If you want to kick this around, let me stir up the pot a little. Since I've been here, there has been the SX-1010, the MC2100, and the bottlehead pre. So, a SS receiver, tube power and tube pre. Which way do we move? Another amp? or do we move out on the chain. Source, or speakers? If source, digital or analog? If speakers, mini-monitors or HE? or something in between?
Digital source- CDP or SACD? Exotic?
Analog source- TT or tape? Wait, or Tuner? Tube tuner?
The caveat to this is that speakers, and at least some sources, may not generate the revenue that amps have done. Are they too subjective?
I know that I would take a shot at getting a source to upgrade my system. Maybe a Lector CDP, or Shanling (OOOOO-O-O-O) or another TT. As for speakers, there are some that are fairly universally recognized. Lansing Heritage Forum made a bundle raffling a pair of JBL L100's, but they pulled out ALL the stops on those, as some members here can attest. They got a chunk of change from me, in that one. But I recognize that my opinion doesn't always (seldom?) follows the majority. There are speakers that would get everyone's attention, but what would get YOUR $$$?
So, anybody care to address styler's q, or my subsections?