I get it now

I have been slowly doing smallish upgrades to my audio system and seeing modest results but today I hooked up my new (to me) McIntosh C2500 preamp and I get it now. I finally see what a premium component can do to the sound. This change was even bigger than my initial upgrade to Forte IIIs as my speakers.  Human voices are more real than anything I’ve heard before. It’s truly a night and day difference. Even my extremely non audiophile wife immediately noticed the change.  
Alright, enough writing. I’m off to listen to music until I can’t keep my eyes open!