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Finding the 'weakest link' when upgrading?

Being able to find the weakest link when upgrading is really, really important.
Otherwise a different new component may never really be able to show how it is better. Since the other ’weak’ component(s) is(are) masking the new components better sound.

This is a difficult problem.

My best example is not exactly about the least sound quality, but it may show something about it.
I upgraded a good portion of my equipment all at once when I retired. And I still had in my system an old DAC I bought used. When I received most of the new components (including new preamp, new amp, new speakers and a new turntable and cartridge), I was comparing my old DAC with the new one. And found no sonic difference. I mean I tried every way I could and could not hear any difference between them/ So either I just wasted $25,000 for nothing or?? I was very frustrated.
Anyway, after three weeks I got another new bit which had to be ordered and built
.
When I plugged in the phono box, an epiphany and a flood ot tears.. My $25,000 of new equipment really was better. Since the phono box sounded glorious, thus it made it clear all the rest of the system WAS NOT holding back the new DAC. That new DAC was actually just not any better than my old one. And I returned it.

And unless I just happened to acquire that new phono box a week later, I would have been stumped why the new DAC (which was praised to the skies by both Stereophile and TAS) was not doing better.
I was seriously bummed and confused about wasting a ton of money... until I played the new phono box.

Now it was kind of odd that the two DACs, one, used for $250 )it’ original list price was $1,000) and the other $2,400 and 12 years newer) could sound so alike. But chance happened. (And toss in the official guru magazine praise with it all)
==================================================================

Anyway, how do we find the right part to upgrade? Since making the wrong choice can leave one in the same boat I was in back in my example? (at least until I got the phono box)

I do not have an answer. and I ask.. does anyone?
For me it is just kind of a sixth sense, with little real science to it.

In general I have been kind of lucky.
But how do I know I have managed well?

I do not know.
It has been better more often than not.
(Though I have made a few really terrible choices over many years now and then. Costly choices)

Anyway, my question is how do you make the choice of what to upgrade?
How do you know or decide which is you weakest component?

And do you agree finding the weakest component is really important in the path of upgrading, or one might be making expensive mistakes buying gear, or trying gear? (which may really be great, yet you cannot hear it due to some other weak links in the chain? And though I hate to say so, this weak link may even be cables, or powercords or even the AC from the wall*.

*(but please do not get into a big theory arguments about interconnects and powercords and power conditioners.) Stick to the main topic of knowing how to find the weakest link.
elizabeth

Showing 3 responses by ivan_nosnibor

ivan_nosnibor's avatar
ivan_nosnibor
782 posts
 
I believe I'm with you elizabeth, it can be figured out, but I confess I have no simplified or reliable method per se for doing so. For me although it does come down to experimenting with substitutions (or additions....or even subtractions of whatever gear, wiring or tweaks I can think to try, really), experience and just my best instinct are what I find I fall back on most. That's mostly trying to examine, as best I can, the actual nature of the type of audible noise or distortion I'm looking to remedy to see if that gives me the best suggestion of its possible cause and what component(s) may be involved.

For example, I already have some impression, by way of prior experience now, that there may be differences in sound between things like inferior connectors (whose constricted sound may be telling me it's time to either bypass or upgrade them), the overall whiteness or grayness of digital hash or noise or, say, sibilance issues that may be caused by a cart that is not quite properly aligned. Of course, the problem is that virtually any of these sounds may each well have more than one, possible, technical cause...or in fact many causes at the same time...and sometimes we can replace a component that fixes the problem without us ever being able to reach a reliable conclusion as to what it was about the component that was causing the problem.

But, listening to the nature of the sound of the problem is about my best bet toward identifying the source of the problem and I'm always aware that my first attempt may fail to impact the problem like I'd hoped, but that the process of elimination is still key. In the end however, I accept that eventually unearthing the real problem and finding a true solution for it is a certainty as an outcome and, in the face of the initial uncertainty, it just may demand both patience and persistence...but it all seems to go with the territory.
ivan_nosnibor's avatar
ivan_nosnibor
782 posts
 
@shadorne 

Your point about it all being subjective is well taken.

But, IMO I think you may be conflating a "weak link" (still a subjective term) that can be tied to some distinct, negative aspect of sound or lack of performance, once it has been successfully eliminated, and those tweaks or general improvements to the overall sound that can be applied **without compromising the sound and performance in any way**. Two different things. In regards to the OP, one requires diagnosis, the other does not.

But yes, the impact of all that on total system performance, real or imagined, is something to keep in mind and, in general, I'd say that our expectations do typically grow along with our systems.

Regards
ivan_nosnibor's avatar
ivan_nosnibor
782 posts
 
@phil0618

"What was striking about Elizabeth’s original post was that she invested big money in equipment she knew/thought to be quite good and yet she was dissatisfied with the system at the outset. That’s discouraging and luckily she got it sorted in a way that made her happy. But how was she to know what the ultimate solution was? The other interesting thing is that she seemed to base her decision at least in part on the recommendation of audio reviewers which we’ve all been cautioned about, but is still often a factor in buying decisions."

Agreed. But I think (cautiously) I might propose, for such intents and purposes, to take that reasoning a step further and say that, in the end, system building is for each of us our own act of creation...nothing more and nothing less, really...and that, whether we are fully aware of the fact from the outset or not, indeed None of us may know what the real destination will be when we start. We may Think we know, we may feel we have reason to be highly confident based on our own thinking, efforts and understanding...yet all of That is really nothing more than our best-informed supposition. But, what if, after our best efforts, we are left dissatisfied with something? What do we do then?

We can either stand down our urge to do something about it and say that this is just the nature of the beast, or we can dare to pull at the loose thread in the sweater...and risk unraveling the whole.

Given enough time to reach the decision, I’d say that many people may find themselves contemplating that there’s more work to be done than what they originally may have supposed. Although this prospect may not be for the feint of heart, it does also open the door ultimately to getting what one wants from the system...we just may not reliably know where it all will lead or how much (or even how little) it may finally cost, but, for those who have the heart for it, it is perhaps the only next, logical step. But, for each of us getting to that point, it may seem that a personal threshold must be crossed.

Cheers.
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