I am so happy.....

Good for you...but that smooth jazz, yuk. I guess you don't need an amazing system for that

Great news! And absolutely true...

We can be happy with any well chosen system anyway...

And i listen smooth jazz too, among classical of any period , and indian and persian music or choral music or percussions...

All this styles ask for a great sound system anyway...

Why?

Because most natural instruments ask for a good timbre reproduction and without good bass cello will sound horrible and some piano notes unclean... Then i dont understand why someone listening smooth jazz will not need a great sound system ?

In fact relating specific musical styles to acoustic experience or specific gear made sense ONLY to a certain extent... All styles and all instruments need a good acoustical translation in your room/system or in your headphones...

For sure an electrostatic speakers will not do the same in big band than a good big box speakers, or a magneplanar, but passed these specific basic characteristics related to each speakers type, we need good bass and high and good mid range in the coupling of the systems/ speakers with the room, nevermind the gear or the musical type we listen to...

The more important factor in audio is our happiness through the greatest S.Q. /price ratio possible... The key for me was acoustic but nevermind if someone is happy with his system/room , he is happy.... Who will deny other happiness or mock it?

The rest is ignorance or/and snobbery...

Congratulations to the OP !

 But if i did not want to upgrade anything now me too ,  i am a bit envious NOW of your «1000 VA medical grade toroidal, 160 amp rectifier (very little fwvd hence virtually no heat generated) and 200,000uF filter capacitors producing approx 220 watts rms/channel.»😁😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊

I am so happy with the system I have, I want to share with everyone the fact that that even a very modest and cheap system can produce great sound for me and makes me happy to the point where I no longer have to search for improvements.

Call me ignorant if you want. Does not bother me even an iota. I will go the grave happier than everyone who is condescending.

Well done @cakyol

I have that same phone as well as the Audioengine.  Are you just using Bluetooth?  With a mini cable you ought to be able to connect directly to the pre amp.  I don’t want to bust your Feng Shui but I usually use the Audioengine for podcasts.  Just last night I was using the LG to stream  the Beatles Savoy Truffle with Qobuz with the Audioengine and I was disappointed in how muffled it sounds.  I then turned on my Cambridge streamer and used Chromecast for the same song—much better.

  The newest Bluetooth codec is supposed to be a big improvement but our phones and Audioengine probably won’t be able to handle it.

Good for you, and I am glad you are enjoying it. Without being condescending I am going to point out that, except for casual listening, bluetooth has no place in even a modest system.  If digital is going to be your main source, you owe it to yourself to get that part right and you can do it without spending big bucks.

You did something 90% of audiophiles can't do. Be happy with what they have. Most are a bunch of nutters looking for another change, when what they have is 99% better than most who even have a sound system. :-)

Good for you. I have to take a mood elevator to the get there. :-)

Congrats! Most people in this hobby will never allow themselves to be happy with their system. If it sounds good to you then that is all that matters. 

Call me ignorant if you want. Does not bother me even an iota. I will go the grave happier than everyone who is condescending.

So glad you found happiness and that you don’t expect to hear any areas of the sound that might make you keep trying for better sound. Interesting the way you're posting it here in a spirit of triumph over those who (it seems) have spoken negatively to you. I guess you showed them!

Just speaking personally, I don’t have upgrade-itis either, but I also have not stopped looking for improvements. This is a joyful and fun process for me because I enjoy experimentation, conversation with other hobbyists, and pushing the limits of what I can notice. I do this also with the books I read, the places I travel, and the things I write. For me -- again, just personally -- posting a statement that I was "done" (i.e., not striving, happily, for new experiences) would be a statement of resignation. But that’s just me.

@cakyol 
Very cheap system: B & W speakers, $1200 server…In some parts of the world, this would be considered extravagant luxury. But as long as you are happy, life’s short 😀 

Enjoy my friend. Music can really work magic on the soul.

What about the economy?

Big ticket items

We have differing goals for our systems. Still, how can you really know when your upgradis is done. How much time without a single change needs to go by to prove you're really over this journey?

By the way, why is upgrading one's audio system thought of by some as a sickness? I assume this journey is exciting and interesting for many.

Good for you.
Even better for what hilde45 and the way he put it.

All the best,
Nonoise

@hilde45 +1

Upgraditis is thought of as a sickness because when someone engages in it, they are actively removing themselves from enjoying music and enjoying life.

