What was the best (most impactful) piece of new equipment to hit the market in 2023?

I think Lockheed Martin brands hit most of the market in 2023 with all applied "improvements".

Grimm MU1.

1st true natural sound power cable and speaker in the audio history. Alex/WTA

Wavetouch audio

I can’t imagine too many people are in a position to answer that question. It is such a question requiring such broad exposure. I certainly do not.

With all due respect… I really am conflicted to say this… but, the Grimm is a nice sounding streamer… and appropriate for its price. I have had the privilege of having one in my system for a few days… but it did not come close to equalling the sound quality of the Aurrender W20SE… although I think it competitive with an Aurrender N20. 

@fastfreight You mean Grimm MU2. have you heard it? I have the MU1.  I haven't heard the MU2.

Trinnov Waveforming technology. 

Could be @carlsbad2 !  I have not heard it.

Very low cost products emerge  which are now no more only junk and good for low cost system ...

i just bought 2 pre-amplifiers for peanuts one with tubes the other S.S. ... One at 50 dollars is better than a tube amplifier i bought 7 years ago and paid 400 bucks and the other  at the same price if not better rival it , and this past tube amp of mine is always sold  today as very good tube amp for 400 bucks ... ...

😁

It is a new trend in the market ...Better tech at a better price than ever ...

For the Trinnov amethyst and the BACCH filters i will wait till i win a lotery...but it will be my choices and i dont need costly upgrades to be acoustically happy but these 2 products offer something unique i could live with which is related to room acoustic... ....😁😊

For the Trinnov Waveforming technology you need the Altitude 16 which is even more expensive than the Amethyst. And you need no less than 4 matching subwoofers. If I go for it I’m looking at the Perlisten D 15s. The total cost will be $42,000.00 not including custom stands for the subs. 
 

It’s a lot of coin. It will depend on how much bass control the room rebuild will give me. We shall see….

With so many levels of investment possible, the answer is difficult, but this product delivered exceptional value to me!

 

Sony’s 360 reality spatial sound mapping technology available for hifi use through their new ES line of receivers.

For me it wasn't a piece of equipment but rather software. I have been interested in the BACCH system for some time but I had no interest in inserting a MAC computer into my system. Their introduction of u-BACCH software for Windows corrected that. Running it through J. River l got exactly what I was looking for at a lower price to boot.

For value as well as sound quality The T+A 200 dac+ very good  active preamp 

galvanic isolation throughout .at our audio-get togethers this retails for  $7200

but can get a bit less ,stacked up vs dacs even at $15 k  bettered them 

as far as overall detail musicality and balance ,even vs dacs like Mola Mola ,Latest Denafrips terminator + 12 th, Holo springs May dac 

Chord David,Lampizator Golden gate , even vied the $18k  DCS which may have a bit more razor sharp leading edge precision , the dac 200 even has HQ player built in and several dithering settings ,Roon has HQ player built in , and even Innuos let’s you use it ,it’s a great program to Taylor your sound even more if you choose to ,but the dac 200 has that you are there natural presentation ,and it’s not just me , 8 others now that heard it bought it just in the north east that I have corresponded with ,I will be #9 i after the holidays , I am still saving ,check out the reviews ,and some places will allow a demo . Happy Holidays 🤶 🎄 🎅. 

Thanks for the precision...

It will be useful for some here and me if i win lotery ...

I will stay anyway with the minimal BACCH filters for my headphone eventually... This will be enough for me ... I am too old now for a complex and costly system because i will never had the dedicated room i  once had  in my actual smaller house...😁

Merry christmas to you and to your family ...🎄

For the Trinnov Waveforming technology you need the Altitude 16 which is even more expensive than the Amethyst. And you need no less than 4 matching subwoofers. If I go for it I’m looking at the Perlisten D 15s. The total cost will be $42,000.00 not including custom stands for the subs.

It’s a lot of coin. It will depend on how much bass control the room rebuild will give me. We shall see…

This will be exactly my next  and last move ...

Elaborate  please a bit about your impression and what you did wait for ?

For me it wasn't a piece of equipment but rather software. I have been interested in the BACCH system for some time but I had no interest in inserting a MAC computer into my system. Their introduction of u-BACCH software for Windows corrected that. Running it through J. River l got exactly what I was looking for at a lower price to boot.

@mahgister I was interested in the BACCH system since it’s introduction but not only is it expensive it is MAC based. I did not want to take a backwards step in my system and go back to a laptop. I have a Windows based Wolf Audio streamer/server feeding a PS Audio MK II DAC. The u-BACCH for Windows allows me to have my cake and eat it too. For all music it adds a nice you are there presentation component to it; like moving a couple of rows closer to the soundstage.

