I’m truly happy with 4 of mine currently. The 5th not so much. That’s the one running some spare items that I use simply to experiment with. It’s fun! At least I think it is fun. Live and learn!
Completely, entirely happy with my systems (3) consisting of Quicksilver, FirstWatt, Spendor, Dynaudio, and Audible Illusions...zero desire to change for 5 years and running after 35 years of system building.
I am totally Happy with All My Raven Audio Equipment Reflection/Corvous Speakers & Cables...The only thing I need to change at times are the tubes to get more bass for some songs I play that just do not play as good with tubes I usually have in it..
The way songs are recorded at times just do not play to my ears as I would like to hear them..
But the system I have at 73 yrs old will please me for many years.
Very happy with mine. I stopped buying into audiophile snake oil B.S. about ten years ago. My system is Oppo 203 UDP/ Schiit Vidar amp/ maggie LRS speakers.
Yammy Aventage AVR (used as a pre-pro)
speaker wires (12ga.stranded copper) and inter-connects are low priced generic.
Since I became aware of the placebo effect I realized how deluded I was in the past.
not totally happy with mine...yet. I have made it as good as it can be for the current investment. And I won't be spending any more on it anytime soon. However, plans are being made for upgrades. The only limitation is money and the time to gather everything together.
I’d wager that ...at first.. we go for the best we can get -- to. Pushing for perfection.
Then, over time...we finally arrive at --- the least amount of annoyance that we can stand.
That satisfaction, is, quite likely, in the real world... in the long run: not owning and lording it over the grass as a god (as we can never get there), but ...keeping it cut back as much as possible.. and... just letting it go.
That perfection, like the grass, like us, like the world...is a moving target. A rust that never sleeps, if you will.
Where...you will always be mowing the lawn, but it is your outlook that governs satisfaction - not the grass. And coming to understand that, is the key. As you can’t solve the grass. You can only solve yourself.
Very satisfied for the most part. It would be nice to test new arms and cartridges, or swap in a test phono amp etc. I guess it's like fancying a bit of strange but hanging with what you've got.
I had thought of upgrading both my systems because of a weakness in the treble. Once I inserted Canare 4S11 speaker cables upon the recommendation of a fellow Audiogoner into both systems and let them cook each for 500 hours, I realized my system was now perfect for my taste. Gone was the slight dullness in the treble and now my bass which was good before has now become truly spectacular. I spent a grand total of $240.00 for a 15 foot pair and a 25 foot pair of the cables with locking bananas. It blew away my $1500.00 pair of long term speaker cables.
I really find it hard to believe that changing to a much cheaper speaker cable would let my system truly shine through. I can’t think of a thing I would want to change in either system. Well, perhaps a Dynavector DV20XL cartridge to replace the DL103 and a new pair of phono cables for the Technics TT. The VPI phono cable I am using now is getting long in the tooth.
Horns are definitely a new world experience of sound. I miss them at times, yet know that the shortcomings can be off putting as well. Funny though, when you come from horns back to a regular speaker it is in some ways disappointing.
I have the itch to go to horn speakers after years and years of normal dynamic speakers. I mean I have had these B&W 800s since forever it seems, and am quite pleased with sound, but I now I want to try horns due to their immediacy and efficiency. I like the mustang analogy above, been there done that with corvettes and mustangs, haha. But speakers, been hanging on for life...some Klispch owners have had their Klipschorns for nearly 20 years, which is like being married for 20 years, a rarity in today’s world. So, I have the itch to go horns, Abe keep the B&ws, or maybe not, but everything is on the table, Classic Audio loudspeakers in Brighton Michigan, Klipschorns, spatial audio, pure audiophile project, and anything else I get a chance to hear. But, I like the sound of my B&ws, but want something different! What’s wrong with me? Or us, as an audio community et.al., haha
I Had the owner of the top store in town come to my house a couple of weeks ago. I had reached a point where i had done all I could and thought it was very good sound. He was going to come and offer me suggestions on how to improve things. After checking my cartridge alignment, azimuth, vta etc, he had no adjustments to make and said, “you are hired.” Then we listened to music. He moved the speakers about ten times, till he returned them just where I originally had them. He was shocked by my high quality electricity (nothing else on the circuit). At the end, he said, “I wouldn’t change anything.” The guy who sells me stuff. It was nice to get his confirmation that he was hearing the same thing I was. So I am going to upgrade headphones and be done with my system for a long time. Just buy more vinyl. And a second listening chair. The end.
