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An upgrade a long time overdue

I am thinking its time for some upgrades - like the whole system.  But its been so many years, and Boards like this have become so helpful and accessible, I am turning to the Pros as it were to seek some varied and hopefully passionate advice.  

Disclaimer - I tend to buy used as I have tastes that appreciate the A/B-class but have a D-class budget, so something that used to be $8,000 new that can be gotten for say $2200 now is right on the mark.  Of course it must still be relevant and likely remain so for the next couple of years.  But age doesnt matter otherwise....

I am currently running a bryston 2B (which itself was an upgrade from a Myryad T40), with a Cal Audio dac and dynaudio countour 1.8 floor-standing speakers.  this is the guts - i use a sony blue-ray player for the occasional movie, but mostly listening to music (which is all over the place, jazz, rock, opera, classical, etc, and more recently, the dreaded Pandora channeled through the phone and a input jack)

What research I have been able to do leads me to consider opening up the sound stage with something more mixed, like a conrad johnson pv14L as pre- and the ayre v5xe, and coming forward in the age of digital, considering something like the oppo 105 but i was also thinking the nad m50 / m52 combo instead of the oppo..........and lastly all this heard through (I'm thinking) vienna accoustics beethoven baby grands

so maybe the whole thing comes in at 8k - 10k?  can I achieve 80% - 90% of this for 5k? or less even?  Is my mixology fraught with disaster?  am I missing something obvious?  

i dont know what I dont know here so please weigh in 

thanks for your consideration and insights
jammer66

Showing 7 responses by gdnrbob

gdnrbob
4,409 posts
 
OP, Your Bryston is a good amp. You don't mention what preamp you own now, but I would get an Ayre regardless. 
I would get one of the Ayre Codex, too, for a DAC.
After saying all this, I would probably be more inclined to upgrade my speakers first-Unless you really like them.
B

gdnrbob
4,409 posts
 
@sfall, not a bad combo.

Jammer, I am the resident Vandy fanboy, so my opinion is a bit biased towards them. In any case, I would look for a time correct speaker like the Vandy's. You'll get the most coherent soundstage, as well as lack of fatigue, in my opinion.
So, my 2 cents, for $8K used....
-A pair of Vandy 2 sigs($1.5K), [3a sigs ($2K) or Treos, even better)
If you go with the 1's and 2's you definitely need 2w subs ($900/pair). The 3a sigs work with them, but their size allows them to go down pretty low by themselves.
-An Ayre V5xe integrated ($3K). You have enough power for 3a sigs and Treo's if you do this. Otherwise you could use your Bryston and get a decent preamp like an upgraded McCormack RLD, but you wouldn't be saving much. Besides, Ayre is a great combo with Vandersteen, to which some attribute to the zero feedback circuitry.
-An Ayre Codex DAC ($1.4K)- A real sleeper.
Excluding the Treo's, you will have spent about $7,500(going with the 3a sigs) and have some money for Audioquest cables (Rocket 88's and up).
Everything on the list will hold its' value for a while, and you will have a killer system. Now, if you want to go to tubes...
HTH
Bob
gdnrbob
4,409 posts
 
If you like this combo, I would suggest that you PM Johnny Rutan(audioconnection). He sell both Vandy and Ayre (and others) and will not only give you great (free) advice, but may even have some demo or used equipment.
B
gdnrbob
4,409 posts
 
Well, now you are moving to a subjective rationale. IMHO, you will be chasing your tail if you base your upgrades on such things.
For me, I would find a speaker that you love (and hopefully a great dealer). From there, you can build a system within your budget. 
Again a great dealer will be a great guide to help you discover what you like. And, he won't pressure or demean you. If he does, look elsewhere.

 I encourage you to listen to all speakers, either in or way beyond your budget. That way you can see what is possible in a perfect world.
Then find something that comes as close to your ideal. Of course, no one likes  to 'settle for less', but at least you know you are getting the most performance for the least money
I hope this makes sense.
Bob
gdnrbob
4,409 posts
 
Okay, I get it.

I agree with jond, if you want to go digital, then concentrate on that first.
So, here are my suggestions for DAC's
1. Ayre codex (approx $1300 used)
2. Schiit yggy  (a little more used, but hard to find- they get sold quickly).
3. Oppo 105 (under $1K).
I chose the Ayre first, not only for sound quality, but also for future upgrade flexibility.
Insert a good Dac into the system, then see where you want to go next.

Bob 
gdnrbob
4,409 posts
 
I am in thrall with streaming music, at the moment.
So much is changing that I am hesitant to invest in an ultimate solution, so I opt for what gives me the best reproduction for the least amount of money. Hence, the Ayre Codex. 
I use it between a Bluesound Node and my preamp. I can't find anything else for the money that gives me the flexibility and sound quality.
B
gdnrbob
4,409 posts
 
Jammer, I own a Rega Apollo R and a McCormack-Just decent players that I can output to my Ayre Codex.
 To be honest, since I went to streaming, I haven't played a disc in 12 months. Though I probably get better sound from my discs, I can't find much fault with the streaming  services. It is so much nicer to choose from an almost infinite variety of music all at the touch of my keyboard.
Bob
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