MVP of your system - make it known here!

2456

Comments

  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,053
    edited November 2016
    MVP of my system:

    1987 Polk Audio SDA 1C - original retail $1600 in oak

    mods including RD0's, Sonic Caps, Mills, Larry rings, Spikes about $400 worth of mods.

    http://www.polksda.com/sda1creview.shtml

    Pass Labs Aleph 30 amplifiers gets a very close runner up - original retail $2,000.00

    http://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/equipment/0701/volksamp.htm

    MIT Shotgun cabling is a very, very close 3rd.

    I must reiterate EVERYTHING MATTERS, and the sum of the parts is what makes a winning system, not just a single component.

    H9

    P.s. I suppose you could look at from this perspective, which component would be the very last thing you would change? For me it would be the SDA's, hence my MVP.
    "Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Pangea AC14SE MKII | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node 3 - Tubes add soul!
  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 24,474
    F1nut wrote: »
    Hello Kitty Stereo AM/FM/CD boom box. $43.48.

    did you forget the PS Audio power cord you spliced in?
  • dromunds
    dromunds Posts: 9,969
    Montgomery Wards 8-track with Otis Redding/Jimi Hendrix Experience at Monterey 8-track bootleg
  • SCompRacer
    SCompRacer Posts: 8,350
    edited November 2016
    Joey_V wrote: »
    Thought long and hard, here is where I stand in terms of my MVP.

    1. MVP - room treatments - .....

    This. To paraphrase The Dude, it really ties the room together. Gear, quality of recorded music don't mean squat until you do your best to eliminate them frequency spikes and nulls. It is hard to attain a perfectly flat frequency response in rooms, but you can get closer than living with what you got. You get what you accept. Sweep to see, results might surprise you. Fix it, then you become MVP with room treatments and everything else below you.


    Salk SoundScape 8's * Audio Research Reference 3 * Bottlehead Eros Phono * Park's Audio Budgie SUT * Krell KSA-250 * Harmonic Technology Pro 9+ * Signature Series Sonore Music Server w/Deux PS * Roon * Gustard R26 DAC / Singxer SU-6 DDC * Heavy Plinth Lenco L75 Idler Drive * AA MG-1 Linear Air Bearing Arm * AT33PTG/II & Denon 103R * Richard Gray 600S * NHT B-12d subs * GIK Acoustic Treatments * Sennheiser HD650 *
  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,902
    edited November 2016
    My MVP is....

    ME !!

    Do I get a trophy now ? :)

    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

    Sonos zp90
    Grant Fidelity tube dac
    B&k 1420
    lsi 9's
  • SCompRacer
    SCompRacer Posts: 8,350
    edited November 2016
    tonyb wrote: »
    My MVP is....

    ME !!



    You Ichyban! A #1! lol

    MVP - Dayton Audio's OmniMic V2 ($300)
    Salk SoundScape 8's * Audio Research Reference 3 * Bottlehead Eros Phono * Park's Audio Budgie SUT * Krell KSA-250 * Harmonic Technology Pro 9+ * Signature Series Sonore Music Server w/Deux PS * Roon * Gustard R26 DAC / Singxer SU-6 DDC * Heavy Plinth Lenco L75 Idler Drive * AA MG-1 Linear Air Bearing Arm * AT33PTG/II & Denon 103R * Richard Gray 600S * NHT B-12d subs * GIK Acoustic Treatments * Sennheiser HD650 *
  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,902
    LMAO....

    Going to play devils advocate here for a second. I get that most you guys favor one piece or another, most of us do regardless, but I dunno man.

    Seems to me, when asked what matters most in your system, the majority here have said speakers matter most. Shouldn't that then be your MVP ?
    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

    Sonos zp90
    Grant Fidelity tube dac
    B&k 1420
    lsi 9's
  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 24,474
    dromunds wrote: »
    Montgomery Wards 8-track with Otis Redding/Jimi Hendrix Experience at Monterey 8-track bootleg

    Dude rock it like you stole it :p
  • SCompRacer
    SCompRacer Posts: 8,350
    Speakers matter, as long as you are getting good frequency response with their placement in the room.

