What is your best kept secret in mid-fi?

Absolutely, CURRENT DELIVERY. To quote from Mark Levinson's 2001 Playlist, "A common misconception is that amplifiers actually make a small signal larger. In reality, they convert the power from an AC outlet into several successively larger, but painstakingly accurate, copies of the input signal." So, it is impossible to get accurate sound using dirty power. Almost all my recent upgrades have been concerned with current delivery. Dedicated circuit, power conditioner and power cords - all make a significant difference.

Geez,I thought anything that is worth knowing about in audio can be discoverd on these BB's.

Right now the DAK is the newest piece to hit the marketplace. Before that it was the MENSA DAC. I think people are beginning to discover that upsampling is not the way to get the bext sound through DAC's. I guess I am a separatist.

In Cables I think OTA is a great cable ,but highly priced by 47Labs. There are other versions that outperform it though.

If someone were to market a non-metallic RCA that could be used with variable gauges of wire then that would be a great product.Eichmanns are the best RCA's at the moment being little Metal is used that gets in the way of the original signal.

JMO

A well kept secret appears to be the fact that a CD straight out of the box is an unfinished product. Yes, it will play but any CD can be greatly improved:

step 1: bevel the outer edge of the CD using the Gläss CD - SOUND - IMPROVER.

step 2: color the inside and outside edges of the CD with a dark felt pen (I use black but other claim that green is best).

step 3: apply auric illuminator.

Do not apply these techniques on LPs.

I agree with many of the previous writers and I want to add what I think is the most important tweak available for relatively few dollars. Resonance tuning. Using a combination of wood cuboids like Cardas myrtle cuboids and Walker discs (1/2" and 1") start with amp and preamp and tune them with the same care you would take adjusting VTA on your tonearm. My starting postitions usually are along the front to back center line almost always at the rear end with two 1" discs butted up. If you have cuboids try them under the discs. move back along the center line and experiment with moving them back to where one is hanging over the back up to 1/4". You may be skeptical but I urge you to try this. Once you have tuned the amp and preamp then do the same for your SACD/CD player (this will make the difference between Hifi and Awesome analog like space filling sound)and your phono preamp.

If you like that one try changing the direction of your fuses on any equipment where you can. This one came courtesy of Lloyd Walker and crazy as it sounds, It got me an extra 10 percent of truth in my sound.

1.
good interconnects - xlo

i have very good success with a xlo "signiture seconds" from fatwyre. it was designed to be the signiture series but had a different jacket color. incrediblely neutral cable. bested harmonic tech and zen in my system ( i live close to both companies in san diego). can be had for $300 in 1 meter.

2.
the marantz sa8260 player

made me a beliver in digital playback despite going back to repair to marantz for the second time. it is very musical..unusual for digital playback & cost only $600-$800.

3.
alon II speakers

very close sound of a planar in dynamic dipole design, but with bass & dynamics. extremely revealing of everything upstream ( not bright). does a amazing disappearing act and reveals everything in a recording and gear. i would call it a "poor mans" review speaker that is very neutral, revealing, and musical if your gear is up to it.... can be had used for $600-$800. nothing in that price range comes close. kills vandersteens 2's in the midrange, top end, and imaging.

hope that helps !!

mike