The end game approaches

Hi-Fi Corner
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Not the end of the UK as we know it, but my hi-fi journey.

Having had an opportunity to try a 500 DR in my system, replacing a 300DR, it will come as no surprise that the 500 has stayed and not only because it is a bugger of a lump to move into the racks. Fortunately my wife also agreed it was an improvement and was happy to invest the money needed. She was worried that it might show up some shortfall in the speakers. Well it did, insofar that my lack of attentiveness to system maintenance had allowed one or two of the speaker bolts to have loosened. A quick re-torque removed a small, but very disconcerting, buzz whilst playing Richter’s ‘Sleep’. The 500 is clearly putting out more energy at the lower frequencies, which is otherwise, for me, very welcome.

Perhaps a change of speakers in the future, which is not a topic for discussion with my wife.

Any next purchase will only be to replace something that has died and I fear my CD player is on borrowed time, a bit like we humans are.

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Clearly, you are a wise man!

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CD’s were on borrowed time for me, and they got binned after I ripped them and moved to in-home streaming. That’d give you something to ‘play with’ for future enjoyment!

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Surely you still have either active 500s or a Statement left …

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If it is Naim one, it is quite likely that it can be serviced, repaired etc., either at head office or by one of their approved service agents.

I’m glad the new NAP has worked out for you.

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Not a Naim CD player, perhaps :innocent: that is why it has stayed in my system for so long and that I do not hanker after replacing it.

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Don’t worry @NAJB, your wife will even buy you some Magico M6 for christmas :star_struck::rofl:

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If I am dealing in fantasy land, I think I would prefer an M8 (BMW not Magico)

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They are about the same price.

I did see an 8-series at the dealer’s a month or 2 ago. It’s a BIG car; too big for me.

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The i8 is much smaller!:grinning:

Drove one, it was a blast. Unfortunately, its too low for my back. I would need a hoist to regularly get in and out.

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And the range on the i8 is too short! I drive a Model S. The i8 is a toy for those who can afford it :slight_smile:

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I’d rather have Magico M6’s than one of those Bimmers these days :slight_smile: (Drove BMW’s all through the 90’s and 00’s …)

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I also drove BMWs in the 90s through the 00s (323, 530i, M3, and even a MINI JCW). I am actually much happier with my Outback 3.6R Touring. It’s about as perfect for me as a car can be I think.

Meanwhile, I am quite happy with my Naim but I could see maybe getting a 300DR someday. My speakers would thank me for it. My wife would not.

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Hello JDP

Interesting comment about he Outback 3.6R Touring. I too drove many BMW’s–currently have an i3 REX for buzzing around Nantucket Island where I work. Range all summer, the island is only 10 miles.

My wife and I had an X3D and a 328D Sportwagon, and we loved them, but with all the diesel stuff, it seemed like diesel was going away. Rumors of an X3 i and an X3e in a couple of years. They lost out. We found nothing interesting in the BMW line, so went with a RAV4 Hybrid Limited and and Mazda CX5 Touring. They are great cars, and half the cost of the BMW’s. Freed up some funds for more music upgrades.

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Really, the only BMW I want at this point is a M2, but I’m not going to do it. When I retire I could see getting a roadster for around town, but it would probably more along the lines of a Mazda MX5 Miata. I don’t relish the BMW cost-of-ownership again, especially as I’m a few years from retirement and would rather spend my money on vinyl, gear and bicycling.

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The M2Competition is a rather nice little car; I just bought myself one. My wife suggested a few months ago that I should perhaps buy one as my ‘my last hurrah’, should my treatment not be a success (a low probability of that, though) so I followed her advice. I have been trying to persuade my wife to change her E89 Z4 for the newer model, with its fabric roof, as it would free up some boot space for those times we take her car away on touring breaks. The M2C is our everyday shopping car and only just qualified as that when collecting the 500, which needed the boot and the passenger seat for the 2 boxes.

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I know what your are speaking for a shopping car. A year ago, my wife and I were on a trip to pickup my ND555, PSU and Fraims. Well it came in so many boxes, I thought we were going to have to debox some fraims to fit everything in. We were in the 328 sportwagon and we filled it up. The stuff inside was almost more $$ than the car.:grinning:

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Transporting 282,250,CDX2,Hicap and Fraim lite from the south of England to the souht of France in a BMW 1 series didn’t leave any room for speakers larger than some tiny bookshelf things.

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The end game for cars? :slight_smile:

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My wife does like the Z4, but she and I both have noticed it keeps getting bigger (at least in appearance). A Miata is probably more fun, and much more affordable to buy and maintain. She drives a leased 328xi wagon (touring) at the moment, and it has so few miles we’ll probably buy it at the end of the lease for the pre-determined price. We can buy it for under retail value (if one believes KBB, Edmunds, etc.)