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Help/advice with next upgrade

Over the past year,I assembled my 1st audiophile system since prior to raising kids,developing my career,all those standard things!I am enjoying it quite a bit....it consists of :
.Vandersteen 2CE Signature Speakers(mki)
.Vandersteen 2WQ Crossover with X2 Crossovers
.McCormack DNA 0.5 Rev-A Amplifier
.Tom Tutay Modified Eastern Electric Minimax Tube Preamp w/NOS Tubes
.Schiidt Audio Bifrost Multibit DAC
.1990’s Rotel CD player(digital coax out to DAC)
.Rega P3 Turntable w/stock Elys Cartidge and Rega Fono MM Phono Preamp
.Interconnects by Blue Jean Audio(BJA)
.Speaker Cables-Home Made Biwire Runs using Belden 12 gage BJA Bulk Cable
.Power Cords by Cullen Audio
.Inexpensive 4-shelf AV vertical rack with MDF shelves

I have $ 2-3 K to spend on upgrades(cost of purchase minus return from selling existing gear ) .I listen to approximately 10% vinyl,75% steaming(eg Spotify via USB output from my iPad),and 15% CDs.
My musical tastes vary from rock & roll to jazz to classical.I am contemplating purchase of a Bluesound Vault 2,which would replace my CD player,allow me to purchase high-rez digital music online,and manage all my streaming.That would cost me $ 1K.My room is 17’x 17’(square) with a standard 8’ ceiling.wall-to-wall carpeting and few windows.I have little flexibility for rearranging the system.

The system is the best sound I’ve had for years.The subwoofer handles the lows quite well and the highs are clear,satisfying,and nonaggressive.Sonically what I’d like to improve is midrange clarity(more detail without being aggressive) and a sense of spatial dimension/imaging.

I’ve considered upgrading the 2CEsigs to 3Asigs but I am not sure if the DNA 0.5 has enough power to drive the 3aSigs.I have not compared theTutay/Minimax preamp to others,so I don’t know how to rank the other choices.I realize that much of my cable is pretty basic,and my speaker cables are not the same length(8’/20’ to avoid crossing a doorway.)The phono preamp and DAC are pretty basic too.So many choices for upgrades.Looking for recommendations towards my sonic goals,as well as whether it’s worthwhile to get the Blue Vault given my listening preferences,

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.
Mike S.
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mjschwartzman
auxinput
2,920 posts
 

All good points. I have read that a perfectly square room is about the worst acoustic situation you could be in because of equidistant walls and standing waves. Acoustic treatment could improve things. I would consult some experts (maybe GIK), because I wouldn’t know how to treat this type of room.

In your equipment, I think the weak link are the cables, especially the speaker wire. I have used the Blue Jean Beldon speaker cables and they are pretty much low fidelity. Even the basic 12awg stranded oxygen free copper Monster Cable / Monoprice stuff is a lot better. You can improve upon that with some solid core Audioquest type or other similar cables.

The interconnects can be improved as well. Tons of opinions, but I would look first at some of the Audioquest interconnects due to their solid-core design.

I would say that the Blue Jean Cables Beldon 1695A coax (18awg solid-core) would make an excellent interconnect for the subwoofer.

Since streaming is 75% of your content, maybe look into a USB reclocker, such as Wyred 4 Sound Recovery. Or a USB-to-SPDIF convertor:

https://www.computeraudiophile.com/forums/topic/15026-15-usbspdif-converters-shootout/

A Schiit Yggy could be an upgrade, but it’s expensive and will take up a lot of your budget. I think the cables would really be a first step and would return more benefit for the money you spend. Then, if you had enough left over, look at a used Yggy? or something similar like LKS MH-DA004 or an Audio-GD device?

peter_s
1,313 posts
 
Mike: I agree with auxinput that contacting GIK about room treatments, giving them a sketch of your room, could lead to cost effective improvements.  I agree about upgrading the cabling too, except:

1) In our own personal conversations, you've told me that when you switched from monoprice copper cable to the Blue Jeans Belden speaker cable, you noticed a significant improvement in sound.

2) The vandersteen 2wq subwoofer uses speaker cable, not interconnect cable.  I think BJC speaker cable should be fine for that, though I haven't experimented with better cables for subs.

A reclocker could help your USB feed from the iPad, but if you went to a Blue Sound Vault, I think you'd be feeding a DAC with optical, so you wouldn't need to worry about reclocking USB... I think. You could start with the Blue Sound and the Bifrost DAC, and then try another DAC to step up, choosing one that is easily resold if the difference isn't worthwhile.  The Blue Sound could be a gateway to high Rez digital, which can be purchased online and stored on the devices hard drive.
willemj
1,036 posts
 
The first thing I would do is to add a DSpeaker Antimode 8033 room equalization unit. I don't think any subwoofer should be used without it. Beyond that, I would say that I am not convinced by the virtues of fancy cables, or of tubes. You may want to have a look at the forthcoming DSpeaker X4 pre amplifier/DAC/crossover/room eq.
lak's avatar
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lak
4,529 posts
 
Something you didn't address in your opening question is AC power.
Are you using at least one dedicated 20 amp circuit breaker?
Are you using good quality AC wall outlets?
The above will/should improve the sound of your current system.
mesch
3,394 posts
 
Since you stream 75%, why not try a subscription to Tidal. Upgrade incoming signal to DAC.? 




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