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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
sat7
24 posts
 

Two changes to my system this year that eclipsed many changes I had made in the past. These two items were purchased sight unseen, and not auditioned prior to purchase.

The first update was to my DAC I purchased the Denafrips Venus II DAC unheard. This is an amazing DAC that catapulted my system sonic's into otherworldly levels of sublime. I remain flabbergasted. The impact to tonality, timbre, dynamics channel separation, wow. While I wonder how the Terminator II would have sounded, it's hard to imagine how much better it could have sounded.The Venus II DAC just put's more "there there" ... .

The next upgrade item was to my Line level Preamp. My Sonic Frontiers SFL-1 was shelved in favor of the new PrimaLuna Evo 400 Line stage Preamp. The Evo is performing so well. Dead quiet, blacker blacks, more bandwidth, and better channel separation, musicality. The build quality is matched only by my Dialogue 7 mono-blocks. Synergy is a real thing,

Two admittedly big changes and I am enjoying music reproduction that is leaps and bounds of sonic improvement over the other. My system is now advanced into the modern era. I am very happy.

armagedon36
8 posts
 

Simply a SMSL AO-200 integrated amplifier driving a pair of Magneplanar LRS and the result is stunning and unexpected. 80% as good as my Primaluna Prologue Premium integrated at 10% the price.

ball-wheel
70 posts
 

Myself I got a Eastern Electric minimax dac. Modified it. Installed a full gear of SR purple fuses. 

 

fleschler
2,021 posts
 

2021-minor improvement to a very good system-using my Walker Talisman on the rear input panel and over all cables in my system.  Opened up sound significantly.  I've owned it for 15 years and my friend and I tried it and it works best there.   For ease of use I also purchased the Furutech Destat III for CDs and LPs.   2021-Holding the discs in my hand and zapping them provides 100% destatization (my friends Zerostat does virtually nothing and my 40 year old Nagaoka is very tired/weak now).   Eventually, my only component upgrade will be my speakers.

fleschler
2,021 posts
 

Oops!  Forgot, had my friend build a balanced to single ended transformer(s) for my COS Engineering D1 DAC.   Much improved sound.

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