Been there, done that.  I even did it the other day, messing with minute toe-in tweaks of speaker placement, pulling out all the gadgets, tools, hunching over the turntable to check alignments and calibrations for the 2000th time, etc.

I used to enjoy music. Bad car stereo, mid-level home system, Walkman, high end system, paint-covered-portable-radio/cassette player-with-bent-antennae-perched-on-a-garage-windowsill, didn’t matter.  Music was good, end of story.

I fell so far into the rabbit hole of audio, I had to dig myself to the other side.  Thousands of dollars and countless tedium-addled hours later, I MIGHT finally be at where I used to be.  I can’t say my quality of life improved choosing to indulge in such minutiae. It’s been interesting and at times extremely rewarding, but I can’t say with full conviction it was worth it.  
I’m happy when I hear about people enjoying the wonders of music neurosis-free.

You reduce reality to black and white... Those who are obsessed by sound and those who listen to music...Reality is not black and white only....

Your frustrating experience in the past come from a lack of acoustic knowledge and from the conditioning marketing ploy who convinced us consumers that only the gear price level and the money can give us satisfaction...I know because i was thinking like that 10 years ago....

The truth is we can create audiophile experience at peanuts cost but NOT without acoustic and psycho-acoustic basic knowledge...

It is my experience with a 500 bucks system, in an acoustically controlled room for sure, this system would be sell normally 2000 bucks today...it is not big money...

Upgraditis come from lack of money to buy a good or satisfying  component and /or from basic acoustic ignorance in most of the cases... This could be transformed in a neurosis in some case yes...

Acoustic science can treat this neurosis....

Listening music dont need good sound to be an ecstasy anyway, i remember listening Bach in ecstay in horrible sound condition, but it is very simple to double the ecstasy modulo acoustic experiments...

I fell so far into the rabbit hole of audio, I had to dig myself to the other side. Thousands of dollars and countless tedium-addled hours later, I MIGHT finally be at where I used to be. I can’t say my quality of life improved choosing to indulge in such minutiae. It’s been interesting and at times extremely rewarding, but I can’t say with full conviction it was worth it.
I’m happy when I hear about people enjoying the wonders of music neurosis-free

Quite content here.

That is awesome caklol. I actually believe that you are happy with the sound.

Why then are you so condescending to others who do not share your views, or believe they have made an improvement to their system?

Your advice to them is to "Go stand in the corner?"

I love it when a plan comes together.  

Thanks for your comments.
Btw, as it was pointed out about bluetooth not being a resolving transmission method, both the Audioengine b1 and the v60 does support the aptx-hd codec and hence that is the reason i chose them. They sounded good enough to me and the convenience wireless provides is worth it. 

Whatever trips your boat. I’m doing most of my listening lately on a lossless player built in a $70 tube preamp over a $315 140 wpc SS amp.

2022 prices.

Happy Happy.

I'm in a similar place.  I am extremely happy with my current setup, but have an itch to try some different cables, but honestly can't decide which cable or why I would want to spend a penny while I'm still enjoying my system so much.  For me, it was upgrading some power cords and interconnects that took my system to the next level and still has me intrigued almost daily.

@tylermunns

I fell so far into the rabbit hole of audio, I had to dig myself to the other side. Thousands of dollars and countless tedium-addled hours later, I MIGHT finally be at where I used to be. I can’t say my quality of life improved choosing to indulge in such minutiae.

It’s reasonable to suspect that "upgrade-itis" is actually a word for audiophiles who are not confronting deeper psychological issues. In other words, it has much less to do with this hobby than they -- or we -- are courageous enough to admit. This theory, if true, lets a lot of hobbyists who like to keep working on their system off the hook. It de-pathologizes what is, in fact, just a freakin’ hobby.

I take this hobby as a journey , when I see good price audio gear , cables etc and I can afford it, I buy it. I do get good result , without spending much. For those who are now content on what they have, congratulations. 

You almost made it to the end...then....smooth jazz.....LOL

Great posts!!

It's been said that as we get older we choose between the "scerinity," and "the hit".  Inner peace, or the next adrenaline rush.  Music can give us both (sometimes in the same piece).  I disagree, in principal, with the statement: "Audiophiles listen to equipment.  Not music."  I belive we drill down deeper into the music than most, listen to (and, for) subleties that would escape the perception of "the average listener".  We just need to have the discipline to turn off our inner audiophile and take in the masterpiece that's on full display in front of us.  I suspect that we've gotten pretty good at doing this.  Among other things.

