I have generally not upgraded frequently, and after upgrading have tended not to think about the next step for some time. I put that down to being careful in choosing gear, making sure it brings satisfaction, that satisfaction perhaps tending to prevent my having a continual itch. As a consequence I have had several long periods (5-10 years) between upgrades, despite the fact that since the start of my hifi adventure I always had an ultimate hifi goal in mind. (Not specific equipment, but a pretty firm idea of where I wanted to get to in terms of sound ā¦ which my last changes achieved meaning I no longer have even the slightest thought of change.) So in answer to the thread question, it certainly can leave for significant periods, and can end completely when your ultimate goal is reached, but it does depend n your attitude of mind.
As for hunt mentality, personally I have never found a hunt thrilling ā in this or anything else in life ā though I do find that having completed the hunt brings a sense of achievement, and acquisitions bring a feeling of anticipation between purchase and getting whatever it is into use. But of significance is that with hifi gear I donāt particularly enjoy the hunt, actually finding it rather tedious, especially the effort it can take to compare things and decide which is better. This is perhaps my fault in always seeking to ensure the sound benefit any change brings is sufficient value for money.
This is something to mull over while doing your stretching in the morning as your enormous HiFi system reanimates Jack DeJohnette in the form of his amazing recordings.
When I was doing my lengths in the pool most days, for the last seven years, on the times when I swam on my back, I would tend to think about my Hifi system and how to upgrade it within the Naim universe.
Now when I swim on my back, I occasionally think about my actual hi-fi system, and occasionally wonder about finishing touches Iād like to make to it, and often think about Music that I enjoy, and the miracle of the genius musicians that I am lucky enough to be able to enjoy the work of them.
[I once tried angel dust and itās not all itās cracked up to be ]
I agree totally with you here, like you I always had a sound I was chasing in my head.
What I did enjoy though was the anticipation and aspiration towards a new piece of equipment. As an example I dreamt of owning an SME Series IV tonearm and it took decades to make that a reality, but over the years I savoured hearing or seeing them at shows and I certainly read every review of the Series IV and V I could get my hands on. All those years of longing certainly made the whole thing feel very special when I did finally go to the factory and collect my tonearm.
I also agree that having upgraded, the itch to change the system certainly recedes for a considerable length of time. Maybe Iām just easily satisfied. I suppose even the system I have now was the stuff of dreams to my 18 year old self, so I can scarcely believe I managed to ascend the hi-fi tree to this level. Naim for example always felt like a really aspirational brand to me, they were always far more expensive than the budget champions like Arcam, Cyrus or NAD, so it was a big stretch in 1988 to buy my Nait. When I got it I didnāt care that it was the lowest amplifier in the range Naim were prepared to put their name to, I felt like I had somehow squeezed into an elite club and just felt incredibly lucky to be there! I was far too busy enjoying its incredible sound to worry about upgrading it and as a student at the time, the thought of owning any Naim pre and power was just out of the question. I drooled over active six pack systems as much as anybody, but it never entered my head that they were achievable for me!
So I think financial impossibility helps me live with the fact that I just canāt have everything I want and certainly canāt afford to upgrade regularly. Iāve always tended to go for big jumps/upgrades very infrequently rather than lots of little incremental moves.
If I had the cash though Iām sure I would have upgraded a lot further and faster, but personally over the years I enjoyed looking at my NAC82/NAP250/Hicap system (all of which was purchased secondhand and then serviced by Naim) and just felt incredibly lucky to own it! I still think that particular combination offers staggering value for money and perhaps the biggest bang for the buck you can find in the Naim world. Youāre looking at a combination that can be bought for around Ā£4k or less and which contains the legendary NAP250, perhaps the most famous amplifier Naim ever made. The NAC82 gives a glimpse of the high end and is still a very impressively featured design. How many amplifiers even today let the family watch TV on the home cinema system where the NAC82 drives the front channels, while I can listen to vinyl also through it on headphones?
Having said that Iām in the process of upgrading a few bits in the coming months, but this will be my first upgrade in yearsā¦
I am sure a 500 system would sound great. However beyond my financial means. Financially my 333/332/250/NVCTT system is about as far as I want to spend. Looking forward to getting into the music as many here have suggested.
Seriously, I have upgraded on a 10-15 year basis. My Celestion Dittons were in service for 40 years. I expect the streamer upgrade cycle to be a bit shorter. I have collected three sets of top grade headphones over the last couple of years, but I run them for different music.
My MF CD, Naim XS3 and PMC speakers sound more than good enough for my ears. My SPL Phonitor and Heddphone GT2 headphone amp and cans, are sublime.
I spend too much on music. I like to explore the world that centres on Jazz. I spent some time exploring the London scene, now I have moved to South Africa. Explore you favourite music genre, and the lust for gear becomes unimportant.
I think spending less time here is definitely a good idea. Or if you enjoy visiting the forum daily, stop reading threads in the hifi corner and instead focus on the music threads like āwhat are you listening to and why should anyone careā instead.
