Does an upgrade make sense?


I may be coming down with the upgrade bug, and I’m open to suggestions. I’m quite happy with what I have—excellent imaging, musicality, dynamics. Maybe I could use a little more depth (left right is fine and speakers truly disappear), and maybe a touch more dynamics.

Almost everything I listen to is Qobuz streaming or hi res and flac files from a NAS (hard drive). My system:

Cambridge 851 Streamer/DAC

Bel Canto Pre5

Bel Canto Ref 500 monoblocks

Dali Mentor 6 floorstanders

Everything sits on maple plinths, Gaia iiis, or pucks.

Cabling is mid range Morrows. I previously had Kimber KS1116s but sold them as the Morrows sounded just as good, on the current set up.

What do I need to get more of everything? Speakers? DAC, Streamer? Amp?

tomaswv

Showing 1 response by mahler123

Like your clothes, you can change every single part of your system from source to speakers and everything in between.  It helps to know what exactly it is that currently dissatisfies you.  If you don’t like the way your shirt looks on you in the mirror, changing your socks, while potentially an improvement in itself, won’t solve anything 

  And then there is system synergy.  Adding a really fabulous sport coat may show up the inadequacy of the cargo pants.  Getting a killer DAC , for example, that is leagues above the the rest of the system will be bound to trigger the desire to bring everything else up to snuff.  This may be a rabbit hole.  Now plunging into that hole can be fun, obsessive, expensive, frustrating, sometimes all at the same time.  We all need hobbies, but be aware of the pitfalls before you leap.

  It helps to know the end point.  You sound content but bored with your present system.  It is ok to want to make a change, but have an idea of why before you leap