So happy for cakyol for arriving in a good place.  Taking an active role in your system's development by designing and building your own power amp makes it that much better.  I designed and built my own speakers and I have to admit that some self-congratulatory moments occur when I'm listening.

Well done, sir.

Good for you! It's all about finding something that makes you happy and allows you to enjoy your own music. 

You go and be happy! It's so counter-cultural.

Great to focus on gratitude of the sound we have achieved and the appreciation of it. Thanks for reminding us how good we have it at.

wow, so much snark on this site. 

I'm actually very happy for you. I have a mix of vintage Mac pieces and new stuff. Somehow it all works and I'm happy to listen to my talking heads. 

Remember, there is only two kinds of music: music you like and music you don't. 

In few sentences:

The electronic design must be subordinated to the acoustic science and must serve the acoustic experience of the listener in his controlled room... ANY relatively good design will do the job...

In audio magazine review it is the reverse presentation: the acoustic of a room is secondary addition to the gear choice and even the music is there to make the system shine...And the costlier the design the better it is supposed to be nevermind the acoustic...

After all this brainwashing it is not suprizing that people confuse head and tail...

Some plunge into a neurosis :

« Is my gear system good enough? Probably not, then i must upgrade.... Is my upgrade piece compatible with this other one? because my sound is good for some music style but not for this other music style... Then i must change another piece of gear...Etc The infamous wheel of neurosis goes on this way » 😁😊

All that because they dont know because of the gear marketing programmation sellers faulty practice how to make ANY piece of gear at ANY price shine at his peak potential working level in a treated and controlled room....

The symptoms of this neurosis in all audio threads are debates about, cables, fuses, digital versus analog etc all debates divided in 2 warring camps : the gear brand name tasting "subjective" fetichists versus the "objective" measuring tool fetichists... Their common blind spot is a complete ignorance and forgetfulness of acoustic and psycho-acoustic HUGE role in the making of the final experience...

It is comical but dramatic because it guide people on erroneus paths...For sure there is difference between cables,fuses, or anything else but these differences are small one generally, compared to acoustic treatment impact and mechanical acoustic controls, and anyway sometimes these diffrences are not audible for acoustic reason...How do you hear subtle difference of timbre in a bad room ?

For sure there is a difference between a piece of design of low cost and a 100,000 bucks speakers...It goes without saying... 😁😊

But the main tool will ever be and will ever stay the acoustical tool not an upgrade.....Save if you upgrade to a completely NEW high level of price...If not, the difference will be a minute one compared to an improved acoustic...This is my point...

Acoustic is the sleeping princess, the pieces of gear are only the 7 working dwarves, and the kissing prince is the psycho-acoustic method which will awake the princess to be bride......

With bluetooth, you're leaving so much on the table. The truth is that you don't even have to spend a lot to get significantly, and I mean SIGNIFICANTLY, better SQ than bluetooth can ever offer. As an example, an ifi Zen streamer for $399 will offer a substantial step up.

@arafiq

Thanks for your comment.

However, the aptx-hd codec with bluetooth sounds great to me already. And to top that, the LGv60 has already a great DAC in it which I sometimes feed DIRECTLY into my Freya from the LG's headphone output. To tell you the truth, at my age, I cannot quite detect the difference :-)

@mahgister While I appreciate the lecture on reality, and the presumptuousness of my ignorance as to the importance of room acoustics, I would counter that it is pretty black and white.

You have people that enjoy listening to music, and then you have people with a deep concern for the fidelity of their playback.  Sure, they enjoy listening to music too, but only after executing processes A, B, C, D, etc.  When this series of processes is finally completed, they say, “…phew!! Okay, NOW, I can enjoy listening to music.” There is a stark difference in thinking and behavior there.

To quote Karen’s mom from Goodfellas: “normal people don’t act like this!”

For sure you are also right !

But being right dont means that the point about which i spoke is out of the way or annihilated...

Reality could be black and white and is also more complex...It is a journey....

My point is motivated by the marketing consumerism among some audiophiles about the gear upgrade obsession and the forgotten acoustic science...

I listen music now after a few years of searches for the right components ( it is hard when your budget is near zero) and after 2 years of acoustic experiments....

Now i am like you, music is my only expanse in money or in time....

