It's been about 20 years since I had my NAD and B&W's, but then I went through a world of hassle, divorce and stupid mistakes and had to sell everything. Now I'm at a place where I can rebuild!
After a ton of research, I decided that it would be better for me to invest in a small sound system that will mainly handle digital music. So, I went for the Peachtree Nova Pre and the 220 amp. That was a decision I made after considering another NAD. For the money (and it's still a lot for me) it seemed like I was getting more for less with the Peachtree: a bunch of digital inputs and a good DAC and plenty of power. After I bought those, it was time to find speakers.
I was JUST about to buy another pair of B&W's (CM5), but then I called a dealer and he talked me into floor standing. The cost of the CM line, as I moved up, was getting way out and away from my budget. Then I found Salk. With so many positive reviews (especially about the lower end) and the fact that I could actually choose the finish, it was a no-brainer. On top of that, when I called Salk I got the owner on the line and chatted with him. That was the deal-breaker. I went about $500 over budget and will have to eat mac and cheese for a while, but that's OK as it's going to be so worth it. I still have a pretty good wait, and I haven't heard any of the equipment I'm buying, but I think I made some great choices. I just hope everything will sound as good as I think it will.
Yesterday I received my Oppo 103, so not only can I watch perfect Blurays, but I can use it as a network player. Next is a NAS -maybe a Seagate Central- so I can easily access all my HiRez files and play them back with ease, without the need for any wires. All handled with the Plex server. Amazing. Today I went and bought an silly-huge TV (Not really a TV person) as an afterthought. Hey, I may as well have a TV between my sweet Songtowers, right? 50 inches is huge to me, but the picture is fantastic.
Now I wait. My Peachtrees sitting and collecting dust in the new cabinet. The Apple TV is set up and ready to stream MOG. The Oppo is configured and Plex is being filled with files from HD Downloads. The only thing I have to get are speaker cables. Jim suggested Bluejean, but the obsession is telling me I should spend more money! With all the investment, I'm thinking a few more hundred on decent cables would be in order, but I'm still not sure. Either way, my little mountain home is going to sound awesome.
Sorry for the babble, but I'm so excited. The days of playing an Ipod with a powered computer speaker are almost over.
