Best virtual systems - up to about 10,000£

If looking for accurate neutral almost full range sound with low distortion at high spl:

Squeezebox touch or mac mini

Benchmark dac1 hdr

Atc scm 50a

Majik DS + AMS 35i + Kef 201/2 (ex-dem)

It's pretty much what I've got.

As per sig...needs to be 2nd hand to meet the price point! 

Mac mini source with something like this Teac DAC/pre used together with some ATC SMC50A speakers. The ATC's don't actually sound any better than the £5000 Quested speakers in the other thread but they do look much nicer and are probably better built too.

EDIT - SB Touch swapped for Teac DAC/pre amp.

Ah, I have tried this combination and you get a bit of crackling noise as input sensitivity does not match well to sbt.

better with a preamp

Agree otherwise - a lot of the price difference is in the atc cabinet.

My recommended system would be:

EMT 950 record player

Either Lightspeed LDR passive pre-amp with Coincident Frankenstein monoblocks or Urei 6290 amp depending upon how we're doing with the budget and whether you want to max-out the midrange or the bass

EV Patrician 800 speakers

Why? These are all components I've got in my house and know work well together. I've also had the chance to bake these off against a variety of other components. I would also freely admit that it’s quite possible that there might be another £10,000 system somewhere in the world that I would prefer overall to mine.

For a digital source I’d add a Benchmark or Beresford DAC.

My system is genuinely full range. Will play cleanly at 119dbs all day with the Urei amp. Has proper quality bass. Has a joyful openness and life about it that is lacking in systems with inefficient speakers. Has an organic naturalness to the midrange - especially when the Coincident amps are used. Biggest sonic downside is that the speakers are not nearfield monitors so you get a strange tonal balance if you sit next to them.

An ATC 50 based system would also be a good one for £10,000, but it wouldn’t be for me due to the lack of bass kick and their inability to sound alive at lower volumes.

KEF 201/2's and Sonus Faber Concertinos wouldn't be for me. I hate small ported speakers.

Ahh Ok. In that case I'm not sure which DAC and preamp I'd choose, probably the Teac one because it looks nice. I've edited my post to include a Teac DAC/pre instead of the SB Touch.

Apple Mac mini

Cambridge Audio Dac Magic plus

Genelec 1038B x2 built in wall.

Carpet

nice chair

Good call.

You forgot the £500 and £250k systems...

Here's a better picture.

I wouldn't ever spend that much no matter how rich I was.

Besides what would £250K buy you? A louder system maybe but can you get better quality than something like the £10K Genelecs?

Now we are talking. It would have to be minus the desk, for obvious financial reasons...... But seriously if I had the room this would be the last system I would ever need. Rubs trousers in a Vic Reeves style movement.

and a pool table!

I wouldn't ever spend that much no matter how rich I was.

Besides what would £250K buy you? A louder system maybe but can you get better quality than something like the £10K Genelecs?

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Come see me when you have a £250k budget and I will help you spend it! It is not about loud and the quality is there but at the big money it is about getting the sound bang on for you with as little compromise as possible and with that budget it is easier.

.....Well, don't leave it there!