But in the past I loved music so much i dream all my life to BUY a high-end system... But i cannot... Then i solve the problem in experimenting with acoustic and then i realize it is not necessary to buy costly gear if you find your way to acoustic... I created my homemade devices and my room now is no more my laboratory only but my listening room...

I am here only to help those who have not realized the importance of acoustic OVER costly upgrade and make them conscious that acoustic is the frustration remedy ...

Then you see two people can be right at the same time even if they see things from different perspective like you and me...

Or in one sentence, acoustic successful method transform my audiophile neurosis in a healthy interest for music listening only WITHOUT almost any audio/sound quality upgrade interest remaing now...

My best to you....

And i apologize for my "lecturing" tone...

My English is in reality Frenglish : a mediocre english style of writing.... 😁😊

i hope you will understand and forgive my "square" syntax...

But you are right here also i can be a bit "presumptuuous" yes....😁😊

But admit also that acoustic research in audiophile circles is not so well known or perceived so essential... People neurosis come from their gear focus...Then i "lecture" them for sure about acoustic ... i apologize to you...

@mahgister While I appreciate the lecture on reality, and the presumptuousness of my ignorance as to the importance of room acoustics, I would counter that it is pretty black and white.

You have people that enjoy listening to music, and then you have people with a deep concern for the fidelity of their playback. Sure, they enjoy listening to music too, but only after executing processes A, B, C, D, etc. When this series of processes is finally completed, they say, “…phew!! Okay, NOW, I can enjoy listening to music.” There is a stark difference in thinking and behavior there.

To quote Karen’s mom from Goodfellas: “normal people don’t act like this!”

@mahgister I appreciate your thoughtfulness.

After taking a wonderful (to many, perhaps, humble) audio system from one home to another, with zero changes in gear in between, I was struck by the difference in sound quality.  Wow. What a difference.  Unfortunately, for the worse 🤣  My music sounded better in the old room.  Like, noticeably better.

I feel that your point about prioritizing room optimization in lieu of perpetual “upgrades” in electronics is valuable and helpful.  Arguably more substantial gains and almost always (depending on far one is willing to go in changing their listening room) far easier on the bank account.

Your experience is interesting indeed and will be helpful to some...

It is better to hear a message coming from more than one voice...

thanks for your generosity and understanding...

@cakyol [

However, the aptx-hd codec with bluetooth sounds great to me already. And to top that, the LGv60 has already a great DAC in it which I sometimes feed DIRECTLY into my Freya from the LG's headphone output. To tell you the truth, at my age, I cannot quite detect the difference :-)

Well at the end of the day, if you're happy and content with your setup who are we to question or rain on your parade. After all, it is about enjoying the experience. Enjoy my friend!

I have fed the LG 60 directly in my pre amp as well and it is a quality DAC.  Of course it’s hard to actually use the phone while being tethered, and as good as the DAC in the LG is it doesn’t compare to my regular DAC.

  My bigger issue with the LG 60 is its to light.  If I walk around with it using Bluetooth phones the physical motion causes the Bluetooth to disconnect, so I use wired phones.

Variability amongst humans means a multitude of responses to audio reproduction, contentedness comes at widely varied levels of fidelity.

And so, the question becomes how one responds to the process of achieving their necessary level of fidelity for contentedness. If the process is enjoyable the process will continue, if not, process will end. I just wonder if the present response or feelings of those who quit the process is long lasting. The mere idea those claiming contentedness are still perusing audio forums gives me pause.

Very fine that you are happy and satisfied, but suggest you may want to consider staying away from audio forums--a bar is not the best environment to hang for a reformed drinker ;-)

1. So you built your Neurochrome 686 stereo amp? How long did it take you? 

2. Are you willing to post pictures of it?

Thanks! 

This is a great thread because we definitely place different priorities on gear and enjoying music. I definitely have upgradeitis. But I enjoy it to the full.

It started with moving to my 3rd home. It was my first old home which had ’formal’ rooms. Old homes seem to have better proportions for listening to music. All of a sudden the same system sounded 18x better than before without an upgrade.

So I thought, ’let’s see if I can make it better!’. I added a Technics 1200G turntable...yes, sounds better. Then I switched the room layout 180 degrees...holy smokes!!! Easily the 2nd best improvement...the first being the move to the house. Then the switch to tube gear...a little bit better.

Then the wife made us move!

But I countered with another, even older, home with very formal rooms. It’s not as good as the other room...but about 75% there. But now I know all about rooms vs upgrades ratio and it is helping me unlock the potential of this room. I’ve stopped upgrading electronics for the moment but not the room.

