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Products you added to your system in 2021 that made most impact to your music enjoyment

As 2021 comes to an end, just thought it would be cool to share some of the most impactful audio upgrades in your system this year?
Here’s my top 5 list…

1. Pass Labs XP-12: Upgrade path was from Rogue RP-1 to Rogue RP-5 and then to Pass XP-12 that was the final touch. Huge improvements across the board. Mates well with my Rogue ST-100 tube amp.

2. Phono Cartridge: Goldring E3 MM to Hana EL MC. Clarity, presentation, dynamics in spades!

3. Phono Pre: From the built in phono pre in RP-1 and RP-5 to MoFi UltraPhono to Sutherland KC Vibe MkII. Lowered noise floor, increased resolution, dynamics. The KC Vibe MkII is almost double the cost of the MoFi and it’s the one of the few upgrades where an improvement was proportional to the cost difference. At least in my system. Records that seemed noisy become more listenable. A great little phono pre. 

4. Audience AU24sx speaker cables. These speaker cables are a clear window into a recording. Nothing hidden, nothing exaggerated. 

5. Power Cords: Acoustic Zen Gargantua for preamp and amp. Lower noise floor, increased resolution, natural sound, expanded soundstage

Honorable mentions:

1. Acoustic Zen Absolute Copper interconnects. In my opinion the AZ cables don’t get the respect they deserve on these forums anymore, overshadowed by some of the “flavor of the day” newcomers (without going into specifics on brands).

2. Puritan PSM156 power conditioner. 
3. Supra Cat8 Ethernet cable.

4. Lumin U1 Mini

5. MoFi LP#9 Stylus Cleaner. Better than the Onzo ZeroDust although I still use the Onzo between the sides. 

128x128audphile1
jackput's avatar
jackput
10 posts
 

I subscribed to Qobuz but was not happy with the sound until I added an Ether Regen switch and a 1/2 meter Pangea ethernet cable to my Bryston BDP2. It is now very close to downloads played through the same device. The switch made the biggest difference but the cable put the finishing touch on sound quality.

vitussl101's avatar
vitussl101
180 posts
 

The Karousel main bearing for my Linn.  The purchase of an Esoteric K-03XD SACD/CD Player. 

  But for me, the most enjoyable audio purchases this year will be to install a system in our very non audiophile friends new home by a lake.  It will be built around an Outlaw Receiver (sitting in its box in the dining room) with a Project Turntable with a simple Audio Technica cartridge, model escapes me (the red stylus model), Axiom speakers on really nice 4 post sand filled stands.  No cd player yet.  All cables.  All equipment on a Lovan 4 tier three leg stand where all the shelves are isolated with separate spikes from each other.  I'll be setting this up on or around Christmas as a gift.  Now if I can just convince them to move the tv or mount it on the wall above the system.  And analyzing this further, am I doing this for our friends or for myself ?  He did say he needed something to play records on.

robelvick's avatar
robelvick
619 posts
 

HiFi Rose RS150B

Bought it for the gorgeous touchscreen/display, but turns out it’s a fantastic sounding DAC/streamer. Icing on the cake.

Bob

 

toyman
42 posts
 

GAN amp.

joey54
434 posts
 

I added the internal DAC card in my Aesthetix Mimas integrated amplifier to replace my Ayre Codex. The improvement was very significant despite the relatively low cost of the DAC card. The only other change I made was to upgrade my AQ Castle Rock speaker cables to AQ Robin Hood Silver Zero and Bass. Another big improvement. For 2022 I will be replacing the Musical Surroundings Nova II phono stage with the Aesthetix internal phono card for the Mimas.

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