If you had insane amount of cash, what would be your personal HiFi Choice for 2026?

[Jasonovich]

Apologies for regurgitating an old thread....... If you had insane amount of cash, what would be your personal HiFi Choice for 2024?
This is just a little bit of fantasy HiFi, there's no limit in what you want to spend on your dream HiFi.
I think once you hit the £30K you hit a brick wall in terms of diminishing returns, I'm not convince a £50K setup will sound any better than a £30K, anyway I digress....

There is one brand that looks great aesthetically, has incredible built and reputed for setting the sound quality bar. That brand is Matrix......wait did I just swallow the red pill or was it the blue?

Here's my dream team below - what's yours? 🙂

1. Preamp................... .............. ..............Atoll PR400 Evolution (without the DAC option)
2. Power amp (times two) .......... ............... Atoll AM400 Evolution (two used in mono mode)
3. Streamer Transport ......... ..............Matrix NT-1 Digital Streamer
4. DAC (high end AKM chipset) .... Matrix ND-1 DAC
5. Headphone Amp.............................. Matrix NA-1: 20 watts of pure class A
6. Speakers.............................................. Dali Epicon 8 Floorstanding Speakers

Plus special HiFi annexed room in the garden .................... I haven't done the math's but it's going to cost guzillions!
Here's some pics:

• Atoll PR400 Evolution (without the DAC option)

• Atoll AM400 Evolution (two AM400 Evo's used in mono configuration)

• NT-1 Digital Streamer

• DAC (high end AKM chipset) .... ND-1 DAC

• NA-1: 20 watts of pure class A

• Dali Epicon 8 Floorstanding Speakers

 

[James105]

Apologies for regurgitating an old thread....... If you had insane amount of cash, what would be your personal HiFi Choice for 2024?
This is just a little bit of fantasy HiFi, there's no limit in what you want to spend on your dream HiFi.
I think once you hit the £30K you hit a brick wall in terms of diminishing returns, I'm not convince a £50K setup will sound any better than a £30K, anyway I digress....

There is one brand that looks great aesthetically, has incredible built and reputed for setting the sound quality bar. That brand is Matrix......wait did I just swallow the red pill or was it the blue?

Here's my dream team below - what's yours? 🙂

1. Preamp................... .............. ..............Atoll PR400 Evolution (without the DAC option)
2. Power amp (times two) .......... ............... Atoll AM400 Evolution (two used in mono mode)
3. Streamer Transport ......... ..............Matrix NT-1 Digital Streamer
4. DAC (high end AKM chipset) .... Matrix ND-1 DAC
5. Headphone Amp.............................. Matrix NA-1: 20 watts of pure class A
6. Speakers.............................................. Dali Epicon 8 Floorstanding Speakers

Plus special HiFi annexed room in the garden .................... I haven't done the math's but it's going to cost guzillions!
Here's some pics:

• Atoll PR400 Evolution (without the DAC option)

View attachment 11338

• Atoll AM400 Evolution (two AM400 Evo's used in mono configuration)

View attachment 11337

• NT-1 Digital Streamer

View attachment 11339

• DAC (high end AKM chipset) .... ND-1 DAC

View attachment 11333

• NA-1: 20 watts of pure class A

View attachment 11334

• Dali Epicon 8 Floorstanding Speakers

View attachment 11340

I assume this is being delivered to Cambridgeshire, 🙂 congratulations on your retirement

 

[Jasonovich]

I assume this is being delivered to Cambridgeshire, 🙂 congratulations on your retirement

Thanks James, I'm discovering that retirement makes time relative, clocks gone forward last night and tomorrow is Monday..............Meh, every day is the same, I'm retired! Oh God it's weird, will take "time" getting use to... Ha ha ha....

It's a lovely thought having it delivered to Cambridgeshire, much of the liquidity will be going into the house, new conservatory and making it more marketable, so we can get the best price when it is sold.

My dream HiFi maybe one day 🙂

 

[Revolutions]

3 days in & he’s planning the biggest spend to date. Going well, @Jasonovich 😁😁😁

 

[GroeneLeeuw]

 

[Jasonovich]

View attachment 11341

🤣

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

The stereo in...an Audi R8 V10.

