How do you know what's the weakest link in your system?

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danger boy
danger boy Posts: 15,722
edited May 2008 in Electronics
I know I need a better CDP than the 15 yr old NAD i'm currently using.. I think it's the weakest link in my system.. but how does one know it's THE weakest link and not something else. electronics wise, not cable-wise
PolkFest 2012, who's going>?
Vancouver, Canada Sept 30th, 2012 - Madonna concert :cheesygrin:
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  • Early B.
    Early B. Posts: 7,900
    edited May 2008
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    Swapping out equipment is the only way to know for sure...


    The weakest links tend to be sources and wire.
    HT/2-channel Rig: Sony 50” LCD TV; Toshiba HD-A2 DVD player; Emotiva LMC-1 pre/pro; Rogue Audio M-120 monoblocks (modded); Placette RVC; Emotiva LPA-1 amp; Bada HD-22 tube CDP (modded); VMPS Tower II SE (fronts); DIY Clearwave Dynamic 4CC (center); Wharfedale Opus Tri-Surrounds (rear); and VMPS 215 sub

    "God grooves with tubes."
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  • Face
    Face Posts: 14,340
    edited May 2008
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    My room. Otherwise, my CDP.
    "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
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  • tecmo04
    tecmo04 Posts: 421
    edited May 2008
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    my bank account...
    My Stuff
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  • sickicw
    sickicw Posts: 456
    edited May 2008
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    For most people, the weakest link is by far acoustic treatments.

    next i would look into power. both a dedicated power line and an amp. you can swap out amps to see if it adds to the sound...
    Speakers: LSi9 x 2, LSic, LSiFX x 2, Velodyne HGS-15
    Amps & Power: Rockford Fosgate T8004 x 3, Cascade Audio APS-55 power supplies x 5, and 1 farad capacitor.
    Electronics: Denon 3806, Toshiba HD-A1, & Sony KDL46XBR2
    Accessories: Anti-IC interconnects, 8 Mondo Traps from Realtraps, and Salamander furniture.
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  • McLoki
    McLoki Posts: 5,231
    edited May 2008
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    Unfortuneatly, it is usually by swapping out equipment. (not neccesarily purchasing it, just trying something new - thats why it pays to have an audio friend).

    I would say when swapping things out - that thing that makes the biggest change in the sound of your system, is your weakest link. If you change out something and here a slight difference but not much - probably not the weakest link....

    Michael
    Mains.............Polk LSi15 (Cherry)
    Center............Polk LSiC (Crossover upgraded)
    Surrounds.......Polk LSi7 (Gloss Black - wood sides removed and crossovers upgraded)
    Subwoofers.....SVS 25-31 CS+ and PC+ (both 20hz tune)
    Pre\Pro...........NAD T163 (Modded with LM4562 opamps)
    Amplifier.........Cinepro 3k6 (6-channel, 500wpc@4ohms)
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  • hearingimpared
    hearingimpared Posts: 21,136
    edited May 2008
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    The way I know is that I can day after day walk into my music room and play anything, analog and digital and consistantly sounds great. Since I've finished my rig I've never walk out of the room saying to myself it sounded like ****. A CD or LP may sound like **** but not the rig.

    I do have an issue or two with my room and I would love to buy a turntable with the new technology but other than that DONE!
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  • Early B.
    Early B. Posts: 7,900
    edited May 2008
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    hearingimpared wrote: »
    The way I know is that I can day after day walk into my music room and play anything, analog and digital and consistantly sounds great. Since I've finished my rig I've never walk out of the room saying to myself it sounded like ****. A CD or LP may sound like **** but not the rig.

    I do have an issue or two with my room and I would love to buy a turntable with the new technology but other than that DONE!

    HI -- we all know that with your rig the weakest link is YOU!!!:p


    Seriously, we swap out gear and tweak our equipment all the time, but we rarely change the observer. We need to be tweaked, too!

    In other words, what screws us up the most about our gear are three related things, IMO:

    1. the incessant desire for more stuff (we covet thy neighbor's goods)

    2. rarely being satisfied with what we're hearing, and

    3. not knowing what we really want. Ask me today what I want in my system and I'll give you a great answer; ask me the same question tomorrow and I'll probably give you a different answer.
    HT/2-channel Rig: Sony 50” LCD TV; Toshiba HD-A2 DVD player; Emotiva LMC-1 pre/pro; Rogue Audio M-120 monoblocks (modded); Placette RVC; Emotiva LPA-1 amp; Bada HD-22 tube CDP (modded); VMPS Tower II SE (fronts); DIY Clearwave Dynamic 4CC (center); Wharfedale Opus Tri-Surrounds (rear); and VMPS 215 sub

    "God grooves with tubes."
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  • danger boy
    danger boy Posts: 15,722
    edited May 2008
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    it's a vicious cycle for sure.. i also think we get "used" to the sound of our rigs. and know that we might be able to sound better once you've tweaked it out and swapped out and settled on the right gear.
    PolkFest 2012, who's going>?
    Vancouver, Canada Sept 30th, 2012 - Madonna concert :cheesygrin:
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  • Hawkeye
    Hawkeye Posts: 1,313
    edited May 2008
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    My room is the weakest link. It is a living/listening room and compromises have to be made. Fortunately, my wife enjoys listening to music, so when I "smuggle" a new room treatment in, I only get a slight "look" after I explain the benefit. Ya right!

    Gordon
    2 Channel -
    Martin Logan Spire, 2 JL Audio F112 subs
    McIntosh C1000 Controller with Tube pre amp, 2 MC501 amplifiers, MD1K Transport & DAC, MR-88 Tuner
    WireWorld Eclipse 6.0 speaker wire and jumpers, Eclipse 5^2 Squared Balanced IC's. Silver Eclipse PCs (5)
    Symposium Rollerblocks 2+ (16)Black Diamond Racing Mk 3 pits (8)
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