What is my next upgrade path?

[David Parkes]

I have Rega elex-r and neat sx1 speakers. I’m streaming mainly from a pioneer n-50 via an arcam ardacll. I have a rega planar 3 deck as well. The room is 26’ x 12’ and I have to fire across the 12’ dimension, so the speakers have to be very close to the wall, but not near any corners. What would be the next upgrade in your opinion. I would only do it to get an appreciable improvement. Thanks all.

 

[Al ears]

I have Rega elex-r and neat sx1 speakers. I’m streaming mainly from a pioneer n-50 via an arcam ardacll. I have a rega planar 3 deck as well. The room is 26’ x 12’ and I have to fire across the 12’ dimension, so the speakers have to be very close to the wall, but not near any corners. What would be the next upgrade in your opinion. I would only do it to get an appreciable improvement. Thanks all.

Budget?
Anything wrong with the speakers you already own?
Source or speakers are going to give the biggest improvement in any system.

 

[David Parkes]

All sounds really good actually, but will more money make it sound better. I’d consider spending a few thousand. Am I going to get an appreciable improvement if I spend £2 to £3k on an amp, like a naim, or the new Rega?

 

[Gonepostal]

Naim apparently pairs well with Neat. However if it all sounds good already I'd save the 3k you are thinking about spending on an amp unless you have deep pockets.

 

[knaithrover]

I'd go for a Bluesound node 2i and add whichever chord dac you can afford

 

[Deleted member 116933]

All sounds really good actually, but will more money make it sound better. I’d consider spending a few thousand. Am I going to get an appreciable improvement if I spend £2 to £3k on an amp, like a naim, or the new Rega?

short answer no

not in the way that you’re thinking. Especially within the same brand.

Past a certain point think of it as seasoning, it enhances the basic foundations but won’t change it drastically. You know you’re still eating beef even though you have chilly rub on one and a honey glaze on the other.
But it all adds up.

 

[djh1697]

If streaming is your main source, then I would either purchase a Roon core then use your DAC as a USB endpoint, your Arcam irDAC will decode DSD128, which will make a massive difference, you can encode your CD rips to DSD using Roon. If you are confident to build your own PC, then I would go for at least an i5 based NUC with an SSD drive, use the USB input on the DAC. The Roonlabs website will tell you more.

If you listen to vinyl, as your main source, then there are dealers who can customer build an LP12 out of used parts, you could use your Rega arm on a Linn build. I am not allowed to recommend a dealer, before the lockdown situation he went globetrotting building and upgrading LP12's for various customers, an enviable reputation to have.

Upgrade your source first, that will make a larger improvement, rather than your capable amplifier and speakers, upgrade those at a later date.

 

[Friesiansam]

you can encode your CD rips to DSD using Roon.

No point doing that, it can't improve quality and you are just adding more processing.