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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Ortofon Red to Bronze on Project Debut Carbon.  First, Red was a big improvement over Blue but Bronze yielded some too.  TT prob limiting my upgrading from here.  Next year?

Migrated from Rogue Sphynx v3 to Raven Blackhawk Mk3.  Sphynx no slouch considering price but Blackhawk improves in most every aspect of SQ.

DIY 4 shelf, system unit of 1 1/2 butcherblock and 2x3 ash legs.  Beautiful with the Lee Taylor custom speaker cabinets.  Not sure of sonic improvements as it was deployed along with amp but it's a real looker!  Surprised myself.  

Sending my Orchid DAC for mods over holidays so we can revisit this topic next year.

Maybe I'm a sentient 'bot.  Nah.

A solid +1 for Puritan PSM156 power conditioner in my system.

A pair of Quadratic diffusers, that's my big improvement this year. Room treatments that Agoners have been stating make a significant difference, they are correct, and I first hand know it now too.



@akgwhiz - next year I'll hopefully have my two shelf spring isolation shelves in my system. Burl Mesquite, and it's DIY too bro. I heard millercarbons Raven amplifier, very good.

Many cables swapped for better ones but the high fidelity reveal power and interconnects were an amazing Surprise about how the system improved! Very recommend, I don't see in my audiophile future not having s high fidelity cable somewhere in my system, it just add something that any other cables can do and I have tried quite few.

I made several upgrades in 2021, the most significant has been going from a REL T-Zero III to the REL T9X