2. amps-preamps
  3. 142193-89892

Thinking about upgrading, but wondering about diminishing returns

Hi folks,

I have mostly Conrad Johnson Gear-- LP260M SE mono blocks, with 8 kt120 tubes each.  These are SET amps that put out 270 wpc.  I have the Conrad Johnson  ET5 preamp, with a Telefunken 6922 tube, and a pair of EgglestonWorks Viginti speakers (their new take on the Andra's).  Phono stage is the Pass Labs XP-15.  For source material I have a Rega  RP10 with the Apheta2 cartridge, and the Oppo BDP105 (Modwright upgrades) CD player.  I have Audioquest Colorado interconnects (go easy here :) ) and Audioquest Oaks for speaker cable.  My listening room is 13 x 19, carpeted floor, drywall walls and ceiling (well insulated).  I set up with the equipment on the long wall, with me listening from the 13' side (with speakers in about 2 feet and about 8.5 feet apart).

I listen to a mix of vinyl and cd's; vinyl when I have several hours to listen quietly (and clean the records on the Clear Audio Matrix Pro Record Cleaning Machine).  I listen to CD's when I have less than an hour, and for when I work out.

I am thinking about upgrading a single component, probably my preamplifier, to a Conrad Johnson GAT2 or a Pass Labs XS preamp (solid state). My thought was that this will likely make the most improvement in soundstage, imaging and overall musicality.  A used GAT2 will be at least $14K and the Pass XS used is about $19K.   I am interested in hearing from those who have had experience with upgrades like this.  I am also wondering (as a middle class guy)  how close does this come to the law of diminishing returns?  Finally, is this the component you would upgrade, and if so, if you had a wide range of musical tastes-- mostly classical/full orchestra in vinyl and rock on CD's, which preamp would you select?

Please feel free to take a swipe at these questions, and also feel free to point out if you feel I should be asking different questions that will help increase my knowledge and advance the cause for others.

I am likely to go to an audio show sometime, but please don't suggest that I go and listen to the gear, as that's at least 200 - 400 miles, and I don't feel right about going to a brick and mortar store knowing that I will almost surely buy used.

Thanks in advance for whatever assistance you can provide.


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Ag insider logo xs@2x
liamowen OP
193 posts
 
Thanks everybody.  You know, when I posted this, I really wasn't sure what to expect.  Safe to say that your collective responses have far exceeded by best hope for info.  I have a lot of specific suggestions to work from now, and that's really great.  Thanks again, everybody.

Bill
vinylrestingplace's avatar
vinylrestingplace
33 posts
 
Three comments:
1. You don't say what makes you unhappy with your current set-up, but you mention that "soundstaging" could be improved. This usually means there's something wrong with the speaker-room interface. Look there first. Most speakers sound better firing into the length of the room., but there are many exceptions. They may be great speakers, but  maybe not in your room? I've found that once the room/speaker interface is solved, the rest is icing on the cake.
2. The Apheta2 is ideal for the RP10. The turntable, cartridge suspension and motor were designed as a system.You won't find a better match. 
3. Your power amps are not single-ended, except in the first stage. They are ultralinear, balanced. 
doitwithlife's avatar
doitwithlife
98 posts
 
This past fall I spent trying to get the most from what i considered decent gear. Speaker placement is still o going and i find changes in one area were compounded by tweeking speaker / sitting position.

Changes were
20A dedicated on 10 gage wire. Didn't her much

P15 regenerator,  night and day change.  Like a new system . Biggest bang for the buck. 0 regret 

Power cables. Still working on this. Wall to regenerator big improvement, 2nd best improvement. same cable to DAC , not as much

GIK treatments, not as much as I expected.  Good place to start would be bass traps in the corners 


tomic601's avatar
tomic601
12,741 posts
 
@bainbmil. well that ks certainly well sorted, have yet to hear a system built around a Well Tempered that sounded terrible...you may be underating it in terms of influence...just my three cents, was one before inflation....
millercarbon's avatar
millercarbon
12,531 posts
 
Your biggest bang for the buck? It ain't no $15k component!

The biggest (no soldering required) audio bangs for the buck, in no particular order:
 
BDR Cones under everything.

BDR Pucks, Those Things, Shelf under everything.
 
Synergistic Research HFT, ECT, PHT throughout your room and system.

Cable elevators to get your speaker cables and all other wires up off the floor.

Anti-static spray. Pay through the nose audio prices or whatever you find at Safeway, either way just spray it.

XLO Calibration and Burn-In CD: play the demagnetizing tracks at least monthly.

Radio Shack bulk tape eraser. Works on things you'd never expect or be able to explain, like CD's.

Felt pen, Sharpie, or paint pen edges of CDs.

Scotch tape, dress interconnects.

Tape measure, framing square, laser level. Only takes a tiny speaker misalignment to undo even many thousands of dollars worth of components.

Radio Shack SPL meter. The cheaper analog one.

Best of all, unlike the mega-buck component you've been conditioned to want so bad now yet which will in no time be found wanting and traded off just like you're doing right now, pretty much all the above tweaks will work just as well with anything and everything, forever.





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