What system components would you buy if...........

I would go with tube amps, Lamm or Tenor, rather than my current Ayre/Pass SS amps. I would try a passive pre-amp, like the Placette. I would spend the money I spent on my CD player on a great record player, like a Simon Yorke, and the money I spent on my record player would go towards a reasonably priced CD/SACD player like the Sony XA777ES. And I would absolute make sure that there is enough money left for a Koetsu cartridge - I love their looks but have never actually heard one. When it comes to cables, I have to pass. I cannot image replacing my NBS Omegas with anything else.

VTL 750 REFERENCE amplifiers

Now this is an interesting thread. My gut said Magnepan, but I would probably go some tube-high efficiency combo. I am sooo sick of being limited to amps with high power and stability in to tough loads.

I have been a tube snob so long that i surprise myself. I think I would go with an all Spectral system. Not sure of what speaker. A good friend of mine just bought a pair of Joseph 33 speakers. I was amazed at the sound he got out of these small speakers. Using a Pass 350 or something along that line. I hated that amp. He offered it to me for a couple of weeks. I listened to it for a few days. Couldn't take any more. What a dramatic difference this combo made. I would still opt for Spectral amps, pre, and CDP. As impressed as i was with the 33, maybe I would go with Josephs pearls or an ELS that had dynamics I could live with. What a great thread. I get to go day dreaming once again. Looks like i need that help from from Detlof. Looks like I need it bad.

Hmmmm...interesting proposition, as I have just completely overhauled my system over the past year or so. So, this is more of a what if game for me. What if I'd gone for the Audio Aero Capitole Mk 2 instead of the EMC-1? A Teres turntable instead of a Nottingham spacedeck? A Shelter instead of a Dynavecter cartridge? A Pass X-350 or Gamut D200 instead of a Plinius Sa-102? Kharma speakers rather than Piega? HMS rather than Jena Labs cables?

One cop-out--in its price range, I can't imagine what I would get instead of my beloved Supratek Syrah preamp. Anything I might consider would cost three times as much.

I know I must be fooling myself, but I believe I am set for a good while. The system is sounding nice. It is fun to look back and wonder what if, though. Nice thread.