I just went through a similar experience with home theater processors. I bought new and have been using a Lexicon MC-12 for years. I like the processor so much that I even bought a second one. I have tried to keep my system current and most recently I became interested in an Anthem AVM90 processor as a replacement for the MC-12. I pulled the trigger and bought the Anthem and I do like it but I also miss the MC-12. The AVM90 has the capability to play formats that didn't even exist with the MC-12 came out and it is -in part- with that in mind when I bought the AVM90. This hobby has ALWAYS presented one compromise after another and I believe it is the nature of this hobby to do so - whatever choice you make there is always another step/improvement that will soon come to mind. Go for or stay with the speakers that - in the long run- will provide the most satisfaction. You have already said one speaker will never be as good as the other and that is something that is likely to keep coming to mind in the future.
Am I broken? Am I stuck? Do I have to return my audiophile card now?
Hi Everyone,
I hope you're all doing well! I am looking for a little advice or input and see if others have experienced this, or am I broken?
First, I want to say I am a Wilson fan boy. Love 'em, hate 'em, whatever, but I love their speakers. I will also fully admit that I've been in love the with the idea of owning Wilson's since I was a teenager. Well, about a year ago things worked out - I had the money and we moved into a house (from a condo) - so I auditioned a few different speakers but the Wilson's were what ended up being my choice, specifically SabrinaX's. I LOOOOVE them. I drive them with an RME ADI-2 DAC into a Luxman L-509X. To me, it sounds fantastic. What one reviewer said about the Sabrina's is what I feel most accurately expresses how I feel about them. It was something along the lines of, "I enjoy every moment I spend listening to the Sabrina's and think about listening to them every moment I am not listening to them."
But the Sabrina's have one flaw. They aren't Sasha's, or really, WATT/Puppies as those were the speakers my young self always wanted. But I wrote off the Sasha's at the time because they were more money, and are MUCH bigger. Life was good.
But then my dealer had a Wilson event and I met the one and only Peter McGrath. What cool dude. Anyway, I mentioned to him my love for Sasha's and he fired back that the DAW's were going to be soon replaced that my dealer could probably work out a pretty sweet deal on a pair.
My dealer auditioned the DAW's for me with a pretty modest (relatively speaking) amp, at my request. A Hegel H120 using the internal DAC/Streamer. Well, the DAW's easily blew my Sabrina's out of the water here. The imaging was far, far sharper, bigger deeper, taller stage, far more detailed, actual SLAMM and the dynamics... Oh brother, the dynamics....
So here's the thing, my dealer is amazing just doesn't know how to say "no" so he's offered me a smookin' good deal on a trade in for my Sabrina's for the Sasha's. I can very comfortably afford to do the swap. My wife is fine with the size/looks of the DAW's. Everything is a go! But... But I come home and listen to my Sabrina's and think, "This is friggin amazing!" and so I am left not pulling the trigger. I'm actually happy with the sound, despite knowing that there is better.
The other side of this is that I used to want to pursue a better amp/DAC for my Sabrina's but now I don't really. After having heard the DAW's I know the Sabrina's will never reach that level, regardless of gear. So spending on a amp/DAC seems silly when, if I am going to spend the money, I know I should just get the DAW's as that will offer a greater improvement.
It's like I've stale mated myself!
I don't want to change my Sabrina's because they sound so good. But the DAW's do sound better. But I am happy with the Sabrina's! And so the circle goes...
So am I broken? Am I to be stripped of my audiophile card? Has anyone else experienced this where they can fully acknowledge that there is better than what they have, but still not have the motivation to make the leap? Or maybe I'm just being cheap (I do also want to support my dealer because he's amazing)?
Maybe I'm alone here in how I feel. But I suspect there are a few audio-friends who may understand.
Happy listening,
-Paul