Favourite Audio Equipment that elevated your audio experience

[Solo man]

Just wanted to hear some input on what is your favourite piece of equipment that made your experience more enjoyable. I thought it be great to spark some interest in conversation and to hear some great stories. The ultimate goal here is the music and movies that can make the experience more enjoyable.

For me, it was my tube preamp and it's definitely my favourite piece. I went into my local AV store and was talking about music when the person I dealt with started to talk about Preamps. At first, I thought it was snake oil but then I started to listen to different preamps with the same amp and speakers. I decided to try some different tube preamps and liked what I heard.

I listen to CD's, high res files on MacBook pro and SACD. IMO, the tube pre took the harshness way from the digital sound and the sound was more natural with some clear air.