satisfied with what you have? I would. My system is probably average by most audiophile standards but I love it. Nothing wrong with the constant quest to improve but still, if it doesn't get any better than this for me I'm not upset.
Yes I am happy now and have been for over 2 years with no upgrades. I was not happy for almost 6 years however. BTW your system is not average to you. It must be excellent to you since you are happy and content. It must not doesn't compare poorly with other systems as you hear it. Those better systems are not better enough to inspire any desire for them.
I'm in a scary-satisfied state with my hifi. My wife tells people I'm acting weird with my hobby. My attention is drawn by the performance and creativity more than the sound. I think that's one of the basic goals of this whole thing.
If it were to never get better that would be fine with me just so long as it never gets worse. There is always room for improvement but need for improvement is another matter.
Yep. More than anything else I'd like to improve the listening room. The rest of the system is great! No need for changes, I'd be very happy to keep it as-is. I would not be satisfied leaving the room as it is however.
Been on the upgrade merry go round, its much nicer being happy and secure with what you have. To be honest I sometimes look back with a bit of shame at how much I worried over all this. Dont get me wrong I love it but when I first joined I was not paying attention to whats really important. I chased gear instead of music and I will never go backwards, if this is the lst system I ever have and it never changes, as long as its performing as it should I could live with no upgrades.
i,m very satisfied because i set criteria before starting on the current setup. if i win lotto then watch out because the criteria bar will definitely go up. til then i am satisfied with switching 2nd system components to my main system and experimenting w/o spending money right now. i put the money into music now. good question.
I was singing that same song a couple of years ago. Just wish I would practice what I preach. Of course my friends don't help. One just talked me into trying a pair of interconnects. Now I have a pair on order.
Yes. This is easy for me to say as I'm awaiting my last upgrade. I had the fortune to hear an earlier version of it (won it used) so it naturally whetted my appetite. My search is over.
Strike that: I 'need' to upgrade my power cords to match the other cables in my system. And maybe some room acoustic treatment. A panel here and there.
I could be completely happy with the equipment I have. I went 20 years at one point with no changes, have had a flurry in the last 5-6 years, and I'm slowing down once again. Once I settle on a tuner to have modded, I'll be pretty much done except for maybe some tube rolling. Does tube rolling count?
With my main system components in place for a couple years now I will say no. However, as I begin the trek into pc audio, it looks like all bets are off until I get this right.
Waiting for my system to settle in after tearing it down for home improvements. I made a few tweaks just before moving it. I hope I'm satisifed with it after this. If not, the beat will unfortunatley go on.
If you love the sound of the music you hear from your system then upgrades are not necessary. Getting more of what you love is what becomes most important. If you don't have vinyl and you want vinyl then whatever you buy is not an upgrade. Music servers and internet radio are a huge bonus, not an upgrade if you don't already have that capability. Any new revolutionary technology (like maybe holographics or something) is not an upgrade. As you can tell this line of reasoning allows a wide latitude and justification for the spending of money on our hobby. I can remain loyal to my present components as long as they continue to work.
I would be satisfied with my main system, and I would be satisfied with my old Marantz, Denon, JBL system I have in the basement. Both get my toes tapping.
FIRST: Even if nothing new was available I still continue with upgrades as I discover the benefits of things which already exist which I did not know about.
SECOND: Most "upgrades" are nothing more than just churning of existing products. This happens a lot in consumer vs. OEM where people are inherently dissatisfied and looking for the latest and greatest vs. basic functionality.
How much has REALLY changed out there? Take Quad ESL's which were invented over 50 years ago. They are still one of the best speakers today. On the other hand is Musical Fidelity which has amazing breakthroughs every year or two. Things that make you go HHhhmmmm. Or the latest rage in speakers to add a 5dB bass bump at 100 hz. Just the flavor of the day.
Personally, every time I read how a speaker has huge improvements because of an x-over re-design, makes me happy to have a full range driver with no x-over to begin with. The other option is to go with an active x-over. Either eliminates the whole x-over thing altogether. Nothing new, just a lateral shift to alternative existing technology. So all you satisfied people out there, you don't know what you are missing, heh, heh!!!
I work hard in many areas of life to practice contentment, even with my audio hobby, so the following should be taken in that context.
If upgrades were no longer possible I'd be totally pissed off. I am a system builder, not just an audiophile. There are definitely two kinds of listeners, those who slap something together and those who strive to develop rigs. I am the latter. I get as great satisfaction from the development of the rig as I do the listening. I develop rigs not just as a means to an end, but for the enjoyment of exploration of what the result will be. Some people cannot understand that and discount it as not being an audiophile. I could argue the opposite and suggest that those who give little time or attention to the gear are not much of an audiophile.
I have spent decades messing with different gear, dozens upon dozens of rigs. I love doing this! Of course I want improvement, and if improvement was no longer possible, then it would be like the death of the hobby to me in this important aspect. I would not enjoy the hobby as much if I could not tackle a new set of gear, a new "formulation" to the system. I could always go back to working with budget gear, but having worked with higher end stuff that would not be very satisfying - like moving from the Rockies where you can ski for ten minutes or more nonstop down the mountain to a flatland locale where the biggest hill takes 20 seconds to run and more time is spent on the ski lift than skiing; not so exciting. When your ears have heard what seems exceptionally life-like sound, they want it all the time.
Could I adapt and adjust to a life without upgrades, without system building? Yes. But it would not be fun and I certainly would not like having the joy of building systems to improve taken away. Perhaps if technology stood still I would have just cause to say I'm content to not search for improvements. But there are always improvements, always new systems which will best the old. If I had simply been content to hook up some gear and delude myself into thinking, "Wow! This is probably close to top end sound," I never would have had the experience of blowing through multiple levels of sound improvement - and the ecstatic experience of hearing/enjoying the music that way.
So, as a system builder I ask: Why would I want to stagnate in this hobby? Why should I succumb to sameness? No more upgrades = no more improvement. I would hate it.
there are many ways to change one's system that do not entail modifying a component. that is, the use of products other than , amps, preamps, speakers, or source components can alter the sound of stereo systems, e.g., cables, fuses, anti-resonant devices, conditioners, and other accessories.
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