1. Home
  2. digital
  3. 1134181977

Advice please for upgrade.

I asked for opinions almost a year ago on a good $2k upgrade for my system and was rewarded with great advice from all of you. It worked out so well, in fact, that I'm hoping for some more advice. I'm currently searching for another upgrade for about $2k that would make the most difference. The advice you guys gave last time was to concentrate on 3 areas:
1. Source
2. Room Acoustics
3. Preamp
I took advice #2 and #3 and am glad I did. I added a tubed preamp and my room was also somewhat tuned through acoustic absorption and diffusion panels. My question is: where should I go next for the most cost effective upgrade. My thoughts are:

1. Source- either a dac to use in conjunction with my current digital source, a Sony DVP-7700, which I've read works well as a transport, or a stand alone unit for CD playback only (I'd continue to use my current unit for DVD playback). I have no idea which dac to use but, through reading forums here, I'm thinking a Bel Canto, Audio Note or MF and possibly an Audio Aero, Shanling, Jolida or Sony DC-1 for a single unit.
2. Upgrade my speakers from Magnepan 2.7s to 3.6s.
3. Upgrade my SS amp.

My current system is a VTL 2.5 tubed preamp, Aragon 4004 MKII ss amp, Magnepan 2.7 speakers with a Kinergistics subwoofer and a Sony DVP-7700 source. I'm open to any other suggestions as well. Thanks
noble100
mikesinger
572 posts
 
your maggie 2.7/ribbons are very, very good....

would suggest looking at:

stands for maggies
preamp upgrade (arc or bat or vtl 5.5 or cary 98)
source upgrade or dac (electro dac or audio aero)
cables (ic,speaker, and power)

if you are considering amp.. classe or pse mono v's (ask magnapan about pse) work well with maggies

have fun !!!
sub upgrade- rel or james
gmood1
1,251 posts
 
I would definitely consider a source upgrade. Preferably a Dac.
I'm sure you'll get suggestions for a ton of mainstream Dacs. I'll suggest the Audio Sector Dac or some other NON OS DAC. It took me a couple of years to get the nerve to try one.Now I feel silly for not doing it yrs back. Much better digital playback than anything I've previously spent time with.This includes the stand alone Sony DVP-7700.Which sounds 2 dimensional and etchy in comparison.

Source would be number one on my list.
noble100's avatar
noble100 OP
1,093 posts
 
MikeSinger,

You reccommended the Electro DAC. Is this Electrocompionet? Also, I think you helped me last time I upgraded with your good advice - I appreciate your help.

Gmood1,

Where did you get your Audio Sector DAC? The NON OS type dacs seem to be what I'm looking for - more natural and 3 dimensional.

Thanks for your responses.
More to discover