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When Did Your System Disappear?

As we upgrade our audio systems, things (hopefully) keep sounding better and better. I have found that after a certain point, the system completely disappears. It’s no longer a pair of speakers, amps, preamps, sources, etc. Music is created out of thin air floating between and behind the speakers with little to no colorations in the sound. The regular audio verbiage can be thrown out the window because all you hear is the recording. If something is bright or harsh or bass heavy, it’s the recording not your system.
I noticed this when I modified my source and preamp to accept better power supplies. Using a combination of linear power supplies and large SLA batteries took my system to a new level where the equipment just disappears. Of course, this wasn’t the only thing that helped. Up to that point, every component has been experimented on to achieve a high degree of synergy. Interconnects, power cables, speaker cables, etc. all play a role too. Everything matters. 

My question to you all is when did this happen in your system? Did it develop slowly over time or was there a definite change that occurred with a certain upgrade?
mkgus

Showing 2 responses by normquan

normquan
2 posts
 
@wolf_garcia 
   Is “active listening” what I think it is?
normquan
2 posts
 
@asctim   The elephant in the room has always been crosstalk interference between left and right speakers which, despite our best efforts to upgrade everything else in the audio chain, results in stereo sounding “canned”. Since 2016 I have also eliminated the crosstalk interference by means of a computer program created by people way smarter than me. It electronically substitutes for the physical barrier that you currently use. I too had to compensate for the EQ anomalies.
   My listening position is very near field. The speakers are placed close to each other directly in front of me and well away from adjacent walls to reduce room effects.  The room itself is about 65% dead.
   Additionally, I have recreated music-venue ambience with modified vintage gear and additional speakers.
   The learning curve of this audio listening paradigm has been gradual but really satisfying. Because of the commitment and study involved, it’s not for most people. But for me it’s truly magical when I turn out the lights at night and experience musicians expressing their art in full glory (amazingly from recordings!).    So for me, the speakers disappeared over a period of a couple of years starting in 2016.  It was the result of a lot of intellectual expenditure and experimentation rather than buying pieces of gear, a labor of love for sure.
  
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