What single change made the biggest improvement in your system?

[OCA]

At some point, most of us have bought into something that was supposed to be a game changer only to realize later the improvement was subtle, system dependent, or maybe not there at all. Other times, a smaller or less hyped change ends up making a bigger impact than expected.

So I’m interested in your real world experiences:

What upgrade did you expect to transform your system but didn’t?
Was it a case of diminishing returns, poor synergy, or just expectation bias?
On the flip side, what upgrade actually did surprise you with how much it improved things?

For context, I’ve been experimenting a lot with measurement based placement and DSP tweaks vs. more traditional component upgrades.

Curious to hear what others have found especially across different systems and listening priorities.

 

[Oddball]

At some point, most of us have bought into something that was supposed to be a game changer only to realize later the improvement was subtle, system dependent, or maybe not there at all. Other times, a smaller or less hyped change ends up making a bigger impact than expected.

So I’m interested in your real world experiences:

What upgrade did you expect to transform your system but didn’t?
Was it a case of diminishing returns, poor synergy, or just expectation bias?
On the flip side, what upgrade actually did surprise you with how much it improved things?

For context, I’ve been experimenting a lot with measurement based placement and DSP tweaks vs. more traditional component upgrades.

Curious to hear what others have found especially across different systems and listening priorities.

Well, on the flip side, upgrading my LCR was a significant upgrade, even more so as previous LCR system was really good. I gained scale with larger size of the speakers and some SPL on the side. Then, must be honest, it was Dirac ART that really did the trick for my bass management, so in that respect upgrading to Marantz AV 10 that has this ability was a serious one. Could have been some other D&M AVR supporting 9.4.4 but since I already had the amps, AV10 seemed like logical solution.

There were no bad upgrades per se. When I realized 2 subs are not making it in a large room I know that 3rd probably would, but ordered another pair so can play with DBA, although I knew in my irregularly shaped room I could not get to perfect DBA. So it was upgrade to gain some room to experiment and get some more overall headroom from the subs.

I know you did a lots of really great work and I regret that my focus was on other things and never really got to try your solutions. Based on the popular response, they are great and in that respect - probably my bad. BUT Life is just too busy, and I only have so much time to play with audio/video.

 

[jeffaegrim]

Good thread idea, I have been thinking about this a bunch lately too.

For me, it was getting a big pair of speakers that represented the least compromises in my budget first. I had some good (smaller) speakers before, so the real transformative experience was upgrading that stereo system to a multichannel one - I am now a full convert and it is nigh inconceivable to me that stereo can in general be preferred to multichannel - among other things because multichannel can also accommodate good stereo reproduction and because my audio systems always incorporated video too.

DSP in the signal chain is non-negotiable. SOTA home audio reproduction requires at least some possibility to tame room modes, apply crossovers/delays, etc imo. As a step further, mixed filter convolution (GSonic ) has provided another material leap in sound quality.

Removing a large rug from my living room also improved the sound in the room substantially. I learned that absorption which works over a limited frequency range can kinda suck, particularly with narrow directivity speakers, which actually sound better in an untreated room.

Allowing the large mains to play full range instead of crossing them over to subs is also something that I recently started doing and which I now definitely prefer to my usual approach.

So, the "biggest improvement" would probably be "setting up a fully DSP'd multichannel system". With it, I have reached a point of complete subjective satisfaction. Nevertheless, there are still things I would like to implement in the future: MIMO filtering à la Dirac ART, setting up a full atmos system, quality upmixing (unavailable to me currently due to not owning an AVR). A better room would also be nice.

 

[tineared]

The answer will always be speakers. Once you have an awesome set of speakers, everything else is just tweaking

 

[LTig]

The answer will always be speakers.

Yep. When I replaced my Magnepan 1.6 driven by Denon POA6600 by Klein&Hummel O300D in 2004 I was literally shocked when I listened to them first time at home. My initial thought was: "I didn't know the Maggie's were that bad!!!". So much more dynamics and such a great bass.

Once you have an awesome set of speakers, everything else is just tweaking

I added a Genelec 7060b sub in 2006 and that's it for now, still working fine for more than 20 years. Room EQ made the next significant step.