    My MVP was Dayton Audio's OmniMic V2, cause it showed differences with speaker placement and treatments. When I first plopped my Salks in the room where my other speakers performed best, I was disappointed due to a 15dB dropout in the mids. Rather than saying these speakers suck and tossing them to the curb, I started moving them and improved midrange response.
    Salk SoundScape 8's * Audio Research Reference 3 * Bottlehead Eros Phono * Park's Audio Budgie SUT * Krell KSA-250 * Harmonic Technology Pro 9+ * Signature Series Sonore Music Server w/Deux PS * Roon * Gustard R26 DAC / Singxer SU-6 DDC * Heavy Plinth Lenco L75 Idler Drive * AA MG-1 Linear Air Bearing Arm * AT33PTG/II & Denon 103R * Richard Gray 600S * NHT B-12d subs * GIK Acoustic Treatments * Sennheiser HD650 *
  • KrazyMofo24
    KrazyMofo24 Posts: 1,186
    Joey it's interesting that you said room treatment made the biggest impact. It's something I have been wondering about but going to look into it more. I think I'm good with my speakers, preamp, and dac for now. I was thinking upgrading my B&K amp would be the next move and then cables. Now I'm thinking room treatment should be next.

    Are they any brands / models that you or anyone else recommend? My current setup is in the bedroom which I don't see changing anytime soon.
    Setup:

    2 Channel: Vienna Acoustics Mozart Grand, T+A P 1230R, Primare SPA21, Oppo BDP-105
    PC: Vienna Acoustics Haydn Grand, Cambridge Azure 650A v2 , Peachtree iDAC, Denon DVD-3800BDCI

  • halo
    halo Posts: 5,616
    Joey it's interesting that you said room treatment made the biggest impact. It's something I have been wondering about but going to look into it more. I think I'm good with my speakers, preamp, and dac for now. I was thinking upgrading my B&K amp would be the next move and then cables. Now I'm thinking room treatment should be next.

    Are they any brands / models that you or anyone else recommend? My current setup is in the bedroom which I don't see changing anytime soon.

    GIK acoustic panels and treatments. Do a google search.
    Audio: Polk S15 * Polk S35 * Polk S10 * SVS SB-1000 Pro
    HT: Samsung QN90B * Marantz NR1510 * Panasonic DMP-BDT220 * Roku Ultra LT * APC H10
  • miner
    miner Posts: 1,305
    1) McIntosh MC452 $8000
    2) McIntosh C2300 $6500
    3) VPI Aries 3x3 w/ Ortofon Cadenza Black $9500
    4) Manley Chinook Phono Stage $2400
    5) McIntosh MTC450 transport & D150 DAC/digital pre $7000
    [
  • miner
    miner Posts: 1,305
    ^ the above system I don't listen to digital much -reason for SACD player falling in at #5
    [
  • Mike Reeter
    Mike Reeter Posts: 4,314
    miner wrote: »
    ^ the above system I don't listen to digital much -reason for SACD player falling in at #5

    With a Vinyl Rig like that, I can certainly see why ;)

  • GlennDog
    GlennDog Posts: 3,084
    dromunds wrote: »
    Montgomery Wards 8-track with Otis Redding/Jimi Hendrix Experience at Monterey 8-track bootleg

    Now, THAT'S what I'm talk'n about!
    AC Regenerator PS Audio PerfectWave Power Plant 10
    Source Lumin U1 Mini into Lampi Baltic 4
    Pre Cary SLP-05
    Power Rogue M180 Dark monos
    Mains Salk HT2-TL
    Rythmik F12
  • motorstereo
    motorstereo Posts: 2,042
    MVP of my system would no doubt be the Polk 1.2tl's. They've held that position since day one when I brought them home some 5 or 6 years ago. The electronics and interconnects have a nice synergy with each other and no component really stands out. I guess this is part of the reason it's called a system
  • dromunds wrote: »
    Montgomery Wards 8-track with Otis Redding/Jimi Hendrix Experience at Monterey 8-track bootleg

    This Wards Airline was @ one time all I had, and yes it played a lot of bootleg.

