What was the best system you've every had ?

I'm not talking moneywise, as I'm not a rich man, I mean what system did you own that you thought was the finest sounding ?
Every once in awhile the stars seem to align and I'd come up with a system that shouldn't sound as good as it did.
My favorite and where I should've stopped at, was a Harman Kardon 730 Twin reciver, hooked to a pair of Polk Monitor 5's for the mains.
The rear channel went to and old Dahlquist D10 sub, that was powered by an external Velodyne amp plate, that I built into a box.
I then ran the rear speakers (Monitor 5 Jrs) off of the sub's amp.
This system, though it sounds like it came from the Goodwill store, was probably the best sound I've owned.
My buddy, who has a 6 figure income and at least 4 seperate awesome rigs dropped his jaw the first time he came over and listened to it.
He never lets me forget that I should have kept that one. (heh heh)
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Comments

  • mlistens03
    mlistens03 Posts: 2,767
    edited October 2019
    Best sounding system... My current one. KEF Q150s, NAD 1155 preamp (and matching 4155 tuner), NAD C352 integrated (preamp bypassed), Marantz CD6004, Technics SL3200 with an Audio Technica VM-95S/H, I think. :)

    I would love to hear the Boston Acoustics VR2s I used to have on this gear, because they were great. I wonder how they'd compare. :)
  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,034
    See my signature below...
    The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD

    “When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson
  • I heard that the pink ones had better bass.............
  • Yow ! That's a pretty scary thought !
  • Tony M
    Tony M Posts: 11,009
    mlistens03 wrote: »
    Best sounding system... My current one. KEF Q150s, NAD 1155 preamp (and matching 4155 tuner), NAD C352 integrated (preamp bypassed), Marantz CD6004, Technics SL3200 with an Audio Technica VM-95S/H, I think. :)

    I would love to hear the Boston Acoustics VR2s I used to have on this gear, because they were great. I wonder how they'd compare. :)

    :)
    My 80 year-young friend JUST bought a set of those Boston VR2's for 60.00 from a restore 3 days ago.
    ( It was a "habitat for humanity" store previously. They just changed the name on 2 stores around here a couple of years ago or more for some reason)

    HE LOVES THEIR SOUND! He uses an old Pioneer Elite receiver and Elite CD players or a Sony ES CD player. :)B)
    Most people just listen to music and watch movies. I EXPERIENCE them.
  • Wardsweb
    Wardsweb Posts: 899
    Like many here, my present system is the best. It is the result of years of improvements.
  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 24,474
    Present system

    Aragon 4004mkii
    Adcom 565 pre
    Yaqin CD3 6sn7 tube buffer
    Pioneer PD09 SACD player
    Oppo 205 uni-player
    Polk 2.3tl with all upgrades with 1000va torrid

    stand by amp Adcom 5802

    Yes it is sublime
  • joecoulson
    joecoulson Posts: 4,943
    See my signature below...

    Ditto.
  • CH46E
    CH46E Posts: 3,521
    I love my RTA12B pushed with a refurbed Carver TFM45. Could not be happier with this combo. There are other components in the set that could use an upgrade. Loke a DAC and better pre amp than my Yamaha Aventage HTR.
  • BlueFox
    BlueFox Posts: 15,251
    My current system. Expensive, but worth it. See the sig.
    Lumin X1 file player, Westminster Labs interconnect cable
    Sony XA-5400ES SACD; Pass XP-22 pre; X600.5 amps
    Magico S5 MKII Mcast Rose speakers; SPOD spikes

    Shunyata Triton v3/Typhon QR on source, Denali 2000 (2) on amps
    Shunyata Sigma XLR analog ICs, Sigma speaker cables
    Shunyata Sigma HC (2), Sigma Analog, Sigma Digital, Z Anaconda (3) power cables

    Mapleshade Samson V.3 four shelf solid maple rack, Micropoint brass footers
    Three 20 amp circuits.
  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,034
    BlueFox wrote: »
    My current system. Expensive, but worth it. See the sig.

    Seeing as though you can't use it without electricity, you may as well send it to me. ;):p
    The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD

    “When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson
  • rpf65
    rpf65 Posts: 2,127
    Back in the 80’s had this Aiwa boom box. Might have had 50 or so cassettes, but we were also in the middle of deployment, and after 87 days floating around, those tapes were well used.

    Anyway, we pulled into FM reception range of Perth Australia, and the first song I stopped on was Van Halen’s “Panama”. That had to be the best sound I have ever heard.

    So I’ll go with that 80’s Aiwa boom box, model number long forgotten.
  • codycatalist
    codycatalist Posts: 2,662
    While my SDA2B, Adcom GFA545 and Denon PRA1200 is technically my best sounding system, I miss the days I wasn’t so analytical.

