What were your upgrades of 2021?

In my opinion, if a change has improved your enjoyment of the system, it’s an upgrade, monetary value of the equipment is irrelevant unless you enjoyment is derived from touting your system as a trophy. I still want to hear your system at some point!

 

I love that you’re so enamoured by it. I’d worry that it wouldn’t float your boat.

 

The only change here was a swap from original Spendor A5 speakers to Spendor D7s in the lounge which are powered by a Naim Uniti Star which I’ve had for a couple of years. Other than that everything else is as it has been for a number of years.

 

2021 acquisitions:

Yamaha WXA-50
Boston A23
Audio Technica LP120X
Mark Audio Cesti MBR
Denon DCD-1600NE

Soon to be moving house so will have to re jig stuff once I work out system options (I’ll need less kit)!

 

No major equipment changes, but some surprisingly big upgrades.

Soundstyle equipment tables to Lateral Audio LAS-4 Integral equipment stand - initially for convenience and cosmetic reasons, but an equipment stand has no right to make such a big improvement to SQ!

Avondale Black Link (excellent at the price) to EWA40 - astonishing improvement, lots has been written here about this cable, and its true!

LP12 came out of loft after a five year rest in it's box, and sounded dreadful. Service inevitably led to upgrade, Karousel bearing, Kore sub chassis, Dynavector XX2 Mk2. I guess I just lost touch with/interest in the whole LP12 upgrade thing a long time ago, but I have to say this really is a step change to how I remember it. Might even be better than my Amazon/Moerch/Lyra set up.

For 2022 a rest might be in order. These "small" changes seem to cost quite a lot!

 

I’m very intrigued by the LRS, I’ve long wanted to try Maggies but up until the LRS, there hasn’t been a model that I could accommodate practically.

Keep in mind too, I listen to, and enjoy kit at a wide range of price brackets all the time. I’ve had a balls to the wall Linn Klimax system in the past because I could afford it at that time… I can’t now so run a much cheaper Linn system, and an even cheaper (£1k used) Naim system, and enjoy them loads… I listen to the Naim system pretty much Daily.

 

2021 started with a pair of Tannoy Stirling TWs, while I liked them, a few things were niggling and moved them on. I sold my ATC SCM10s as they were just not going to be used, and finally found a pair of KEF Reference Three-Twos after a long search. Very very happy with them, as well as a Denon PMA-2000IVR, which is great but not 100% sure it will stay long term, other than outright power not sure it has much over my trusty Bryston B60R.
Also moved on from the Michell Mycro, to a Rega P7, again after a long search!

 

Treshold FET TWO preamp with Musical Fidelity P170 to replace a Classé Audio CP 35 preamp and my Naim NAP 110 amp. Great step up in clarity, tone and musicality and didn’t lose anything of the Naim’s PRaT !
Cymbals sound truer than true now.

 

Swapped out my Dynaudio Contour 20 speakers for Harbeth M30.1 s .

Dynaudios were very good but too dry / hifi sounding for my taste.

Harbeths took forever to get positioning right in my smallish listening room but are very natural and musical sounding

 

Oh dear on the pre amp then.... Go for it on a good DIY one anyway! I've been waiting for a delivery of round tuits for a good couple of years to make a 256 step reed relay switched vol control with TTL logic controlling it... an old couple of PCB's with mil spec reed relays is still within a yard of me as I type this.... where I put them 2 years back!

 

I love the look of that P7, Rega decks of that era were beautiful. I could never find a P7 when I wanted one unfortunately.

 

It’s got to be done when I get chance. I like the Linn LK form factor because it physically fits where I want it to fit but I really want something more transparent than you can get in an LK box… the Klimax Kontrol I had was just amazing (as it should be for £7.5k new), but it only has four inputs, I have five sources and I’d need to put it on top of my shelving unit rather than in it… I could work around both but I’d like to see what I can achieve myself.

 

My upgrades for 2021:

- best was replacing a passive pre amp with a Croft micro 25. Such a lovely ‘live’ sound with a wonderfully broad soundstage.

- replaced a quad 306 with a 606 mk 2, having slightly difficult speakers to drive sounded much more effortless (and much less toasty in temperature).

 

That’s a lovely set !

 

I was wondering why you got rid of the lovely 20's

 

Sure does!

Rega P7 by Robert Seymour, on Flickr

 

Done much better financially than I envisaged at the beginning of the year. As a result I have managed to tick off a couple of bucket list items & upgrade most of my main system.

One of the bucket list items was a really nice set of serviced Quad 33/303s. Just as lovely sounding as I had hoped. Unfortunately I don't really have a usage context for them right now so I will be selling on soon. Very glad to have owned & experienced them though.

Another bucket list item was a virtually mint A&R Cambridge A60. Needs a recap but once sorted will share amp duties in my 2nd system with my Ion Obelisk 3.

On the TT front I've gone from modded Lenco L75 with Ortofon AS-212 arm to PTP Lenco with Rega RB303 arm, both with home built plinths. These have now been usurped by another bucket list item, a nice Linn LP12. This is a 1988 vintage model bought off @lencotweaker of this parish with Hercules/Cirkus & fitted with my RB303. This will be a keeper.

Amp has gone from the Obelisk 3 I was using at the beginning of the year to a 2 year old immaculate boxed Naim Nait 5Si bought few weeks ago off fleabay.

Final piece of the puzzle is the replacement of the Stirling LS3/5A V2s I bought at the beginning of the year off @Martyn Miles with V3s again purchased off the the PFM classifieds from @mr sneff just last week.

Finally feel like I'm finally reaching some sort of endgame given my financial & domestic limitations.

TS

 

Biggest upgrade this year has maybe been plonking a Christmas tree in between the speakers. It'll have to stay now.

 

My main system was treated to a Unison Research Unico 90 amp and a full service with new PSU and all new valves for my Aesthetix Rhea phono stage. On the downside my Lyra Titan lost its cantilever and my SPU doesn't seem to be very well either leaving me with some cartridge rebuilds I think for 2022.

My office Naim-based system gained a CDX2 and a Headline 2/NAPSC and there has been no end of LP12 shenanigans going on all year in there as my LP12 obsession continues unabated. Non-stop LP12 buys, restorations, builds, some sales and many upgrades. Keeps me out of the pub

 

A okki nokki rcm earlier this year, I would consider it a essential purchase even for a modest collection of records.
A couple of sets of Isoacoustics Gaia 3 for use with my Audio Physic Tempo speakers again really happy with the improvement in sound in my room.
And a Dynavector Dv20x2 re-tipped by soundsmith with a Ruby cantilever.
I also made a funky looking Birchply and sorbathane isolation table for my Spacedeck.