You SHOULD be motivated to purchase an analog front end, right here on the 'Gon, even.
Oz |
There are two ways to go about building a system that is satisfying. 1. Trust your ears. 2. Trust someone else's ears.
I recommend finding a very reputable dealer that is willing to make suggestions, then back it up by having a liberal equipment loan policy. I have only been able to determine whether this or that component is desirable, in my own listening room. |
I think the real issue is that you start chasing nuances and subtle changes. |
...More evidence many audiophiles should probably learn (actually, relearn) to listen to music instead... |
with the exception of a small percentage of compulsive audiophiles, i believe most upgrade either because they have no idea what their sonic objectives are, or because they have yet to achieve them.
i think it is very important to have a clear set of goals and a plan to achieve them, or get as close to achieving them as possible, given constraints of budget and available equipment.
not having sonic objectives, is a recipe for spending more than necessary and being unhappy during the process. |
I am done with upgrading...in the process of downgrading. |
Thought I was good until I checked through the systems of the posters ahead of me. Now I'm suffering from acute system envy.
Herman, that's quite the lp collection you have going on. |
I've also been done a few times, during a couple of my done periods, I tuned out of the audio world and just enjoyed my system and concentrated my time on other things.
Then, each time I decided to get back into the audio world, I found there was a bunch on NEW stuff that had come along that I was unaware of.
What I've learned from all this is that I'll never be really done, because to me, being done means achieving the best possible sound.
Hence, when the audio industry stops coming up with new and improved equipment, only then will I be done. |
yeah, my system sounds very good, but i have a problem with PICTURES of really beautiful equipment. OH WELL, I tell myself that it's just "window shopping"; BUT then, instead of simply putting on a cd and relaxing to some MUSIC, I sometimes find myself bookmarking an item and teasing myself with the thought of sending an e-mail. AND if i'm not careful i find myself putting a check in the mail shortly thereafter... |
Thanks to all...espcially the one who PM'd me offering tweak ideas for the Pass and then states "I hope this helps"...No. I does not. I like feeling "done".
As for the Vinyl. I was actually going to add a TT this year, but I just blew my budget over at the sales corner of wwww.timezone.com, my other "hobby"...Plus, I just want to leave well enough alone.....
John |
Now you'll have time for that second system.
Thanx,
Russ
P.S. 35 years and no end in sight, there are always new things to try, my system has been fairly stabile for the last few years but I'm always tweaking and tuning. |
Just get into vinyl. I notice it is missing from your system. There are so many differences you can make with even small changes. Maybe you are not a putterer,but that is about all I look at or buy these days. Arms,cartridges,phono sections,etc.At the risk of upsetting all those digital people out there I dont believe a digital front end is as revealing of the differences you can hear as the changes in an analog setup. Sometimes better,sometimes worse but always a difference. |
You're done when you're dead. |
Satisfaction, that's a very interesting concept. I find I am always chasing a weak link of some sort. I do agree that the music is just part of the beauty of this hobby. I really enjoy listening to new and unknown equipment and chasing vinyl. I think the moment we feel we are at the end of the road it is only fleeting. |
I think I can enjoy my modest vintage system for a very long time. I look at other hardware, but don't feel the need to change. Maybe I am easy to please, but if my toes tap, I am in tall cotton. |
Sure, just don't listen to other systems and stop reading this site :-)) |
Finally, just recently I am satisfied (if not exactly done). I can envision potential technology induced upgrades, especially related to source components such as server based sources or higher resolution digital products such as Blu-ray, etc. When I got back into this hobby about 8 years ago, I started down the wrong path by purchasing a variety of well-reviewed equipment that I could afford used, without really considering the characteristics of the components and speakers I purchased, or the synergy between them. Just over a year ago, I started over with an amp and speakers having the sonic characteristics I was looking for, a "good" redbook-only CD player, and knew I was almost "done." Finding a suitable preamp was hardest. Through a lot of trial and error, I determined I liked the sound of tube preamps, but didn't want tubes. I finally found some SS preamps I could live with, then recently settled on the very excellent Tom Evans Vibe/Pulse preamp. So, over the past 8 years I have learned a lot, had some fun, and assembled a great sounding system at a fraction of the cost of buying new, with the trade-off being that I have invested a lot of time (on tweaks, upgrades, rebuilding speakers, etc.) that could have been better spent. In retrospect, I am not sure the time I have spent purchasing equipment used, and unheard, was worth it compared to 25 years ago when I frequented a brick and mortar audio dealer, determined what I wanted by listening (not reading), then purchased my ADS L810's and NAD system that served me with great music for almost 20 years! |
Damn computer skills "BEST" |
At this point I feel that I have reached the audio goals that I had set up for myself. I need to post some updates and add some new pictures to my great room system so you can see what I'm talking about. (Upgraded to a 106-T fm tuner and Silversmith silver speaker cables).
