Audiophile sound quality from a more "mainstream" company?

I was using a NAD 3020 as a preamp with an early PS Audio Power Amp (can't remember the model) in the late 70's early 80's. Great phono section and the 80 WPC amp pushed any speakers I had. The 3020 was utterly unreliable but I fortunately worked for a large appliance retailer with a decent service department. That early PS Audio amp was relatively affordable, back then. 

@wolf_garcia Schiit, Klipsch, and Pass. Wait...that sounds like an instruction...sorry...Heresy IIIs are better than IVs, or so I say.

A triode obsessed "Inspire" preamp/amp buddy went from Hersey II, III, IV, to Omega for a while, and returned to the latest (revised) version of Hersey IV and likes it much better, notably so.  Crossover, tweeter, port, design changes worked well in the new IV, fuller sounding and no fatigue now - he claims, fwiw.  

For Speakers I would look into Sony

For electronis- yamaha and technics

these better products do not come cheap.

Domestic-

Van Alstine for amps, etc

Speakers- i won't use the "T" word. 

Too new anyway.

Klipsch heritage or??

When I bought a set of Heresy IVs to replace the IIIs I was impressed by the IVs better construction and thought the porting for 10hz lower frequency response was a great idea (although I use 2 REL subs in this heap, so...meh...). After listening to them for over a month with a frown (figured they were still breaking in), I narrowed the main issue down to an upper mid "honk" or aberration in piano music mostly as I listen to a lot of jazz piano trios. Man...I wanted them to be great, but put my trusty IIIs back in a realized how much better they sounded. More coherent, smoother...just better. Damn. I think the IIIs mid horn is simply better...titanium instead of plastic driver, more complex horn throat design...or something. Sold the IVs, still very much enjoying the IIIs.

Not this week.