A while back you had commented how my main system evolution and yours had followed similar paths. Another chapter to the story.
In my second system, which had a Prima Luna PL2 tube integrated amp and a Rega Apollo CD player as its anchor components, I had been using small monitor type speakers. These speakers fit inside a closed back standing bookcase and were turned on their sides. All this, so the cats could not get at them.
Over the past six years, I went from Rega Ara's (really incredible monitors picked up NOS for $250 from a dealer in Canada) to Energy RC 10's (which sounded really good, but only when placed inside the bookcase, as opposed to outside of it) to Spendor A1's (which I hated, but to be fair the placement probably had a lot to do with it) to Totem Mites (which I liked a lot). Well, the Totems got moved to a bedroom system and the Energy wound back up in my 2nd system, which sees a lot of use as it is alongside my computer and the main TV in the apartment.
Why am I going through all this?
For a 54th birthday present, I treated myself to a pair of Ascend Acoustics Sierra 1 monitors. OMG just about wraps up my reaction. These are the the type of speakers that find me re-listening to my entire CD collection again.
The moral of the story ... I would say try tubes, though I am partial to Musical Fidelity amplifiers. Before I went with tubes I had the MF A300 power amp and the CD PRE 24 paired together. Very sweet sounding, but tubes were sweeter. Second, find a way to hear the Ascend Acoustics Sierras, they are something else.
Be well,
Rich
