One component and $10 k. Sometimes it doesn't take that much, and the "component" could be something you would have never considered.
It happened to me very recently, and just from casual experimenting with a system I was already very happy with. I had a Tripp Lite ISO 500 isolation transformer that I tried in my last system. It didn't do much of anything noticeable in the way of improvement sound wise, so it went back in the box. I recently upgraded to a Bob Carver Crimson 275, and after some tube rolling, I was very pleased with the sound. Everything in my system runs through a Furman SPR-20i regulator/conditioner on a dedicated 20 amp line. When I ran the wiring, I checked the output for noise with my Tri Field EMI meter. It was putting out 88-90 mvp of noise. Surprisingly, when I checked the output from the Furman, it was slightly higher! I actually bought the Furman more for the voltage regulation than conditioning, so I wasn't too concerned about the noise. Then I remembered the ISO 500 and decided to see what it would do for the noise. Hooked up between the outlet and the Furman, it chopped the noise right in half at 44. Still wasn't expecting much, but after my customary 10 minute warm up, I got my socks blown off! Everything about the sound stage was better. Better bass, better mids, cleaner highs. It took everything I really liked about the sound and gave me more, and not just a subtle more, it was a very noticeable more. Would something this simple work for you? Who knows? The point is, substantial improvement can just as easily come from a $10 k amp as it can from a $200 isolation transformer that you had already kicked under the bus. Or better yet, never even thought of trying in the first place!
It happened to me very recently, and just from casual experimenting with a system I was already very happy with. I had a Tripp Lite ISO 500 isolation transformer that I tried in my last system. It didn't do much of anything noticeable in the way of improvement sound wise, so it went back in the box. I recently upgraded to a Bob Carver Crimson 275, and after some tube rolling, I was very pleased with the sound. Everything in my system runs through a Furman SPR-20i regulator/conditioner on a dedicated 20 amp line. When I ran the wiring, I checked the output for noise with my Tri Field EMI meter. It was putting out 88-90 mvp of noise. Surprisingly, when I checked the output from the Furman, it was slightly higher! I actually bought the Furman more for the voltage regulation than conditioning, so I wasn't too concerned about the noise. Then I remembered the ISO 500 and decided to see what it would do for the noise. Hooked up between the outlet and the Furman, it chopped the noise right in half at 44. Still wasn't expecting much, but after my customary 10 minute warm up, I got my socks blown off! Everything about the sound stage was better. Better bass, better mids, cleaner highs. It took everything I really liked about the sound and gave me more, and not just a subtle more, it was a very noticeable more. Would something this simple work for you? Who knows? The point is, substantial improvement can just as easily come from a $10 k amp as it can from a $200 isolation transformer that you had already kicked under the bus. Or better yet, never even thought of trying in the first place!