In terms of gear, with where my finances are, I don’t think I’m going to be able to swing much higher than $3K per component, so unless someone makes a case that I could get a noticeable upgrade for $3K used, I’m pretty sure my desktop chain for next year is going to continue to be Exogal → Allnic → MYSPHERE, and I’m pretty happy with that!
So with my chain and headphones mostly in place, the gear I’m eyeing for this year is a PS Audio PowerPlant, some cable upgrades, and I’m also looking to upgrade to a $1K-ish level IEM, such as a Sarda, Crassi, or VxV.
I could imagine trying to do other silly things like running a super-long optical cable from my TV to the couch, or putting a cheap Bluetooth setup in the garage, but who knows if that’ll actually happen.
As for a personal thing, I gave up doing New Years’ resolutions a long time ago, but if I have something kinda like that, I’m going to try to be better at making friends at my dance venue, and I have one or two concrete things I can do to push that forward. (The dance place that I frequented during the before times and where I felt the most at home is being very lax about COVID, and so I’ve been going to a different weekly dance venue where I feel a lot more safe… but it’s also a place where I don’t have my usual dance friends.)
Please do! I can’t be the only person who really enjoys headphone movie watching. I’ve had a lot of fun tweaking my tv headphone setup this year, and it would be fun to have others on the forum get into this so we can compare experiences.
Rather than long optical cable, I’m curious if the overall signal integrity would be better with a long HDMI cable, then extract audio and run short optical.
I think my biggest goal is to figure out how to explain to others what I like about LCD-R in a way that makes enough sense to actualy figure out if there is a higher end system that will satisfy my love forwhatever it is the Rs do while having better detail and texture
For me it’s hoping and praying I can get a house and the space Ive been dreaming of. That would include a room for a 2 channel set up I can enjoy with others. I would like to try XYZ but in reality I have a few pieces I cant even try because there is no room currently. Even with an intention to grab only things that have multi uses (ie an EC studio B) i just have very little space to stash it for who knows how long.
This would also have a real office space instead of the ~4ft I have at the end of a folding table currently. And maybe the best thing is some quiet due to separating from some loud and toxic people.
I want to try a streaming service just for the sake of new music discovery. The ole local library is smaller and older than I remember.
My main audio goals for 2022 will focus on source upgrades. Looking to finally get a dac upgrade for my amber 3, will be looking at the Baltic 3 and Atlantic TRP primarily. After the dac I will start seriously looking into a streamer/server to get away from PC output. Once those things get sorted it will finally be time to do something Ive honestly been avoiding for a long time, analog and digital interconnect upgrades for the entire system…I don’t have anything particular in mind atm but the day is coming quickly. Finally once all of these things are taking care of the last thing I will focus on will be my power, gonna look at a ps powerplant and upgraded power cables.
Other than source upgrades i am playing with the idea of adding another totl headphone to complement the Utopia and Susvara, right now i have the LCD-5 and Diana TC as possible candidates. IEM wise I want to get my first pair of customs, still thinking about what i want that to be but both 64 audio and Fir audio are dominating my thoughts on that front.
Stretch goals would be 2ch setup, but that has more to do with my living situation than anything else so we will have to see… Also another tube amp, possibly a DNA Stellaris but that will only be if everything else I have planned works out and even then im sure the wait list on that is 8+ months at this point, more realistically a 2023 upgrade.
I guess I’m following suit with several, but my 2022 plans also focus on very few, but significant moves, primarily involving a DAC upgrade to level match the Crayon CHA-1. This most likely simultaneously involves a streaming upgrade in the form of the Weiss DAC 502. Otherwise, I’ll look into power solutions, likely something in the vein of PS P5 Powerplant along with upgraded power cords.
Beyond acquisition, I want to focus more on really getting to know the gear I’ve already got, and using it to hone listening skills to feel more confident in describing what I’m hearing.
