Current hifi setup is AVM. Its a German brand. Offers 3 /4 lines with each line either D Class or tubes amplification with multiple box options: integrated, pre, power, mono, CD, streamer etc. Currently they even have power conditioners and phono.
I got the intermediate Evolution line (3,2) with a Power amplifier, analogue Pre and a MP —> multiplayer which in AVM language is a CD/DAC/Streamer unit.
Its sound signature is different then Naim but the quality ( sound and build) is great for a decent price. It definitely does not have the downsides that most have concerning D class amplification,
The 222/250 did ( sound quality wise) most things less and a few things different. With the NPX 300 added that shifted to more equal in detail and soundstage. Plus the PRaT. Then only with the 350’s treplacing the NAP 250 driving the SF Olympica’s. Which is understandable since the AVM amplifier has way more power then the NAP 250. Something the Olympica’s need to give their full capability.
So yes a full 300 series surpassed my system on almost all accounts. But at triple costs.
But, when I read photography forums, or read about bikes or wrist watches, I often come away with the feeling that I am always operating at the pauper level of things.
On camera forums, big long lenses costing thousands seem to be in every photographers bag, and nothing slower than F2.8 is even considered. My Omega Speedmaster seems to be the modern equivalent of a Timex, if I look at watches. My Hi Fi cost €10,000 to slowly put together. This sum would not buy the interconnects in some systems. Add in the incredible product churn that you read about on any forum that deals with boys toys.
I run a fairly successful Engineering studio. Maybe I am in the wrong business. Maybe I am getting old, and do not understand the modern world.
The more money you spend just brings diminishing returns and any improvements are subtle. Stop worrying about the cost of your system and remember, our hobby is very niche and all of our kit sounds better than +95% of the what the rest of the world is using.
My system cost less than £5K and I can’t imagine a better sound, I genuinely can’t. Whilst I am curious to discover what a supposed improvement would be I’m content to just listen to what I have for now. I’m just glad I’m not a genuine audiophile as searching my whole life for perfection and never finding it would drive me mad.
Most people just use some bluetooth speakers or a sound bar. You don’t need to spend much to beat those systems. I would consider anyone who has taken a bit of time/money to put a separates system or a Naim All In One type solution in place has good sound. It doesn’t cost much at all.
Now obviously from that point on you can spend as much as you can afford but it ultimately be spending more for less of an improvement. That first proper little system you put together will (almost certainly) the best improvement for the smallest outlay.
This is where “bragplaining” comes in. The brag dressed as a complaint. I’ve seen so many posts with comments like this:
”I think that’s a really great system, but unfortunately I am cursed with highly sensitive hearing and the deficiencies in X mean that only a Y at 3 times the cost will do. Sigh. Woe is me.”
translation
”I think you’re deaf as a post and I have superior hearing and taste and that’s reflected in my fat wallet and big hifi.”
Or the other variant I love is when somebody askes about lets say a budget component for casual use, and they are told only that some hyper expensive top of the line unit that the responder owns will be up to snuff :
Yeah, I think both the bragplain and the passive aggressive nature of some audiophiles’ “advice” puts many people off.
The fact is the expenditure threshold for enjoyment is highly personal, variable, but rarely as high as some make out. But this can be an expensive hobby (or not - as has been established) so will expose each of us to a variety of opinions about expenditure. But this hooby is also a great demonstration that wealth does not denote:
Interesting, never heard of that brand to be honest. Personally I’m not against class D, I’ve tested some interesting gear with such technology. I prefer to focus on the sound quality regardless of the tech used.
You say on almost all accounts, but by what margin in your opinion? One has to decide whether that price difference is worth it or not of course and it’s very personal, so many factors involved indeed. The law of dimishing returns is always among us all.
The blessed among us are those with cloth ears! We struggle to hear the night and day differences others describe, only hearing subtle differences, and even then often struggling to decide which of two is actually better. That does not mean that we do not appreciate extremely good sound, nor does it mean we cannot hear mammoth differences such as sometimes there are (and raving about them when that happens). Of course even having cloth ears does not stop people having an idea of an end goal to which they would like to move their hi-fi if hi-fi is an interest as well as simply hearing music.
Speakers will make a huge difference. I’m a fan of ATC but there are plenty of other great speakers around. I use ATC SCM40 which are around £4500 new and I would argue they offer wide bandwidth, staggering dynamics and great transparency. I can on a good recording shut my eyes and believe I am in front of live instruments.
Vinyl has been much more expensive to get to that point - around £12000-£15000 present value for a GyroDec, SME IV and Lyra Kleos SL into a Trichord Dino phono stage.
Digital is much cheaper to get to good level. The Naim NDX2 I use is superb and widely available for under £5000, a nice CD player new or secondhand is even less.
I run secondhand Naim NAC82/Hicap and NAP250 which you could buy for around £4000, that’s a pretty giant killing combination for the money. I was hugely impressed with the Leema Acoustics Tucana Anniversary Integrated which costs around £5500 new.
So, no you don’t need to spend megabucks to get to a system that performs at a really high level - especially in the digital domain. Maybe sub £15000 for a digital system or £20-£25000 for a vinyl system gets you into something capable of conveying lifelike bandwidth, dynamics and impact.
Of course even this sounds elitist. There are many, many people who never feel the need to go above a Wiim streamer, a Nait and a pair of £1000 floorstanders which will frankly amaze most people off the street for under £3000.
I think I’m allowed to be a little judgemental of the judgemental as long as I am not too specific about who they might be.