When and what was your last significant equipment upgrade?
I will start- December 2015, a DAC (Bricasti M1)
As I've said in the past, I truly believe I am done in terms of buying gear, but more recently I finally merged my laptop with my DAC to explore hi-rez audio, which I am enjoying a great deal
ProAc Studio 148 mini towers in mahogany in Jan 2016. Check my system page for photos and details. Great speakers with amazing clarity in mids and highs plus the downward firing port helps with flexible placement and great bass response to 20hz.
I just completed a reference DHT Triode preamplifier , and a F6 Pass labs 1st watt amplifier this builder is excellent with several degrees in electrical engineering my pre has the 26, and 101 D tubes.
A used Matrix M Stage HPA-1 headphone amp/preamp (2012/v.2). It cost little & really impressed me sonically, bettering my Burson Soloist in certain ways. I'm upgrading it with w/OPA627AP opamps & using as my day-to-day preamp.
Building and listening to my set of 4 Walsh speakers. Next upgrade is the new and improved version of the same, in the same quantity. Unlike the original Ohm's, they're a '2 way' with a smaller unit above the lower and larger driver. The larger driver is slightly larger than the unit one sees applied in the German Physiks offerings, which is what I'm patterning them after. And I can bi-amp them with a digital xover.... They're not perfect, but I listen to them far more than I do to my more 'normal' speaker array. I've not noticed any 'listener fatigue either, which I can only experience elsewhere with my AMT's.
The newest addition for me is different speaker cables. I've spent years with oh so many brands....high priced, low priced, and everything in between.... the ones I have now just work. Ease, extension, clarity, etc. Don't give up your search until perfection is found.
DeVore 0/96 Orangutan speakers to pair with Coincident Dynamo SE Mark II. Only $1,500 for amp with built-in volume control. Wow!!! Great sound with mostly NOS tubes, NOS Western Electric WE16ga speaker wires, Belden 8402 interconnect, all Western Electric WE10ga power cords, except DAC, WE14ga. Saved big-time for super quality Single Ended sound. Best, Rob
Congratulations on the great sound you are getting with the Coincident - DeVore combination. If you have not yet tried an upgraded fuse and A/C wall outlet plug , I hope you will do so. My SET amps really respond to being plugged in to a premium outlet. Then upgrading the main power fuse in the amp (Art Audio PX-25 and Ready Set Go 300B amp) was a further improvement.
Hi davidpritchard, Thanks for the kind words. You have a really wonderful set-up. I installed the Synergistic Black fuse plus I already had the complete Oyaide R-1 and WPZ wall plate. Also added Akiko in to outlet. Everything is working in harmony, truly black background, great stage, tone. I'm amazingly happy now. Buying records like there is no tomorrow, as few CDs as well. Best, Rob
I am 3 weeks into listening/breaking in my new Vandersteen Treo CTs. I traded in my Vandy model 3s which I owned for 22 years. The musical truth the Treos reveal was beyond my imagining. Richard Vandersteen does it again!
Townshend Audio speaker bars. I never could have thought the fantastic results on my plannar system. These things are incredible and at very reasonnable price.
Bought one 1 meter AQ Colorado RCA interconnect and two .5 meter ones on the Music Direct half price sale. This is the third day of around the clock break-in, much of it with Purist Audio Designs System Enhancer Disc and I have never had a clearer window to the music. It makes other cables sound "confused" Ridiculously great value at such close-out prices.
July 2016 - Accuphase E600 bought as demo from authorized dealer with full warranty. I only mention that because some people do buy Japanese versions on eBay with step down transformers which is something I would never do.
Zavato I am with you on the Bricasti. My upgrade was the 2K Melco N 1 server, player. Stores 2 terabytes. I purchased a Buffalo CD Ripper that is made by the same company but sells for about $160 dollars. Much easier then burning to a laptop. Now while I listen to music I can burn CD's at about one every 4 minutes. Adds a lot of joy to my listening experience.
I recently purchased 2 Nitro power cords from Mad Scientist cable. Bob P. is the mastermind behind the products. The Nitro is his reference cord. I've used many a power cord, some quite costly. These are the best I've heard, absolutely jaw dropping. Mad Scientist offers a 30 day trial with full refund minus shipping. Starting price for 1.2 meters is $399.
Sold my PS Audio P5 Power Plant earlier this year only to yearn for another. Recently replaced it with a P10. Suprisingly it's a solid upgrade even on light duty sources only.
replaced MIT MI-330 pre-to-amp interconnect and MH 750 Tube Terminators speaker cables ( both of which I gave to Goodwill - the costs to reterminate the bad connectors plus time, effort and cost to list and sell, was close to their value as old used cables; not worth the time and trouble) with Grover Huffman cables. A tremendous upgrade in clarity.
@hifiman5 The P10 has a more relaxed feel, it's more detailed but nuanced not analytical. Decays are better. It feels as if I'm in a bigger hall, the ambiance is improved.
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