Your first component that was "special"

I will never get over my ARC SP6. I had been running mid-fi until then. Started the madness. Had that unit through B and C mods. Like my 65 Mustang, I should have never sold it.

My first feeling of stumbling onto something special was the result of a combination of a well mastered reissue of Miles’ My funny Valentine and Jobim’s and Getz’s samba record that when I played them through some Mirage Omnisat speakers in parrallel with the chewed up Advents I had that played music that took me there and breathed into the room also. Another special recording with that stiched together Craiglist set up that floated my boat was Robbie Robertson’s first solo release. I’m sorry I realize the question was which component was the first special one but it’s hard to say it was just the little Mirage speaker that was special and gave me a spaciousness I’d not been exposed to. But Id have to say it was my first personal experience of a system synergy that was special aided by those Mirage Omnisats’ in consort with certain recordings.

I'd definitely say the Audible Illusion 2D preamp I bought in about 1990.  I intended to change my system by buying new speakers, BUT...I heard the 2D in my system and it was much bigger change for the better in my system's sound.  I kept that preamp for 18 years until I bought a 3A so I could use LO MC cartridges again.  After that, it was hearing VMPS 626R speakers in my system--absolutely wonderful sounding.  It caused me to want to represent VMPS as a demonstrator for Brian Cheney which I did until his passing.  I eventually traded up to VMPS RM40 speakers with most of the upgrades except the OX and still have them.

Magnepan Tympani IVa speakers, driven by a Bryston amp, coupled with an Apt Holman pre-amp. All classics of the late '70s/early '80s, and I have little doubt that the system would still sound good today.

I second mizike, it was Knowledge.  Which led to better speaker placement, then a multibit external dac for digital, a tube stage in the chain with the right tubes, an amp that was a good match for my speakers, the right interconnects, proper settings on my pre, and impedance matching for system synergy.  It finally all came together for addictive sound.