    8e7zsgnxsmxn.jpg
    2 channel: Anthem 225 Integrated amp; Parasound Ztuner; TechnicsTT SL1350; Vincent PHO-8 phono pre; Marantz CD6005 spinner; Polk SDA2BTL's; LAT International speaker cables, ZU Mission IC's and power cables all into a PS Audio Dectet Power center.

    Other; M10 series II, M7C's, Hafler XL600 amp, RB-980BX, Parasound HCA-1500 amp , P5 preamp, all in storage. All vintage Polk have had crossover rebuilds and tweeter upgrades.

    The best way to predict the future is to invent it.

    It is imperative that we recognize that an opinion is not a fact.

    Imagine making politics your entire personality.
  • WTS
    WTS Posts: 170
    @Joey_V, it depends on what your priorities are.

    My priority is music.

    Other people may have other priorities. For an analogy, let's say that you and I are both into motorcycles. I like to ride them. You like to rebuild them. Which one of us is right? Neither, and both! We both have fun, just in different ways. I've known people who race motorcycles. I've known people who ride motorcycles coast to coast (as I have). I've known people whose fun was owning, washing, and polishing the motorcycle; riding it, other than somewhere to be seen with it, was purely secondary.

    There is nothing wrong about this. Different strokes for different folks. However, sometimes I see that people confuse their love for equipment with love for music.

    My greatest musical experiences have been when I was on stage, part of the performance. To pick just one work, my favorite live experiences of the Brahms German Requiem, I was on stage performing with the orchestra and chorus. I have heard wonderful performances from the audience POV (NY Phil, Atlanta Symphony, St. Louis Symphony, and many others), but nothing matches being on stage and part of the performance.

    Second to performing, the best musical experience for me is hearing a live performance. I have heard everything from an elementary school orchestra concert, to the Berlin Philharmonic; from a local garage band, to Frank Zappa; from high school jazz combos, to Miles Davis; from a local bluegrass combo just today, to Vassar Clements.

    The reproduction of recorded music is third place for me. I like listening to recorded music, I value it, and I listen to recorded music on a regular basis. However, the attempts to replicate the sound of live music is just that, an attempt. No recording fully replicates the live music experience, and no recording even comes remotely close to the experience of performing.

    The stereo system is the tool.

    If all you want to do is hear music, a $5 AM/FM radio will do the trick. At the other end, I once listened to a recording through the six- or seven-figure stereo system of a friend of mine who used to write for Stereophile. It was impressive, but I would still rather hear the music live. (In fact, I *did* subsequently get to hear my friend perform live the very piece that he played on his stereo for me.)

    My stereo is between these two extremes. In quality it's much closer to the above mentioned six-figure stereo; in price it's closer to the $5 radio. That's because of the 80/20 rule: you get 80% of the results with 20% of the effort (or, in this case, cost). I can afford to spend more than $5. I can't afford to spend six or seven figures, and I doubt I would even if I could.



    If your reaction to this is tl;dr, here's the summary: I like performing best, listening to live music next, listening to recorded music third. For me, the stereo is the music delivery device, nothing more (or less). Other people have different priorities, and that's okay.

    Re my "gullibility" comment in another thread: there is an embarrassing amount of snake oil out there, and some people buy into it. The good news is that none of that (to the best of my knowledge) is produced by Polk.

