I guess you'd say my hi fi tastes are high-middle-brow: bought my first AR speakers, Marantz amp and Shure V15 in about 1972. I have mostly Yamaha electronics now, though I'm no longer much of a fan of the variable loudness control that led me to Yamaha originally (I think it is really a variable high filter). Still like AR speakers but I've picked up JBL's and Bose and Klipsch over the years. I found this site by looking for a particular topic of how stylus force deforms a vinyl record.
Welcome from a fellow Californian. Lots of help and options if you decide to build something. HeyBill
Get ready... in about two years your system will look like NOTHING you can imagine.
Get used to big bag boxes with BLUE LEDs on the front panel.
Plan on coming for BAF25.
And the system will simply blow you away. ;-)
I'm behind the Orange Curtain.
Bose?