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Next upgrade?

Dear all,

In the pursue of the best possible sound - given a limited budget! - I am constantly thinking about the next upgrade (or mod) to my system. I’m sure I am not alone...

Right now I have the following :

- Monitor Audio Golden Reference 60 Speakers

- Primaluna Dialogue Premium Integrated Amp

- Cambridge Audio CXC CD Transport

- Border Patrol SE-i DAC

I like the system a lot, but I wonder what can I do next (excluding cables or power supply). What would be the place where I can get the most improvement from an (second hand) upgrade?

Thanks a lot for your suggestions!

Fab

sounasega
jjss49's avatar
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jjss49
6,612 posts
 

what tubes are you running in the primaluna?  input and power tubes...

sounasega OP
21 posts
 

I have stock 12au7 for the pre and genalex kt77 on the power stage. 
I alternate them with the stock el34, not much difference

sounasega OP
21 posts
 

@tomic601  thanks for the tip, I ordered the book

ejr1953
911 posts
 

I too have an "all digital source" system and I've found that upgrading the AC power conditioner makes the DAC perform better.  I know you said you weren't interested in that upgrade, but it might be the best thing to make that excellent DAC of yours perform better.

hilde45's avatar
hilde45
4,974 posts
 

@sounasega You sound like you’re in good shape. I really think that speaker, listening position, and room acoustics are the next step. I bought a Umik and downloaded REW software. Using that to analyze the tonality and reverberation in my room -- in conjunction with listening -- changed things dramatically. Dealing with room acoustics is time-consuming and laborious, but are magnitudes more effective at improving the sound. Perhaps those are all factors you can’t change and so an upgrade is your already best path, so I’ll just shut up now!

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