    But if you really want me to list devices, the first two I'll mention are my Grado headphones and my Etymotic in-ear phones. In the last few years and until recently, I've probably listened to more high-quality recorded music through them than any other way.
  • halo
    halo Posts: 5,616
    I just got on the 201. Waiting to leave Howard.

    My meds are ready at Walgreens.
    Audio: Polk S15 * Polk S35 * Polk S10 * SVS SB-1000 Pro
    HT: Samsung QN90B * Marantz NR1510 * Panasonic DMP-BDT220 * Roku Ultra LT * APC H10
  • SCompRacer
    SCompRacer Posts: 8,350
    I slipped on some snake oil once and slid right into a white van.
    I Bose'd my knee and had a monster headache.

    lol

    Salk SoundScape 8's * Audio Research Reference 3 * Bottlehead Eros Phono * Park's Audio Budgie SUT * Krell KSA-250 * Harmonic Technology Pro 9+ * Signature Series Sonore Music Server w/Deux PS * Roon * Gustard R26 DAC / Singxer SU-6 DDC * Heavy Plinth Lenco L75 Idler Drive * AA MG-1 Linear Air Bearing Arm * AT33PTG/II & Denon 103R * Richard Gray 600S * NHT B-12d subs * GIK Acoustic Treatments * Sennheiser HD650 *
  • SCompRacer
    SCompRacer Posts: 8,350
    Joey paid his dues. IIRC at least four years in school and then 3-7 years residency. If he wants to spend his dough on nice gear, he earned it. But you don't have to spend a fortune to have a great sounding audio system.

    Take a look at how many rooms are acoustically treated at audio shows these days. What were those high end speakers that had identical speakers in each room? One room treated, one not treated, each with printed graphs of room sweeps to view.

    The difference you heard between the treated and untreated rooms wasn't snake oil. The treated room had better bass and a flatter frequency response so the replayed music didn't have certain frequencies that were greatly amplified, nulled out or muted.









    Salk SoundScape 8's * Audio Research Reference 3 * Bottlehead Eros Phono * Park's Audio Budgie SUT * Krell KSA-250 * Harmonic Technology Pro 9+ * Signature Series Sonore Music Server w/Deux PS * Roon * Gustard R26 DAC / Singxer SU-6 DDC * Heavy Plinth Lenco L75 Idler Drive * AA MG-1 Linear Air Bearing Arm * AT33PTG/II & Denon 103R * Richard Gray 600S * NHT B-12d subs * GIK Acoustic Treatments * Sennheiser HD650 *
  • SCompRacer
    SCompRacer Posts: 8,350
    DSkip wrote: »
    I think that was the Magnepan rooms, right?

    It could have been...GIK has done that as well.

    Oh snap, poor memory, it was Sonus Faber Stradivari speakers with Pass mono blocks.
    Salk SoundScape 8's * Audio Research Reference 3 * Bottlehead Eros Phono * Park's Audio Budgie SUT * Krell KSA-250 * Harmonic Technology Pro 9+ * Signature Series Sonore Music Server w/Deux PS * Roon * Gustard R26 DAC / Singxer SU-6 DDC * Heavy Plinth Lenco L75 Idler Drive * AA MG-1 Linear Air Bearing Arm * AT33PTG/II & Denon 103R * Richard Gray 600S * NHT B-12d subs * GIK Acoustic Treatments * Sennheiser HD650 *
  • lightman1
    lightman1 Posts: 10,776
    I slipped on some snake oil once and slid right into a white van.
    I Bose'd my knee and had a monster headache.

    But it all got better when you rested under the Maple-shade......
  • Joey_V
    Joey_V Posts: 8,505
    DSkip wrote: »
    I think that was the Magnepan rooms, right?
    SCompRacer wrote: »
    Joey paid his dues. IIRC at least four years in school and then 3-7 years residency. If he wants to spend his dough on nice gear, he earned it. But you don't have to spend a fortune to have a great sounding audio system.

