My Sunday morning musings as Rigoletto plays on System #2 (Prima Luna tube integrated, Rega Apollo CD player, Castle Isis monitors)
There are a lot of variables involved from what you listen to, to how loud you listen to it, to how your room is set up, etc. Accepting all that as a given, this is what I have experienced in almost 40 years in this hobby ...
1. You have to start by identifying what is it that you want to change, don't like, etc. Not enough detail ... too much detail ... too analytic sounding ... too warm sounding. Learn what it is that you like in sound and what it should sound like. Horns have bite and edge to them, flutes have purity, etc.
2. Start slow. When you make a change, live with it for awhile. Notice how your hearing changes and evolves.
3. I noticed a huge positive difference in sound when I went from a solid state receiver to solid state separates. I noticed an even bigger positive difference when I went from solid state separates to tubes. In my case, it was a Pioneer 636 receiver to an ADCOM 545/GTP II pre/power combo. After 13 years with the ADCOM, I upgraded to a Musical Fidelity integrated for a few years which was a good, solid move. When I graduated from the MF integrated to Prima Luna tube amplifiers three years ago, I not only noticed the biggest positive difference, but I also felt that I finally arrived and I have felt no desire to upgrade since.
Take away from this, if you are using your current system for music only, consider acquiring a tube integrated like the Prima Luna 1 or 2.
4. Buy the best speakers that you can afford. Don't skimp on speakers, given that this is what you actually hear. I do not know the PSB stratus gold line. Do you like the sound? Anything missing? What would you change about the sound?
If you live in NYC, I would say to go CD shopping at J&R Music. They have several different make speakers playing the same music in the same room at the same time. It is very instructive listening to how the sound changes (and rarely for the better) as you go from the A's to the M's in the stacks.
Take away from this, don't do laterals when you make changes. Go for very real upgrades.
5. Don't get overly fixated with interconnects, speaker cable, power cords, etc. It is very easy to get lost in this forest and and pay for invented perceived differences. Get good enough, as it usually is.
6. You usually get what you pay for.
Good luck,
Rich
There are a lot of variables involved from what you listen to, to how loud you listen to it, to how your room is set up, etc. Accepting all that as a given, this is what I have experienced in almost 40 years in this hobby ...
1. You have to start by identifying what is it that you want to change, don't like, etc. Not enough detail ... too much detail ... too analytic sounding ... too warm sounding. Learn what it is that you like in sound and what it should sound like. Horns have bite and edge to them, flutes have purity, etc.
2. Start slow. When you make a change, live with it for awhile. Notice how your hearing changes and evolves.
3. I noticed a huge positive difference in sound when I went from a solid state receiver to solid state separates. I noticed an even bigger positive difference when I went from solid state separates to tubes. In my case, it was a Pioneer 636 receiver to an ADCOM 545/GTP II pre/power combo. After 13 years with the ADCOM, I upgraded to a Musical Fidelity integrated for a few years which was a good, solid move. When I graduated from the MF integrated to Prima Luna tube amplifiers three years ago, I not only noticed the biggest positive difference, but I also felt that I finally arrived and I have felt no desire to upgrade since.
Take away from this, if you are using your current system for music only, consider acquiring a tube integrated like the Prima Luna 1 or 2.
4. Buy the best speakers that you can afford. Don't skimp on speakers, given that this is what you actually hear. I do not know the PSB stratus gold line. Do you like the sound? Anything missing? What would you change about the sound?
If you live in NYC, I would say to go CD shopping at J&R Music. They have several different make speakers playing the same music in the same room at the same time. It is very instructive listening to how the sound changes (and rarely for the better) as you go from the A's to the M's in the stacks.
Take away from this, don't do laterals when you make changes. Go for very real upgrades.
5. Don't get overly fixated with interconnects, speaker cable, power cords, etc. It is very easy to get lost in this forest and and pay for invented perceived differences. Get good enough, as it usually is.
6. You usually get what you pay for.
Good luck,
Rich