What has been your most satisfying component?

My Idler Driven Dual 1229 turntable, with Grace 747 Tonearm. I have had Aristons RD 11, Linn LP 12, and Thorens 126, nothing sounds like this Dual. Now, I never even consider looking at another turntable. I am set for life.
Oh, and I just love how 'suddenly' everyone is raving about rim drive turntables... when my audio budies all thought I was nuts for the last 30 years saying I thought they sounded better. They do.

Great thread.

Switching from a Goldmund DAC to a DCS Delius and Pucell Upsampler was the most satisfying upgrade I have made because it addressed a lot of underlying issues with the source.

One of my least expensive 'components' but most satisfying is a recent purchase of Harbeth M30's. For a bookshelf system- listening to classical, jazz, acoustic and vocal music, I think ( & hope) they've gotten me off the speaker 'merry-go-round'.

My merlins, they just keep revealing all the upgrades in the sources and amps.
And in time I will include the atma-spheres I am sure!

Pedrillo, sounds like you are more into the tech than the music. Which is ok too. Anyone into Hifi is bogus if they say it is just for the music. I get into both the tech and music. But once I find a certain point of satisfaction, I forget about the tech and focus on the music. In the end that's what drives us, right?

My favorite times listening to music is not always in front of my stereo- and it is not at concerts. It is either at some of the blues clubs in Detroit and Nashville or just walking around cities in Europe and finding musicians and/or bands playing on the street.