Changing one gadget at a time is probably the definition of a rabbit hole and it’s what I have done. Every change sounds better but I would argue that the best way to approach it is to go to a high end shop and try to identify the sound you relate to and not necessarily the most expensive. For me I like a warm sound so my speakers are updated 40 year old McIntosh and amp and preamp Conrad Johnson. Everything else is new and clean sounding so I can pick up the clear signals. Was that the right approach? Probably not. Better is to identify the sound you want to achieve and target it. Otherwise you’re probably chasing rabbit holes.
How you know your system is improving?
Fellow Audio Junkies -
Over the last few years, I've invested in my first high end system. It's been a far costlier affair than I'd initially conceived. I started off simply wanting to listen to music in my home. At this stage of my life, I was fortunate to have some resources to invest which led me down the path of reading forums and reviews, while also having the opportunity to visit a few audio stores to demo equipment.
And down the rabbit hole I went... Once I realized all the nuances of equipment and their impact on the listening experience, I became fascinated with creating the most satisfying musical experience in my house. I ended up purchasing several amps, three sets of speakers, NOS power tubes, and a myriad combination of power cords.
With each investment, I would often remark to myself "yes - I hear an improvement..." But sometimes a doubt would cross my mind. Is this some sort of confirmation bias I've got going? Am I just throwing money away? Do I need to see a shrink?
Admittedly, I was largely convinced things were improving, but a small part of my brain recognized I might be have been chasing windmills...
Which brings me to this question: "How do you know your system is improving after you've made a system change or hopeful upgrade?"
For me, a moment came last night when I put on a piece of music - Beth Orton - and played a track that a year ago sounded muddy or poorly recorded. There have been several system changes since I last played that Beth Orton track. As I began streaming over Quboz, I could hear details in the music which had been previously fuzzy and hidden. The tone of her voice was more real. Guitar strings came out of the fog...
I guess the concept I often read about here, "using a test track" had become my new litmus test on whether my system was improving. It was inadvertent, but I think I'll default to this approach more consistently moving forward, going back to a few tracks that have proven to be challenging with the current system and giving them a go when a new component gets added.
Yes, I know... nothing radical here. But would welcome how many of you benchmark improvements in your own systems!