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2022 Audio System Wish List and thoughts about streaming

I've been doing this at the end of December for years for a number of years now- so here goes one more time-

What is on your audio wish list for the coming year? 

For several years I anticipated the need to replace an aging (close to 20 year old) phono cartridge- I finally did that in 2021. I also changed the power supply for my turntable. I'm extremely pleased with my turntable. A friend gave me a slightly damaged but fully functional McIntosh subwoofer as well. All other gear is unchanged and with no desire to change anything.

I also bought a Bluesound Node which I am enjoying quite a bit. My ultimate goal is to use the Node in a bedroom system and go for a different streaming transport in my main listening area. I'm looking at the "usual suspects" - Aurender, Auralic, Lumin, etc. 

As far as adding new music, getting into streaming (I use Qobuz) has caused a musical explosion! Since getting the Node in September I've built a library of about 90 new to me albums. 

128x128zavato
hilde45's avatar
hilde45
4,974 posts
 

My audio wish list definitely includes better tools for diffusion.

slaw's avatar
slaw
21,543 posts
 

Still on my list are some Townshend Podiums

sns
3,247 posts
 

1. Diy from scratch high end server, putting parts list together, $2.5K in parts alone

2. Need to bring my analog side performance up, way down on digital at present, so Audio Technica ART-9xa cartridge, VH Audio Odam caps in Modwright phono pre.

reubent
7,003 posts
 

Summary:

Volumio Premium OS for existing Raspberry Pi based streamers

Qobuz

New MM Cartridge for recently purchased Pioneer PLX-1000 TT

Details:

For a couple of years, I think I replied with "streamer". A couple of years ago I built a couple of Raspberry Pi based streamers, running Moode Audio OS. I was never happy with them and a purpose-built streamer has been on my list ever since. However! A couple of months ago I downloaded and installed free Volumio OS on the 2 existing Raspberry Pi based streamers and I am now very happy with my 2 streamers. 

I cancelled my 1-year trial priced Tidal subscription due to not being particularly happy with the user interface, etc. I've had Spotify Premium for a few years and love the user interface and the discovery algorithms. Hope high-res arrives soon. 

So, for 2022, I'm going to trial Qobuz and upgrade my Volumio subscription from the free version to the premium version so I can get native Qobuz support, as well as the other features that premium brings. 

Additionally, I stumbled upon a near give-away priced Pioneer PLX-1000 TT late this year. It came with a lowly Ortofon Concorde mkII MIX DJ cartridge. However, even with this lowly cartridge, it surpassed my Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Esprit SB w/ Ortofon Blue cartridge in most respects. Based on this epiphany, I sold the Pro-Ject and I'm on the hunt for a cartridge for the Pioneer here at the beginning of 2022.

Happy (Audio) New Year to everyone!

 

mitch2
3,995 posts
 

Thought I was done but apparently not since I, 

  • added a Khozmo passive this year to control volume remotely and provide a display when using my SMc Audio buffer - and that led into
  • recently purchasing a used Hattor The BIG preamp with Amtrans resistors and NewClassD opamp active gain stage, which led me to figure out that the SMc buffer betters the opamp active stage, which was good enough to make me want to...
  • pull the trigger on Hattor's Tube Active Stage that I will compare directly with the SMc buffer (both in unity gain) while using The BIG in passive mode (working with Arek this week on the purchase)
  • May try replacing the the two AN Silver Tantalum non magnetic series resistors in the SMc buffer with something else but no idea what else I might try after a review like this
  •  Would consider adding one or two more SW-12 subs to the two I have now
  • Making some XLR cables this week out of Furutech wire and some other stuff I have sitting around here so I can optimize lengths
  • Add Qobuz trial this week
  • Sell stuff I have around here that I no longer use or need

To @dekay - try the streaming, it is easy and opens the door to a lot of music as the OP posted.  We are about the same age and I got started with a server/streamer a few years ago, Roon lifetime, and Tidal.  Plan to add Qobuz trial this week and hardly ever play CDs anymore.

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