My weakest link??


I'm getting the upgrade bug and would like your comments on my system's "weakest link." Small carpeted listening room - 11x12x8 with a padded wall behind the speakers and bookcase on the opposite wall. Linn Ikemi CD on vibrapods, Onkyo T9090II tuner, Plinius 8150 integrated, Tyler Reference Monitors on sand-filled Soliloquy stands, Quadraspire rack, HT Truthlink ICs, HT Pro-9 speaker cables, Shunyata Black Mamba PC on amp and JPS Labs digital cable on CD. Two dedicated circuits with Albert Porter Hubbell cryoed outlets and 10 gauge THHN wire.

Any comments/suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Joel
joeldoss
You have some fairly good stuff now. Obviously there is room for improvement but just what are you trying to accomplish and how much are you willing to spend. Your room size/shape is your biggest handicap. If I had to live in that room I'd be looking for a very refined monitor speaker and amp/preamp or integrated to match.
*You have some fairly good stuff now.*

Gees, Newbee, 'fairly' good stuff?
I think he's got the nicely assembled system.

I agree small room like his is hard to work with.
My room is similar to his at 10 X 12. Diagonal speaker set up
works well in awkward shaped room.

Joeldoss, unless you are really unhappy from what you've got and
knowing what you want to get out of your system, random upgrade is
a waste of money and can lead to you a great frustration.
There are various tweaks you can fine tune your system.
Ikemi benefits from putting some weight on top to minimise
vibrations. Perhaps different footers and aftermarket shelves.

Are you using Ikemi as a transport?
Joel:

I agree with the others that you already have a nice system, and that your room presents a distinct challenge. Since there seems to be no way to alter your listening room, I'll only address the issue of components. If you have decided that it's time to upgrade, then here are my comments and suggestions:

1. Speakers are the only transducer in your system (unless you have a turntable/tonearm/cartridge combo, in which case the cartridge is also a transducer). Transducers convert electrical energy into mechanical energy, or vice versa, and they have the greatest variability in performance of any component in an audio system. Hence, new speakers will produce the greatest audible change in your system. Whether or not you WANT to change speakers is obviously your choice, but this will produce the greatest change in your system.

2. The second place to think about an upgrade is your integrated amp. The Plinius is a good unit, but there are better integrated amps available, and a separate preamp/power amp combo has even greater potential for improvement. For example, if you are willing to consider separates, then you might consider a good tube preamp with a high-quality solid state amp. This would give you the benefits of tube (more important in the preamp where the signal voltages are low), with the advantages of solid state power amplification (better bass control, slam, etc.).

3. Your CD player is a very good model, so you might want to consider adding an analog front end (turntable, arm, cartridge, and phone preamp) to round out your system.

4. Last suggestion: if you have not already played with different models of interconnects and speaker cables, you might do so. This involves the final stage of "tuning" your system, and you may find that different IC's/speaker cables make a useful improvement. Sometimes dealers will let you audition cables at home, but if you don't have a local dealer, you can often but used cables to try that can then be re-sold at little loss if you don't like them.