At the present time I’m totally happy with my system. Just about everything sounds good if I make allowances for differing recording techniques. Some recordings, of course, sound better than others, but almost nothing sounds bad. This is a place divinely to be wished for.
I also went to THE Show in Long Beach yesterday, and of 62 rooms, I only heard maybe 5 systems that really impressed me. Most of the rooms had a very boxy 100-ish Hz hoot to them. I've been to several shows, and this hotel really had sonic signature to it.... not in a good way. Only a few exhibitors somehow got beyond it. My #1 fav room was Ocean Way!
Went to T.H.E. Show in Long Beach CA yesterday. Heard several multi-6 figure systems, some of which sounded better than mine. However! For the first time at a show, there was no immediate desire to sell my stuff and upgrade. Just went home and listened to music. Enjoyed it. I guess that means I’m “satisfied.” — for now.
GeoffKait15,695 posts06-08-2019 10:44amIf you’re satisfied with the sound of your system there are two possibilities. And I don’t mean this in any derogatory way. One is you’re easily satisfied. Two is you don’t understand the problem. It’s practically impossible for the average audiophile to get to Base Camp. Most audiophiles are at Camp 1 or Camp 2. Maybe not the right mountain. The deeper you go the higher you fly. 🤗
Metaphors be with you! 🤖
Indeed Goeff is right, this is my own revelatory experience ...It takes me some years even to decide that I was not even on the right mountain!
tostadosunidos-- I agree totally. I am 100% satisfied with my system. I am not satisfied with the fact that my music tastes equates to a lot of poor quality recordings! When the recording is great, my system sounds fantastic. Couldn't be happier.
I'm only totally satisfied when the recording is very good (at least). Otherwise, I'm wishing I could make it better somehow even though I know it's not the fault of my system.
I came to enjoy my sytem more, once I faced the fact that no system will be perfect at any price. Being satisfied with what one has is a talent worth pursuing. But, easier said than done!
There is an advantage to being easily satisfied. Otherwise it’s like being a horse running after a carrot dangling from a pole in front of him That’s the definition of audiophilia.
If you’re satisfied with the sound of your system there are two possibilities. And I don’t mean this in any derogatory way. One is you’re easily satisfied. Two is you don’t understand the problem. It’s practically impossible for the average audiophile to get to Base Camp. Most audiophiles are at Camp 1 or Camp 2. Maybe not the right mountain. The deeper you go the higher you fly. 🤗
It's like speaker wire. I was a high end audio dealer about 30 years ago. I sold speaker wire from $1.00 a ft to infinity. Speaker wire will alter the sound of most systems. Which one sounds best? Some are obviously better then others but many people will like the sound of lower priced cables. Same thing applies to any part of your system. On any day, one amp might sound better than another but in most cases it just sounds different. Pick what you like and enjoy it. I lean toward the "British" sound and enjoy my system. If you are going to upgrade, be sure you are getting an improvement and not just a different sound.
Problem is, if we hit the pleasure button of new gear and more pleasure comes out..the monkey tendency is to hit that button again. Harder. With a stick. Or dynamite. To die like little cocaine mouse, sittin' on the switch -with the new wire in his head.
It is possible for some to be truley satisfied but probably out of reach of most of us....
Master Po: It is written in the 'Tao Te Ching', "Under heaven, all can see beauty as beauty only because there is ugliness. All can know good as good only because there is evil. Therefore, having and not having arise together. Difficult and easy complement each other. High and low rest upon each other. Front and back follow one another."
Caine: But Master, do we not want all men to know our peace, our joy?
Master Po: Would you make the whole world a temple? Be like the sun, and what is within you will warm the earth.
I guess I'm one of the uninformed happy ones. I haven't purchased anything of substance in over 6 years, my speakers haven't been relocated, nor has my chair been relocated. I fiddle with minor stuff on rainy days but for the most part all of my audiophile energy has been redirected to the recorded music aspect of this hobby. My present systems sounds good enough for me as is, but I can always appreciate new music.
It is not easy to exhibit financial restraint when it comes to our hobbies or passions (in our case, music & audio). However, retirement or impending retirement will certainly force one to do so. If you are in that boat, I hope that after 40 - 50 years of trial and error, you've managed to find an audio system that you either love or can at least live with.
Count me in twice. Both my main system and my secondary system have been optimized so far as I am concerned and will remain so for the foreseeable future.
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