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

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.

@jond - Pretty sure I am headed towards Auralic- and I agree- the user interface/app is tremendously important. I now have experience using Bluos as well as Audirvana to access Qobuz- I find Audirvana notably more flexible and Bluos is perfectly adequate

In 2019-2020 I upgraded or added

Conrad Johnson CT5 preamp

Don Sachs Kootenay 120 amp

Pangea 14 XL power cables (2)

Core Power 1800  Balanced Power conditioner

2021 additions

Teac NT 505 Streamer/Dac

TriPlanar Vll tonearm

As for 2022, I may have to take a break. Being retired and living on a fixed income has its $$$ challenges. However @70 yrs old, I figure I'm going to enjoy life til the expiration date arrives. So 2022 hopefully gets my streaming capabilities easier to manipulate. This might include

Aurender N100 server streamer which will help do away with some of the network hiccups. Though the Teac sounds really good, a better Dac may also bring this system to a pinnacle....well except for new cables, footers, PPT mats & filters,  fuses and on and on..................................................

I hope everyone had a good Christmas and that the new year is better for all of us.

These material things are really of little importance in the scheme of things. I learned this as a young man (29) with cancer. I had the chance to look death in the face for a month.  Best thing that happened to me because I learned what is important in life. Its about family, friends and relationships in general. How have you treated others? No one ever looked back from his death bed and said, I wish I had gotten that amp, or speakers. No one ever says I wish I had worked more. This life is a beautiful experience. I learned to "live like I was dying" long before Tim McGraw sang about it.  Maybe if we all learned that lesson, division may be lessened and true peace may come.

Live Like You Were Dying

2022 will be the year of capacitor upgrades to my Orchid dac and my speaker crossovers and a couple of subs and build the speaker wire connects.

If I don't screw it up and it actually sounds better I'll be done for the year.  The Golden Gate DAC will just have to wait.

Whir Click Click Bleep