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

1. Paper under the router
2. Paper under the switch
3. Paper under the streamer
4. Paper under the DAC

And before you make fun of it, put two plates on top of each other and listen to the noise. Then put one piece of paper on a plate and then the other one on top and it's almost silent. The damping of paper is enormous!

Need to finalize with amps and speakers..

An Audioflow 4-way wifi speaker selector switch. Loving the differences in speakers now that it's convenient to swap. Between Odyssey Lorelei w kismet upgrades, engineering standard Revel M20's, Audio Nirvana 8" alnico FR's. Happy happy happy.

A new room.

From KEF LS50's to KEF Reference 1

From Emotiva USP-1 pre-amp & Carver M-1.5t power amp to Luxman L-505uX Mark2.

From a hard surfaced, wood floor office to a plush dedicated listening room.

Heaven!

A new room.

👍 +1

I subscribed to Qobuz but was not happy with the sound until I added an Ether Regen switch and a 1/2 meter Pangea ethernet cable to my Bryston BDP2. It is now very close to downloads played through the same device. The switch made the biggest difference but the cable put the finishing touch on sound quality.

The Karousel main bearing for my Linn.  The purchase of an Esoteric K-03XD SACD/CD Player. 

  But for me, the most enjoyable audio purchases this year will be to install a system in our very non audiophile friends new home by a lake.  It will be built around an Outlaw Receiver (sitting in its box in the dining room) with a Project Turntable with a simple Audio Technica cartridge, model escapes me (the red stylus model), Axiom speakers on really nice 4 post sand filled stands.  No cd player yet.  All cables.  All equipment on a Lovan 4 tier three leg stand where all the shelves are isolated with separate spikes from each other.  I'll be setting this up on or around Christmas as a gift.  Now if I can just convince them to move the tv or mount it on the wall above the system.  And analyzing this further, am I doing this for our friends or for myself ?  He did say he needed something to play records on.

HiFi Rose RS150B

Bought it for the gorgeous touchscreen/display, but turns out it’s a fantastic sounding DAC/streamer. Icing on the cake.

Bob

GAN amp.

I added the internal DAC card in my Aesthetix Mimas integrated amplifier to replace my Ayre Codex. The improvement was very significant despite the relatively low cost of the DAC card. The only other change I made was to upgrade my AQ Castle Rock speaker cables to AQ Robin Hood Silver Zero and Bass. Another big improvement. For 2022 I will be replacing the Musical Surroundings Nova II phono stage with the Aesthetix internal phono card for the Mimas.

Can’t decide between dipping my toes into the subwoofer pool (SVS SB-1000 PRO) or getting a Stressless Admiral chair.  

By far the biggest improvement in terms of minimizing room effects, adding resolution and dimensionality comes through completing a proper Dirac Live 3.1.2 project.

We also added the Hypex Nc400 Mono Blocks, which replaced our Mark Levinson No. 27. They sound a little better, but what's really nice is the fact that they are so lightweight and easy to move around.

I replaced a Bryston 4B ST with a Rogue Atlas Magnum 2; the hardness I'd sometimes got through my Maggie 1.7s, particularly on female vocals, is gone. Bass is a tad less tight, but a little richer, there's more air, and vocals are more nuanced; an excellent upgrade here.

I also replaced a DacMagic with a Denafrips Ares 2; a worthy upgrade in all ways.

Most importantly, I retired, and now have almost unlimited time to listen.

All in all, a good year for music here!

I upgraded my speakers from KEF R300 bookshelf to Spatial Audio Sapphire M5s, open baffle. Next, I went from an SVS SB2000 subwoofer to a REL T/9x. The KEFs were sounding a bit tinny and shrill, so getting the large Spatials really smoothed things out. The RELs are also smoother than the SVS—the blend is cleaner.  Really good results all around.

2021 was a year of Enjoyment of my existing system: very few changes made. The one thing that did get changed and truly was an upgrade what is the inclusion of Morrow audio speaker cables. What an unveiling of detail they brought. Happy holidays to all

A pristine (stock) pair of Quad ESL 63's with QuadroPro stands. These were purchased from a widow who had stored them in original boxes for 25 or 30 years. The intention was to rebuild them as a winter project. After 2 months of playing them every day, in place of my Martin Logan panels, I have no reason to dismantle them as they continue to amaze....

Until they fail... they stay put... incredible tech.

Furutech NCF receptacle + plate + cover

@tsushima1     

Be careful my friend.    

