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What was your first big eye opener with regard to audio?


Hello friends,

what was the most fascinating thing you did with the compilation or optimization of your system in terms of SQ or performance, that really got your attention in either a good or bad way?


what was it that actually impressed or surprized you once it was in place?


or what DIY project was it that once done really gave your audio system a big shot in the arm SQ-wise?


maybe it was simply finding out just how much some items could cost


something always seems to take place that changes our philosophies or understandings and maybe even our approach to arranging a fine audio system.


what was your’s?

 

Perhaps it was buying a quality rack, platform, or maybe a pr. of amp stands?


rolling tubes? adding iso footers?


biting the bullet and bringing in a decidedly  more expensive or merely a different electronic component? DAC? Line stage? Mono blocks? Speakers?


what amazing things could be done with as little as 8wpc?


for example, my ‘eye opening’ events came two  fold. adding power line conditioning and using upscale wires/cables, or power cords.


which of these came first I’m not sure but all of them  came with a huge amount of prejudice on my part as to them doing anything positive to the quality of the sound, but indeed they did!


other things came along with nearly the impact or mind altering impact but those were the initial items that paved the way for me to keep an open mind with respect to building an audio system and preserving its synergy.


what was or has been your epiphany? your most surprising  ‘move’ in audio land?


blindjim
tyray's avatar
tyray
562 posts
 
Finding out, if you don’t have a lot of money to spend many thousands of dollars on hardware separates you can still get good sound - with modifications of what modest system you already have. But don’t get it twisted! It adds up pretty damn quickly!

Here are some of the modifications/upgrades on my system that I actually learned here on agon:

Headshell wires: Ortofon LW-800S

Cartridge: Shure V15Vx

Styli: JICO SAS VN5xMR (Cost more than the damn antique market find -turntable itself!)

Tonearm wires: KAB Superflex

Put female RCA jacks on the back of my phono to replace the stock interconnects.
- Update! Keith Louis Eichmann of KLEI™ will be coming out with his version of brand new KLEI™ female RCA jacks around Thanksgiving hopefully!

(Tube) Phono Preamp: Parks Audio Budgie

Tubes: NOS Telefunken 6922/E88CC (Cost more than the damn phono preamp!)

Tube shields with ground wires: Free!

Added a Power Sound Audio V1801 Subwoofer 

Interconnects: KLEI™Absolute Harmony Plugs and shielded Duelund DCA20GA interconnects from my turntable to the tube phono preamp with the KLEI™Absolute Harmony Plugs unshielded Duelund DCA20GA interconnects to the receiver. One of the best value upgrades I’ve done yet.

Speaker wire: Duelund DCA12GA speaker wire. Also one of the best value upgrades I’ve done yet.

So just because you don’t have a rig worth a ton of money doesn’t mean you can’t get good sound quality and learn A LOT - here from the guys - and gals for that matter here on Gon.



audiocaseevan
24 posts
 
Promise not to laugh?

So I’m new to hi-fidelity listening and I thought my first pair of vintage speakers, Infinity RS-3000’s, sounded pretty good!

That is, until a family friend gave me his pair of RSL Elan towers. These things blow my mind every time I play a track I haven’t heard playing through them yet. 12” woofers in a 3-way solid oak cabinet with a 12” rear facing PR. They have individual L-Pads that control 100% of the volume for the mid-range, the tweeter, AND the rear-facing tweeter. Yes I said rear-facing tweeter lol. What’s even cooler is that they were actually manufactured and produced less than 20 miles from where I was born and raised in the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles, at around the same year I was born too, 1988. Pretty cool if you ask me.

Currently, I’m certain I have the most simple set up of anyone here, although I’m open to making improvements;

Tidal Hifi streamed through Chromecast audio, going directly into a Sure Electronics 2x100w T-Amp board using a 36v power supply. That’s it!

tyray's avatar
tyray
562 posts
 
Oh, and that GEM Dandy rubber cork compound turntable mat I got for 15% off wasn't a bad upgrade either!

 blindjim - That's one heck of a moniker!
audiosens
235 posts
 
When you find all the gear and stuff you love, now it is time to pay attention on: Current, electricty, contacts, contact cleanner- enhancer...  All your system need to perform at his best, is clean electrical energy.
danvignau's avatar
danvignau
935 posts
 
When I met the Florida B&W, Audire (And More) rep, and his personal system was a Threshold preamp, Audire amp, and rather large Armstrong two way speakers, I realized that my big Phase Linear, Stacked Advent system was dinosaur tech, sound wise.   I still have never seen other Armstrong speakers. Within a year, I had Audire electronics, B&W speakers, and a Supex M/C cartridge (replaced Ortophon M/C) to go with the only pieces I kept, my dearly beloved KT-917 tuner, plus my Kenwood marble slab TT, but with a better arm over  the original SME.  My upgrades have stuck with Audire and B&W, and I don't give a hoot that some of you dislike B&W. (I also own a Bryston powered system.) I did have electrostatics for 25 plus years, but never totally got rid of my system's B&W's, although I do now run a second, matching Audire amp and preamp into subs I built.  An interesting system I ran along with my 'Stats, was stacked B&W DM14's  (with subs).  The "Stats were great mids for these speakers. Alas, my retirement house is now smaller than my old listening room, but the 600 square feet main room (most of my house) and tall ceilings are great.
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