What has been your most satisfying component?

I stepped into High End HiFi in the late 80's with some nice speakers that led to a used ARC preamp. By the early 90's I worked myself up to spend big $$$ on a Sota TT with an SME arm. I got the TT home and was shaking wondering what had possesed me to spend that much money on a record player. But once I set it up and played my first album I was estatic! All doubts vanished the moment that first record started playing. The clarity, detail and musical sound kept me listening for hours. 16 years later I am still enjoying my TT while everything else around it has changed twice.

I have to say it's been my SP Technology 3.0 speakers. I can now honestly stand up and say "I've heard it all".

My Idler Driven Dual 1229 turntable, with Grace 747 Tonearm. I have had Aristons RD 11, Linn LP 12, and Thorens 126, nothing sounds like this Dual. Now, I never even consider looking at another turntable. I am set for life.
Oh, and I just love how 'suddenly' everyone is raving about rim drive turntables... when my audio budies all thought I was nuts for the last 30 years saying I thought they sounded better. They do.

Great thread.

Switching from a Goldmund DAC to a DCS Delius and Pucell Upsampler was the most satisfying upgrade I have made because it addressed a lot of underlying issues with the source.

One of my least expensive 'components' but most satisfying is a recent purchase of Harbeth M30's. For a bookshelf system- listening to classical, jazz, acoustic and vocal music, I think ( & hope) they've gotten me off the speaker 'merry-go-round'.