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Best way to spend my income tax refund

Ok guys, I'm jumping the gun and already pondering the best way to spend my income tax refund. I'm considering 2 totally different options and want to put them up for your opinion.

1. Upgrade McCormack DNA 1 Deluxe to Rev A. I really like this amp and I'm curious to see how far the mods take it. Seems like the general opinion is favorable with this upgrade. How does it compare to a totally different ~$2k (sale of amp plus cost of upgrade) new/used amp?

2. VPI Aries Scout. I admit I'm a digital guy with hundreds of CDs and not a single record. However hearing this turntable made an impression. Was it the Hovland Saphire/Audio Research (SS model not sure which)/Maggie 3.6Qr system that made it sound this good? Would my Musical Fidelity A3cr phono stage do it justice?

Current system, ARC CD1, Musical Fidelity A3cr, McCormack DNA 1 Deluxe, Von Schweikert VR2s, RGPC 400s.

Thanks!
-Dan
dlwask
swampwalker's avatar
swampwalker
5,138 posts
 
You will never regret going to the REV A, infact, spring for the extra $ and get the soft recovery diode bridge as well. IMO.
unclejeff
1,313 posts
 
Never spend more than half of your refund. You can keep it all for a year and then use half of next year's refund to complete the upgrade.

If you use this strategy and continue to do this regardless of your other savings/investment plans, you will be shocked at how much you will have, and by spending half you will still be able to play with your refund.

Trust me.
dlwask OP
270 posts
 
I guess I could have been more specific and said that I'm going to use part of my income tax refund supplemented by extra cash I already had planned to go into my system for a new purchase. Every year a portion of our refund goes to my wife and I for toys, travel, whatever and the rest is invested. Details, details...

Swampwalker, I was actually thinking Rev A or maybe Rev B with the transformer upgrade, any experience with these? I plan on calling Steve to get his opinion and advice as well. I guess option 1b could be a DNA 225.
geoffgarcia
92 posts
 
invest it....
nti75
29 posts
 
Who gets a refund?
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