2. misc-audio
  3. 170202-139109

Cost Effective System Improvement?

My hobby is to get the best possible sound IMO at the lowest possible cost. My system:

Tekton Electron Speakers - Upgraded
Doge 10 Tube Amplifier (generally 30WPC in Class A) with Psvane KT88-TII, GE 5751 3 mica black plate preamp tubes, and NOS Mullard CV4024 phase inverters.
Denafrips Pontus DAC
Canare 4S11 Speaker Cables

I listen only to TIDAL Premium through Bluesound Node 2i using the BluOS on an android tablet. I often listen to vocals and use the following as test tracks:

Vaya Con dios “Don’t Cry for Louie”
Dave’s True Story “Chasin’ The White Line Down”
Dead Can Dance “The Wind That Shakes the Barley”
Harry Nilsson “Without You”
Glen Campbell “By The Time I get To Phoenix”

I would like recommendations on what I might do for a cost effective improvement. I would consider spending $2-4K for different speakers or amplifier. The speakers and/or amplifier would have to weigh less than 80lbs. My back is 75 years old.

I appreciate your recommendations.
chinook9

Showing 1 response by lemonhaze

lemonhaze
421 posts
 
Acoustics are inextricably part of the sound you hear. You have some acoustic panels but are there enough or too many? Are they in the right place? What about the biggest issue in all rooms: the bass?

Get a free download like HolmImpulse or REW and a microphone and remove the guesswork. Once you start understanding, and it's not difficult, it becomes a lot of fun and will reward you more than anything else. Appreciate that when the room is sorted out you will better hear any tweaks you try.

Another bit of advice is to ignore the suggestion to fill your room with imitation ficus trees. At best they may serve as narrow-band diffusers.  A measurement system would clearly show that the ficus trees are not helping with the room problem which is the sound taking too long to decay. A bunch of dust collecting ficus trees to solve these problems is simply ridiculous.
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