You would think that by buying the top gear one would never sell it for something else, Tara Labs Zero being a example.
What have you bought that you will not sell or upgrade.
Here is my list:
1. Voyd TT Plus 2. AN IO-Gold Cart 3. Helius TA 4. EAR 324 5. HRS M3 with Spaces and Couplers. Never ever DONE! 6. Isoclean a complete system. Never ever. DONE! 7. Lector 7T Mk3 Only good for cleaning the house and making Love anyway. No need to upgrade ever.
After a number of frenzied years of equipment churn, I'm fairly sure about keeping the following components for the long haul:
Quad ESL-57 JPS Labs Aluminata cables (ICs, speaker cables and power cord) Tom Evans Vibe/Pulse Audio Note 4.1x Balanced Signature DAC And a holiday surprise, the KR Audio KR-20 bsi - an 842-powered boat anchor of an amp that has pushed all the others aside.
There is no best... When I look at your list there's nothing on it that I would want. That doesn't mean it's not great gear, just that it's not for me. What you love today and have to have is next months listing in the classified.
If you want the best pre/phono/cartridge you have to have the Soundsmith and the Straingauge. Everything else is a severe compromise!
If you're not listening to vinyl what's the point of getting into hi-end audio. :) CDs are one the way out. Only vinyl is gaining market share... Imagine what it would do if everything were available rather than just a few limited titles...
I am not saying what I have is the best but rather is there a place where you stop buying because the products you have are the best for your own system.
I guess you seem to think that the products I have, and will not sell, will be in the next months classified. LOL.
As you can see I am 95% vinyl so we do see a little eye to eye. I don't get your point on that one. A CDP is for love making only!!!!!!!!! unless of course you can get the job done in 20 mins or less.
I was just talking with someone about this today. The one item in my system that I cannot seem to upgrade from is an original Shunyata Hydra....not from lack of trying. :)
I've had the Hydra for over 4 years, which is a lifetime for me. 80% of my system is less than 15 months old. I've tried replacing the Hydra several times, but just can't find anything that I like better. Go figure.
Glory, 20min.....left or right?? + what's your fav. song? P.S The only thing that i am not gone sell is that f...n , in ceiling projection screen & my wet ipod (don't ask).....it makes me sick . Eliza, are you trading ????
The top for me was reached several years ago when I picked up a pair of Levinson 20.6 mono amps, driven by a Levinson 26S preamp, using MIT cables to my B&W Matrix 800 reference speakers. I'm sure the newer Nautilus series, especially with diamond coated tweeters surpasses my older models in certain areas, but the overall balance of this system creates the synergy and musicality that is rarely achieved. This is definitely true when playing vinyl on my LP12 turntable with the Naim ARO tonearm and Armegeddon power supply with a Van den Hul custom cartridge. I will eventually upgrade to the newer MIT Oracle line of cables, but the rest is not for sale.
It took about 25 years to find them, but I think my Silverline Bolero's have found a new, and permanent, home! I just can't seem to fault them. Nothing else is particularily safe if I get bored enuf, but I'm fairly happy with my set up right now. Maybe in a couple of years I'll try to get some more refined electronics than I presently use.
Unfortunately in the pursuit of the absolute, nothing remains at the top of the food chain forever. Something better always comes along and makes you rethink your standards of what is possible. That's what keeps things exciting, and most of us on the edge of poverty. Is there anything better? Well, the answer I got to that question was, "how much time and money have you got?"
When I was young I used to think such thoughts. Occasionally, now I think I might die before I replace some component, but lacking that everything, I know, will be replaced.
When I got the complete IsoClean system and loved it having experienced more than 40 other ac filtering system, I thought I would have it forever, but it is gone now. The Acoustic Revive RTP-6 is far superior IMHO.
I suspect that my Shindo Labs tt, arm, and cartridge are here permanently, but then there is the Townsend Rock.
Maybe some components, such as my H-Cat P12R x7 will be replaced with newer versions.
i just picked up one from j. ramsey who evidentally did a lot of work to bring it up to current standards. All i can say is --it is not leaving my front end system. Amazing. really really amazing. I dont know who said it on one of these forums, but it is truly like someone put aural windex to my system with the matrix. clean clean clean and clean without sterility and artifice....
The only thing in my experience that will never be replaced is LIVE MUSIC! Of course: The equipment/acoustic treatments we utilize in producing/listening to that is constantly evolving too.
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