Upgrade dilemma. Speakers, streamer or cables?

[Wolff-]

Hi, What in your experience is needed in this situation? Your help please. Cables, speakers or streamer upgrade?

I’m pretty happy with my setup. It is balanced now. But now I’m in the position of a luxury problem. My set plays pretty nice. I have good sense of depth, with and hight. Tonal balance is really to my liking, with realism, texture and good color. I love a warm and engaging sound, which I have now. The only thing I would like more is that the music plays more open and effortlessly, with more flow and separation. With more greatness and 3D soundstage.

1st I’m doubting about new speakers, it almost always depends on the room if they can sound the best. And there is always a difference and shift in tonal balance / warmth which I fear a bit. I have 5k speakers now and want to upgrade to 8k speakers. (I’m not naming brands because of bias )

2nd I’m doubting about a new Auralic G2.2 streamer which is double the price of my current Auralic G1 streamer. But a DAC seems to make a lot of improvements in the areas I’m looking for without changing the sound to much. Also there is a 5 year difference between them.

3rd I know what cables can do. And I treat them as a component. I can upgrade the cord to my streamer with a AQ Hurricane Source, which has a Blizzard now. Also buy another Blizzard. So the remaining cables can trickle down to my other components. So 2x Blizzard on my LPS instead of Monsoon and 2x Monsoon instead of NRG-Z3 on my 2 subs. Valve amp and Niagara 3000 already have a Hurricane cord.

Having speakers for a home audition is the hardest of the 3.

What would you do, and why?

Thank you for your help!

Grtz

 

[thedudeabides]

You have a $3K "luxury problem" and you want advice as to how you should spend to increase openess, flow, separation, greatness and dimensionality in your system without substantially impacting the current sonic character / voicing. Correct ?

 

[Holmz]

…
I’m pretty happy with my setup. It is balanced now. …

^Maybe this^ ?


One could just the money into 4-5 ounces of gold.
[edit] $3k is only 1 ounce, I read it as $13k.

 

[lordcloud]

Speakers
Streamer
Cables

 

[Wolff-]

You have a $3K "luxury problem" and you want advice as to how you should spend to increase openess, flow, separation, greatness and dimensionality in your system without substantially impacting the current sonic character / voicing. Correct ?

Yes, correct. But I don’t know if that is possible. Each time I made changes with cables or fuses I came closer to sonic character I like. I would like to extend all the features I have now.

 

[thedudeabides]

Impossible to make recommendations. Spend the money on a product that offers full refund. Give it an audition. That way, you can decide if it's a good ROI or not. Good luck.

If you have an $8K budget after selling your current speakers, I'd seriously consider Andrew Jones MO FI Point 10 speakers. Can purchase through Music Direct or Crutchfield with full refund option. And have money left over for other stuff.

 

[Republicoftexas69]

Hi, What in your experience is needed in this situation? Your help please. Cables, speakers or streamer upgrade?

I’m pretty happy with my setup. It is balanced now. But now I’m in the position of a luxury problem. My set plays pretty nice. I have good sense of depth, with and hight. Tonal balance is really to my liking, with realism, texture and good color. I love a warm and engaging sound, which I have now. The only thing I would like more is that the music plays more open and effortlessly, with more flow and separation. With more greatness and 3D soundstage.

1st I’m doubting about new speakers, it almost always depends on the room if they can sound the best. And there is always a difference and shift in tonal balance / warmth which I fear a bit. I have 5k speakers now and want to upgrade to 8k speakers. (I’m not naming brands because of bias )

2nd I’m doubting about a new Auralic G2.2 streamer which is double the price of my current Auralic G1 streamer. But a DAC seems to make a lot of improvements in the areas I’m looking for without changing the sound to much. Also there is a 5 year difference between them.

3rd I know what cables can do. And I treat them as a component. I can upgrade the cord to my streamer with a AQ Hurricane Source, which has a Blizzard now. Also buy another Blizzard. So the remaining cables can trickle down to my other components. So 2x Blizzard on my LPS instead of Monsoon and 2x Monsoon instead of NRG-Z3 on my 2 subs. Valve amp and Niagara 3000 already have a Hurricane cord.

Having speakers for a home audition is the hardest of the 3.

What would you do, and why?

Thank you for your help!

Grtz

Buy music in what ever format you prefer. Also room treatments. Room is the biggest factor in the audio chain.

 

[Rexp]

Source
Speakers
Cables

 

[Holmz]

Buy music in what ever format you prefer. Also room treatments. Room is the biggest factor in the audio chain.

Speakers may be as big of a factor.

It certainly can make some sense to consider the speakers and the room as a pairing. Especially say a tiled room and Walsh Ohm speakers, or a dead room and super narrow radiating speakers, as combos that are potentially heading towards being sub optimal.

