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Advice from members

I have just started putting my first system together and have been enjoying it for about 6 months or so and am starting to research what I should upgrade in the current system next. I am looking to improve both clarity and soundstage. This is what I am currently running, the biggest and most noticable difference to date has come with the introduction of room correction via the Dspeaker Dual Core. Here is the current setup. I am debating on simplifying by going to a all in one solution like a Anthem STR integrated OR introducing a higher quality DAC into the current system:
  • Source: Innuos Music Server (MINI MK2) running Roon server and being used as a player
  • DAC/Preamp/Room Correction - Antimode Dual Core. - To leverage the best input on the dual core I am using a Musical Fidelity VLINK USB to SPDIF (24/96) converter
  • AMP - Using a Jolida 1501P Hybrid AMP
  • Speakers - ELAC Unifi UF5 Floor Standing with a ORB Audio 200 watt Sub that is corrected via the Dual Core.
I am wondering what the weakest link the chain is and the one I should look at upgrading next.
Many thanks in advance, looking forward to everyones feedback.
palakapatel
palakapatel OP
7 posts
 
Thanks everyone for the insight and advice.  Awesome to have a forum like this to bounce around ideas and learn from people’s experience.

@randy-11, other thank a large rug and a bunch of bean bags I haven’t gotten too far with treatments.  For source material I have a decent collection of redbook material as well as a goo number of 24/96 recordings and can play MQA via tidal, which gets downsamed to 24/96, or lower depending on recording.

@rbstehno - the innuos I just added has an Ethernet output that is dedicated for a streamer, so adding a dedicated streamer could be an option.  I was trying to keep things simple with the server and player all being one unit.  Another option I was considering, along the lines of your suggestion, was to ditch the dual core for DAC/preamp, and use something like a mytek Brooklyn (has dsd and MQA) and only use the dual core after the new DAC converts to analog.  

Does anyone have any experience with linear power supplies (would use with dual core) and/or the wyred4sound remedy clock?

Thanks again all!!
rbstehno
1,454 posts
 
My prior setup used an Auralic Aries with a w4s dac 2 dsd dac using the w4s reclocker with audioquest diamond usb cable. This was much better setup than using a Mac mini running audirvana 2+. I have since sold all of that I bought the ps audio directstream with bridge II and couldn’t be happier and the SQ is off the charts. Simple setup using roon for the GUI. My Mac mini has 23TB of disk storage which handles all my ripped music and this allows me to put the Mac with the hard disks in a different area of the house instead of having a hard disk spinning in your audio room
palakapatel OP
7 posts
 
@rbstehno - What are you using for speakers/amp?
@Jafant - I will keep you posted on the anthem.  There is a dealer in my area that might let me bring home to audition.  The one thing I see that is missing on the STR is a lack of MQA support.
rbstehno
1,454 posts
 
Hegel h300 with Usher mini dancer 2’s with DMD. Use 2 subs with 2-10” woofers in each enclosure and each sub has 500 watts. Dedicated room 27’ x 16’ with 12’ ceiling, bass traps in each corner, 1st reflection point room tunes and 1 chair. 6 dedicated 20amp circuits. 
palakapatel OP
7 posts
 
@rbstehno - So the DAC in the H300 goes unused in your setup?
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