I'm feeling very content.
Bert regards to all. |
I'm almost done again.....I think. :)
Nice speakers BTW, but how can you be done, and happy, with no vinyl or tubes?
You also might consider trying some Walker Audio Reference High Definition Links on those speakers. They work mighty fine on my Parsifal Encore's.
Just a thought. ;^)
John |
Nice feeling, isn't it!? Enjoy while it lasts. I feel the same, my main system has been static for 8 months now. After the Pipedreams everything just fell into place.
It's possible I may swap some cable in and out, however I'm completely satisfied with the sound I'm getting at this point, and for me...that's good.
Lots of equipment rolled in and out of here the last 15 years :-/
Best,
Paul :-) |
Me too, yet on the other hand:
My amps, pre amp, speakers, front end, cables & p/s are set.
My biggest problem is vinyl - I'm a "vinyl junkie"!
This month alone - I bought 4 more cartridges, a A to D converter, another phono stage (which I dearly needed for my 7 turntables), yet another turntable & yet & yes I still want more.
Hopefully, tomorrow I'll get there or run out of space & money.
SHOOT ME! |
I'm SLOWLY getting to that point. When I first started this journey - and journey is the destination - I had cast a really wide net. Everything was game, solid state, tube, SACD, CD, any type of speaker, cable etc.
I've since established a certain direction that I enjoy: Analog (I don't even own a CDP), SET and single driver speakers. Now, my tweaking is within that universe. It's certainly slowed down and it'll probably be some time before I make a major adjustmet but, that is more a financial constraint than discipline or satisfaction.
And I admit it, I do NOT just enjoy music. I enjoy the hands on equipment part of this hobby. |
The next step is painful $$$ and I'm sure you have been through tons of equipment as I have...and you know that you could quickly make your nice sound rig sound bad and then chase the audiofool rabbit of equipment changes again.
Pretty funny about the scanning.. it's a disease and your not alone...
You need to take some time to enter your system and post some pictures so we can check out excellent system. |
I'm done as one can be. I'm to the point where I don't think I can make any significant improvements short of adding on to my house and building a larger room. I still play around with stuff that makes minor improvements but I feel like I'm running up against the limitations of the recordings more than the limitations of my system; and that is a good place to be.
BTW my previous CDP was the CDX2 that I was running off of batteries, which to my ear was much better than the internal supplies. I never tried it with the XPS2 but I had it for a few years and it was the best of many that I tried. The Altmann I have now is to my ear a much more musical device. The Naim is very good, and perhaps bests the Altmann in retrieving that last little bit off the disc, but the Altmann gives up very little in that area. The Altmann is big and dynamic and the Naim polite and restrained. Probably at this level a matter of taste and the type of music you prefer but in my system and with the recordings I prefer the Altmann is so much more musical I could not go back. It also costs less than 1/5 of your Naim but you will need to add either a transport or go to a computer based system. Just when you thought you were done ............... |
Yeah, I'm done. Wanna sell me your XPS2 so I can mate it with my CDX2? Oops, there I go again. Forget I said that. |
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I feel that way every morning. By late in the afternoon I start thinking something can be improved. If I can just learn to pend my tendency to look for improvements 'til the next morning, or stop listening late in the afternoon, I'd probably be in hog heaven!
Nice stuff you have there. Particularily those speakers. I'm envious but financially constrained. Arn't you tempted just a bit by their latest speaker? Naw, probably not even curious. :-) |
Don't think it will happen but who knows? |
Every time I think i'm semi satisfied, I find something that seems to improve my listening experiance - I finally got some planers after the Vandersteens that were after the B&W's that I thought I could live with a long time. I tried Hertiage Klipsch's,Ribbons, Thiels, before that.However,I do beleive I'm done using a CDP though - hard drive based music is the way to go (I wonder if people will look back at CD's like they do Vinyl) |
I've been "done" several times in my audiophile career. |
Yes I am. I know exactly what you mean. It's a great feeling. Enjoy! |