 

[Republicoftexas69]

Speakers may be as big of a factor.

It certainly can make some sense to consider the speakers and the room as a pairing. Especially say a tiled room and Walsh Ohm speakers, or a dead room and super narrow radiating speakers, as combos that are potentially heading towards being sub optimal.

The room is the most overlooked, and the largest component in the audio chain.

 

[Slingblade]

A speaker change will make the biggest difference, however I also agree it's easier to demo cables or a streamer to scratch that itch. I suspect the itch will remain with either of those. Good luck!

 

[Rexp]

The room is the most overlooked, and the largest component in the audio chain.

You mean it has the most affect on the sound? If so you're saying a mid-fi system in a treated room will sound better than a high-end system in an untreated room? (assuming the speakers are a suitable size for the room)

 

[Lee]

Hi, What in your experience is needed in this situation? Your help please. Cables, speakers or streamer upgrade?

I’m pretty happy with my setup. It is balanced now. But now I’m in the position of a luxury problem. My set plays pretty nice. I have good sense of depth, with and hight. Tonal balance is really to my liking, with realism, texture and good color. I love a warm and engaging sound, which I have now. The only thing I would like more is that the music plays more open and effortlessly, with more flow and separation. With more greatness and 3D soundstage.

1st I’m doubting about new speakers, it almost always depends on the room if they can sound the best. And there is always a difference and shift in tonal balance / warmth which I fear a bit. I have 5k speakers now and want to upgrade to 8k speakers. (I’m not naming brands because of bias )

2nd I’m doubting about a new Auralic G2.2 streamer which is double the price of my current Auralic G1 streamer. But a DAC seems to make a lot of improvements in the areas I’m looking for without changing the sound to much. Also there is a 5 year difference between them.

3rd I know what cables can do. And I treat them as a component. I can upgrade the cord to my streamer with a AQ Hurricane Source, which has a Blizzard now. Also buy another Blizzard. So the remaining cables can trickle down to my other components. So 2x Blizzard on my LPS instead of Monsoon and 2x Monsoon instead of NRG-Z3 on my 2 subs. Valve amp and Niagara 3000 already have a Hurricane cord.

Having speakers for a home audition is the hardest of the 3.

What would you do, and why?

Thank you for your help!

Grtz

Can you share in detail what your current stereo is and what dimensions and layout your room is?

 

[Republicoftexas69]

You mean it has the most affect on the sound? If so you're saying a mid-fi system in a treated room will sound better than a high-end system in an untreated room? (assuming the speakers are a suitable size for the room)

Oh boy, bottom line treat your room. If you have a high end system and have not treated your room then you are just wasting money. If you have a mid fi system and treat your room it will sound better that untreated. I am out on this some just want to argue. I am taking my Ducati out to the track now, beautiful day here in Dallas to nice to waste.

 

[Rexp]

Oh boy, bottom line treat your room. If you have a high end system and have not treated your room then you are just wasting money.

That is totally wrong and I say that as an ex dealer with 2 demo rooms and having done many home demos.

 

[Republicoftexas69]

That is totally wrong and I say that as an ex dealer with 2 demo rooms and having done many home demos.

Sure glad I never did business with you Mr. Ex Dealer. You do you. Well bye, my group is hitting the track in 10.

 

[Brucemck2]

Oh boy, bottom line treat your room. If you have a high end system and have not treated your room then you are just wasting money. If you have a mid fi system and treat your room it will sound better that untreated.

While I’m a huge fan of room treatments, I have to disagree. Yes, room treatments often make a material difference. And they can be very cost effective. But equipment upgrades even in less than stellar rooms can also yield material performance gains.

 

[Republicoftexas69]

While I’m a huge fan of room treatments, I have to disagree. Yes, room treatments often make a material difference. And they can be very cost effective. But equipment upgrades even in less than stellar rooms can also yield material performance gains.

You do you. I am also going to presume you sell equipment?

 

[Brucemck2]

You do you. I am also going to presume you sell equipment?

Nope

 

[Holmz]

The room is the most overlooked, and the largest component in the audio chain.

While I agree - I am not sure why you responded to my post.

I was pointing out that the speaker and the room interact as a pair.

Speakers may be as big of a factor.

It certainly can make some sense to consider the speakers and the room as a pairing. Especially say a tiled room and Walsh Ohm speakers, or a dead room and super narrow radiating speakers, as combos that are potentially heading towards being sub optimal.

If one is not going to treat the room, or cannot treat it for a bunch of reasons, then selecting the speaker for the room is an option.

In any case with respect to the OP’s question - we are at least in agreement that it is not likely to be cables and electronics given the budget they indicated.