What's the best system in the world?

Not sure a reference can be qualified. Everyone has different taste. One guys reference may be annoying to someone else. Can I ask why you are asking? Are you looking at putting together a new system?

Infinity was top dog only in Arnie Nudell's mind, I never cared for them. The real reference system is live music, try to find the system that sounds the most like it. There is no one system that does everything the best or sounds the best to everyone.

The best system is the one you dream about. The one that features that ''gotta-have-it'' magnetic attraction to it. Nothing much to do with enjoying the music that much. It's all about gear-lust. This is the sad, twisted nature of this hobby in a never-ending quest for the holy grail, where great gear ends up being ''never good enough''.

Or you can say to yourself that the best system is the one currently in your living room at this very moment. And after a few glasses of wine listening to your favorite artist or band, not some music for ''show'' of audiophile fireworks (I couldn't care less about the ''air'' about the instruments anymore), I garantee you that your dream system, it will become.

Food for thought maybe ?

They sure weren't the reference standard in my opinion either.

Very funny first response.

Kind of difficult to say, but here are some others:

http://www.hometone.org/entry/would-you-spend-2000000-for-the-lavish-audio-visual-treat/

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://cdn.most-expensive.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/12/expensive-speakers-adam.jpg&imgrefurl=http://most-expensive.net/speakers&usg=__GxJOfeUHoUl-WtGeePbzdurQ7eo=&h=263&w=200&sz=9&hl=en&start=34&um=1&tbnid=OFYvknjRT9UhwM:&tbnh=112&tbnw=85&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dultimate%2Baudio%2Bspeaker%2Bsystem%26ndsp%3D20%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26sa%3DN%26start%3D20%26um%3D1

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.noiseaddicts.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/most-expensive-stereo-003.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.noiseaddicts.com/2008/08/jeremy-kipnis-home-theater-6-million/&usg=__VZwjcp-LJtfSMLkR5xDFtoyCBKw=&h=267&w=400&sz=30&hl=en&start=5&um=1&tbnid=bzZ2J5xRVf_RvM:&tbnh=83&tbnw=124&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dmost%2Bexpensive%2Bstereo%2Bsystem%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26sa%3DG%26um%3D1

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://i38.tinypic.com/dvlhtu.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.clearly-av.co.uk/blog/10-most-expensive-home-speaker-systems/&usg=__zMNOUa-REubPEVghdNuEqr_LS_E=&h=401&w=500&sz=92&hl=en&start=98&um=1&tbnid=SiSFSYcnsF35FM:&tbnh=104&tbnw=130&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dmost%2Bexpensive%2Bstereo%2Bsystem%26ndsp%3D20%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26sa%3DN%26start%3D80%26um%3D1

http://image57.webshots.com/157/7/67/52/526076752tsyUvS_fs.jpg

http://www.home-soundsystems.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/home-audio-system.jpg

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.equitech.com/images/parameter.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.equitech.com/ourclients/letters/jasonparmenter.html&usg=__-6n01GN84eE2FAL2xMiYuyu3Rbo=&h=775&w=1280&sz=514&hl=en&start=1&um=1&tbnid=8s5bAI-VafdOrM:&tbnh=91&tbnw=150&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dreference%2Baudio%2Bsystem%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26sa%3DG%26um%3D1

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/69/190247204_e2d102e0d4.jpg?v=0

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.highendpalace.com/C40200.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.highendpalace.com/2007%2520CES%2520show%2520in%2520Las%2520Vegas%2520II.htm&usg=__Y0-8G98jBs164vQU3qXEpZC-RbE=&h=667&w=500&sz=162&hl=en&start=9&um=1&tbnid=-kTDhVe5G2h0EM:&tbnh=138&tbnw=103&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dreference%2Bspeaker%2Bsystem%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26sa%3DG%26um%3D1

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.soundstagenetwork.com/ultraaudio.com/features/pics/200904_simeon_speaker.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.soundstagenetwork.com/ultraaudio.com/features/20090401.htm&usg=__nG9F1rJpoHoQGUvH660Fxd_2FG4=&h=500&w=380&sz=91&hl=en&start=30&um=1&tbnid=b1ztDpdFcEBkVM:&tbnh=130&tbnw=99&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dbest%2Baudio%2Bsystem%2Bin%2Bthe%2Bworld%26ndsp%3D20%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26sa%3DN%26start%3D20%26um%3D1