Interesting, what you dont like in your system?
It's a tough question. Maybe that it costs much but not satisfying me enough. It seems I have crossed the comfortable threshold for the cost and don't want to go any further. My disappointment in the high-end market (with all those ten grand cables and magic stones) made me look for other approaches. I want better sound for less money and I know this possible. I've started a new route recently.
About me:
I'm 31 yo. Live in Kiev, Ukraine. My business is more about IT.
I have some EE background, but I'm not a hardcore objectivist. I like good music, new technologies, true engineering and convenience. Even so have some preference for R2R DACs and sometimes tubes. But really hate the idea to flavor the system with cables.
My goal was and still is to have music & movies in one system, but music definitely at the first place. At the time, I'm learning DRC with Acourate. And trying to understand what exactly modern class-D amplifiers can offer.
Here is some details of my main system progress over last 5 years. Components in brackets is mostly for cinema. Significant upgrades is
bold. This is the family living room designed with some treatment for HT.
2013:
Speakers: B&W 802 D2 (2x 805 D2 surround, HTM4 D2 center, DB1 sub)
Digital Sources: Classe CDT-300, Oppo BDP-95, Playstation 3
Pre/pro: Classe SSP-800
Amp: Classe CA-5300
2014:
Speakers: B&W 802 D2 (4x HTM4 D2 surround, HTM2 D2 center, DB1 sub)
Digital Sources: Classe CDT-300, Oppo BDP-103, Playstation 4
Source/Pre/pro:
Classe CP-800 Mk2 (Classe SSP-800)
Amp:
2x Classe CA-M600 (Classe CA-5300)
2016:
Speakers:
B&W 802 D3* (4x HTM4 D2 rear/surround, HTM2 D3 center, DB1 sub)
Digital Sources: Classe CDT-300, Oppo BDP-103, Playstation 4 Pro, nVidia Shield
Source/Pre/pro: Classe CP-800 Mk2 (Classe SSP-800)
Amp: 2x Classe CA-M600 (Classe CA-5300)
*802 D3 is really more of a sidegradeAnd in 2017 there were the most significant changes soundwise. Now I have to live more in another place and decided to make a separate room more suitable for audio. Something more like a man's cave. And I bought new speakers
YG Hailey and some
Schiit gear. Part of the equipment I took out from the first system. The room treatment is not ready yet. And still no subs.
But there's one more thing. While I looked for the recommended amplifiers for YG, I accidentally discovered one more pair of stunning speakers -
JBL 4367. They sound much different than most of those hi-end speakers (YG, Wilson, Revel, Sonus Faber, Focal, Dynaudio) I listened to. Despite the fact that YG has certain advantages, JBL gives me more pleasure. It is difficult to describe why. Maybe because they are fairly easy to drive. Maybe it's the waveguides/horns. Maybe I'm not so much into those audiophile sound. To this discovery I was prompted by the story of Michael Lowe (known as dallasjustice on another forum).
2017:
Speakers:
YG Hailey,
JBL 4367Digital Sources: Classe CDT-300, Oppo BDP-103, RasPi+Allo DigiOne for Roon, Playstation 4 Pro, nVidia Shield
Ddc: Schiit Eitr, Mutec MC3+USB
Dac:
Schiit YggdrasilPre: Classe CP-800 Mk2, Schiit Saga, [borrowed
McIntosh C2600]
Amp: 2x Classe CA-M600, [borrowed
4x McIntosh MC601]