The Vali outputs are variable, controlled by the volume knob.

If you wanted to plug your TT into the Vali you’d still need your phono pre-amp (RIAA stage). Then the outputs from Vali to the line-in for your Klipsch would still work, you’d just have to manage two volume controls.

As a fellow metal head, good luck. Also in my 40’s so we probably listen to similar things and the recording quality of most of it is hot garbage.

Short of changing what you listen to I would look for a vintage or semi-vintage receiver with something called a Loudness button or even better a variable loudness dial. This is not really “audiophile” but really helps these recordings sound better. You can leave it off most of the time but flip it on when you’re playing some especially terrible recordings. Don’t be afraid of the treble dial either, nothing wrong with adjusting that dial.

Marantz or Pioneer SX (like the SX-850) would be worth considering IMO. Don’t be scared of wattage ratings, 50wpc out of one of these should be more than enough for almost any speaker. Getting a well priced external DAC like a Schiit Modi is very simple.

Avoid Klipsch, horns won’t help at all despite how generally well reviewed the RP-600M are reviewed online. I’ve had some luck with Monitor Audio (Silver 200 5G) and slightly older Dynaudio (Focus 110a) and Paradigm (Studio 20 v5) speakers but you should take some songs to your local dealer and give some different speakers a listen.

Worth it maybe to buy a couple of sets of used speakers and trying them out in your house and then flipping the ones you don’t like.

As always your mileage will vary this is just my personal experience. If you have a hard concrete room with clay tiles there’s not going to be much hope for you.

The Airplay device pulls data from the Internet itself. So yes hard wired could make a difference depending on how poor your wifi is.

I always hardwire where possible.

Can you flip it over?

Records may be analog but they are also lossless.

Humans have been recording and reproducing sounds for a looooong time before digital media was a thing and we got pretty good at it.

The difference in sound equality between a well mastered record and a well mastered FLAC playing on quality gear is non existent.

Digital is still massively more convenient but don’t knock records because they are an older technology.

What did you have before? That might help to better understand the gap in perceived performance.

Looked through your post history and your new setup would be the envy of many here so it’s disappointing you don’t like it.

The Moon 330a (I think that’s what I see) should have more than enough power (250wpc @ 4ohm) for the Kefs.

Sometimes a “worse” system can sound better if you like the way it sounds better. I like systems with good PRaT (pace, rhythm and timing). If you put me in front of a super clinical system I can definitely appreciate it, but after a few beers I’d probably feel there is something missing.

If you can afford a $250k audio system you already have 5+ cars and 2+ properties.

My cats have always been too fat to jump that high.

The midbass hump usually does rap a lot of favours.

At the end of the day they’re doing the same thing. Streamers are for people like me who don’t want o run a wire to their laptop every time they want to play music and like to control music from their phones.

If it was a good amp back then it’s almost certainly still a good amp now.

The NAD C3020 comes to mind as an example of an excellent older amp.

Same here, so annoying.

So this is a Home Theatre setup and would be best used for that. Music reproduction will be middling. This is the kind of stuff you would have picked up at Bestbuy circa 2007.

The Pioneer was pretty good when new but it’s 15+ years old now so not worth much and has old tech.

The speakers are forgettable from when JBL was making some pretty poor products.

If you don’t have anything else you might as well use it.

Worth keeping IMO unless you’re willing to spend some big bucks.