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Guidance

I’m new to the forum and wanted to get some guidance from the members. 
 

I have been making a slow walk from an audio enthusiast to an audiophile, and at somewhat of a loss in terms of how to proceed with improvements / tweaks to my system. My current system is:

 

Michi x3 integrated 

technics 1210 turntable with a Hana mh cartridge 

blue sound node as my music transport and dac

dynaudio contour 30 floor standing speakers 

Nordic purple flare speaker cables

all my interconnects are some version of audio quest rca cables

i have an isoacoustic zazen as base for my tt 

I have synergistic research mig sx for isolation under the michi

and isoacoustics gaia 2s under the speaker

i feel like my system sounds pretty good and I personally get multiple hours of listening from my system (almost daily)but I feel like I am missing some weight in mid frequencies and the sound can seem thin now and then.

 

I’ve had the system as is for a few years and I’m starting to wonder what else could I do to improve the soundstage and improve the weighty-ness coming from my current system. I know for a fact that I’m going to go either separates route or get a very good integrated amp (gryphon 333 or dartzeel or vitus sia 30) in a couple of years and really don’t want to monkey with the amp. Any suggestions in terms of what I could change without spending a lot of money now (since I’m saving for the dream build) to improve my systems.

 

any guidance would be greatly appreciated.

samiamsam
samiamsam OP
6 posts
 

Thanks @tomcarr ​​​​@dayglow 

this is a great hobby!

jsalerno277
251 posts
 

The guidance I give has been provided in many similar posts - that making incremental improvements or optimizing current systems needs to start with listening to acoustic and amplified music in intimate venues and establishing your perception on how recorded music should sound on your system.  Then you should choose reference recordings you feel approach your perception on live music best.  The next step is to listen to your current system using those recordings and establish a goal for improvement.  Then, when you audition equipment, ancillaries, and tweaks, you can determine if you have met your goal.  
You seem to have established a goal to improve the soundstage and improve the weighty-ness (image density) coming from my current system without a large spend.  I will give suggestions from my experience:

  1. Optimizing speaker placement.  I have found small adjustments toe in, separation, and distance to listening position can snap in staging and density. 
  2. Room treatments. 
  3. Power conditioning or regeneration:   A good power product will improve many areas of SQ including staging and imaging by reducing noise floor. 

However, to get a transformative change, and reviewing your system, a capital expenditure to improve the source components (streamer and DAC) and the amplification (pre and power, or integrated amp) is required.  I would add a Burmester 082 or 032, AR, or Hegel to your list of integrateds.  All are known for image density and staging.  The Wyred4Sound 10th Anniversary, Bricasti M1 or M3, AR, and Mola Mola Tambaqui are also known for staging and imaging.  

mksun
556 posts
 

+1 for adding a pair of REL subs. The high level connection which attaches directly to your speaker terminals on your amplifier, allows the subs to blend seamlessly with your speakers. I recently added a pair and I consider it to be the best bang for the buck upgrade I have made.

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