cables! If you feel like, see if you can find the most rediculously priced cables. You get nothing, except for pride for a useless deed. Enjoy drooling!

 

[jaxvon]

Hey self! I'd definitely say...the lot. Each one in a different room of my mansion.

*drooooooool*

Oh man, my posts/threads are always so cool. I wish I was me, oh wait, I am. I rule.

 

[Markus]

I would have to say 7 Krell Master Reference Monoblock Amplifiers and 6 DynaAudio Evidence Master Floorstanders with 1 Evidence Master Center

OR

7 Bryston 7B SST MonoBlock Amplifiers and 6 Martin Logan Statment E2's and 1 Theater"I" Center Channel

I would be very happy with both...

 

[Shinerman]

Oh man, my posts/threads are always so cool. I wish I was me, oh wait, I am. I rule.

Dude, yer a trip!

 

[Francious70]

Hey self! I'd definitely say...the lot. Each one in a different room of my mansion.

*drooooooool*

Oh man, my posts/threads are always so cool. I wish I was me, oh wait, I am. I rule.

You, sir, are definately not right in the head.

Paul

 

[miklorsmith]

Toobs

Antique Sound Lab Hurricane 200DT Monoblock Tube Amplifiers and Aerial Acoustics 20T. You still have a few things to learn, coolio.

 

[jaxvon]

Yeah, I agree. That was also at like, 2 in the morning. I wasn't exactly in a correct state of mind.

On the tube amp thing: Yeah, I know that some people just want something that sounds really pretty, truth be damned. And honestly, I can't blame you. The problem is, there are absolutely TONS of tube amps out there, and a lot of them are obscure, low power things. Off the top of my head, I can really only think of two big ones, and that'd be Audio Research and Jadis. Both of these involve the dropping of some heavy coin.

 

[WmAx]

Easy! Either MBL or German Physiks flagship products -- they both have something most others do not -- nearly perfect horiztonal polar response throughout their entire bandwidth. If one does not like the specific tonal balance, just use a low noise E.Q. device. The even power respnose these speakers have is the basicly important issue.

Halcro amplification/preamplification: just because they produce devices that have the best measurements I've seen from any audio product -- distortion residuals laying near the resolving limits of an AP analyser! Impressive.

But this is all in fun, right? If Ed McMahn and the prize patrol show up at my door I'll be sure to share pics of my new house and glorious sound systems( note I intend the plural!).

-Chris

Alright. While I realize this site is about being practical and getting the most quality for your bucks, sometimes I think it's really fun to drool over the ultra-high-end stuff and think about what it would be like to have. I'm going to assume that you have no reason to save money or look for a bargain. I'm also going to assume that your room is custom made for music listening and is acoustically awesome. I'm also going to stay away from tube amps because they aren't true audio reproduction, but rather just distortion that people hear as enhancement. Lastly, no horns. That said...

What would YOU pick?
Assume the Reference model(s) for each brand.


Speakers

Soundlabs
Martin Logan
Wilson Audio
Wisdom Audio
Acoustic Reality
Magnepan
Quad
German Physiks
California Audio Technology
Bang & Olufsen
Swans Audio
MBL
Dynaudio
B&W


Amps/Preamps

Boulder
Krell
Blue Circle
Bryston
FM Acoustics
Metaxas
Jeff Rowland
Mark Levinson
Halcro


Not going to even touch CD Players/Transports right now.

Ok, fine. Let's go Michigan Style:

Wadia


That's all for now. I'll think of more some other time. Personally, Boulder is my holy grail for front end stuff. It's...so awesome.

Oh yeah, I forgot about cables! If you feel like, see if you can find the most rediculously priced cables. You get nothing, except for pride for a useless deed. Enjoy drooling!

 

[surveyor]

Easy! Either MBL or German Physiks flagship products -- they both have something most others do not -- nearly perfect horiztonal polar response throughout their entire bandwidth. If one does not like the specific tonal balance, just use a low noise E.Q. device. The even power respnose these speakers have is the basicly important issue.

Halcro amplification/preamplification: just because they produce devices that have the best measurements I've seen from any audio product -- distortion residuals laying near the resolving limits of an AP analyser! Impressive.

But this is all in fun, right? If Ed McMahn and the prize patrol show up at my door I'll be sure to share pics of my new house and glorious sound systems( note I intend the plural!).

-Chris

I would take this sites reference system 1. It's as good and besides it's practical, if your wealthy.
If I had it and Gene had a feather, we would be tickled.

 

[Rock&Roll Ninja]

I'd take a pair of B&W nautalis speakers, unheard, just because they look so badass. Then, to fill out the bottom end for Taiko-Drum listening, a pair of SVS PB12-Ultra/2 subwoofers.

For amps I'd go with Krell because:

1. I'm sure any of these mega-buck amps would drive the B&W's just fine. Its not like I'm hooking them upto a Sony 12x2 reciever.

2. Krell is the only company listed I've heard of

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Realistically, if I could afford such luxuries I'd just purchase a NHT Xd system ($5500), a basic pre-amp, and not even bother look to 'upgrade' for another 20 years. I just couldn't imagine spending $10,000+ for a stereo.

 

[Rip Van Woofer]

Ah, fantasy!

For amps and preamps: Boulder and/or Bryston. Or since Chris sez they measure so well, Halcro. Levinsons are overpriced status symbols IMO. Just because you're rich doesn't mean you have to spend foolishly!

Speakers: well, I'd have to audition them of course, but the German Physiks look like "ultra-Ohms" and the Ohm Walsh driver speakers always intrigued me. And golly, the GPs sure look like a million bucks!