Which I then wouldn't use because I'd be listening to the engine.

 

[Angle Poise-Lamp]

How should I know what I would buy? I've never been rich so, I have no idea how I would react. Added to which, there are other things I would like, such as a well equipped woodwork shop, with a nice lathe...

 

[davidf]

Not 100% on the system, but it would certainly be based around a pair of Eggleston Works Viginti loudspeakers.

 

[Holt]

Same system I got now, a Pioneer VSA-LX805 amp and B&W FPM6 speakers. Awesome combination.

 

[record_spot]

Quite happy with this setup below thanks which is punching way above it's weight...

 

[abacus]

I normally use my home cinema system, however if it was just HiFi then it would be some Hi-end ATC Active speakers with a Lyngdorf pre-amp fed by a Gyro Dec turntable with there top arm and Ortofon s top MM Cartridge, streaming would be via an Apple TV 4K box and I would also be looking to get a refurbished Nakamichi Dragon Cassette deck.
Cables would be pro quality to ensure optimum connectivity and longevity, A power regenerator would also be added.

Bill

 

[matthewpianist]

It's difficult to say, as it would be so dependent on the room.

I'm becoming very wedded to coaxial drivers, so I would likely stick with that approach to speaker design, and quite probably something from Fyne Audio, which I much prefer to KEF - though I know others are available. I do like small speakers, so unless the room was very large, I would likely stick with stand mounters. Something horn loaded could be a temptation in the right room, but I would have to do a lot of listening.

In terms of amplification, I'm not sure whether I would stick with the relatively analytical approach (like the Audiolab), or go for something perhaps with something with more 'analogue' qualities like an older Marantz. If money really wasn't an issue I would probably end up with a Sugden or something from Audio Note.

Source? I see little point in changing the streamer beyond the Mission and Bluesound options I already have, and I very much like the sound of the older CD players I own with the early Philips chipsets - the Philips CD104 and Rotel RCD965BX. I would have to take a view on vinyl. At the moment I'm very rarely using my turntable, but I could be attracted by a nicely rebuilt Lenco, Garrard or Thorens.

 

[Deliriumbassist]

Sources: Innuos Nazare, VPI Avenger with Ortofon Cadenza Blue
Preamps/Phono: Hegel P30A, Hegel V10
DAC: Hegel D50
Power: Hegel H30A x 2
Speakers: KEF Blade One Meta

I've heard most of this together. Loved it.

 

[Entrigo]

Easy. First of all a new house, and NOT Victorian. One with nice wide rooms and not a chimney breast in sight (as much as I like them) so I can set up a dedicated listening room.

Then I guess it would have to be pre and power amps, as I have never tried it, possibly the latest Rega ones. Technics SL-1000R and Rega Naia or Vertere SG1, side by side. Gold Note PH1000 and PSU phono. Digital no idea as still a novice, but like the idea of the Naim Uniti or similar. Then a nice solid state headphone amp. Focal Utopia and LCD-5. Speakers probably ProAc K10.

Anyway. Thanks for the 15 minutes dream break, back to trying to sort out issues with the Oracle learning management system 😖

 

[michael hoy]

Magico M6 Speakers
Nagra amplification
DCS digital source
Anitpodes Oladra Music Server / Streamer

And a nice comfy chair to sit back and listen

 

[Al ears]

Magico M6 Speakers
Nagra amplification
DCS digital source
Anitpodes Oladra Music Server / Streamer

And a nice comfy chair to sit back and listen

Nice, but I would use D'Agastino preamp and monoblocks.

 

[michael hoy]

Nice, but I would use D'Agastino preamp and monoblocks.

That was on my list as well 🙂

 

[Revolutions]

I’d love to go to KJ West One & not worry about the price of anything. Although so many of the higher end products are kinda ugly.

A more specific answer would be ATC SCM50a, ATC SCA preamp & an FPGA based dac/streamer. Kind of boring, but I have a feeling that would sound awesome provided I have a nice large room for those speakers.