Have you stopped upgrading. If so, why?

Just to say that the dealer is sending the Aria back to Rega as they agree with me and think it’s defective. In the meantime I’m borrowing a Dynavector P75 Mk4 which is totally silent and sounds superb. I’ll give the Aria another go when it comes back but really I’m very impressed with the Dynavector.

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I have stopped upgrading a year ago, one of the reasons was that my current setup gives me lots of joy and it has been completed; amp, streamer, two power suppliers. Another reason; I have just started own company so unfortunately there was no “financial space” for any audio equipment.
Of course there are/ were thoughts about (hope) soon future. I would like to first upgrade my amplifier…going step higher … Supernait2 :grinning:… maybe.
Unfortunately after certain circumstances regarding reparations, servicing etc. I’m not so sure anymore which “path” I will choose.

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I’ve arrived at a beautiful-sounding system so far in advance of where I started with NAIM, (CDX/NAIT) from which I’m aware of what sort of bang one can get from one’s buck at different price levels.

I’m also aware of the law of diminishing returns against what I could afford from here on in.

Any worthwhile improvements over my superb sounding system would need an outlay vastly beyond what I could possibly afford and for that reason, ahm oot.

ND5XS/nDAC/282/XP5XS/Fluffy toy “HICAP”/NAPSC/250DR/ATC SCM19’S/Chord Shawline interconnects/Chord Epic cable/Isoblue racks/Quadraspire speaker stands/Graham’s hydras.

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May I say Mike that you seem to be in a good place both sonically and psychologically.

Nice one.

PS - One suggestion - keep away from this place, so easy to catch the dreaded upgraditis!

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Before upgrading you should stop and think of the diminishing return on sound improvement.
I’ve a basic Nova S40 system. I’ve heard 500 systems and it’s obvious they are better but not in excess of £100,000 better.
Can you get better value for the money elsewhere?

Yes, my wife feels Naim gear should come with a wealth warning

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Perhaps, but if you disregard the law of diminishing returns, you’ll all be driving 15 year old Vauxhall Novas and listening to crappy midi systems. It’s all relative.

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Always update your car for the improvements in safety. Good hi fi is of no benefit if your aging car kills you!

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Nice try Chris, trying to brush over the ‘small’ matter of diminishing returns. As we all know it is this end of the Naim hierarchy that really empties the pockets.

But I might try your argument on my missus when upgraditis strikes next - you never know your luck!

I suppose a more telling question would be “How long has it been since your last major (box/speaker) upgrade?

People often claim they are done with upgrading but their perception of what feels like a long time since the last upgrade varies greatly. Mr. Boxswapper who makes 2-3 changes a year may go 6 months and declare “I’m done with upgrading” only to be back on the train a year later.

For me, mains cables tweaks aside, it has been 2 years since my last upgrade. I have no plans to upgrade further, but I probably will. I know my cycle is generally 5-10 years.

for me i would for now stop upgrading, if not unfortunately tempted by the nd555. My system has reached a certain balance and i am satisfied with it. I am not in a hurry, but i know i will not resist a very long time.

Until I had the ND555 I was always looking forward to the ND555. Now I am happy with where I am. And yes I will once if fund permits also get my 500 DR done…
But then it’s done unless I win the lottery.

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It would seem I haven’t stopped upgrading. I’ve just accidentally bought a second-hand 555PS for my NDX, and it’ll be off to Salisbury next week for a DR upgrade. That’ll position me nicely to get one of the 2nd gen streamers later in the year. After that it’s a stop as I’m very happy with the amps, speakers and turntable, and I’ll have a ssytem ready to last me another decade or so.

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I like the thought of ‘accidentally’ buying something…

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It started with a casual Google, spotted a 555PS with a reputable dealer, I pinged them a question about the box, they replied, I suddenly realised I’ll dropped them an email to put it on hold for me. Honest guv.

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I am far from knowledgeable on hifi, but do have music on in the house pretty much all the time. Back in the early 80’s I spent GBP 1,000 on a Kenwood system and that served me well until a couple of years ago it gave up the ghost.
I went to my local dealer and demo’d a few things and ended up with a Uniti/RP6/Kef R500 set up that I loved.
I had that a year and joined this forum and started thinking about upgrades. Last year I went to 282/HCDR/250DR/HDX but to me then the RP6 feels out of balance with the rest of the system so I have now upgraded my TT to an RP10 and waiting for delivery. Then I will probably start looking at the KEF’s as the weak point … and already thinking about 252/300 upgrade.
My moral is I got more listening time vs GBP spent from my old Kenwood, it was nowhere near as good as my current stuff, but I am not sure I better off now in terms of listening pleasure as I was satisfied with my old stuff (didn’t know better) but now I am constantly thinking about what I could have at the next step.
As was said in another thread I have given myself a good talking to and will prob upgrade speakers and then hopefully stop.
It seems to me naim is worse than crack !

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In Leicester by any chance?

Well spotted.

I enquired about it a few days ago but have a trade-in so wasn’t viable for me :slight_smile:

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I did something similar for a 500, though I’m not sure how reputable the dealer was, not a Naim dealer anyway but It did get me the 500 for a bit over half price by the time I’d had it DRed and serviced by Salisbury.