I replaced my Krell Phantom III, which was a killer pre, with an Evo 202 that I found at a great price. HUGH, HUGH, improvement. Sound stage is wider and deeper and more holographic with an almost you are there sound stage.
- Oracle Audio Technologies Delphi mk VI Gen II
My first (what I thought at the time) really good turntable was a Denon Direct Drive, although I did have an AR for a while in the Seventy's, then I moved on to a Rega III. Now that was a great table. From there, an Oracle mk II, which was later upgraded to a mk IV. When I downsized, I had a Roxsan for a little while. Then finally realized downsizing doesn't work and got the mk V. I have just gotten it back from being upgraded to a mkVI. New bearing, Power Supply, and MVSS, which makes an astonishing difference.
Just upgraded the base to make it a complete Delphi mkVI Gen II. Even more improvements across the board. It's much quieter and speed stability, that was already good, is even better.
- Graham Engineering Phantom III Supreme
Had a RB300 with my Rega III, then a Sumiko S arm with my first Oracle, later up graded to an FT4 straight arm. After upgrading the Delphi to mk IV, I added the Graham 1.0. When I got the Delphi mk V, I got a Graham 2.0 and later added the upgraded bearing. Now I have moved up to an Original Phantom, which I will eventually have up graded to a Supreme. September '17, I finally upgraded it to a Supreme III. Still getting it completely dialed in, but great improvement over the Original Phantom.
Update: Got a new LP S in May 2019. Another big improvement. I couldn't believe how worn out my old LP S was.
I got a Ruby Z after having an original Ruby (and then a Ruby 2) and before that a Carnegie. I think my first MC was a Denon, but not the 103, something a bit less costly. An LP S has replaced the Ruby Z now and what a nice improvement! More everything and clearer, without getting hyper detailed or tizzy. Highs are silky smooth and bass is even more textured than the Ruby.
- Krell Reference KPE phono
I had the KPE Standard and this is a big step up. Before that I always used the in-board phono card of whatever pre I was currently using. I recently replaced all the caps in the KPE REF power supply and phono board with Rubycon and Vishay caps. Huge improvement over the almost 20 year old caps.
- Transparent Audio Phono cable
Upgraded the GEN 5 Ultra phono cable to a Transparent MM2 Reference XL. This is only one step below their top of the line Opus. So even though it is the older MM2, it is still a huge step up from the GEN 5 Ultra that I had. At basically the same time I had my MM2 Ultra RCA cables, that I use between the KPE and the 202 Pre, upgraded to the GEN 5 Reference cable.
One of my amps was back at Krell being fixed when these swaps were made, so it was not the way I tend to like to do things. I usually only swap one component at a time. That way I can get a good idea of which component did what to the over all sound. But the used phono cable was available and it seemed like a good time to have the other cable upgraded since I couldn't really listen to the system in anything other than mono.
Overall EVERYTHING was improved. LP's sound more like being there than ever before. You really get the impression on a well recorded LP that you are listening to the musicians playing their instruments, rather than that you are listening to a system reproduce a recording. If that makes sense.
- Transparent Gen 5 Ultra Phono cable
Replaced by Ref XL phono Nov 2019. See new component for comments.
DIN to RCA Phono cable replaced my Ultra MM1 cable. Another great improvement. Better dynamics, more separation and texture. A great phono cable.
- Transparent Audio Gen 5 Ultra RCA>RCA
Replaced Nov 2019 with GEN 5 Ref. See other component for remarks.
Upgraded the Ultra MM2 between my pre and phono with the Gen 5 Ultra's. Nice improvement. I can hear deeper into the music and there is more sense of space, with more extension of both lows and highs. Highs are silky smooth with a very realistic bite as they should have. The Gen 5 cables are a big improvement over the MM2's.
I originally had a Lafayette integrated (anyone remember those?), then a Sansui integrated, with more buttons and knobs than you could imagine, and then my first seperates (db pre and Quantro amp). Quatro went under and was absorbed by Infinity I think, while my amp was at the factory being serviced. Luckily UPS covered it as lost since the company literally vanished overnight. I then replaced that with a Hafler 200 kit amp.
My first Krell amp was a KSA-50 mkII, then a pair of KMA-100's (way too much heat), to a KSA-250, to a FPB-300 (with the intention of eventually getting the 600, which I did). After the FPB600C which I got so that I can run CAST interconnects, I finally found a pair of 750's that I had been wanting for several years, and this should finish my amp upgrades. I've posted new pictures with the 750's.
Earlier this year one of the amps started over heating, so I had both of them recapped. Hopefully, they will last me the rest of my life.
Other than generics, I had some Audioquest stuff before finding the Cogelco. I liked the transparency of the silver cables and never went back. But now I have replaced my Krell Cogelco Black XLR's between my 202 pre and my "new" Krell 600C amp with Krell CASt cables. This produced an across the board improvement.
