I do too, the 272/555DR is a nice place to be within the Naim range.
Of course totally agree and echo the thanks for all the kind words of others.
When misfortune strikes and one is forced to consider different priorities, it does make you realise how good & valued ones HiFi system is at whatever level and the profound influence on ones wellbeing of having music in the home.
Had I not received a financial compensation I would have continued to be happy with my system having gone through the experience of realising how good and beneficial it has been through tough times.
However, being semi retired now, taken some time out and free of any major financial commitments, how could I resist treating myself to more of the therapeutic good stuff. Klimax Radikal and Keel, tuned in, turned on, feeling great.
Not wishing to divert this thread, just musing on the health benefits of music and it’s effect on our brains, for example studies have shown that listening to music releases Dopamine in the brain.
This could offer some explanation as to why audiophiles get psycologically hooked on the upgrade bug and seemingly feel unable to resist.
Not sure I agree. The article repeatedly stresses the ‘listening to music’ element. If one is to believe most of what is written in the HiFi section of this forum, so called ‘audiophiles’ seem to spend the majority of their time listening to reference tracks designed to accentuate apparent deficiencies in their equipment and stressing about how to cure it (normally by spending yet more money)!
Theirs is a never ending quest for the unattainable, and listening to music, with all its attendant benefits, comes a very poor second.
Sure, there are some “audiophiles” that fit your description. I think there are broadly two types of audiophile, the “Hifi” enthusiast for whom it’s all about the HiFi itself and those of us who enjoy HiFi as a means of listening to and bringing a closer connection to the music. In my experience most fall in to the latter camp.
Either way, the motivation for the upgrade bug is probably the same. The HiFi enthusiast getting the Dopamine buzz from seeking the pleasure and self reward of buying the expensive esoteric piece of kit. Or, the music loving audiophile getting the Dopamine buzz from being drawn to a closer connection with the music he/she loves.
I won’t feel so bad next time someone calls me a ‘Dope’ for my hi-fi exploits!!
Peter
i understood that he doesn’t work anymore, so has not the budget for upgrading.
I hope Toto can enjoy his music everyday, it’s the most important.
The thought of stopping HIFI upgrading never enters my mind, I have always been looking for a way to improve the SQ of my system. However, I am getting more and more careful in selecting what I would buy or upgrade.
I realise I’m on a hiding to nothing here but here goes!
I sometimes wonder what sound recordists and engineers think about hi-fi enthusiasts and upgrading. Surely there is only so much musical information actually recorded. If you have a good system like most on this forum have, what extra detail are we seeking?
After we’ve all spent thousands on a core system of for example, streamer, TT, amplifier(s) and speakers we then continue to spend more thousands on power supplies, power cables, speaker cables, racks, isolation platforms, spikes, feet etc. We then compound this extra spending by speaker placement, not putting equipment between the speakers, distance between speakers and so on and so on…
Will Statement amplifiers sound better if placed on an isolation platform? Get a grip!
At what point have we stopped listening to the music and started listening to the system?
That is a well-worn forum topic, on which I agree with you, but it is 2 distinct hobbies and to my knowledge very few if any have gone over to the other side.
I heard yesterday a demo of 500 series components on fraim with YG speakers in a room littered with acoustic treatments. Lovely, a quarter million $Cdn. I found the sound came into its own when playing orchestral music at high volume. Otherwise, detailed but not necessarily engaging. Presently, enjoying Sunday morning listening to Bach on 25k worth of Naim kit into mission 70 speakers purchased for $250 in 1983. Temporary for sure, but nevertheless engaging with much nuance in the playback. I’m concluding the marginal benefit from $$$$ spend can be rather small.
i am still upgrading, when funds permit, since 20 years. From rega brio to 112/150, 202/200, to 282/250, the improvements were heard the first seconds. They were quite impressive.
After this 282/250 stage, the upgrades were very costly and not so impressive .
My next upgrade will be certainly nd555. Unfortunately no doctor can help me here.
One step away from „done🥳“ but my WAF says no-way…
I never stopped upgrading because… I have never started in the first place. Bought my humble NAIM gear in 1999 and never felt any need to improve on it. Before that, a Quad/LP-12/KEF set-up was also good for 20 years.
Totally agree DrMark and I’m no different to everyone else on this site. Searching for Nirvana which I’m not sure exists but it’s still fun trying.
And i have said it here before - the Nait 3 was one of my favorite VFM Naim pieces. I like the look and the performance as well…always have.
I had but…
A couple of years ago I got a Muso Qb for Bluetooth streaming and was bowled over by the SQ. Looked into it further and got a Uniti Nova. It is a gobsmackingly awesome bit of kit. So good it blew my 102/hc/180/hc/cd3.5 clean out of the water. I knew this couldn’t be right so decided to upgrade my amp to 82/sc/250 and keep the hc/cd3.5 Well that sorted things out. The Nova has been put in its place by the upgrade. I’ve spent all the money I want to spend on hifi kit for now, so once again I have stopped upgrading.
However, I already know I have an itch to hear 135’s on my 82/sc, and my speakers are now woefully inadequate. It’ll all have to wait…
Not quite for me, SL2s arrive next week hopefully this will be me done.
Famous last words…
Other than the 300 that really gets them going.
My HiFi budget is spent I would have thought the 250dr would be sufficient to drive the SL2s.
NAP300 additional fraim shelf will cause divorce