Your Best Audio System Upgrade of 2023?
- Thread starter Subito
- Start date
Del monaco
Del Monaco
I moved from an Emotion some time ago. Well-built and engineered turntable but I found it wasn’t involving and I just wasn’t using it. The Cambridge is better in that respect.
Tumeni Notes
pfm Member
Never mind 'best upgrade', that was my ONLY upgrade ....
artoly
pfm Member
Six months of preloved amplifier experiments for me.
Anyway, I've been having fun and and shouldn't be too far off cost neutral when some are sold.
- Fist an olive Naim NAP 250 (Slightly modified). Too fatiguing for me in conjunction with my revealing speakers.
- Then a Conrad Johnson Premier 350 power amp. Vast improvement, less fatiguing, much more grip and control and very enjoyable. An awesome amp (even if I do say so myself).
- Curiosity to try valves to compare with the Naim NAC 282 got the better of me, so next was a Audio Research Ref 3. More different than better, but the Ref 3 has won me over there.
- However, the Ref 3 was only available with an ARC Ref 110 power amp, so yesterday I started the comparison between that and the CJ. Both great, but in different ways with different pro's/con's each way. It's a pity we can't easily put the best bits/features of our boxes together into one.
Anyway, I've been having fun and and shouldn't be too far off cost neutral when some are sold.
Not so much an upgrade, more of a reality check.
For me it was grabbing a tattyish pair of Arcam Two Plus speakers for £20 on fleabay to complete the rebuild of my 1st system.
On firing them up in system 2 (where the rest of my original kit resides) they made me realise what an absolute twat I'd been PX-ing my original Arcam Two Plus for a pair of Kef Cresta 3 back in 2001.
So good sounding that I bought a 2nd mint black pair to use in the main rig inplace of the 104ab that had replaced the ML Summits in my affections.
It was these medium sized 80s stand-mounts that have really driven my recent de-investment in much of my hifi chain, something which will continue until I've sold off the expensive but little used/unused elements (Bardo/12" Enterprise4 & Summits).
For me it was grabbing a tattyish pair of Arcam Two Plus speakers for £20 on fleabay to complete the rebuild of my 1st system.
On firing them up in system 2 (where the rest of my original kit resides) they made me realise what an absolute twat I'd been PX-ing my original Arcam Two Plus for a pair of Kef Cresta 3 back in 2001.
So good sounding that I bought a 2nd mint black pair to use in the main rig inplace of the 104ab that had replaced the ML Summits in my affections.
It was these medium sized 80s stand-mounts that have really driven my recent de-investment in much of my hifi chain, something which will continue until I've sold off the expensive but little used/unused elements (Bardo/12" Enterprise4 & Summits).
SONDEKNZ
Kiwi, now living in Hangzhou, CHINA
Well done! I have trod a similar path, ultimately returning to older classic speakers designs.
When we choose to let our ears decide... they often surprise us!
Darkagesound
pfm Member
My Pure Tempus DAB radio (my bedroom system) died after 19 years and I replaced it with a second hand Ruark Mki DAB radio - a noticeable upgrade.
In my main system I replaced the belt on my Rega P6 with an ELBT reference belt and the interconnect between my phono stage and amp with a Rega Couple - sounds splendid, though to be honest I doubt I could distinguish the sound before and after.
In my main system I replaced the belt on my Rega P6 with an ELBT reference belt and the interconnect between my phono stage and amp with a Rega Couple - sounds splendid, though to be honest I doubt I could distinguish the sound before and after.
So true, I now alternate between the black Arcams and a pair of SF Toy Towers on the end of an Icon Audio ST40 in the main rig. The tatty pair are now a permanent fixture in system 2.Well done! I have trod a similar path, ultimately returning to older classic speakers designs.
When we choose to let our ears decide... they often surprise us!
chris@panteg
pfm Member
Hana ML for my Voyd/SME V
And an unexpected surprise, acquired the Avondale audio Genesis turntable as a second deck with thanks to Chris O'hagon for selling me the Arm to go on it .
And an unexpected surprise, acquired the Avondale audio Genesis turntable as a second deck with thanks to Chris O'hagon for selling me the Arm to go on it .
daytona600
Registered User
Room Treatment with Active Bass Traps
Mine has been a total overhaul of my TT setup. I moved onto a Technics 1210GR, Achromat, Hana SL cartridge and a Jolida JD9 phononstage.
Overall this has been a giant leap from my previous setup and one I am now very happy with.
I can now spin records without being critical of how it sounds and feeling short changed compared to my digital front end.
Overall this has been a giant leap from my previous setup and one I am now very happy with.
I can now spin records without being critical of how it sounds and feeling short changed compared to my digital front end.
Moodybuilder
pfm Member
LFD viper interconnect and LFD speaker cables, absolute amazing cables, I know lots don’t believe on here, but the biggest upgrade for a long time for me.
Richard Lines
pfm Member
Good evening all,
As previously reported elsewhere on the forum it would have to be somewhere between going active with 10 channels of SE amplification, trying out EI transformers and fitting more GKI acoustic panels.
Regards
Richard
As previously reported elsewhere on the forum it would have to be somewhere between going active with 10 channels of SE amplification, trying out EI transformers and fitting more GKI acoustic panels.
Regards
Richard