 

[MGJ]

Speakers for sure. I'm going to add a couple things that really improved my enjoyment of music also. WiiM Ultra, can't say enough good things about this for streaming music. Dirac, until I used this I was almost always able to locate my subwoofer. Now I could swear all that bass is coming from my mains. I don't know what the secret sauce is with Dirac, but it works for me.

 

[solderdude]

The best improvement I ever had was by replacing a mains cable.
It was a night and day difference.

Spoiler

The cable that was replaced was broken so replacing it made a huge difference from getting no sound at all to getting sound again.

 

[Digital_Thor]

Full range active digital DSP system with DIY mains and subwoofers here, and going coax(first BMS, then Seas now KEF) was definitely the best path of any speakers I've built. It suits my room very well to have an even smooth dispersion, which have overall made me satisfied and happy to listen for the longest, without having a serious itch to upgrade and change.
Piano and other very resonant instruments now 'sounds' the most pleasant ever. Also 'S' sounds seems a thing of the past, without sacrificing details and 'openness'.
Ok, now I'll skip any more HIFI terms

 

[ernestcarl]

When I started the hobby, I already had "okay" to fine speakers so the biggest upgrade for me was learning about acoustics and good speaker-listener positioning.

Measurements, EQ and/or mixing DSP and subwoofer integration are very important skills too -- no doubt about it -- but comes only secondary to leveraging existing sound acoustic principles with what you already have present.

 

[OCA]

The answer will always be speakers. Once you have an awesome set of speakers, everything else is just tweaking

Arguably, good DSP can come a close second though.

 

[OCA]

good speaker-listener positioning

100% agreed

 

[Ruediger]

Speaker upgrade! Went 17 years further and several price classes higher for a workdesk.

Expected "quite good" but was blown away in every aspect.

 

[olieb]

My answer is not speakers. But arguably it might be “DSP“.
A binaural virtualisation plugin (APL Virtuoso) delivered nearly everything I ever hoped for/expected from binaural hifi.Game changer.

 

[Leporello]

Speakers and headphones, surely. Then again, how musically significant were these improvements? Hmm. Never been blown away, never has my jaw dropped.

 

[DSJR]

The answer will always be speakers. Once you have an awesome set of speakers, everything else is just tweaking

Speakers absolutely for me, as long as they can work in the given room of course.

 

[jcarys]

My biggest nonexistent upgrade was testing an external amp. This was one of those heavy (maybe 40 pounds) stereo models with huge meters that I was allowed to borrow from work one weekend. I expected some great improvement, only to find out that there was no change in sound that I could hear. I did learn how little power I was actually using to drive my speakers, something I try to keep in mind anytime I want to buy an amp.

On the good side, as said by others, it's always better speakers and more speakers.

 

[Puddingbuks]

2.200 liter absorption.

SHOW US your listening room )

Thanks, I would like to participate in that. I have two listening systems and my other one has rear speakers. I am very happy to know that while I was singing in the church choir at Christmas service today, you've already posted your participation on that thread.:D And as well, I still need...

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[AndyMorris]

Get the needle really clean, works best with a removable head shell

 

[Puddingbuks]

The answer will always be speakers. Once you have an awesome set of speakers, everything else is just tweaking

No, the room is more important. Symmetry, placement, bringing down RT60 with absorption, dsp to even out room modes.

 

[Digital_Thor]

My biggest nonexistent upgrade was testing an external amp. This was one of those heavy (maybe 40 pounds) stereo models with huge meters that I was allowed to borrow from work one weekend. I expected some great improvement, only to find out that there was no change in sound that I could hear. I did learn how little power I was actually using to drive my speakers, something I try to keep in mind anytime I want to buy an amp.

On the good side, as said by others, it's always better speakers and more speakers.

True, just remember if you want to push subwoofers in small cabinets, then you very quickly need loads of juice. But for casual listening we could all live with way less.
I just choose the amplifiers that fitted my pre-emp so that my gain structure was optimal, and then I forgot about it and went back to 'polishing' the speaker, which I think we all agree pretty much is the important thing.... Thank you Floyd