2023 HiFi Goals?/2024 HiFi Goals

dB_Cooper · February 20, 2023, 7:49pm

Holding true to my 2023 goals, I’ve been continuing to explore and improve my digital sources. I’ve done everything I could within reason to upgrade both a Sonore opticalRendu and and a Berkeley Alpha USB reclocker. In both cases yes there are improvements but I’m not sure how much is to do with my tinkering versus the massive improvement in the power supply, especially with the Berkeley Alpha USB.

I was originally going to remove the built in AC power supply but decided to make it where I can undo or switch between the two for future comparison. Also less work, a bit more elegant. Copper is a better shielding material than aluminum so I layered copper sheets over the aluminum in the important areas. Been fooling around with EMI shielding paper as well. Only $25 for four 2" square pieces. That can cover a lot of processors.

Lastly the Alpha USB reclocker has something that I’ve never seen anywhere before. It’s a graphite choke built over around the processor and the wall you see in the top plate is there to separate the USB in from the rest of the board.

PaisleyUnderground · February 20, 2023, 8:50pm

My goals are dependent on how my soon-to-be delivered Omega speakers sound with my MZ3. If I need more power than it’s 1 watt (and to be honest, I’ve already convinced myself that I do, without any factual basis, so pure emotion LOL) then I’ll look at one of the following options:

Upgrade the MZ3 to a Z40 or Ultralinear.
Buy a power amp, perhaps a Pass XA25 or First Watt. (Not listing LTA here because I’d rather get an LTA integrated).

2 channel is pretty new to me (or at least I’ve ignored it since the early 90s) so I don’t really know what I want. However, I live pretty close to where Axpona will be held, so looking forward to actually listening to some equipment and not making guesses based on other people’s observations. I also found a couple of Chicagoland dealers who sell LTA and Pass amps, so I will see if either will let me take stuff home for a demo.

I’m also pondering buying a better SS headphone amp. I was lucky enough to borrow a Pass HP-A1 and fell in love with it, so if I see a used deal, I wouldn’t be surprised if I buy one.

NickMimi · February 20, 2023, 9:17pm

In all honesty, my PASS HPA-1 suffices brilliantly for 85% of my desires as far as HP use goes and as a pre-amp in every situation where I do not need/desire remote volume ability. I have matched it up with DAC’s that are extremely budget conscious and a few that are solid quality, well known pieces and have never been let down. It’s built so solid I don’t foresee any issues for decades and thus in my mind it’s a lifelong possession. The front end may change regularly but that amp is a keeper👌
It has an extremely agreeable sound character and simply mates well with a disproportionate amount of equipment. I simply can’t say that about many pieces, it’s one of the few I don’t question purchasing, holding onto and allowing to depreciate to zero value and even then STILL keeping it front and center.

MacDLaw · February 21, 2023, 1:44am

For the moment the exogal comet plus has me happy, its what I lacked, I feel I dont need anything else this year, plus im broke which I dont mind with everything I got audio wise

Rmsanger · February 21, 2023, 4:09pm

So #4 and #5 are scratched off my list along with a new pre amp.

Subs and 2 DDCs are up next. Meteor and final d8k pro will have to wait another ~6 months and may actually pivot to a Caldera instead.

Souldriver · February 22, 2023, 12:29am

Oh nice you found a golden 800r!

PaisleyUnderground · February 22, 2023, 12:34am

With the world opening up again, I’ve realized that I’ve had to downsize my audio-related goals a bit, because I’m spending more on vacations and dinners out, and commuting to work. It leaves less for audio. Is everyone else feeling that too?

NickMimi · February 22, 2023, 1:09am

@PaisleyUnderground

Vacations are for people who don’t have anything awesome to do at home.

I’m forced to eat out when I travel for work, my food at home is better. I should use this as an opportunity to lose weight and purchase bagged tuna at local markets when on travel so I don’t spend as much and use it for more audio gear. Eating out costs way too much nowadays.

I can’t work from home, I drive 65 miles each way, yes it sucks

This post was made in good humor

PaisleyUnderground · February 22, 2023, 1:17am

In my case at least, vacations are what keeps the wife happy LOL.

I’d be perfectly happy sitting in my audio man cave by myself, trying out my latest purchase while I’m planning on what to replace it with.

ValentineLuke · February 22, 2023, 1:37am

Car audio.

gerihifi · February 22, 2023, 7:07pm

listening more to music
getting more serious about speaker DIY
stop chasing DACs
stop creating expensive DIY cables & exchanging them to often

Enjoy YOUR music…

Milkman76 · February 22, 2023, 11:33pm

Well, things are strange and uncertain in our lives, but we still have similar goals as we did before a global pandemic forced my wife, 2 kids and I into distanced living 3.5 years ago. Our main goal is keeping our immune compromised family member, who is also a medical professional, alive in a society that has given up keeping vulnerable people alive.

If we are successful in keeping everyone alive, we plan to build a surround system for our main room using the Marantz 10 series AV pair (15.4 channel amp + receiver), a floorstanding pair that we still havent decided on, and a set of surrounds we still havent decided on. We are huge Marantz fans after enjoying our series 30 / SACD 30n pair + klipsch rp8000-f set for the last 2 years, and we are going to try to build a Marantz-based surround/hifi. We may choose some B&W floorstanding this time, or something else we havent thought about yet. (no more soundbars for us - we arent convinced and sent every one of them back).

