Sounds like you like the sound you have but want better at low volumes. Would keep what you have and add a good powered sub to help fill in the low end. Make sure it is powerful enough to extend to 20 hz in your room and use white noise and a simple sound meter app on a smartphone to get it tuned in to fill in that low end. . Guaranteed big difference at any volume. You should be able to feel the bass not just hear it when it’s in a recording. Few amp/speaker combos have the muscle to do that alone though the bass that’s there sounds perfectly fine.
Remarkably better sound possible with just 1 system component change?
I could have posted this discussion to a few other categories but chose this one because discussions related to 2 of the 4 components in question belong here.
So it's been ~2.5 yrs since I purchased my current system. I did a lot of research at the time here on audiogon, but no auditioning, and put together a system that sounds very, very good to me.
While I have no complaints, the itch to upgrade has surfaced recently.
I am curious as to whether you guys think it will be possible for me to replace just 1 of my primary 4 components and obtain significantly better sound as a result. The more discernible and obvious the sound improvement, the better obviously. I am not looking for a marginal upgrade - I want dramatically better sound. And I am not looking to replace more than 1 component at this time. I am hoping to get a few ideas/candidates and then may decide to audition some of the recommendations before making a decision. Hopefully some of the upgrade paths are such no-brainers that I may even be able to take a leap of faith without auditioning. Note also that acoustic room treatments are not viable in my current listening location.
My current 4 part system:
1. Lumin D2 - 100% of my listening is streaming via Tidal
2. Mcintosh C2600 preamp
3. Mcintosh MC452 amp
4. Focal Kanta 2 speakers
Cables are Cardas Golden presence RCAs from the Lumin to C2600, Cardas Clear Cygnus XLRs from the C2600 to the MC452, and Kimber 8TC speaker cables to the Kantas.
Soundstaging, dynamics, imaging and overall clarity are all great. I have to say I love the Be tweeters. And the bass is punchy, tight, fast and certainly sufficient for my needs. Vocals and overall sound are warm, liquid smooth and analog-like, just the way I like it. (Forgive me if I've botched some of the characterizations - I'm no expert at this). The only thing I can think of that could use some improvement is the sound quality at lower volume levels, although that is not terribly important to me since most of my listening is in the 90+ Db range. Would be nice, though.
So while I do love the overall sound, surely dramatically better sound can be obtained via a 1 component swap? Budget is ~10k. Or will I need to spend more, or upgrade more than 1 component to achieve the desired result?
Thanks in advance for your time and thoughts.
So it's been ~2.5 yrs since I purchased my current system. I did a lot of research at the time here on audiogon, but no auditioning, and put together a system that sounds very, very good to me.
While I have no complaints, the itch to upgrade has surfaced recently.
I am curious as to whether you guys think it will be possible for me to replace just 1 of my primary 4 components and obtain significantly better sound as a result. The more discernible and obvious the sound improvement, the better obviously. I am not looking for a marginal upgrade - I want dramatically better sound. And I am not looking to replace more than 1 component at this time. I am hoping to get a few ideas/candidates and then may decide to audition some of the recommendations before making a decision. Hopefully some of the upgrade paths are such no-brainers that I may even be able to take a leap of faith without auditioning. Note also that acoustic room treatments are not viable in my current listening location.
My current 4 part system:
1. Lumin D2 - 100% of my listening is streaming via Tidal
2. Mcintosh C2600 preamp
3. Mcintosh MC452 amp
4. Focal Kanta 2 speakers
Cables are Cardas Golden presence RCAs from the Lumin to C2600, Cardas Clear Cygnus XLRs from the C2600 to the MC452, and Kimber 8TC speaker cables to the Kantas.
Soundstaging, dynamics, imaging and overall clarity are all great. I have to say I love the Be tweeters. And the bass is punchy, tight, fast and certainly sufficient for my needs. Vocals and overall sound are warm, liquid smooth and analog-like, just the way I like it. (Forgive me if I've botched some of the characterizations - I'm no expert at this). The only thing I can think of that could use some improvement is the sound quality at lower volume levels, although that is not terribly important to me since most of my listening is in the 90+ Db range. Would be nice, though.
So while I do love the overall sound, surely dramatically better sound can be obtained via a 1 component swap? Budget is ~10k. Or will I need to spend more, or upgrade more than 1 component to achieve the desired result?
Thanks in advance for your time and thoughts.
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- 159 posts total
One component and $10 k. Sometimes it doesn't take that much, and the "component" could be something you would have never considered. It happened to me very recently, and just from casual experimenting with a system I was already very happy with. I had a Tripp Lite ISO 500 isolation transformer that I tried in my last system. It didn't do much of anything noticeable in the way of improvement sound wise, so it went back in the box. I recently upgraded to a Bob Carver Crimson 275, and after some tube rolling, I was very pleased with the sound. Everything in my system runs through a Furman SPR-20i regulator/conditioner on a dedicated 20 amp line. When I ran the wiring, I checked the output for noise with my Tri Field EMI meter. It was putting out 88-90 mvp of noise. Surprisingly, when I checked the output from the Furman, it was slightly higher! I actually bought the Furman more for the voltage regulation than conditioning, so I wasn't too concerned about the noise. Then I remembered the ISO 500 and decided to see what it would do for the noise. Hooked up between the outlet and the Furman, it chopped the noise right in half at 44. Still wasn't expecting much, but after my customary 10 minute warm up, I got my socks blown off! Everything about the sound stage was better. Better bass, better mids, cleaner highs. It took everything I really liked about the sound and gave me more, and not just a subtle more, it was a very noticeable more. Would something this simple work for you? Who knows? The point is, substantial improvement can just as easily come from a $10 k amp as it can from a $200 isolation transformer that you had already kicked under the bus. Or better yet, never even thought of trying in the first place! |
If acoustic room treatments are not viable, then anything you spend for upgrades is completely wasted money. But try this..... Distribute decorative 5' artificial ficus trees ($40 @ from At Home furnishings) around your room, maybe 8 - 10 of them. Behind and next to the speakers. And in the corners. Even four of them will help a lot. They are decorative room ornaments that also act as extremely effective diffusers. They are not the ugly giant tubes or bulbous, bloated absorbers. And artificial ficus trees are much more effective they the snake oil audiophile room treatments. |
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hobo1452 <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> That is very true.. I’ve remembered STUFF, that made a heck of a difference, too. Using a heavier gauge cable for PC and put a single or double coil in the run.. Changes the way an amps sounds, it’s not subtle either.. Just longer with coils.. MORE of everything, especially bass, and clarity in all ranges..Bottom to top. If you want better and can hear better, that is in play too. Has to sound better to the OP.. Gotta try though, just leaves too much on the table.. That gear should be GREAT... I know I could get happy.. Even with cushions from the second hand store, bean bags, and fish net for high frequency ceiling reflections.. LOL.. Awful 60s but better than what you got.. Narrow the field, push the speakers further from the walls. There is a TON there if you just TINKER.. Regards |
- 159 posts total