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$3000: upgrade Tyler Linbrooks or amplification?

HI,

I am going through my 2-3 year upgrade itch, and was looking at ways to spend $2000 to $3000 into my system. My question is this: should I be looking at a $3000 speaker upgrade, or should I be spending that money on amplfication? Where do most of the benefits come from? Honestly, in the several years I have been doing audio, the biggest benefits have always come from speaker upgrades, assuming the associated electronics weren't crap (and mine aren't).

Currently I am running the Tyler Acoustics Linbrook signature speaker, a McCormack DNA-125 revision Gold amp, and a borrowed Dehavilland Superverve (C-J PV5 was in my system). I was planning on throwing a bunch of money at the preamp, but the Superverve sounds nice for the price, so am likely set there for a minimal upgrade cost. That leaves $2500 in my budget. For that, I could likely:

1) get a nicer set of speakers. That gets me close to the new Tyler D1's, or another very nice speaker. There is a dealer nearby selling the Devore Gibbon Nines that I could afford (hoping to get them home for a test). The Tylers are very seductive, so I would obviously be interested in his new D1 as well, or anything else I could get for $6000-7000 (Merlin maybe)?

2) upgrade amplification (take my amp to Platinum status for another $700), get something even nicer than the Superverve preamp.

3) Keep the money, in case the economy really goes down the toilet. System sounds great as-is (but it can always get better, right)?

I am also budgeting another $300 for room treatments. I can't go too crazy there, as the listening room is also the living room, and my wife hates the look.
dawgcatching
blindjim
3,092 posts
 
You'll probably go the 'get new speaker' route as yiou seem to want to anyhow.

I'd opt for your second scenario. Better pre and upgrade the amp. The sound will change and it'd be kind of like getting new speakers, and you'll be better off later when you do swing in new speakers.

Improve the signal and improve the sound. Better front ends really do make good speakers sound better.

Regardless your choice... good luck and enjoy.
mechans
3,048 posts
 
The sound is good now. There is an old addage don't fix what isn't broken.
The preamp can easily chew up your 2 or $3K budget. There seems no end to what a pre can cost. However I bought a cheap little pre an AE-3 on a Lark. The result for my $350 was taking my very good sounding system to the realm of nirvana. So it isn't allways the more money you pour into the system the better.
If you heard something about a piece of equipment or see something you think you might like take a shot at it. If you are having difficulty spend it elsewherein my case wanted to hear a 6SN7 only preamp.
Ag insider logo xs@2x
samzx12
1,220 posts
 
However I bought a cheap little pre an AE-3 on a Lark. The result for my $350 was taking my very good sounding system to the realm of nirvana. So it isn't allways the more money you pour into the system the better.

What did it replace?
newbee
4,767 posts
 
Can you improve the 'sound' of the Tyler's? Absolutely, but they aren't that bad and unless you have some specific goal you can do a lot worse for more money. I had a problem, I had a goal, and I moved up successfully. But, when I bought the Tylers, my goal was more asthetics than anything else and the urge was to get something new. Frankly I succeded and failed. The Tylers looked better, but overall their predecessors sounded better. And the sound was more important to me.

IMHO, you need to develope some specific goals. Don't buy new amps if you think the Tylers are leaving. Don't buy new amps unless you have a problem with the Tylers you want to correct and you are reasonably confident you can do so. OR, if you plan to get new speakers (out of curiousity) then be prepared to get a new amp to compliment your new speakers. What you have may not work to your satisfaction.

And, if you just want to up-grade something, just to do something (which we all do sometimes), spend your money on sources and/or a pre-amp, tubes or SS depending on your inclinations, which could easily survive the ultimate purchase of new speakers and amps.

FWIW, I never buy new speakers without assuming first that I will be getting new synergistic amps as well. It always seems to work out that way.............:-)
stltrains
845 posts
 
Hey Newbee i have D1s on order to most likely replace my LLS. I should have them in January. If you havent made a move by then i will chime in and let you know my feelings on the two. Good luck and i understand what you mean by itch. I am most satisfied with my LLS sound wise. So much so i got the itch to take it up a notch and hear what D1 is all about in my system and room. I got one good reply in another thread on D1s at RMAF.
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