I don't think we ever "reach nirvana", but I feel I'm getting much closer. In the past I've owned a lot of different, fairly upscale equipment (ML ReQuest, Mirage M3Si, Levinson 27.5, Jadis Defy7 MkIV, VTL MB150's, Theta GenVa Balanced, ARC and Theta Transports, MIT and Transparent cables and interconnect, various ARC line stages and preamps). My current system consists of Avalon Eclipse speakers, Manley Designers Ref 240 mono tube amps, ARC LS15 linestage, MSB LinkDAC3, Pioneer DVD transport, Synergistic Sig#2/Sig#3 Shotgun cable, Tek-line Balanced interconnect, Tek-line digital cable, dedicated 20 amp outlets (no separate audio ground yet), Synergistic AC Couplers, Powerwedge 114. I know my front-end is not on par with the preamp/amp/speakers, but it is making music as I wait out the format war for awhile. In fact, I am much happier with the sound of my system today than I was with my Theta Data Basic/GenVa/LS15/Jadis Defy7MkIV/Avalon Eclipse system! The Manley amps, along with the Avalon Eclipse speakers provided the two greatest improvements/revelations I've ever had in my quest for audio nirvana. I've also just had the Manleys upgraded to the latest transformers and MIT MusicCap capacitors. Another revelation! I am confident that as I make improvements to the front end of my system, audio nirvana will be near at hand. IMHO, it takes a fair-to-alot of experimentation to match your equipment to what moves you about music. I am there! The remaining improvements will merely add the last ounce or two of realism.
