A component so magical it was a religious experience!

[Ady]

For me it was the change from small low sensitivity standmount speakers ( Dali Epicon 2's) to large high sensitivity speakers ( Cornwall 3's) everything just came alive and sounded more natural, especially vocals.
Cheers Ady

 

[Andy Stephenson]

For me it was two pairs combined that made me just go wow.
My first radio tuner, a Realistic TM1000 (Tandy) paired with an old black and white TV aerial in the attic and my first Dolby cassette deck, a Decca ?, paired with a CRO II cassette.

I recorded a live concert and the quality of the replay was streets ahead of anything I'd ever heard before. The only thing I can recall of the recording is that it was of Soft Machine playing at Newcastle University in, I think, 1976 and was introduced by Spike Milligan.

Andy

 

[Lurch]

There are 4 occasions I distinctly remember, when I thought F me sideways.
1. My 1st BO when baggawire put his AuroraSound Vida into my system inplace of my Icon Audio PS1. 2SE, which sent me off down the phonostage rabbit hole, via a PS3SE an MFA SUT & 2 Trons before ending at the BB3.
2. Upgrading to an OL Conqueror 3C from an Enterprise 3C, all of a sudden there was space between instruments and everything was so much easier to follow.
3. Upgrading from my very very competent MasterSound phl5 to an MFA Baby Reference V1 pre, there was just more of everything.
4. The acquisition and dialling in of my ML Summits, they really have been the icing on the cake, giving deep, tight, nuanced bass with superb detailed mids and highs. 6 months on from their purchase I still experience jaw dropping moments.

 

[JANDL100]

B&O Beolab 90s.

I’ve owned them for four years now, and I’m still hearing stuff in my music I didn’t know was there.

Same for me, except it's my MBL 116F speakers and 11 years now. Or is it 12?

The only gear that's halted my box swapping in its tracks. There's nowhere to go now, for me, when it comes to speakers.

 

[Steveh]

A Chord Qutest. I was using a "high end" Marantz CD17 M2 which was good, very good. The Qutest is different class.
I use it with a Chord power amplifier(via a passive pre-amp).
There is a track on Rumours which sums up my take on this..................Never going back again.

 

[chapitalist]

My first formative magical experience was being gifted a pair of used JR149s by a neighbour when I was but a teenager, first time hearing what recorded music could sound like.

My grown up wow - an Audio Research Ref75SE. Such a step up from my previous Arc and CJ amps, there is something magic in those 75watts. I doubt I'll hear (or afford) anything better.

 

[Nifkin]

Isoacoustics Gaia 3s under my speakers: if you have a suspended wooden floor and you're not using them then you haven't heard your speakers to their full potential.

 

[Minicoupeman]

Totally agree with that

 

[DUVET]

ASR Emitter II Exclusive Blue Version with battery power supply . Took my current speakers to a new level.

 

[tackleberry]

The biggest astonishment for me was buying the ATC 100a

 

[tuga]

Audio CD.

 

[Psilonaught]

My magnepan 20.1. I was left speechless.

"End game" is an over used term but the 20.x series is just that.

 

[Firebottle]

When converting the Neurochrome 286 to true dual mono, two separate power supplies.
Such space in the soundstage.

Second was hearing the Zaphino 1877Phono OCC Graphene speaker cables, so much more of everything just laid bare to hear.

 

[flaxton]

First listen to my Sennheiser hd800 headphones.

 

[oldius]

Bringing B&W 801 Series 80 into a cavernous room - the awesome sense of scale was mindblowing.

Listening to NS1000 for the first time and being utterly blown away by their realism and transparency with brass.

 

[Scarlet Pimpernel]

Berning amplifiers

 

[Lee M]

My first Toshiba Walkman. Music for my ears only.

 

[RICHARDIIII]

Not a "wow" moment, but my first Sugden A21a made me feel warm and happy and relaxed and had me up until the small hours for weeks!

 

[rabski]

In my system, though borrowed rather than owned... Kondo Ongaku. Never heard any amplifier like it. Could never justify the expense, but holy mother of God what a sound.

In my system and owned. Quad ESL57s. Deeply flawed in some ways, but deeply brilliant in others. First time I ever heard my system sound 'real'. Still near impossible to better for vocals.

 

[turning japanese]

Moving from audio note E to tannoy took ages and was a was a tough call, then the jbl k2 s arrived and totally forgot every speaker I had owned to that point, socks no longer on, veils lifted and they worked just as well at low volume and irrespective of music choice.