1. Replaced Simaudio Moon Neo 220i with a Musical Fidelity M6si.    
2. Replaced Cambridge Audio CXR200 AVR with a Anthem MRX520
3. Replaced Bluesound Node with a Lumin D1
4. Replaced Schiit Magni with a Auralic Taurus MK2
5. Replaced Hifiman HE400i with Sennheiser HD600
6. Replaced Schiit Modi with a Denafrips Ares II
7. Added Bonn N8 ethernet switch
8. Added two Rel T5's, one Rel T7i and SVS SB2000.
9. Added MiniDSP 2x4 audio processor
10. Added Isoacoustics Gaia III's
11. Added Nobsound springs
12. Changed room configuration 90 degrees

I Added two acoustic panels on the side wall and made a tremendous difference.

Furman ELITE 15 PFi Linear  Filtering AC Power Conditioner

Linear Tube Audio Z40 amplifier

Ortofon Red to Bronze on Project Debut Carbon.  First, Red was a big improvement over Blue but Bronze yielded some too.  TT prob limiting my upgrading from here.  Next year?

Migrated from Rogue Sphynx v3 to Raven Blackhawk Mk3.  Sphynx no slouch considering price but Blackhawk improves in most every aspect of SQ.

DIY 4 shelf, system unit of 1 1/2 butcherblock and 2x3 ash legs.  Beautiful with the Lee Taylor custom speaker cabinets.  Not sure of sonic improvements as it was deployed along with amp but it's a real looker!  Surprised myself.  

Sending my Orchid DAC for mods over holidays so we can revisit this topic next year.

Maybe I'm a sentient 'bot.  Nah.

A solid +1 for Puritan PSM156 power conditioner in my system.

A pair of Quadratic diffusers, that's my big improvement this year. Room treatments that Agoners have been stating make a significant difference, they are correct, and I first hand know it now too.



@akgwhiz - next year I'll hopefully have my two shelf spring isolation shelves in my system. Burl Mesquite, and it's DIY too bro. I heard millercarbons Raven amplifier, very good.

Many cables swapped for better ones but the high fidelity reveal power and interconnects were an amazing Surprise about how the system improved! Very recommend, I don't see in my audiophile future not having s high fidelity cable somewhere in my system, it just add something that any other cables can do and I have tried quite few.

I made several upgrades in 2021, the most significant has been going from a REL T-Zero III to the REL T9X 

Magnepan 1.7i’s and an IFI iPhono 3 have made a nice impact for me in 2021.

Two changes to my system this year that eclipsed many changes I had made in the past. These two items were purchased sight unseen, and not auditioned prior to purchase.

The first update was to my DAC I purchased the Denafrips Venus II DAC unheard. This is an amazing DAC that catapulted my system sonic's into otherworldly levels of sublime. I remain flabbergasted. The impact to tonality, timbre, dynamics channel separation, wow. While I wonder how the Terminator II would have sounded, it's hard to imagine how much better it could have sounded.The Venus II DAC just put's more "there there" ... .

The next upgrade item was to my Line level Preamp. My Sonic Frontiers SFL-1 was shelved in favor of the new PrimaLuna Evo 400 Line stage Preamp. The Evo is performing so well. Dead quiet, blacker blacks, more bandwidth, and better channel separation, musicality. The build quality is matched only by my Dialogue 7 mono-blocks. Synergy is a real thing,

Two admittedly big changes and I am enjoying music reproduction that is leaps and bounds of sonic improvement over the other. My system is now advanced into the modern era. I am very happy.

Simply a SMSL AO-200 integrated amplifier driving a pair of Magneplanar LRS and the result is stunning and unexpected. 80% as good as my Primaluna Prologue Premium integrated at 10% the price.

Myself I got a Eastern Electric minimax dac. Modified it. Installed a full gear of SR purple fuses. 

2021-minor improvement to a very good system-using my Walker Talisman on the rear input panel and over all cables in my system.  Opened up sound significantly.  I've owned it for 15 years and my friend and I tried it and it works best there.   For ease of use I also purchased the Furutech Destat III for CDs and LPs.   2021-Holding the discs in my hand and zapping them provides 100% destatization (my friends Zerostat does virtually nothing and my 40 year old Nagaoka is very tired/weak now).   Eventually, my only component upgrade will be my speakers.

Oops!  Forgot, had my friend build a balanced to single ended transformer(s) for my COS Engineering D1 DAC.   Much improved sound.

2021: Musical Paradise Tube DAC

2020: Crites speakers(style B)
 

I built the ANK DAC 5.1 this fall.

Sweet sound and I know how it works from the inside out.