Outside of audio, I’ve gotta get back to my routine in exercise, namely running. 2020-2021 have seen me go from running 1400+ miles a year to about 200. I like to be in good enough shape that I could feel good about signing up for a half marathon on a whim without really having to jump into an extensive training plan.
My goal for the first half of 2022 is actually to buy nothing. I dialled back my 2 channel to a place where I’m more comfortable being and I have gathered a decent stable of headphones that play well with my amps and should give me good variety.
Tubes, cables, upgrade boards from Schiit… these types of items I still may purchase though.
I don’t think I’ve kept anything audio related for six months since I started this endeavour. If I can go the whole year, even better.
I have to get back on my walks which were about 1.5 miles but i hate running for running. Do it while playing a sport? Fine. But i rather biking or skating miles ahead of running.
I knew i could trust u when u mentioned about ur running routine! Ha! Sounds dope! I must say, I never ever connected excersise with technology. No fit bit type of shit nor yoga apps etc, but for the first time I feel like I should maybe start doing so in order to have more number specific goals. Like running at least 1 mile per day etc etc. And to track the improvements too etc. But that remains to be seen!
I made a big leap in sound quality in 2021 by getting the 1266 and LCD-5 and exploring nicer amps and dacs. For 2021 I’d like to explore different flavors of sound and clean up my power and source.
Things I’m hoping to buy or try this year include:
PS Audio Power Plant 3 or 12.
CD Transport or upgrading my pi2aes to an all in one source or move to a raspberry pi + ddc.
NOS dac, perhaps something from Holo or Sonnet
Tubes. I’ve been staying away from tubes for awhile just out of convenience and not having tubes as another variable to tinker with. I’d like to try some tube amps for headphones this year. At the moment, the Woo Audio and Amps and Sound offerings have caught my attention.
That’s how to start getting into it. Run for a small distance and then the next time go a bit further or try to go faster and improvements will come. Even if you don’t you’ll feel better for having gotten some exercise.
This is the year I’m gonna win a massive Powerball lottery, retire while i still have some life left in me, lose 50 lbs, build a hobbit hole style house in the side of a Virginia hillside with a nice music room deep in the core so i can sit on a throne of amplifiers while listening to a battery of massive 21” subs belt out 25hz test tones just because i can…
I will also build a small retail plaza on the nearest cross street which will have a lovely little micro brew/pizza parlor, a cool movie themed B&B, high-end audio shop, fine watch shop, barber shop, full service unisex spa, gun store w/ open air 50yd range, and a fancy bike shop that sells nice Boutique carbon fiber masterpieces.
Friends of the site who are willing to keep me entertained can “shop” at my plaza with “Nick” dollars they earn throughout the year entertaining me with posts. Every like I give will equate to “Nick’s fun bucks” redeemable exclusively at my plaza.
I ended up finalizing some audio goals for this year! The biggest priority this year will be my two channel system. Recently upgraded the dac which really is what started it all. Currently on between jobs but i trust ill find something new soon so that’s a big goal too outside of audio lol.
So, pass labs preamp is the real big upgrading i plan on to take my speakers next level! Buying new speakers??? A possibility but that mostly depends on how impulsive i am for buying something new lol.
Next priority in audio is portable audio, after a recent purchase im covered there . Ive bought directly from companies too which feels nice as it feels like im supporting them more directly too.
Last in the priority list is transportables aka headphones. For this the senheiser hd800s is the only headphone im looking at buying but if i do ill make sure to buy the WA8 to pair to my RS6 dac. I’ll make sure to buy both at the same time if i do go for it altho might be hard because for the money that would cost i would maybe just upgrade my speakers… Lol. We will see. Also Grado hemps are coming back, not sure when but within this year for sure!
Besides these few items gonna put more money on traveling this year! Like going hiking at a later date with @imaphilistine and meeting up with friends like @Veritas@j.fopps! More life experiences this year!
. Ive bought directly from companies too which feels nice as it feels like im supporting them more directly too.