Recently tried some Transparent MM2 Ultra XLR cables between pre and amps, but they did not improve the overall. Perhaps a higher level of XLR's would, but the CAST cables won this round.
- Apogee Acoustics Diva's w/ Custom Xovers & Stands
My first set of audiophile speakers were a pair of Bose 501's. Yeah, I know, but I was young and unknowing. After that I had some very nice Allison's and then some big Infinity's. From there I got my first planar, Apogee Caliper Signature's. I really fell in love with what they could do. When Apogee folded I sort of panicked and in a foolish attempt at down sizing, sold my Caliper's and got a pair of Genisis 400's. They sounded really good, but only at one specific volume, and that was higher than I wanted all the time. After that I also decided downsizing was unsatisfying, and started rebuilding my system. I purchased a pair of JM Labs 920's (now Focal) and was happy with them for a few years, but really missed the sound of my Apogee's. I then found a pair of Duetta Signatures, and eventually got my Diva's. With the reribboning of the speakers, and the custom crossover's, I think I'm done for speakers.
Just added custom stands made from 1"x2" Aluminum. Makes speaker more rigid and a big improvement in clarity.
- Transparent Audio MM2 Reference Bicable spade to spade
Somehow I left speaker cables off of the system. In May '15 I replaced my old Ultra cables with MM2 Reference cables, spade to spade. Huge and nice improvement in just about every aspect. Had to borrow money to get them, something I seldom do, but they were worth it.
- Transparent PLUMM2 RCA>RCA
Now using thess between the pre and the SACD. Nice improvement in all aspects over my trusty Krell Cogelco Black cables.
DVD, CD, SACD. Since I mainly listen to LP, this is ok for the time being. I sold my Krell 28c in order to get the new Krell Phantom pre.
Got this as a great deal (dealer demo), or I probably wouldn't even have a tuner. I am amazed at how well it pulls in distant stations.
- Transparent Power Isolator 4
I do have two dedicated lines to my equipment. Started with a Transparent (750?) line conditioner, changed to a PS P300, and then replaced it with a PS Power Plant Premier. Now I have a Transparent Power Isolator 4, which improved things again. Most recently, I added Wattgate 381 outlets. All have added some improvement to lowering the noise floor and bettering the soundstage. I just added two more dedicated lines so that my mono amps are on separate lines, and the Pre and Phono on their own, and the TT and SACD on their own line now. I also added another PI4. The Pre and Phono on one, and the TT and SACD on the other. Since the dedicated lines were basically added at the same time as the second PI4, I'm not sure how much added to the improvement on their own, but both did make a difference. There is now more fine detail. Instruments and voices that were once buried are now heard like they should have been. Instruments and voices are more nuanced and real.
- Transparent PLMM2 20/15A Power Cord
This originally was a 20 Amp power cord for my amp's dedicated line. Didn't think PC's could make much of a difference, but that turned out to be totally wrong. Since my 600C amp had a captured cord, I replaced the 20A plug with a Wattgate 351 AG 15A plug and am now using it on my pre with great effect.
- Transparent PLMM2 15A Power Cord
Power Cord
- Transparent PLSMM 15A Power Cord
This Power Cord was my first experiment with power cords, after finding out how much difference the outlet could make, and made me decide to upgrade all of my power cords. Currently it is being used on my SACD player, but will eventually get upgraded.
- Transparent PLMM2x 20A Power Cords
Except for my Krell CAST cables between the 202 and the 750's,(will eventually replace them with Transparent CAST) I now have an all Transparent cabled system. I'm sold on their cables and the concept of having a system with all one brand of cable. The PLMM2x cords give the music more coherence, and a more 3D soundstage than the stock cables.
- Wattgate 381 AG Source Outlets
15 and 20 amp power outlets for dedicated lines. Unfortunately, they do make a difference.
- Wattgate 381 Gold Amp Outlets
On both amp AC outlets, and now each amp has it's own 30A line too.
Added about $2000 worth of used tube traps, and then added the half rounds, and was amazed at how big a difference they made. Now I don't understand how I ever considered the sound in a "naked" room as being good.
- Solid Steel 5.5 equipment stand
5 shelf rack with each shelf supported by cones. This replaced an old Target rack, but it made an immediately noticeable difference. So now I'm wondering how much you should spend on a rack, but this one will do for a long time as a rack is about last on my list of tweaks.
- BDR mk3 & mk4 Cones & Pucks
A mixture of mk3 and mk4 Cones, with a few mk4 Pucks, under all components except speakers. I find that a combination of two mk 3 cones and a single mk 4 cone works best with my system.
- GIK Acoustics Sound panels
Removed a lot of foam panels I had been using and replaced them with the GIK panels last year. Huge improvement in the sound. Better soundstage, clarity, and more dynamics. This is absolutely the last item for my system as I am truly done, and it sounds awesome.
