2025 for me will be a move to a better streamer.  I am looking at the Innuous Zen MK3 or the Aurrender ACS10; I would like a CD ripping capability for I have several hundred CDs collected over about four decades, including some purchased in Europe at performances.  I may also upgrade my preamp from the Rogue Audio RP-7 to either the RP-9 or McIntosh C2800 as funds permit.  Other than that, I am quite pleased with the sound of my current system, which I have upgraded from my 1980s & 1990s system over the past three years.

This year, we should complete a move into a place where  I can have a larger dedicated listening room.  This will allow me to purchase larger speaker (perhaps Joseph Audio Perspectives) and enjoy the task of optimizing the room acoustics.  I currently listen in smaller dedicated room with a near field set up, so I am excited about a larger space.

I’ve been using the onboard dac in my Hegel H390 after discovering my Aqua LaVoce was introducing fatigue. The Hegel’s AKM based dac sounds pretty good but I lost both detail and bass reach/definition in the process and would like to find a dac that restored these while still remaining musical/organic. If funds become available, this will be my top priority. I’ll be looking for a used Bricasti M3, Merason DAC1, Mojo Mystique XSE.

Although I just recently declared myself done with upgrades, I have been contemplating upgrading my Denafrips Pontus II DAC to the Pontus 15th generation DAC. After reading that the new Pontus 15 is essentially a Venus 12th generation, this upgrade is now on my radar for 2025. The Venus sold for nearly double the cost of a Pontus and was beyond my budget at the time. Just curious if anyone has taken this leap and if they feel it’s worth the upgrade. 

Ebonized tiger maple racks--on the production schedule for 2025

Here's one--the other will be for turntable only--How gorgeous is this?