Here’s to keeping as many of us alive as we can in 2023, and maybe getting new surround gear. Woot.

Souldriver · February 23, 2023, 12:03am

Yep. I feel like I am the only one still trying and masking and keeping my distance. That is extremely tough and I hope things get better.

Milkman76 · February 23, 2023, 12:17am

I cant fathom any of this. Some countries, such as Japan, value their old, vulnerable, etc, and have kept them alive en masse. In the US and west, its the opposite. This has basically crushed our family.

My wife is an MS sufferer, and we’ve had to take our kids out of school, stop eating out, etc etc etc. Its been… a very large drag on us, and… Ive lost a lot of interest in a lot of my favorite things.

Yet we’ve spent more $$ on tech in the last 3 years (including hifi gear) than we have spent in the last 10 years. Everything Ive posted about here and on hifiguide has been… this reaction in me, trying to find happiness and bring more happiness into my home for my kids and wife.

(the marantz series 30, sony NW-WM1AM2, 2 pair of IEM including monarch mk2, 2 M3X DAPs for the kids, 2 new computers… an upgrade… a laptop… a blender… a nanoleaf… an LG OLED 75", a BenQ 32" 133hz HDR gaming monitor, MIDI keyboards and music software, etc etc etc)

And yet we are more unhappy than we’ve ever been. Really struggling here, and going through the motions as far as the surround AV setup. In any conversation about future plans - any future plans - I cant help but mention this stuff. Sorry for the venting… but its all we’ve got right about now. : /

Looking forward to maybe building the 15.4 channel monster marantz surround. If/when that happens, you bet I will write a ton about it here!! I still have not acquired the Sony NW-WM1ZM2 DAP, which has been on backorder everywhere for months, but that is another device I plan to get and write about. The WM1AM2 is very good!

Edit: oh, looks like the WM1ZM2 is in stock!!!

Thibf · February 23, 2023, 12:23am

Alright, so I finished writing reviews for the zmf headphones I have and a comparison…

I was originally intending to record video reviews with the headphones in hand, but I apparently suck at talking to a camera, so I think I need a bit more practice before reading the scripts lol.

I still want to record reviews of all the zmf’s I tried, but I only have the Atrium left in-house. Would it be weird the record reviews of the headphones without having them on hand during the video?

Souldriver · February 23, 2023, 12:28am

A neighbor down the block has MS and for the start of the pandemic they went to their PA mountain getaway house. Much less people there than in NY. But thats not an option for everyone. She now lives more “normal” but is cautious.

Buying things wont always make you happier, and not saying youre doing anything wrong but make sure its something that coincides with your interests and hobbies and isnt just patching holes.

It is extremely difficult i am sure and we are here to lend an ear.

Milkman76 · February 23, 2023, 1:21am

Thank you for being supportive about this. Part of our stress about all this is that when we talk about it, some people just deny its happening or say “well it only kills vulnerable people, so you do you”.

We are trying to patch a lot of holes in our lives with the gear, yep. So far everything coincides with hobbies (except my wife’s umm MSI GE77HX - she isnt a gamer), but you are right and I am taking this to heart.

I mean by the time we get the marantz 10 series pair, the LG OLED screen may have burn-in by then, and I guess we will have to see about a new TV as well.

Best of luck to you and yours, as well. Stay healthy out there, everyone.

Littledrummerboy · February 23, 2023, 2:47am

Imma PM you

Milk Fan 98

Nevermind, imma respond here since someone else already opened the can of worms lol.

Polygonhell · February 23, 2023, 2:53am

While I’m sympathetic, my wife is immunocompromised. Can we please keep this topic on topic.

Littledrummerboy · February 23, 2023, 2:54am

100000% agree with this advice. Honestly hearing the following

Has me more surprised about your shock/surprise about being so unhappy. Not saying I’m a guru in how to find happiness nor anything of the kind, but I’m pretty sure that when it comes to the topic of going out, with friends, going out to eat etc it’s universally recognized as something that brings more happiness and joy. Don’t think i’ve ever met anyone whose said, “you know what’s really good for happiness? Staying closed inside your house just doing nothing”. When it comes to buying more tech, that’s not as universal of an opinion but I definetly am part of the camp that does not feel that buying things will fill the void of happiness/or lackthereof in people. I myself as someone whose worked from home, haven’t met up with anyone or socialized in the past few years (and not for fear of outside dangers mind you) and also kept on accumulating audio gear have gotten out of that cycle have become much happier going out, talking to people, focusing less on finding happiness with material things etc.

Similarly to @Rmsanger i’ve been focusing my money on outside activities which make me better, more excersise, healthy living, reading books, more thinking etc etc

When it comes to this thread’s main purpose, I feel I’ve been doing an amazing job on my 2023 HiFi goals so far. I got rid of all my gear last year and left the entire community to distance myself from bad habits and finally at the end of this month I started over and am the proud owner of an Etymotic XR2 or whatever the name is along with a Lotoo Dongle dac and been enjoying the heck out of it! I will continue to make considerably more well paced purchases that will enrich my experience instead of just going on binges lol.