Impact vs $ spent would have to be two things & I now consider both of their categories as fundamentals for unlocking the true potential of the kit you already own. First would be DIY broadband room acoustic treatments. My ASC tube traps are also massive improvements but they’re not exactly cheap. Second would be related to power, it was this item that opened my eyes as to just how much impact power has on the final sound. As someone that was a complete non believer for outlets at this price range, the Furutech GTX-D NCF(R) wall outlet has to be the biggest price vs performance piece of kit I’ve bought. It was transformational in my room.
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I get a lot of use and value from my AppleTV & WiiM Pro (used with nDAC) but also love my Oppo 205. I was lucky to get one from the last batch shipped to the US.
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My Weiss DAC204, reference level performance for entry level price.
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Six brass footers set inside six Vibrapods, which sit under my non-removable speaker stand spikes. My Gaia substitutes, for pocket money.
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I was hesitating between the Nait 2 and my first integrated amp - the Creek CAS4040. The Creek was phenomenal value but I replaced it after a couple of years with a Nait 2 which I still have and enjoy. Serviced for the first time in 2023, so may well outlast me. That’s good value!
Peter
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And that Nait 2 is worth more now than when you bought it originally. You can’t say that about many things! 
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MUSO Qb2.
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Every single component of my modest system which I have built up over 50 years. Only my turntable sits gathering dust.
toss up between NN50 or Hugo TT (mk1), both circa £1100 and have transformed my listening
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My Atohm GT1SE stand mounts. Cost me £1500 and they’ve been with me 12 years.
Recently the N50….
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Without doubt, my SAT CF1 tonearm for my Rega P10.
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for me it’s the isolation parts that I’ve put into my hifi. This is where I think Naim have bettered every other brand on the market btw.
Back to the bits n bobs, so pretty much any non Naim device came with sub optimal feet, by changing them I improved things drastically. Also things like granite slabs with isolation feet underneath speakers.
Biggest bang for buck for me
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Same here. Was amazed at how much this outlet can make a difference.
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Chord Mojo 2. £250. Unbelievable.
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You’ve recently changed speakers too. How much have they contributed?
Cabling all my recent systems (CB 62/90 first, Quad 33/303 now) with ‘lavender’ ICs, each properly terminated. My 62/90 even had lavenders as SNAICs.
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probably similar tbh - ive never had speakers that have a real ‘reach out and touch it’ sound.
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Very recently. Brief cost/benefit analysis winner:
iFi GO Link Max. Huge sonic benefits.
Relatively cheap, but (ahem) wees all over it’s Audio Quest predecessors.
Probably my 78 vintage LP12, still going strong and with all the upgrades I have spent less than half the cost of a modern TT at a similar level.
Buying a fair amount of my kit as ex-dem has also given me good value for money.
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Purely from value for money vs. impact in the system, I need to mention the very last device: a 15 EUR non-managed switch (Tp-Link LS1008G), placed to manage the LAN communication between the 272 and the NAS. And of course the connection to the main router.
I now understood what lack of jitter actually brings to a highly resolute system: a bit more detailed bass, improved micro-details, better instruments separation, better voice isolation. On top of these, it also solved the issue I had when switching (too) fast between NAS tracks, when the 272 simply froze and needed a hard restart.
Apparently it has to to with the fact that:
- 272 now communicates directly with the NAS, without going through the router, so dedicated device for UPnP traffic
- the switch re-clocks the data, apparently lowering the RF noise and interference coming from the router
Looks like the 272 is still very sensible to the quality of the signal it is being fed, so optimizing the LAN part brings yet another step up in performance I did not really expect to hear.
In conclusion: HIGHLY recommended piece of gear, extremely cheap and fast to implement with immediate audible results!
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