The interest for most users however is the 3 dimensional effects that it creates. I have found this to to be very song dependent. On some songs it is simply spectacular and on others not so much. It responds very positively to recordings with echo and reverb and it is a backup singers best friend especially choruses. Just about all songs get some movement beyond the plane of the speakers. 

The only drawback is that it that it has a small sweet spot.If you are familiar with the Carver Sonic Hologram ,it is somewhat similar but the sweet spot is larger allowing one listener to sit behind another and get pretty much the same presentation. When I have company I prefer to sit side by side. In this case , I will adjust the u- BACCH slider to around the 50 setting.This allows me to still get the liveliness that u- BACCH adds to the presentation. I would pay the software fee for just the added you are there playback. The 3D effects are a bonus. 

One of my audiophile buddies visited for a couple of days this week. He was quite enthusiastic about the results when I had him sit in the sweet spot. When we were sitting side by side, I moved the slider adjustment to 50. He had me engage and disengage the u- BACCH software. After going back and forth several times he liked when it was engaged better stating that the music sounded closer to being live.

Lots of new innovations hitting the market.

But, I am sadly disappointed that the return of the hollowed-out Dishwasher body has not materialized.  This cavity was the perfect size for stylus cleaning paraphernalia, as well as concealing "other" paraphernalia.  Maybe in time for Christmas 2024?

Thanks

@mahgister Thanks and I hope you and your family have a great holiday season. I would love to hear your impressions of the software.

Thanks...

It is the only upgrade i need... But i cannot afford it now perhaps  this year...

My best wishes...

@mahgister Thanks and I hope you and your family have a great holiday season. I would love to hear your impressions of the software.

“The only drawback is that it that it has a small sweet spot.”

Do you have the head tracking? IMO it is essential. Won’t solve the side by side seating issue but it will free up the narrow sweet spot. Side by side seating is in the works

In my direct experience, the Weiss DAC204 (retail $3.5k). With a good, external linear power supply, as good as my Weiss DAC501 (retail $11k) without all the bells and whistles.

In the linked review, he found it equal and in some ways better than the T+A 200 DAC (retail $7,125).

Weiss DAC204 Review 

For me it wasn't a piece of equipment but rather software. I have been interested in the BACCH system for some time but I had no interest in inserting a MAC computer into my system. Their introduction of u-BACCH software for Windows corrected that. Running it through J. River l got exactly what I was looking for at a lower price to boot.

BACCH is from before 2023. Title of the thread is impactful stuff that became available in 2023.

@scottwheel u-BACCH doesn’t have head tracking which is one of the reasons it is a lot less expensive than BACCH. Tell me about side by side seating ?

PSI AVAA C214

Wax RX

English Electric EE1

Swiss Digital Fuse Box.

Puron Filter.

NAO-FLO 🤣

The Linn DSM/2 with the Organik DAC upgrade, which I purchased after this 2023 review here. Prior to this, I was struggling trying to buy a top sounding DAC within my budget that can match my quality analog chain’s satisfaction level.  

“ u-BACCH doesn’t have head tracking which is one of the reasons it is a lot less expensive than BACCH. Tell me about side by side seating ?”

If you can, upgrade to get the head tracking. It isn’t just about getting the wider sweet spot, although that’s important, it just works much better. 
 

Edgar has a newer version on the works that will track multiple heads independently. 

“PSI AVAA C214”

I have two of the PSI AVAA C20s. The C214s are definitely on my list of things to try out. 

@kennyc 

+1 Linn DSM

@vinylvalet 

What external power supply have you stumbled upon?

I am hoping the Weis 204 is a simple transcendent DAC for my system. 

Most of the expensive linear power supplies sold in the states are Chinese rebranded or in a fancy case with greatly elevated prices. I've seen exact units sold for five times more in the US.

All of these power supply types have an internal trim pot that let's you adjust the voltage anywhere within the specified range.

Ultra-low noise Linear power supply DC 5V/9V/12V/15V/18V/19V

@deep_333 BACCH has been around for awhile but u- BACCH was introduced this year. I purchased it at the introductory price.

@scottwheel thanks for the update. Head tracking for two listeners would be great especially if it would work with Windows.

+1. I think it hit the market a couple years ago but hit my system in 2023 ….. Grimm MU1. 

The Primaluna Evo 100 phono is the most important upgrade I've made to my system in a long time and by far the best phono preamp I've owned, tube or solid state. It is the only one I've heard that does not sound harsh with massed strings. The way it portrays instrument position in the soundstage and natural timbre and realism, while sounding hugely dynamic and fast, is unmatched in my experience. I could go on and on, but I will say that it's all tube design is now a requirement for a phono preamp for me. And this is with the stock tubes. I would put it up against $20K+ competition.