    The 5Bs with my 80s Marantz junker were a great sounding simple system.
    Just a dude doing dude-ly things

    "Temptation is the manifestation of desire which equals necessity." - Mikey081057
    " I have always had a champange taste with a beer budget" - Rick88
    "Just because the thread is getting views don't mean much .. I like a good train wreck doesn't mean i want to be in one..." - pitdogg2
    "Those that don't know, don't know that they don't know." - heiney9
    "Audiophiles are the male equivalent of cat ladies." - Audiokarma Member
  • mlistens03
    mlistens03 Posts: 2,767
    Tony M wrote: »
    mlistens03 wrote: »
    Best sounding system... My current one. KEF Q150s, NAD 1155 preamp (and matching 4155 tuner), NAD C352 integrated (preamp bypassed), Marantz CD6004, Technics SL3200 with an Audio Technica VM-95S/H, I think. :)

    I would love to hear the Boston Acoustics VR2s I used to have on this gear, because they were great. I wonder how they'd compare. :)

    :)
    My 80 year-young friend JUST bought a set of those Boston VR2's for 60.00 from a restore 3 days ago.
    ( It was a "habitat for humanity" store previously. They just changed the name on 2 stores around here a couple of years ago or more for some reason)

    HE LOVES THEIR SOUND! He uses an old Pioneer Elite receiver and Elite CD players or a Sony ES CD player. :)B)

    You got to get an ear on those! they are quite good. :)
  • msg
    msg Posts: 9,306
    Either of the two I had before I found this forum :s:pB)
    I disabled signatures.
  • Willow
    Willow Posts: 10,862
    This seems a rather redundant question. Who in their right mind would go backwards unless someone has had to start over. I believe most will say their current system.
  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 24,474
    Willow wrote: »
    This seems a rather redundant question. Who in their right mind would go backwards unless someone has had to start over. I believe most will say their current system.

    No not really sometimes life dictates a need to sell and sometimes you do not have the ability to replace what you had. It took me many many years to where I'm at now it would be hard to replicate it again if I had to sell it off.
  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 32,926
    Wardsweb wrote: »
    Like many here, my present system is the best. It is the result of years of improvements.

    Ditto.
  • Willow
    Willow Posts: 10,862
    edited October 2019
    pitdogg2 wrote: »
    Willow wrote: »
    This seems a rather redundant question. Who in their right mind would go backwards unless someone has had to start over. I believe most will say their current system.

    No not really sometimes life dictates a need to sell and sometimes you do not have the ability to replace what you had. It took me many many years to where I'm at now it would be hard to replicate it again if I had to sell it off.

    Which is why I mentioned the part in bold unless someone has had to start over.
  • erniejade
    erniejade Posts: 6,288
    Sunfire sig II 625X2, AR sp16, Jolida CD, Technics 1200 with denon dl160, Jolida d9 phono pre, Legacy Focus.
    Musical Fidelity Tri-Vista 300, Audioquest Thunderbird Zero Speaker Cable, Tyler Highland H2, Audioquest Thunderbird Interconnect, Innuos Zen MK3 W4S recovery, Revolution Audio Labs USB & Ethernet, Border Patrol SE-I, Audioquest Niagara 5000 & Thunder, Cullen Crossover II PC's.
  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 24,474
    Willow wrote: »
    pitdogg2 wrote: »
    Willow wrote: »
    This seems a rather redundant question. Who in their right mind would go backwards unless someone has had to start over. I believe most will say their current system.

    No not really sometimes life dictates a need to sell and sometimes you do not have the ability to replace what you had. It took me many many years to where I'm at now it would be hard to replicate it again if I had to sell it off.

    Which is why I mentioned the part in bold unless someone has had to start over.

    yea I missed that on the quick read of the phone :embarrassed face here: :blush:
  • Willow
    Willow Posts: 10,862
    pitdogg2 wrote: »
    Willow wrote: »
    pitdogg2 wrote: »
    Willow wrote: »
    This seems a rather redundant question. Who in their right mind would go backwards unless someone has had to start over. I believe most will say their current system.

    No not really sometimes life dictates a need to sell and sometimes you do not have the ability to replace what you had. It took me many many years to where I'm at now it would be hard to replicate it again if I had to sell it off.

    Which is why I mentioned the part in bold unless someone has had to start over.

    yea I missed that on the quick read of the phone :embarrassed face here: :blush:

    All good
  • kevhed72
    kevhed72 Posts: 4,949
    I did not know you could still have a signature on this site....I assume I cant see them because I am in "mobile mode"...
  • Nightfall
    Nightfall Posts: 10,042
    edited October 2019
    My best was 2B's on the same setup I have now but in my old apartment and on a Yamaha PX-3 with Dynavector 10x2H instead of my current digital source.

    Although these Infinity Kappa 5's in this smaller room are also very good, just not as quite.
    afterburnt wrote: »
    They didn't speak a word of English, they were from South Carolina.

    Village Idiot of Club Polk
  • Viking64
    Viking64 Posts: 6,646
    kevhed72 wrote: »
    I did not know you could still have a signature on this site....I assume I cant see them because I am in "mobile mode"...

    All of the cool kids set signatures to "OFF".
  • kevhed72
    kevhed72 Posts: 4,949
    edited October 2019
    My current rig, which is:
    Belles 200a amp
    Cary SLP 03 pre
    Benchmark DAC1
    Auralic Aries mini
    Music Hall 7.2 turntable
    Totem Rainmaker monitors
    REL T 5 sub
    just picked up a Parasound z Phono to get the vinyl spinning again.
    Also found a deal on a Ortofon Bronze cartridge which is mighty tempting....mighty tempting!
  • Kex
    Kex Posts: 4,892
    kevhed72 wrote: »
    I did not know you could still have a signature on this site....I assume I cant see them because I am in "mobile mode"...
    Yup, that does seem to be the case (just checked). I never use my phone for CP and it works normally on an iPad (even without the newly released iPad OS).
    Alea jacta est!
  • Kex
    Kex Posts: 4,892
    @kevhed72

    P.S. You can Request Desktop Site in Safari to see the signatures on an iPhone. In iOS 13 (2019), you'll find the option where you see aA in the left side of the URL bar (access to Reader View and other adjustments).

    If using Android, you'll have to find out how to get the desktop site on your own ;)
    Alea jacta est!