Just as a follow up to this meeting, we heard the new Ayre universal disk player with an Ayre preamp and their top of the line $9K power amp. This was a really outstanding system. I especially like their philosophy of using zero feeback in their products, resulting in a tube-like sound from solid state components.But the thing I heard at this meeting that impressed me the most was a Telarc SACD version of Frederick Fennell leading the Cleveland Symphonic Winds in march-type tunes by Holst, Handel, John Philip Sousa and others. I ordered a copy the next day because the music is very compelling and the recording quality is probably the best classical recording I have ever heard!
So here's a note to all you audiophiles who don't listen to classical music: If you were going to own just one classical disk this one would be a good choice.