What has been your best tweak or upgrade in 2018?

gsr posted:

In 12 months I’ve gone from

CDX2, 112x, 150x system with Totem Hawk speakers

to

Uniti 2 and Hawks

to

272/250DR with Totem Forests 

to 

272/250DR and non-Naim XPS with PMC 25.23

to

272/300DR and non-Naim XPS with PMC 25.23

It’s been a busy year!!!!!

What made you change from Totem to PMC? I am using the new Totem Sky towers and I auditioned them against the PMC 25 23 and found them far superior. 

1. Completed the SL Full Loom with the AMP cables for my 300DR. It ties the other 2x SL cables together very well indeed ! I get it now when others have said the music just makes more sense with a full SL loom. It took ages to come on song though, I am talking some 5 months or so.  

2. Moved the 252 to the top of my FRAIM stack. Subtle but very good improvement, a little bit more air , resolution and space around the musical performance.

My NDS broke and was missing for about 3 months so I ended up buying a good pair of headphones and a headphone amp (Quad Era-1, Arcam r-Head) to use with my spare source and with my portable. Never had decent 'phones before and it has been a revelation. Fantastic performance for under £1k together.

When the NDS came back the 555PS had miraculously become DR'd. That was pretty fine too.

As usual however the best purchases were new music.

Bruce

Going active, number of tweaks on the lp12

I changed my system quite radically in 2019. In small steps I went from SuperNait2/HiCapDr/NDX/Allae into 282/250DR/HiCapDr/NDX2/XPSdr with Focal Kanta 2. For me all the updates worked out quite well and I am very, very happy with my set-up today. Next to that I also re-did my ethernet cabling and added a HighLine between the 282 and NDX2. The latter is one of the best improvements next to the NDX2. A quite positive surprise was the introduction of Roon. I bought a NUC and a BOTWS SBooster and installed Roon Rock. It is a wonderful experience and Roon will definitely stay.

I cannot exactly say which one of the above was the best "tweak": the biggest impact came definitely from the NDX2, but I 'd do all the other upgrades again too.

Silent dream: a SuperCapDr on the 282 :-)

Jonn posted:

Peter is a salesman isn't he ?

and one of the best on LP12 - your budget &  money & your ear's in the end of the day

like someone else in my life he just helps you spend your money

Upgrade from a Naim x pre/power combination to 272 /250DR has been my best upgrade to date. Rich 

Popeye posted:

gsr posted:

In 12 months I’ve gone from

CDX2, 112x, 150x system with Totem Hawk speakers

to

Uniti 2 and Hawks

to

272/250DR with Totem Forests 

to 

272/250DR and non-Naim XPS with PMC 25.23

to

272/300DR and non-Naim XPS with PMC 25.23

It’s been a busy year!!!!!

What made you change from Totem to PMC? I am using the new Totem Sky towers and I auditioned them against the PMC 25 23 and found them far superior. 

Had the Forests at the time and thought the treble could be harsh at medium to high volumes. Got a good deal on the PMCs and loved the sound. Never heard the sky towers so couldn’t comment.

Best tweek ever, removed the Urika/Trampolin foot below the motor and replaced by temporary external steel cone.

Best (and only) upgrade 2018, SL interconnets for LP12/Urika and CDS3. 

A complete overhaul in 2018. Went from AIO (Unitilite) to separates. Current set-up: Naim 272, Naim 250DR, TPXPS psu, Oppo 205 w/ lps, Chord Qutest, Cisco 2960, Gaia isolator, SR Blue fuses and MS Power block and a pair of Focal Kanta. Hope the upgrade itch will stop ????

Joppe posted:

Best tweek ever, removed the Urika/Trampolin foot below the motor and replaced by temporary external steel cone.

Best (and only) upgrade 2018, SL interconnets for LP12/Urika and CDS3. 

That's interesting what you've written about the Trampolin motor foot replacement - what did that do and was/is this steel cone something bought specifically for the purpose or just something you had and decided to try out?

A “source first” year for me too. Dedicated mains, upgrading power strip and mains cabling. Then an upgrade of my Turntable and cartridge ...  the power strip and cabling was the most “immediately felt” change adding resolution and allowing lower octaves to come to surface, the TT set up the most subtle adding finesse to the sound.

