PS Audio Ultimate Outlet and PS Audio Duet. These power upgrades provide immediate and noticeable improvement in sonic for my entire setup. I did not expect much difference at all so this was the most unexpected upgrade I’ve done for sure. And not too expensive either, though not dirt cheap.
Mine was a $20.00 Isolation Transformer / Ground Loop Isolator that I bought after a frustrating year trying to deal with a faint but audible 60Hz hum I got when playing my Parasound HINT 6 Integrated Ampand my Anthem MRX-720 Receiver using the Home Theater By-Pass mode. Parasound and Anthem support were baffled. My HiFi dealer suggested I disconnect my CATV coax cable to see if the hum disappeared. BINGO! But for a year after multiple visits from X-Finity and trying all types of gizmos on the AC power cord the only solution the eliminated the hum completely was to disconnect the COAX cable when not watching TV. I had looked at some pricey filters that went on the COAX cable line but they all were said the adversely affect the 4KTV signal. I finally found this filter which was the least expensive filter I had looked at, costing all of $15.00 plus $5.00 for a 6" piece of COAX with connectors. I really didn't expect this to work. Bottom Line: Problem solved, never to return and I get nice black backgrounds playing records.
IsoAcoustics pucks between speakers and stands really made a big difference in sound. In fact it was so different at first I wasnt sure I liked it, it was so different from the original set up.
I was shocked by the improvement when I made free DIY fluid damper for my tonearms! I used wire and plastic bits lying around the house. anonymous image upload
One of these-APTITLIG Butcher block, bamboo - IKEA A piece of this, cut to the same size-https://www.homedepot.com/p/Project...Foam-Board-Insulation-Sheathing-PP1/203553730 With four of these between each-https://www.amazon.com/Diversitech-...5465e&pd_rd_wg=Zetf8&pd_rd_i=B00BVEMLR4&psc=1 I played around with different configurations-chopping board with AV pads, foam with AV pads, stack with board, pads, foam, more pads, all with the turntable on top. Chopping board beats foam, but both stacked (board, pads, foam, pads) seems to work even better. Clearer, sharper, more detailed. Weird, but true. And cheap!
Honestly my ears/brain. I returned to quality equipment after years of listening through my iMac. After a few months of listening to my modest system I can hear a distinct improvement in sound reception by my head. Speakers and turntable were new so component break-in could have contributed. But I definitely hear more and better sounds now.
I am sure some people here need them, they look like something designed by Shell to extract oil from their rigs.
It's a Furutech Nano power cord. Furutech's "sound" is somewhat akin to Nordost. (The higher model Nordosts.) Just nowhere nearly as expensive.
A new belt for my Thorens TD 124. A local hifi shop gave it to me! Now the 124 stays on speed perfectly.
Raising my speaker cable from the floor was the most rewarding upgrade, but only after I hired a team of very musical and audiophile goblins. They exactly know how to raise these cables. Experimenting with goblins of different ethnics turned out to be beneficial. To my ears the Caucasian goblins did a great job with country music as where their friends from the African continent made them sound like amateurs when playing jazz. I decided to hire both teams of goblins permanently which is quite an expensive but worthwhile upgrade to my system. My next planned and ultimate upgrade is replacing those goblins for smurfs. Unfortunately the latter are a bit reluctant after Cargamel abused them. All in all it might take a while to realize real audiophile nirvana. The biggest achievement of these Smurfs is their ability to deliver a very neutral sound. This quality makes them Smurf every type of music.
BTW- Revel M22 speakers. Revel is a very serious, but not well known speaker builder. Revel hit it out of the park with their M22 mid-bass driver design in year 2000. As Revel constantly improved speakers, Revel has not been able to build any prototype mid-bass speakers that outperforms the M22 mid-bass in 20 years of effort. And, it plays to 30Hz with authority, no 'sluggish' sounding non-musical subwoofer needed. Revel has moved on from aluminum tweeters to barium type in their more expensive speakers for likely some improvement. The M22 mid-bass driver enters their speaker offerings starting at $4K. At $800 used, the M22 likely the best deal anywhere. Per another member here, the M22 handily outperforms the Stereophile Class A rated KEF LS-50 speaker.
Replaced the '90's Audioquest sorborthane mat with the original Thorens rubber mat on my TD-165 a few years ago. I had upgraded my system since adding the AQ mat, and going back to the original made a world of difference. Instruments and vocals came through cleaner, leaner and more separated.
Bi-wiring - which I tried only because my the-new B&W speakers allowed for it - was kind of a shock. I almost did it just to prove it didn't make a difference. And yet, from the first notes (of McCartney's Flowers in the Dirt) I heard a significant improvement. The other was my Naim CD5si. Yes, I'd read about it and how "musical" it was, but here again my expectations were low. Wrong again!
