Best Way to Spend ~ $2000 for System Improvement

@ptss   Thanks Peter. I hope you mean it. This is a subject I know very little about, and may very well have many questions for you!

Xrayz, I have been following this thread since inception and feel you have received much valuable info. Based on your feedback I thought I might add: 

I also use an USB/SPDIF converter, owning a V-link and a Audiophileo2 with purepower.  I would keep the V-Link and your DAC. 

I also recommend the installation of dedicated lines. I installed three. Use one for my amp, one for my pre and one for digital sources (computer, converter, DAC, transport). Separating digital from analog is most important.

I am with those recommending an active pre. I use a tube pre with a SS amp. I like what tubes do for digital source, however didn’t care to get into larger driver level tube issues.

Based on what I have found to work for me, I would purchase an active pre and install the dedicated lines prior to making any other changes. The need for power conditioning differs from household to household. I would purchase the above prior to assessing my need for this.

I enjoy my Jolida Fusion tube preamp, which retails at $1350. There are many factory mods available for this unit. I have not taken avail of any however. (No affiliation). Quicksilver also makes a well respected tube pre. The recommended Atmos-sphere UV-1 as well.

Good luck with your upgrades!

 

 

Grettings xrayz! I see LOTS of ideas/opinions to your post, but when looking at your system, there is a huge issue that I did not see addressed by the others (unless i missed it).
Your system is VERY speaker heavy! No way can the source and amplification you are using do justice with speakers LIKE THOSE sweethearts! There is nothing lacking about your source and amplification components for their PRICE RANGE at all, but just do not have the Nth degree of harmonic and rhythmic articulation for speakers in the almost $10,000 price range. I see people building systems like yours A LOT lately, they will pay 10-15 thou for a pair of speakers, and then put very, very modest gear ahead of them. They are great at impressing your friends, but become somewhat tiresome to listen to for more than 30-45 minutes. What I value about a high performance system is that it satisfies the PLEASURE center of my brain! The reason for better source and amplification is for things like the ability for a system to make EVERY song on an album have meaning and purpose instead of being more like "filler material". Your speakers need more serious gear than what you are using to do that. You would be in new world with even just a $3000 Ayre QB-9 DSD (fed by a dedicated PC or MAC mini with Jriver and NAS with 7200rpm drive) Your Power amp, I admit is actually not as challenged as your source, the McCormick stuff is great stuff, but it might take more than that to really exploit the capabilities of the kind of speakers you have. It's your intellect, the pleasure center in your brain that you ultimately have to satisfy, not just your auditory system. BTW, I'm not a dealer, just a music lover who bought his first HIGH-END system 29 years ago. Good Luck.

@xrayz @lowrider57 this is good advice. I would suggest having the electrician keep the 20A breaker as far away from any breaker that powers a dimmer. Also, most of the wires come out of the top of my breaker box so the electrician put the dedicated breaker at the bottom and ran the Romex out of the bottom side of the breaker box. He then kept the run completely isolated and away from any other wires and cables. For this dedicated line, you will benefit by isolating the Romex as much as possible. Send me an email and I will reply with pictures step by step.

Sell the 0.5 and move up the McCormack chain a little further $0.02.

I had the standard version with Bryston 3B NRB on the bottom. It held bass like a vice while the Mc brought sweetness elsewhere . Very hard to beat that partnership for similar money, and even more. However I'm not suggesting that here.


Outlets were mentioned, we put in a dedicated e-line and some heavy industrial grade outlets and realized improvements in about every direction. I once was one of the -how much better could it be guys-, providing no other appliances we're sharing line while listening. $100 for wire and 2 x 2 Howell outlets. They hold my heavy plugs like nobodies business. That in itself would of made them a good upgrade.