To echo another members findings on this thread...My biggest upgrade was selling my LP12SE with Urika and replacing them with a Well Tempered Versalex and Trilogy 906 Phono Stage. 

After 15+ years ownership with many upgrades and thousands of pounds spent. I was still left dissatisfied and wanting. I'm glad I finially got off the upgrade train and saw the light. The Versalex is so much more engaging and what I was looking for. I did buy a MCRU Linear Power Supply for it but as for future upgrades there isn't any and that suits me just fine.

Tweaks wise. I replaced the Linn freebie mains cables with Mark Grant mains leads. My main motivation was to reduce the mess behind my system. Going from 2.5m leads to 1m leads made a big difference. The bonus being after only replacing one lead I noticed an improvement sound wise. Presentation became more solid, bass had more slam and there was a space and depth I didn't have before. 

Another big change will come early next year. I've decided to go the streaming route. 

Over the last month I've been going to my dealer to nail down the rest of my system. After four demos I've decided to go for the ND5 XS 2 and Exposure 3010S2D integrated amp. Both have been ordered and should have them mid January. 

Merry Christmas everyone. I hope you all have a peaceful time. 

Cheers 

Rob

Replaced Unitiseve/Hugo 2/202/200/hicap dr/napsc with Uniti Nova. Best decision I ever made. Kept PMC twenty.24's. Absolutely love the sound. Using tidal and qnap nas which has my unitiserve ripped files in flac.

Just enjoying the music.

Forgot to add on my earlier post, my dealer has loaned me an ex-demo 252 to listen to over the Christmas break. I swapped out my 282 and have to say I wasn’t keen at first. However, after reconnecting the 252 and taken greater care with cabling, it has now really come on song.

I know much has already been posted on the forum on 282 vs 252, but I have to say I’m now really tempted to trade in the 282 and go for the 252. Looking forward to further listening over the next few days if I can steal some time away from festivities..

Merry Christmas all

Main upgrade this year: going to more live concerts

Best enabler: fitting IsoAcoustics Gaia feet to the speakers in order to stop them sending the floor slab into a bass resonance.

Best tweak: turning the volume up more often, now that the room can take it!

Happy listening, FT

My system has changed completely during 2018!

It started as 272/555DR/250DR/ATC19's and now consists of 1 box and 2 speakers - Linn Klimax DS (Katalyst version) and ATC Active 40's (with Naim Powerlines).

I'm very happy with the vast improvement compared to the previous system and with the additions of changing the Chord Shawline RCA-XLR to a balanced connection Chord Shawline XLR-XLR and also the standard Linn Mains cable with a Chord Signature power cable, these have improved the system still further. 

Best improvement - hard to say, changing to the ATC Active 40's was a massive change as was changing the 272/555DR for the Linn Klimax. Although trying Naim Powerlines on the Active 40's was a real jaw dropping moment! 

I'm now at a stage I feel the system is very well balanced and I don't need to change anything, so I can just enjoy the music.

Merry Christmas everyone and happy listening!

Jonners posted:

Joppe posted:

Best tweek ever, removed the Urika/Trampolin foot below the motor and replaced by temporary external steel cone.

Best (and only) upgrade 2018, SL interconnets for LP12/Urika and CDS3. 

That's interesting what you've written about the Trampolin motor foot replacement - what did that do and was/is this steel cone something bought specifically for the purpose or just something you had and decided to try out?

Actually it was a test initiated by a tread on this forum that some LP12 have issues with contact between the radikal motor and the foot below, and severely limiting the sound. And yes the steel cone was just something I had with suitable hight. 

I desided to try this out during my summer vacations as my dealer was closed for vacation. To my ears it was a revelation, possibly leveling and adjusting tracking force also play its part but nonetheless much more open and engaging after. According to my dealer Linn are working on a solution... so maybe next years uppgrade?

Katalyst for the Akurate Exaktbox probably just edges it over the change from Akurate 4200/1 to Lejonklou Tundra 2.5 power amps.

Getting a 272.

(Also cartridge, belt, phono stage and rack.)