I’ve always enjoyed the journey more than the destination. I’m not goal-obsessed. I’ve always been more process-obsessed. So upgradeitis is here to stay for me. Bring it on. And yes, to each their own.

There's upgradeitis, and then there's experimentitis. I have been very happy with my systems many times, but I can never get over the question "I wonder what it would sound like if..." And then I wonder "Why am I so fascinated with this audio thing?" I guess we all need something to do. I change my diet around a lot too, not because I'm unhappy with the current diet, but just wondering what will happen, like if I change from a keto diet to an ultra low fat / high carb diet? So I try it and find out I can ride my bicycle faster with lots of carbs, but need to bring food with me on longer rides and dress warmer in cold weather. I deal with hot weather much better but also pee a lot more. 

I was happy with my reference system until I wasn’t. It sounded good but now, for sure, sounds better. It is unusual for many audiophiles to hold the line against the bug to do so. However, with a thriving used audio equipment softens the financial stress of upgrading. I have an equipment graveyard. Nevertheless, I have enjoyed most of my equipment even though I have often moved beyond it. An important part of my education as an audiophool was my evolution of equipment in various configurations.

@asctim - I can relate to experimentitis. I'm very happy with my current system and don't plan to ever truly upgrade from my speakers or integrated amplifier as it would take more of a financial investment than I consider to be justifiable for me for a variety of reasons.  I'm an engineer, so often have curiosities that I'm interested to explore.  As an example, I am fairly new to the "cables make a difference" side of things, so now I'm interested in toying around with cables a bit more for the sake of the experience than a desire to improve the sound of my system.  Cables are such a rabbit hole that it's somewhat daunting to figure out where to even start.  I'm currently leaning toward upgrading within my current cable brand based on the assumption that if I'm happy with their "signature sound" I'll likely be happy with whatever they consider to be better.  There's also a top dollar for what I'd ever consider reasonable to spend no matter the results.  I suspect that playing with different brands is similar to rolling tubes were the result can be "different" as much as "better" or "worse" in a lot of cases.

I am so happy. 'cause today I found my friends, they're in my head...."

Congratulations.  

Being on a fixed income, I feared that my fate was to be a permanently dissatisfied audiophile, but discovered to my surprise that I have reached my destination.

Can I imagine a finer system?  Of course.  But what I am hearing is extremely pleasing, and to improve it noticeably I would have to break the bank.

I am good with what I've got.  

Thinking that only money can buy Hi-Fi is idolatry, fetichism of the gear by corporate market conditioning coupled to acoustic and psycho-acoustic ignorance...

I am not satisfied, i am in heaven with a 3D soundscape in two listening positions...

My 500 bucks system trash all my 8 headphones...And his ratio S.Q./price is over the roof...

Many system are better than mine yes, but trust me i am not so far behind.... It is easy to verify....

For sure i will not convince deluded people who compare DIRECTLY high end audio system to a Ferrari and other low cost one to a volkswagen... Simplistic car metaphor dont work sorry, because they forgot the tire/ road and environment condition AKA the speakers/ room acoustic...

Thanks Helmholtz ... Father of acoustic and psycho-acoustic science...

Audiophiledom is a journey, not a destination. To me, by definition an audiophile is someone who appreciates great sounding music produced on high quality equipment and has a passion for improving that sound on a continuing basis. The level of obsession or frequency of tinkering varies by the individual, but it is never done. There is always what's next. There is no end point - there may be plateaus, which may last for quite a while, but if you are an audiophile, you never stop wondering what if?????

Audiophiledom is a journey, not a destination.

The journey has a destination and a final end point for those who know acoustic...

The others frantically change gear in an obsessive never ending unsatisfaction..Or deal stoically with unsatisfaction or are happy  with music and a not very good sound...

 Now I listen music without dreaming about  an upgrade...My speakers/room tuning is optimal....I dont need anything else...

My actual system has 8 years in my room... But i learned enough acoustic only during  the last 2 years...It is not simple matter...But it is now done...

All in all peanuts costs... The journey make well more sense with low cost and a ratio S.Q. /price over the roof... This is the GOAL...

But i never wanted to listen my favorite music WITHOUT an acoustical relative perfection learning  stoically to deal  with a low level quality sound ... i wanted audiophile relative top level experience...That was my goal...At the lower cost...I succeeded...