In this the second year of the Coronavirus pandemic I decided to make only small tweaks to my system. I added a D-Link network switch and the ENO Ethernet Filter System Ag in front of my ROON Nucleus music server, and an Audiowise SRC.DX USB to coax converter with a single WAVE Storm BNC cable to take the streaming signal from the Nucleus to my Chord Hugo M Scaler. I also bought a couple pair of vintage NIB 6SN7 driver tubes for my Woo Audio WA22 headphone amplifier that were made in the 1950’s, which is pretty cool. 

1. Made a pair of self designed open baffle speakers. I'm a convert.

2. Silversmith Audio Fidelium speaker cables. Brought out the sweetness and increased clarity of the OB's.

3. Synergistic Research purple fuses for my power plant, preamp and power amp. Only 30 hours on them so far but man, oh man!

4. Synergistic Research ECT's in DAC, preamp, power amp, phono stage, and receiver. How such tiny little things can do what they do. Amazing..

5. Separated my analog from SS computer based system. Bought a vintage Tandberg TR-2060 Receiver for the vintage Pioneer TT and analog has never sounded so good.

Cumulatively, WOW. I think I'm done.

BlueSound Node: I listen to a lot more music because of its streaming capabilities from pay-music subscriptions like Tidal and Napster....plus internet radio, plus I now have the ability to play files from a hard drive

Magnepan LRS speakers driven by Starke AD4-320. The two best bargains in the business.

it goes back to 2020 but i must say that by far, by far, the most impactful change i made in my system is going to streamed music (tidal/qbz), and of course, the gear that enables it

completely changed my listening habits (cdp and record players gather dust now), and i am enjoying the music, the discovery, the ease, the whole experience, soooo much more than ever

technology has done many things to our world, much of it is awful in the way of unintended consequences to our society, our consciousness, our being - but streamed music is really wonderful

2021 was good to me. I enjoyed the old Crown SL1 / PL1

Pre amp / power amp separates for over 40 years. A real testament to quality.

It was time to retire it as the sound was degrading a bit and 

I needed a change.  I looked for quite a while and fell in love with

The Primaluna EVO 100 integrated.  The sound was amazing on my 

DIY speakers. I complemented it with a Bluesound Node 2I, 

And an Innuos mini mk III. I could not be happier.

Cat 8 internet cable for bluesound node server.  I had cat 7 and thought I should remove the weakest link from my system.  I ordered cat 8 and was (and am) shocked over the difference.  Originally I purchased (2) Wireworld Starlight cat 8 cables years ago ($100 each).  This was before cat 8 was commercially available.  Imagine my surprise when I saw flat cat 8 cables for $8 apiece.  I was apprehensive until I hear them.  This was transformational.

Replaced Bowers and Wilkins 604 s2’swith Vandersteen 2wq sub with new Vandersteen Quatro CT’s. Incredible. New speaker cables, dual kinder kable 8tc’s help. But it’s the Vandys that sing.   Even to my wife. 

@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...

I put Isoacoustics Gaia II feet on my Marten Django speakers. The difference from stock feet is nothing short of mind blowing. My floor was picking up a lot of resonance and that is all gone now. The result is tighter bass and midrange or just the cleanest sound you can imagine. Next time you are thinking about upgrading your speakers get some of these first. You may be surprised what your speakers can really sound like. 

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.

Thanks @reubent —glad you enjoyed it.

in regard to the Blusound Node—I haven’t lived (tinkered) with it long enough to make any sort of honest, evaluative conclusion.  However, I am a bit ambivalent about it, but that may be on me for buying $600 box hoping it would fill-in all of my perceived gaps.

The pros—it’s easy enough for everyone in the house to use.  It presents with more  power and body than my iPad.  The included HD radio stations are pretty great!

The jury is out, however, in regards to playback.  (Confession #2–I am fairly certain Vinyl is my preferred source material (inner-ring distortion not withstanding))

At the moment, I am streaming Amazon HD and the buffering is untenable for me.  This is my biggest issue.  I don’t think I’ll be able to make a helpful comment on playback fidelity or musicality until this is sorted.  I’m not ready to lay this issue at the foot of the Node, Amazon HD, or some aspect of my internet connection.  But, I’ve never had the issue of buffering whilst streaming in the past.

it’s a smidgen annoying that Apple Music HD isn’t supported (as that is the preferred service for my family members).  I may re-up with Tidal and see how that runs, so watch this space.

@reubent do keep us abreast of your phono journey.

Any constructive help on optimizing my node is appreciated.

DirGordonCole

Symposium shelves and footers were a great bang-for-buck addition but the Hegel H390 that I acquired a couple weeks ago has. without exaggeration, lifted my system to another level.