Then buying a pair of Allaes yesterday, which should be delivered before the end of 2018!

A total revolution in my lifelong interest in musical reproduction (that was until now self-defeatingly anti-technical)...

????OP,...I don't know the answer to the thread-question yet.

I am in the process of upgrading my headphone-system,so I have to evaluate....

?Two new different headphone-amplifiers.
?Three different USB-cables,all of which reportedly..should be better than Audioquest Diamond.
?Two different ehternet-cables,AQ Vodka I has already. 

?Three new Linear Power Supply to Router/Modem,Cisco 2960-switch and streamer.

?New Streamer
?Two new different power-cables
?Two new different powerstrips
?New headphone-rack

And I also bought a new high interesting DAP to my headphones,with interchangeable amp- modules (this brand has the patent on this).

If I have not forgotten anything,everything is already at home.
The final thing came last Friday,but I have not had time to listen to it yet.
This will be clear in a few months,..Maybe????.
So I may return to the OP's question later.

But exciting times to come ????....

Merry Christmas Too You All…
/Peder ????

Japtimscarlet posted:

 

Then I pushed the boat out with a new P8 Rega with apheta 2 and aria phono stage ...its not a top flight Lp12 ...but its much more relaxing to own

 

Please explain!

changed power cable on the SN2 and my CDP to a 10 Gauge iceage audio copper-copper cable

has made an appreciable difference

merry christmas to all !!

peace , love and good health to all in 2019 !

regards

Again lots of changes on my TT I sold my late 90's Black Ash, Cirkus, Lingo 1 LP12 with an ittock and bought a late 70's LP12 with an FR12 tonearm lots of changes ensued but the biggest by far was the addition of  the Hercules Mose PSU.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

I am pretty sure that this is well beyond a tweak , and while I did not intend to do a big upgrade, circumstances dictated a rocket ship ride.  We pretty much lost everything in a house fire in 2017, and were going thru the process of rebuilding our lives.  In 1980-84, I was a founder of Apogee Acoustics and designed the Full Range Ribbon and the Scintillas before it was suggested that I take my life in another direction.  That resulted in a 34 year hiatus from audio--I never owned, listened or even turned on anything other than a car radio, nor did I have a desire to do so.   In May, we were presented with an opportunity to sell our still gutted house of 40 years (it dated back to 1780)  to a neighbor, and purchase a new waterfront house with dock and a modern floor plan.  It was smaller, but because of the open floor plan, it lived bigger, and since its only my wife and I, 3 bedrooms should be enough.  In addition, it had a room that would be perfect for a music room.  The house came fully furnished and my wife loved the interior.  So the Journey began.

Basic Starter system--this was where I thought I was going to end.  CD only, no vinyl, keep it simple, never heard of a streamer 

CD5, DAC V1, NAT-05, Adcom GFA-555, Apogee Scintillas  (Lost a pair of Full Ranges, and 80's vintage equipment in the fire)

Stage One:  Introduced to Streaming 

Upgraded/added NDX, Krell KSA 80B, Unity Core and traded in the CD5, NAT-05

Stage Two:  Loved Streaming and decided to go big 

Upgraded to Townshend DC 47 Autotransformer Preamp, and Inakustics Reference Air IC and Speaker Cables--tossed my Monster Cable stuff

Stage Three:  The Grand Finale--just before Christmas 

Upgraded to ND555/PSU555, Fraim, and Townshend Podiums and traded the NDX, DAC V1.  Still have the Adcom as a backup.

Its been a heck of a ride--kinda like that Ludicrous Launch I did in a Tesla X P100D--bought audio instead and it was cheaper.  The best part is that my wife, a life long piano player, loves to listen to this super natural music system.  We are now settled in our new house.  Thanks to Naim and the trade-in and upgrade approach, we were able to upgrade without pain.  I decided that stage two and three were proper since I did not want to take baby steps and loose money along the way.  That would have been rational, but with audio/music who is rational.  Thanks to the Naim Forum for all the good advice along the way--I did the 555 without an audition--have a week on it and NO regrets.  This was a big part of moving on from the fire.  I feel my life is back on track.

Merry Christmas to all, I hope you all have a great 2019

Bailyhill