    Take a look at how many rooms are acoustically treated at audio shows these days. What were those high end speakers that had identical speakers in each room? One room treated, one not treated, each with printed graphs of room sweeps to view.

    The difference you heard between the treated and untreated rooms wasn't snake oil. The treated room had better bass and a flatter frequency response so the replayed music didn't have certain frequencies that were greatly amplified, nulled out or muted.








    SCompRacer wrote: »
    DSkip wrote: »
    I think that was the Magnepan rooms, right?

    It could have been...GIK has done that as well.

    Oh snap, poor memory, it was Sonus Faber Stradivari speakers with Pass mono blocks.

    It was resolution acoustics room with Pass and Sonus Faber Stradivaris.

    Not Magnepans.
    Magico, JL, Emm, ARC Ref 10 line, ARC Ref 10 phono, VPI, Lyra, Boulder, AQ Wel, SRA Scuttle Rack, Bluesound
  • muncybob
    muncybob Posts: 2,962
    My system is very modest. I recall the biggest piece that gave us the biggest sound improvement was the SDA 2B's. I don't recall original retail but I picked them up for about $400 20+ yrs ago. They then became a repeat MVP when all the mods I read about here were performed to them.
    The 2nd MVP was going to a Parasound(again not sure on retail but I paid $200 for it) amp...yes, only entry level with the 1000A but this combined with the 3rd MVP which is my Dynaco tubed preamp(original retail somewhere around $1k?) has us satisfied for the moment.
    There have been other additions along the way but these 3 have been more of a wow factor than anything else. Of course it still leaves me wondering what improvements we can get by going up the ladder. I think our next step will be something like the A23 amp but the Mrs will veto that for at least another 6 months :(
    Yep, my name really is Bob.
    Parasound HCA1500A(indoor sound) and HCA1000(outdoor sound), Dynaco PAS4, Denon DP1200 w/Shure V15 Type V and Jico SAS stylus, Marantz UD7007, modded Polk SDA 2B, Rythmik L12 sub.
  • mrbiron
    mrbiron Posts: 5,711
    Here ya go. I had a spare minute. In order of greatest return to least.
    I am legally deaf on half of my squash (yet no hearing aids in the foreseeable future chosen by me) so the minute, if any, change with cabling was falling on deaf ears *rim tap*...thus, them being placed at the lowest end of the list.

    This begs for a cable debate to ensue. :D
    Please don't!

    #1 Speakers - Zu Audio Omen MK-1B's - $1,500
    #2 Integrated - Peachtree Audio Decco 65 - $1000
    #3 Power Cleaner - PS Audio UPC200 - $450
    #4 SC Cables - Zu Audio Mission SC - $250
    #4 PC Cables - PS Audio AC3 - $80ea
    #5 Comm Cable - Wireworld USB - $60

    I think my MRSP's are close based on interweb searches.

    Changing from RTiA5's to the Zu's was the most eye/ear opening experience i have had to date. Even i could hear the difference. They will be sticking with me for a while. Currently pulling HT duty paired with an Anthem receiver while my kids control the living room...
    Where’s the KABOOM?!?! There’s supposed to be an Earth shattering KABOOM!!!
  • Joey_V
    Joey_V Posts: 8,505
    Interesting correlation I see... Price is loosely correlated to MVP rankings.
    Magico, JL, Emm, ARC Ref 10 line, ARC Ref 10 phono, VPI, Lyra, Boulder, AQ Wel, SRA Scuttle Rack, Bluesound
  • WTS
    WTS Posts: 170
    Rick88 wrote: »
    Electricity.

    In all seriousness, I'm very surprised that more people haven't listed their speakers first...

    Good point.

    Polk Monitor 7C, now TL'd with upgraded crossovers.
  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 32,926
    lightman1 wrote: »
    I slipped on some snake oil once and slid right into a white van.
    I Bose'd my knee and had a monster headache.

    But it all got better when you rested under the Maple-shade......

    ... or, even better, nightshade.