I'd also look at PSB's top of the line offerings. Or try to find Peter Aczel's favorites used, the no-longer-made Waveform Mach 17's. Or maybe I'd just build Linkwitz's Orions (I'd have a kicka$$ workshop too) and use some exotic woods to make them look cool.

Wadia...ugh. Overpriced tweako gear. A top of the line Denon, Yammie or Sony would fill the bill for a CDP or univeral player.

And most important: I'd hire some top-gun acoustical experts to design and build my listening room.

 

[Rob Babcock]

If you think Levinson's overpriced, don't even look at the Halco stuff.

Man, it's surprising- given that whole long list of manufacturers, none of them makes a component I'd buy for my "cost no object" system.

 

[BMXTRIX]

I got the chance to listen to an A/B comparison of Meridian DSP8000s and B&W Nautilus 800s... The Meridians blew the B&Ws away.

I would have to go with them (http://www.meridian-audio.com/p_d8k.htm) if price were no object.

 

[jaxvon]

So...what WOULD you pick Babcock? I listed some pretty schwanky gear. Well, actually just stuff that costs a lot. But anyway....

Also, the Wisdom Audio thing is kinda entertaining. I really doubt their speakers. They use really tall, but narrow ribbons and "Bass Regenerators" that consist of a large quantity of underhung drivers. I think they're more about looking impressive that anything else. They are also, to my knowledge, the second most expensive speakers on my list (at a nice 600k) and also require by FAR the most amplification. You'd need a few Krell Master References to do the job, or a full array of 16 Boulder 2050s (8 per side, because that's how many the Boulder preamp can manage).

In all honesty, I'd go for the all boulder system. They're all really low distortion components (not quite Halcro, but the closest thing I've seen) as well as being really pretty. All the power supplies are isolated in the front end components, as are the right and left channels. And the best part: Boulderlink. All of their components are designed to place nice with each other. So if for some reason you manage to toast your Boulder amp, it'll transmit that info to the preamp...

Speakers? I don't know enough to really choose. I know that I would not choose Wisdom because 1. They're too big and 2. Questionable ideas. Prolly German Physiks, each triamped with 3 2050s. And because I'm wasting money like mad, why not get a Wadia player? Besides, they're factory is practically just down the road, so I could go bribe them to make mine special.


The best part about building this system would be connecting it all together with some nice Canare cable. Of course, I'd put techflex and WBT connectors on it so it's all *BLING*. Then I could invite some 'audiophile' over and claim that I paid like 20k for the pair, do an AB test with the same cable, then listen to him ramble. Oh man, that would be so fun. I've gotta start making more money NOW. It's a good thing I wanna be an engineer...

 

[Rob Babcock]

I didn't mean that to be a knock against the brands you listed- I'm sure it's nice stuff. Mostly, though, it's just a list of expensive gear I've never heard and was never very interested in. My list would be different stuff I can't afford and haven't heard. For starters, probably Bel Canto, Meridian, Spectron, Musical Fidelity & Embla would top my list for electronics, with Lexicon & McCormack also on the short list. For digital source and/or DAC, probably Meridian, Electrocompaniet, & Esoteric Audio. If I had unlimited coin, I wouldn't buy speakers without first checking out the top dogs from VMPS, Selah Audio, GR Research & Epiphany Audio.

Spec-wise, all the manufacturers on your list make gear with suitably SOTA numbers. I'm interested in very hi powered digital amps because of their unique properties. (The Acoustic Reality stuff might merit consideration if Peter didn't come across like such a nut job). At the nosebleed levels of price, it just comes down to your particular fetish, I guess.

Fancy cables? Hell, why not, if it's that or flush the cash down the crapper. I'd probably go in for mid-fancy stuff. I'd buy Boulder Cable's stuff, cryo'ed, with Bybee's on everything, primarily because Wayne is a really good guy: I could live with him making some profit off my "Howard Hughes Factor". And it would keep guys like AV_Phile off my back.

 

[Mudcat]

...nearly perfect horiztonal polar response .

Umm Chris?

What does this mean? It sound like a non-sequitur.

 

[WmAx]

Umm Chris?

What does this mean? It sound like a non-sequitur.

The radiated signal is identical regardless of horizontal angle in respect to a speaker position.

-Chris

 

[jrohland]

None of the above

With unlimited money I would buy an island with constant great weather, hire the artists I want to hear, have them come play for me on my island for as long and as loud as I want. If the artist is dead, I'd have the studio where they recorded the piece I want to hear recreated and play back the original recordings.

Of course, these ideas are silly. As is the idea you could ever build THE ultimate system for all recordings. You would be better off just going to live venues all over the world to hear the best the world can offer at any given moment. No reprodcution system will beat that.

And I still wouldn't waste my money on fancy speaker cables.

jrohland

 

[jaxvon]

Good Call! Of course live is the best way to go. However, you'd have to have one heck of a nice system for them to play through, because most PA systems sound like butthole. Literally, if you could somehow turn an anus into an electromechanical sound reproduction device, it would probably sound like many PA systems, especially the bass heavy ones .

German Physiks claims that they sometimes use their Gaudi speakers as a PA system for jazz quartets and such.

Actually, you prolly wouldn't even have to buy the fancy cables. If you find a dealer that you can buy most of your stuff from, they'll probably throw in some free cables. That, or you could haggle. Of course, I'd go out and get my own cables that won't make my amplifier explode because they have so much capacitance.

 

[djoxygen]

Since most of the music I like doesn't exist in the "real" world, I'm just as well off with a great repro system on my island (where everyone would have free access to health care).

So anyway, It'd be Lexicon and Mackie. Not sure the pre-/pro- I want has been built yet, but it probably will be in the next year. I'll update the post when it finally gets out there.