Iām someone who has massively over spent twice nowā¦Iāve had two main systems - a six box old classic system and my current Linn Selekt and NAP 350s system.. In both cases I spent silly amounts of money on expensive interconnects, switches, ethernet cables and mains cables. All due a constant obsessing and enjoyment of the āhuntā as you put it.
I sold off all the cables from the first system and realised the stock Naim cables and DIY mains cables I had made were more than sufficient. Plus, the small incremental benefit the expensive cables made was massively out of whack with how much they cost. Due to the hunt, I then built them all up again in my Linn systemā¦silly I know. Luckily, I purchased them all second hand and so Iām currently in the process of recouping what I spent by selling them on.
Itās very liberating and Iāve never been happier with my system. I mainly listen in the mornings with a coffee before work or on Saturday and Sunday mornings and Iām enjoying listening my music collection again. Itās amazing rediscovering albums youāve forgotten about. The hunt exists with music too so itās good to spend time listening to what you have!!! Talking about things and sharing is also a good way to avoid spending money you donāt need to so hopefully all the advice people have shared here is useful
A fascinating thread. I probably lean towards the flip side of the coin with buyers remorse. Iām actually at my the end of the upgrade rabbit hole, ending a few steps higher up the Naim ladder than intended, due to some great second hand purchases on the 552/300 and a 40% discount in the ND555. I had vowed that the 500 range was beyond me, but the opportunities arose, and here I am. I donāt regret going higher, my goal was to be all done before retirement and Iāve achieved that. It will have reasonable resale value when the time to downsize comes, so value over time is really good.
Itās nice to be at the end of upgrades though. More often, I do wonder whether Iāve spent too much - the buyers remorse, and lesser would be more than good enough. Itās not overly rational, more a personality trait. Hi-fi is my only vice, so itās not a big thing in the overall scheme of things.
This is so true as well. Iāve recently moved all my CDs into the music room as part of a rediscovery of my physical media. I was at the stage of streaming fatigue, finding the experience lacked the connection to the process of selecting and playing music. Iāve quickly realised I already have heaps of music and donāt need to use on-line streaming and I enjoy rediscovering my collection. Now I just buy occasional used CDs and DVDs/Blurays and a record or two to fill a few gaps.
I think the problem of the āthrillā described is it is never satiated. The more you spend the more you grasp for the next possibility, the more you are subject to the āwhat ifā. It is an addiction in some ways, and important if you recognise addictive traits in yourself to think in these terms.
Thereās no problem if what you enjoy with the HiFi hobby is the kit swapping, upgrading, tweaking etc. The exception is when it isnāt enjoyable anymore or it starts to harm you. That may be in the wallet or in other ways. Over my long time on the Forum I have seen a number of contributors rapidly upgrade and then show clear signs of fatigue and dissatisfaction; either choosing to dismantle their systems or wisely stepping away from the hobby and this place for a while to improve their wellbeing or relationships. Some have followed this arc several times.
I havenāt read every post in this thread but I have posted several times in the OPās previous multiple threads suggesting a) take a break from the Forum b) invest in finding new music from new artists and new sources c) disconnect from your dealer and wait for any upgrades to bed in for months before any consideration of new kit.
If a and c feel impossible and make you feel uncomfortable or panicky then that is a bit of a warning in my view.
Interesting, Bruce. I find visiting the Forum is really useful for keeping me away from thoughts of upgrading. I read the threads about how to accommodate another box, how to connect it all together and why something might have stopped working and it makes me happy that Iāve now got something really simple.
What did/do you think of when swimming on your front?
Unlike most people I dislike front craw, preferring backstroke or breaststroke. I canāt do normal butterfly, but often swim back butterfly something Iāve never seen anyone else do. But I donāt recall ever thinking about hifi when swimming!
I wholly agree. I visit the forum pretty much every day and have done for a long time. Nothing makes a more compelling case for not upgrading once you realise that for many people it is literally the only answer to everything. I left a dealer Iād dealt with for 16 years because that was increasingly their only answer to everything as well. I should start a whole new thread on whether there are any questions in life to which there is only one answer.
I recommend reading other hifi forums. Yes of course there is a certain degree of lunacy everywhere but ask the same question elsewhere and you discover that not only do such people take the same answer everywhere but, more importantly, thereās a range of people who donāt own what you own. who find brand loyalty ahead of sound loyalty downright weird, who have explored so many more options than you. People who get brilliant results from the kit and manufacturers you left behind decades ago because they werenāt high end enough or whatever.
If you have a constant itch to scratch itās time to acknowledge that thatās a psychological issue not a forum one. Itās not necessarily a bad itch but it is one worth getting to the bottom of. I too once had an idealised system and sound. I now realise that literally 2/3 of what I aspired to was nonsense on stilts and I had deep rooted reasons for aspiring to nonsense on stilts. I no longer do.
In short, your answer is not here nor anywhere else other than within. Sort that first. Best upgrade youāll ever do.
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