Here's a challenge:a class A sound system for less

For sheer musical enjoyment, and forsaking the "last octave" pursuit, this is the system I'd put together:

All used equipment:
Jean Marie Reynaud Offrandes - ~$2,500
Jean Marie Reynaud Magic Stands - $250
Audiomat Opera integrated - $3,000
K & K Audio Phono Stage SE - $1,500
Townshend Rock Reference turntable w/ Excalibur tonearm - $3,500
GARROTT P77i with MicroScanner II stylus( the classic is back! ) - $500

Ok, Ok, I went over by $1,500 and didn't even get cables. Tough call where to shave money, I guess it would have to be on the Townshend. But, damn that really is a reference level component.

I'm gonna have to put some more thought into this to make the $10k limit.

For sheer musical enjoyment, and forsaking the "last octave" pursuit, this is the system I'd put together:

All used equipment:
Jean Marie Reynaud Offrandes - ~$2,500
Jean Marie Reynaud Magic Stands - $250
Audiomat Opera integrated - $3,000
K & K Audio Phono Stage SE - $1,500
Townshend Rock Reference turntable w/ Excalibur tonearm - $3,500
GARROTT P77i with MicroScanner II stylus(the classic is back!) - $500

Ok, Ok, I went over by $1,500 and didn't even get cables. Tough call where to shave money, I guess it would have to be on the Townshend. But, damn that really is a reference level component.

I'm gonna have to put some more thought into this to make the $10k limit.

All used:

Cary Cinema 5 - $2800
Cary Cinema 11 - $1800
Gallo Ref 3 - $1800
Mapleshade bases for Ref 3- $800
Linn LP-12 CFiber SC & AB, Ittok II - $1400
Ortofon Kontrapunkt B - $1000 from Japan
Whest PS.20 - $1000
Anthem CD-1 - $650

Total $11,250

Zone 2:
Galante Rhapsody - $1000
Anthem AMP-1 - $400.

Both sound wonderful to me. Main area very detailed, zone 2 has that organic tube sound.

I can't see spending substantially more unless I built a dedicated listening room. The room is the limiting factor for 95% of us in my mind.

Nsgarch,
Thank you for the compliments.
It's hard to put into words the sound this system is producing.
What I am experiencing is; what feels like so much a live sound especially at low volumes in which I am hearing lots of depth as though there is no back wall, instruments sound like they blossom, lots of separation, instruments sound so natural, full sounding bass yet distinct and accurate, delicate and high resolution.
My system never sounded this good and it was already a very good system.
I am awaiting my audiophile friends to confirm this.

I'd be terribly tempted to do something like:

MacBook Pro as lossless source which I won't cost out cause it is sitting here (you will have to decide if that is cheating, but I'd own it in any case)

Lavry DA11/Benchmark DAC1 $1500
Quicksilver Mid Mono $2000
Harbeth Super HL5 $5000
DiMarzano M-Path interconnects and speaker wire $400

Those prices are new prices too -- I'd probably actually look for used Manley Snappers rather than the Quickies and still sneak in below $10,000. And it might not be the last word in anything, but how many things is it going to do wrong? (Besides not play vinyl, which does pain me but...)

You'll lose some of the detail available from the source, but you'll be able to listen to most everything. Big bass slam? That's about the only thing you might miss, but only if you are the sort of listener who really needs that to be the heart of a system (and nothing wrong with that, but it ain't my style).

And if I needed to save money, well I know my Proac D-Twos will be sticking around here for a long time yet and that's great by me...