2. amps-preamps
  3. 142193-89892

Thinking about upgrading, but wondering about diminishing returns

Hi folks,

I have mostly Conrad Johnson Gear-- LP260M SE mono blocks, with 8 kt120 tubes each.  These are SET amps that put out 270 wpc.  I have the Conrad Johnson  ET5 preamp, with a Telefunken 6922 tube, and a pair of EgglestonWorks Viginti speakers (their new take on the Andra's).  Phono stage is the Pass Labs XP-15.  For source material I have a Rega  RP10 with the Apheta2 cartridge, and the Oppo BDP105 (Modwright upgrades) CD player.  I have Audioquest Colorado interconnects (go easy here :) ) and Audioquest Oaks for speaker cable.  My listening room is 13 x 19, carpeted floor, drywall walls and ceiling (well insulated).  I set up with the equipment on the long wall, with me listening from the 13' side (with speakers in about 2 feet and about 8.5 feet apart).

I listen to a mix of vinyl and cd's; vinyl when I have several hours to listen quietly (and clean the records on the Clear Audio Matrix Pro Record Cleaning Machine).  I listen to CD's when I have less than an hour, and for when I work out.

I am thinking about upgrading a single component, probably my preamplifier, to a Conrad Johnson GAT2 or a Pass Labs XS preamp (solid state). My thought was that this will likely make the most improvement in soundstage, imaging and overall musicality.  A used GAT2 will be at least $14K and the Pass XS used is about $19K.   I am interested in hearing from those who have had experience with upgrades like this.  I am also wondering (as a middle class guy)  how close does this come to the law of diminishing returns?  Finally, is this the component you would upgrade, and if so, if you had a wide range of musical tastes-- mostly classical/full orchestra in vinyl and rock on CD's, which preamp would you select?

Please feel free to take a swipe at these questions, and also feel free to point out if you feel I should be asking different questions that will help increase my knowledge and advance the cause for others.

I am likely to go to an audio show sometime, but please don't suggest that I go and listen to the gear, as that's at least 200 - 400 miles, and I don't feel right about going to a brick and mortar store knowing that I will almost surely buy used.

Thanks in advance for whatever assistance you can provide.


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drastic's avatar
drastic
18 posts
 
There are lots of ideas here.  Maybe, buried in all these suggestions, is the one that will transform your system as if by magic.  But how will you know? 

Not mentioned is how your room is treated.  The room is the most important component.  If you haven't treated it, then start there before you change the gear at all.  I promise you will hear the difference.

chattaudio's avatar
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chattaudio
35 posts
 
+1 for going to an audio show.  I've only been to one - RMAF, but it was so worth it, and for several reasons.  First - you get to check out a ton of systems, starting from $1,500 all the way to high six digits.  Second, you get to find out where you are at (in non-absolute and somewhat subjective terms, but still - unless you have access to unlimited amounts of cash you will never be able to setup all these systems in your house!).  I was pleasantly surprised to find out how good my system sounds vs. quite a few others with twice the money.  I was also caught off guard how some systems under $10K really pulled me in.  I look for a good value (best price/performance ratio) when it comes to a system setup rather than having a "Star component A" that makes it all worth while.   Third, you get to meet a lot of cool people and tap the vast pool of knowledge and experience.  All sorts of cool giveaways and raffles are held throughout the show, I saw a guy win a pair of $5K Nordost interconnects!  Go, have fun!
joemarsh
29 posts
 
Lots of good responses here. I agree with most of these and wouldn’t really add much. i too have an all CJ system that lives in my living room. I do not have the luxury of having a dedicated sound room. I recently removed all the furniture from the room and was shocked by how amazing the system sounded. Made me realize that room treatment was holding me back. Now what to do....
larry5729's avatar
larry5729
1,008 posts
 
I am a novice entering the audiophile world.  This said, I don't know how upgrading and spending so much money on speaker cables can make that much of a difference in sound.  I wonder if someone could explain this to me, as I have read several articles where the author said expensive speaker cables are a waste of money.  However, before considering expensive speaker cable, I would be more inclined to purchase more expensive speakers.

I agree with some of you.  Going to an audio show to listen to various systems will certainly help you to make your decision.  However, many of the vendors who are demonstrating their gear are doing so in inferior listening rooms.
fleschler
2,002 posts
 
@lous I'm sorry to hear that your Sota/Souther/Benz analog front end caused LPs to sound less than good overall.  My VPI TNTVI/SME IV modified/Benz Ruby3 on a Townsend Sink sounds fantastic.  Most LPs are quiet to as quiet as a CD.  Used LPs sound great despite the imperfections.  Record noise is in the background while the music is dynamic (I resell poor sounding/inferior performance recordings-to date 18,000 records have visited and left my music room).  I have great cabling and equipment which minimize extraneous noise relative to the music.  78s often sound very dynamic with great performances.  The Sugarcube digital pop and crackle remover works on any recording that has such and is easy and very effective as heard on many internet demos.  

I found that a dozen well placed PP Omega E-Mats to be a fantastic enhancer of music enjoyment; however, the new Gate appears to kill the need for a dozen's cost by providing 100X the effectiveness at $5K.  I was hoping that the E-Mats placement at equipment locations are substantial enhancements on their own and would add more than their cost to the Gate.  PPs manufacturer could better address this issue.
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