Started my system in the about 1980 buying a Threshold 500 amp with my first loan. To power Acoustate 2+2... but unable to afford the speakers. Upgraded and learned audio over five decades to current system. I have love seat in listening position so one of my dogs can listen with me. She loves classical and jazz.
My current system reflects my values in sound. Specifically being warm, natural and musical. After spending about 20 years Listening to acoustical instruments when possible and attending hundreds of symphony concerts I finally figured out the difference between many systems that artificially accentuate detail and create excessive slam that compromise the integrity of the music. My system does not overly highlight the venue and mastering techniques but communicates the music and draws you in, as opposed to shouting at you.
You should also try the Wyred for sound 10th anniversary dac, one of the reviewers said it was as analog sounding as his Vpi turntable with a $5,000 Japanese cartridge on it and another reviewer said it beat dacs from Chord, Berkeley, Bricasti, I have it and I agree it's the most analog sounding dac that I've had in my system, and I'll tell you what my system is, Sim audio p8 preamp, Sim audio w8 amp, esoteric P10 transport, monarchy audio up sampler, monitor audio platinum 200 Gen 2, interconnects are harmonic technology magic gen 3, digital cable is magic gen 3, the speaker wire is harmonic technology pro 9 SE gen 3, and the power cords are all harmonic technology pro 11, all the cables are OCC single crystal wire but I will be trying silversmith fidelium because Greg Weaver has OCC single Crystal speaker wire and he said this was better. my system is worth $60,000 Canadian.
The only thing you should change is the speaker cable those boxes screw up everything try the silversmith fidelium cables, Greg Weaver who's been a reviewer for over 40 years has a $600,000 system in this house and he said that this is the cable of the decade he put it up against his $18,000 speaker cable and he said this was better and he also has speaker cable from 6,000 to 11, 000 in his cable stable and he said it beat everything and he gave it his cable of the decade award he said he hasn't heard anything better out there and it's only $1,195 for 8 ft pair. and the company gives a 30-day trial period, check them out. Silversmith fidelium, go read the reviews.