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Products you added to your system in 2021 that made most impact to your music enjoyment

As 2021 comes to an end, just thought it would be cool to share some of the most impactful audio upgrades in your system this year?
Here’s my top 5 list…

1. Pass Labs XP-12: Upgrade path was from Rogue RP-1 to Rogue RP-5 and then to Pass XP-12 that was the final touch. Huge improvements across the board. Mates well with my Rogue ST-100 tube amp.

2. Phono Cartridge: Goldring E3 MM to Hana EL MC. Clarity, presentation, dynamics in spades!

3. Phono Pre: From the built in phono pre in RP-1 and RP-5 to MoFi UltraPhono to Sutherland KC Vibe MkII. Lowered noise floor, increased resolution, dynamics. The KC Vibe MkII is almost double the cost of the MoFi and it’s the one of the few upgrades where an improvement was proportional to the cost difference. At least in my system. Records that seemed noisy become more listenable. A great little phono pre. 

4. Audience AU24sx speaker cables. These speaker cables are a clear window into a recording. Nothing hidden, nothing exaggerated. 

5. Power Cords: Acoustic Zen Gargantua for preamp and amp. Lower noise floor, increased resolution, natural sound, expanded soundstage

Honorable mentions:

1. Acoustic Zen Absolute Copper interconnects. In my opinion the AZ cables don’t get the respect they deserve on these forums anymore, overshadowed by some of the “flavor of the day” newcomers (without going into specifics on brands).

2. Puritan PSM156 power conditioner. 
3. Supra Cat8 Ethernet cable.

4. Lumin U1 Mini

5. MoFi LP#9 Stylus Cleaner. Better than the Onzo ZeroDust although I still use the Onzo between the sides. 

128x128audphile1

Showing 3 responses by reubent

reubent
6,939 posts
 

I’m a frugal ex-audiophile, now music lover (not mutually exclusive). This year I replaced my very serviceable Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Esprit SB with a lowly Pioneer PLX1000 direct drive TT. I went from an Ortofon 2M Blue to a much less expensive DJ cartridge - Ortofon Concorde mkII MIX - that came on the Pioneer when I bought it. The difference in the presentation is amazing. The Pioneer has so much more drive. It might lack just a bit of air vs. the 2M Blue, but I prefer the Concorde.

Next "upgrade" is the cartridge. If the $99 Concorde DJ cartridge is this good, can’t wait to hear what a higher quality "audiophile" cartridge can do on this table. But I’ll keep the Concorde for records of questionable condition.

reubent
6,939 posts
 

@dirgordoncole 

Hey Gordon, did you get the BlueSound Node yet? Just curious if you are enjoying it.

I enjoyed your post. And yes, "This is why we do it".

Happy Musical Holidays to you and your family...

reubent
6,939 posts
 

@dirgordoncole  - Hi Gordon. I hope you get your connectivity issues resolved with the Node. Lots of people love it. However, I've also read many accounts of people having networking issues via wifi. They typically say connecting via ethernet resolves the issue. Don't know if that is possible for you, even as a test. If it works, but you don't have the ability to connect via ethernet in your preferred location for the node, perhaps you can install a mesh network and connect the Node via ethernet to one of the mesh's nodes.

BTW, I'm streaming via a Raspberry Pi3 based DIY streamer and it works great. It's really inexpensive. If you get frustrated with the node, and want to investigate a mesh network, or a change of streamers to a DIY Raspberry Pi based unit, just let me know. Would be happy to discuss...

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