[Audio_Empire[_2_]]

I cut the whole message because I would have had to quote too much. I
have a couple of observations. First, so-called "pro" gear is really
good stuff at 1/10th or even 1/100th or 1/1000th of the price of
"audiophile" products. Second, Hsu's system of two subs and a pair of
bookshelf speakers costs way less than $30K and sounds fantastic.

I agree with you about pro-gear. One can get some excellent performing
amplifiers (especially) from vendors like Peavy and Crown, and
Behringer at really bargain prices. Makes one wonder why the high-end
amps cost so much?

I've heard the HSU horn speakers with an HSU sub and I agree that they
sound fantastic - especially for the money. BUT (and this is a big
but) they are not in the same ballpark as the transparent and hyper
accurate Martin Logan CLX (with suitable subwoofers) or with the sheer
amount of sound produced by the Wilson Alexandria XLF (I think a
speaker system that could combine the transparency, accuracy and low
distortion of the M-L CLX with the dynamic range and the ability to
load a room with bottom end like the Wilson Alexandra XLF would be
pretty close to the ideal loudspeaker).

I spent 20 years with a pair of Apogee Divas driven by a Classe DR-6
preamp and two DR-9 amps. I finally settled on a DVD player to play CDs
and a VPI Super Scout Master with a Shelter MM cartridge for vinyl. I
could hear differences in various TTs. Not so much in various CD
players. The DR-6 had an excellent MM phono input.

VPI turntables are VERY good, I agree. I used to have a pair of Apogee
Signatures, and aside from the fragility of the "cabinets" (the
speakers were VERY heavy, and if you tried to move them by grabbing
the MDF cosmetic surrounds, those surrounds would break) I thought
they sounded excellent (great bass). Alas, a piece of magnet came
loose inside and one of them started to rattle - so I sold them.

For the last couple of years I have been using a TC Electronics Impact
Twin driven from a Mac Mini using iTunes, along with Pure Music and Pure
Vinyl feeding the amps of a pair of Hsu ULS-15s and one Classe DR-9
driving the Hsu bookshelf speakers. I am using cheap balanced lines in
place of expensive RCA interconnects.

Boutique cables are the biggest rip-off in audio. The companies
selling these useless money-pits should be prosecuted for fraud!

I use the mic inputs on the Impact Twin along with Pure Vinyl to
digitize vinyl at very high bit rates, probably more than I need. Pure
Vinyl/Pure Music also allow for the use of computer based filters to
tune the room. Try that in analog.

Can't be done too easily.