I finally got around to setting up the stereo in the new house over the weekend. I put in the new Opeth just to make sure it all worked and HOLY SMOKES the sound just blew me away!!!

I'm not sure exactly what's different...my speakers, which are middle of the road but decent speakers, were crisp and clear like I've never heard them before.

I did make a few changes. First of all, we were using a Sony DVD player to play CDs on. I liked that I could load it up with five disks and put it on shuffle. But just before we moved I bought a Toshiba DVD recorder and that's what I used to spin the Opeth disk on over the weekend. Would a new player change the sound like this?

Second. I used to run the audio of the DVD/CD player directly through the receiver. When I hooked it up this weekend, I ran the audio to the TV first and then the TV runs through the receiver. Logic would tell me that this might dilute the sound, but could it be that this route improved the sound?

Three. Different house = different room = different accoustics. The set-up (i.e. distance from speakers) is essentially the same. But no more carpet, lots of wood floor and trim, and nothing on the walls yet. Could it be that the room just has better accoustics?

Up until Sunday, I had only played the Opeth CD on my car stereo and the sound wasn't blowing me away. When I put it on the home stereo I really wasn't expecting much sound-wise. So I was very pleasantly suprised when I got such great sonics from it.

I don't know exactly what's different. But I may not need that speaker upgrade after all.