How you know your system is improving?

@baylinor +1

Bluethinker - I tried to look at your virtual system but it is blank. That might help with getting advice here from those way more knowledgeable than myself.

I learned the hard way that the wrong tube amp paired with a non-tube friendly speaker (or vice-versa) can be an expensive mistake.

Be wary of the cable-chase - you need decent cables to progress, but significant gains can be made without spending silly money on the right used cable (safest bet in used audio IMO, pretty hard to destroy cables). As a recent example (only), a used Voodoo power cable and Acoustic Zen speaker cables bested all previous purchases. Both examples were from recommendations by fellow AG members. (thank you!)

Lastly, use good reference material - tracks you know well, and don't rely on a quick a/b test. Take time - 3 days later you might just turn your head and think wow, never heard that before, and I like it...that's a good indication you are going in the right direction. 

I used to think I knew when my system was improving when I wanted to spend more time listening to it, and when I spent more time looking forward to listening to it.

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.

@grislybutter

" One needs the skills, the funds and the time to make meaningful improvements."

Totally agree. As kids are going to college, I’m finding myself more challenged regarding the funding part. I’ve done a ton with room acoustics, measuring, experimenting, including buying and making acoustic treatments. At the end of the day, though, it takes money to try higher quality things -- or different things at the same level of quality. (Case in point: I am interested in trying much more sensitive speakers, the Cornwall IV's. These are not more expensive than the speakers I own, but even used, they are equal in cost to mine.) We might not even be taking about components; we could be talking about kits. But even kits, to be decent, are not cheap. Good parts cost money, good used gear costs money, good treatments cost money, etc. Anyone who claims it can be done on the very cheap is just in denial.

@hilde45 looking at your system, your time and knowledge invested in it are worth an audiophile master's degree :)