What is the Weakest Link?

[ROB2009]

Some idle thoughts about what upgrade would give me the biggest improvement for music....any comments or suggestions gratefully received.

Marantz NR1606, Marantz UD7007, Monitor Audio Radius 90's front and rear, Radius 200 centre, Rel-T7 sub, Sonos Connect via Arcam irDAC

Music is streamed from Spotify through the Sonos Connect amp and dac, using the multi channel stereo setting on the amp. This fills the room nicely whereas straight stereo seems a little bit lack lustre.

I dont really have a budget in mind....just thought I'd tap into the knowledge and experience of you all

Thanks.....Rob

 

[BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW]

Music is streamed from Spotify through the Sonos Connect amp and dac, using the multi channel stereo setting on the amp. This fills the room nicely whereas straight stereo seems a little bit lack lustre.

The only advice I can give, which isn't really answering your question, is when playing music with multi channel stereo, don't use the centre speaker, just use the fronts and rears.

 

[Leeps]

Two things could help. I've owned a number of Radius permutations over the last few years. I found adding the Radius R270HD floorstanders made a substantial difference to music. They added a great deal extra to music's midrange. Voices were lush. And multi-channel anything just had more clout. The only downside was a slightly slower bass, and a little cabinet resonance with some kinds of music, but in the main they were excellent.

When playing a DTS-MA bluray IMAX film "Hubble 3D", some minutes in there's a scene when the space shuttle launches. I've yet to hear a more realistic and truly awesome rendition than through this combination (R270HD, R250HD, 2 x R90HD, R370HD). The same track through MA Apex (A10's) and MA Gold (GX50, GXC150) sounded a little tamed and less dynamic in comparison.

The other thing that could help as and when budget allows is the subwoofer. There are many 3rd party sub manufacturers out there whose subs can deal with music better. Size isn't necessarily everything here. Others may be more experienced than me in this department, but some subs have a more musical brief in their design which timing and speed greater priorities than outright heft.