It has mostly been about different phono preamps. One is still on the way (I started this about 1 year ago).
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.
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@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... |
So - in 2021, I purchased a Wolf AudioLuna R server, ripped all of my 1200 cd's o the hard drive, added an Eleven Audio Sagra DAC (R2R) and upgraded the pre to power interconnects to Shunyata Research Sigma V2. Also added a Gold Note PH10 and PSU10 power supply for lp playback with exceptional results. Now a truly reference system that has gone up several notches in performance. |
@reubent i have been traveling for the holidays, so I’ve not tinkered as I’d hoped but I seemed to have stumbled into a solution on what I thought was a connectivity issue, but perhaps what a clock issue? The last setting, deep into the app, is a clock-syncing setting. Once disabled, the buffering/stutter has disappeared. no conclusions as of yet on what effect this may have had (did I do something to the dac on my node side to accommodate something on my amp (peachtree nova 150, node plugged into coaxially)? Will report when I know more.🎅🏻 |
- 217 posts total