How much would you pay to bring music to life?

Those PB1is look gorgeous Electro!

can I see a picture with the grills off?

Electro, I'd love to hear your Electrocompaniet stuff. There's a high chance your CD player is better than mine.

Believe me, the EMC1UP is up there with the best and I tried the likes of Wadia, Krell, Sugden, Naim and Audio Research before settling on it.

Mac

Very nice setup you have there Electro.

Great set-up Electro!

My budget is relatively limited and, within the realms of affordable gear, I think I've done a pretty good job of assembling a system that brings music to life, although it has been a very long and convoluted process to say the least.  One thing is for sure, I've tried many CD players, including the Roksan K2 which I still have, and the CD63SE just can't be beaten for sheer involvement (well, apart from one other CD player I've had but that was the KI-Signature version of the same player).

Ultimately, I'd love to be able to really indulge and, hopefully, one day I will be able to have something akin to the Unison/Opera set-up I heard 2 or 3 years ago.  That was something else and really brought the music into the room.  I think any future moves for me are going to have to take me out of the mainstream and into some of the smaller European makers.

If I had big money I'm afraid the piano would come before the hi-fi.  Once I'd got my dream Schimmel K213T grand piano (£40k), then I'd start to look at the hi-fi.

I will do my best

Thanks a lot man, really appreciate it! 

Back to the question the thread has raised...

I am really not sure it is all that money dependent, as much as I hate to bring up the 's' word. I've heard some systems for less than 5k (used) that I've rarely seen bettered up to 20k. (Oh no not another hifi cliche! A real giant killer).  Having said that, my recent experience has taught me that the bar can steadily be raised, much higher than I previously had known

while differences in individual component are much much smaller when you go that high up the chain, when you manage to create a system where every component works beautifully together with the rest, the outcome can be, well, audio nirvana. 

I've spent just £1000 on my speakers, stands and cables which brings the music to life very well.

The three way Genelec 8260A is the best system that I've ever heard at any price so even if I won the lottery I still wouldn't spend more than £6300 plus another £1000 for the Genelec microphone, DSP software and the matching Genelec hifi stands (not the ugly studio stands).

£1075, that's all.  AVI ADM 9T.  Best money I ever spent.

Have you got shares in AVI ?

  Cor , have they gone public ?   I didn't know that .  I'll get my broker onto it the first thing tomorrow morning .

Only messing Electro  Set up looks sweet as mate.. I'll look forward to a similar set up when I have a bigger house etc.. Until then standmounts and sub (soon)  

I respectfully direct you to the above post 12 by Shropshire Lad.  AVI ADM 9 series are brilliant speakers, period, as well as incredible VFM.  That is my experience of ownership, why would I not pass on that information when so few column inches are given over to them in mags etc.?

Sospri has a real problem with people recommending AVI speakers.

Personally, when I want to hear music brought to life I like to spend £20-£80 on a ticket to a gig.

Or better still, spend a long weekend at a music festival.