Hi-Fi system on a 20k$+ budget

minute detail but are we talking US dollars or pounds sterling?

US Dollars.

Can you give a few more details like:

- What sort of music do you listen to?

- How do you like the sound presented ie. smoother or more analytical?

- Details of your room (size/shape etc) and how it's furnished

- What brands are available in your area, and have you heard anything in the past that you liked?

- Is this for 2 channel only?

1. Mainly I listen Rock music.

2.Smoother.

3.Size of the room - 6m x 9m.

Some sofas for watching movies and listening to music.

4.I can buy and bring any brand available in Germany.

5.Honestly, I can spend 40k US Dollars on the system.

I meant for the 2 ch speakers + subwoofer + center + rear speakers + all the rest.

But will I really feel the difference between 20k and 40 k system?

Thanks.

Given the right system, yes.  Given the wrong system, the 20k one could sound better than the 40k one.

With that sort of money I'd be looking at the top of the range Arcam processor/power amp, a PMC 5.1 set and a Cambridge 751BD.

With a budget that big you need to try the system first , preferably in your own home.

I'm sure you could allocate some of the budget to travelling to somewhere where you can try the kit first, or get them to bring it to you for a home demo.

You don't want to spend 20K and find its no better than what you already have!

It's unposiible to test it at home.

But I can travel and test some in the store.

But please, recommend some brands.

Thanks.

JD pretty much beat me to it, though I would also throw in Kef Refs as an alternative speaker set with a Velodyne sub (from the DD range); and a good streamer or Dac for quality 2 channel.....Job done (until other temptations are dangled in front of you).

Hi,

With that sort of budget the worlds your lobster!

Speakers to consider- Monitor Audio Platinum, KEf reference and B&W 800 series

Sub-Paradigm or REL

AV Amp- Anthem Statement (D2V and p5) more focussed on AV but very very good. Alternatively Arcam's Flagship

or consider brands like Meridian and go in a completely different direction. Your very lucky you have a good budget to spend but take your time, make sure you demo you want to ensure your 20k or 40k goes as far as possible. 

It depends what you want from your system.  Draw up a list of wants, the kind of music and what kind of functionality or connectivity you might want.  There's any amount of stuff out there that will deliver what you're probably looking for for significantly less than you want to spend.  That said, if you also want premium design or styling, then the high end niche market will certainly deliver that.  

Could you please tell me full brandname of Kef Refs?

What country are you in? If brands such as Magnepan, Martin Logan, Sonus Faber, Opera, Harbeth, Spendor etc are available, I'd look at them.

Speakerwise I would consider the B&W 802D, 805D, Diamond Series Center and DB1 Sub

Yes of course.

Kef Reference range consist of:

Standmount.......201/2
Floorstanders....203/2; 205/2; 207/2
Centre Speakers..202/2c; 204/2c
Surround.........206/2ds

Given the percentage of 2 channel that you listen to, added to the size of your room, I would be ideally looking at the 205/2 for front L & R.

Have a look here: http://www.hifix.co.uk/kef

or here: http://www.kef.com/html/gb/showroom/hi-fi_series/reference_series/overview/

I've put together two possible systems costing about £20,000 or about $30,000 USD.

I got rough prices from a few UK sites.

These are the systems I would like to try based on a system to do stereo and surround.

Both systems would benefit from a dedicated CD player or other source components depending on what you mainly listen to/from. Both systems would do surround for movies but are both built around mainly stereo listening, the second system more so. Classé also do dedicated stereo power amps so you can then have a 7.1 system if you ever wanted or just better control for the front speakers. I have not included sub-woofers.

System 1

Source: Cambridge Audio Azur 751BD £800.00

Processor: Classé SSP-800 £7,350.00

Amp: Classé CA-5300 Five-Channel £7,950.00

Front: Spendor A6 £2,295.00

Centre: C5.2 £795.00

Rear: Spendor S3 5R2 £925.00

Total: £20,115.00

System 2

Source: Cambridge Audio Azur 751BD £800.00

AV amp: Denon AVC-A1HDA £5,000.00

Stereo amp: Pathos Inpol 2 £5,650.00

Front: Spendor Statement ST Carbon £6,495.00

Centre: C5.2 £795.00

Rear: Spendor S3 5R2 £925.00

Total: £19,665.00

I personally like the Spendor sound, a warmer less tiring sound than some others.

I tried PMC and ProAC but preferred Spendor.

PMC was too clinical for my tastes and the ProAC just didn't do it for me.

I've always like Denon for AV duties.

The other amps listed I've never tried, but like the look and they have good reviews.

I will likely never risk demoing them as I will get the upgrade bug again!